SOIL SANITATION 283 



yard manure as usually handled loses more 

 than half of its soluble minerals before it is 

 scattered on the field. 



The toxic soil solution that was benefited 

 by the use of "manures" did not require plant 

 food. The effect of the manuring must then 

 be from some other cause. It is due to the 

 fact that the decaying organic substance 

 liberates oxygen in an active form, which is 

 able to destroy the "poison" of the soil. 



The farmer plows, harrows, cultivates. 

 Tillage, he is told, conserves moisture. In 

 addition to conserving moisture, it aerates the 

 soil, lets in the air and sunlight. 



The farmer under-drains his fields. Under - 

 drainage removes excess moisture, and in doing 

 so opens channels through which the air may 

 circulate. 



And in addition to these practices Nature 

 steps in and intervenes seasons of rest for the 

 soil. The toxic soil under test was found to 

 be restored to fertility by a short period of 

 rest. 



Study the methods of a successful farmer 

 and compare them with the methods used by 

 the scientists in this laboratory test and you 

 will see that they follow parallel. Live-stock 



