LECT. IT THE SOIL 37 



The second time the plot is trenched after cropping 

 a good portion of the under spit may be mixed with the 

 upper soil ; and at the third trenching the whole may 

 be suitable for blending, and the plot then, with manu- 

 rial additions, should be capable of affording maxi- 

 mum yields. Soil of good staple brought into the 

 best possible condition by deep culture and enrich- 

 ment gives a much greater profit to the tillers, who 

 pay at the rate of considerably more than 5 an acre 

 in market gardens, than they could possibly obtain 

 from weak, thin land with "nothing in it" if they 

 paid only 5,?. or 10s. or indeed no rent at all. 



Most strong soils are greatly improved by rough 

 digging in the autumn, exposing the lumps to the 

 action of frost, which shatters them. Then by further 

 action in the spring, when the soil is somewhat dry, 

 it may be smashed into small particles. Figure 5 

 (page 38) shows soil thrown up roughly before winter 

 in the upper example (1) ; below it is the state of the 

 soil after frost (2) ; and still lower is its condition when 

 levelled down in spring for cropping (3), the first essen- 

 tial to success being then provided a good tilth. 



Manure containing much straw is good for mixing 

 with strong soil in the autumn, as also is gritty matter 

 such as road sweepings, ashes, peat moss litter, leaves, 

 and even sawdust anything to open it and render 

 it more friable ; but gritty additions would not be 

 equally good for very porous or sandy soils : nor 

 would autumn exposure by digging, this being best 

 left till early spring, while the earth is still moist, not 

 deferring it till dry weather in late spring, or much 

 moisture, which it is so desirable to retain in soils 

 that " dry out " quickly, will be dissipated to the 

 detriment of the crops in summer. 



Moisture is constantly being drawn out of the earth 

 to the air by the action of the sun. This is known as 



