ADVANTAGES OF RURAL PURSUITS. 53 



interior jiarts of the soil during the day and l)y tlie exterior and 

 interior dnring the night." I have thought of this reniaik 

 when 1 have seen a man plant a tree, by digging the soil just 

 deep enough to cover the roots, and then setting it on hard pan 

 or a gravel bed, wonder why it did not live, or if it did lan- 

 guishingly live, as we say in the law, why it did not grow ; 

 as if a tree as well as a man had not an inherent right to die of 

 thirst or starvation. Put the same tree upon good rich loam, 

 thoroughly stin-cd and decomposed to the depth of two and a 

 half or three feet, and if undcrdrained all the better; keep the 

 ground open and loose about it, give it a little mulching, in a 

 dry season, and its growth will be such that Jonah's gourd will 

 uo longer seem miraculous. 



The object of all mechanical operations on the soil is to expose 

 the greatest possible surface to the influence of the atmosphere. 

 The plough, the harrow, the spade, the hoe, accelerate the 

 decomposition of the soil. Tlie rapidity of the decomposition of 

 a solid body increases with the extension of its surface. " The 

 more points of contact we offer," says Liebig, " to the external 

 chemical agent, the more rapid will be its action." An ex- 

 tension of surface almost infinite, any one can see, is gained by 

 the subdivision of its particles. 



But into the detail of this beautiful science of agricultural 

 chemistry I may not venture to go further, I fear I should 

 soon get beyond my depth. These imperfect illustrations may 

 suffice to show that we must have its aid and guidance, if we 

 would thoroughly subdue the earth. I should be happy if I 

 thought they would attract you to the study of the science 

 itself. Its principles should be better understood. They 

 underlie our art. They are at once the seed and the fruit of 

 its progress and growth. 



This doctrine of the necessity of thoroughly subduing the 

 earth may throw some light upon the vexed question of small 

 or large farms. And with farmers of moderate capital the 

 difference is just this. On the small farm we may subdue the 

 earth; on the large the earth subdues us. 



But we are commanded not only to subdue the earth, l)ut to 

 replenish it, — to restore to the soil the substances which liave 

 been taken from it, and which the atmosphere cannot sup})ly. 

 The earth is liberal, but she is exact also. She asks only for tlie 



