LECTURE II 



THE SOIL: ITS NATURE, PREPARATION, AND 

 IMPROVEMENT. 



IN dealing with soils we go to the root of the whole 

 question of cultivation, but how few who work on 

 the land know its origin and nature ! It is essential 

 to know (1) what soil is, (2) how it is made, (3) the 

 purpose it serves, (4) what it does for the tiller. 



1. "What Soil is. Soil is a mixture of mineral 

 products and animal and vegetable remains, forming 

 and collecting from remote ages until now. The earth 

 is always changing, its products always growing, 

 always decaying, the death of what is gone giving the 

 means of life to what exists, and for plants, men, and 

 animals yet to come. It is nature's great store-house 

 of food to meet the wants of the world. 



2. How Soil is Made. It is made by the crumb- 

 ling of rocks under the action of rain, air, and frost. 

 The process is plainly seen in old stone pits and rail- 

 way cuttings. 



Without dipping deeply into the science of Geology 

 it may be well to explain that soils are grouped in 

 two great divisions inorganic and organic. These 

 are familiar terms, but there are even many gardeners 

 who do not comprehend their significance. We will 

 try and make the matter plain. 



