PART II 



THE CONTKOL OF THE SOIL 

 CHAPTER V 



CULTIVATION 



Ix the preceding chapters we have been dealing with 

 the soil as it stands in the field and studying the changes 

 which it undergoes in the natural state. We now turn to 

 the second part of our subject : the methods whereby the 

 farmer can utilise the soil to the greatest advantage and 

 make it yield crops in quantities that repa^^ the time and 

 trouble involved. 



Two courses are open to the farmer: he may be con- 

 tent with the soil as it is, or he may try to improve it. 

 The first is much the simpler plan and has perforce to be 

 adopted in many parts of the colonies : the improvement 

 of the soil is a more serious affair, and is looked upon as 

 being in part at any rate the landlord's business. The 

 distinction is so important in practice that special terms 

 are used to express it. The word " heart " or " condition" 

 denotes the state of the soil as it stands ; a soil being m 

 good "heart" when the farmer is working it for all it is 

 worth, cultivating and manuring it wisely and well but 

 not effecting any costly improvements. "Fertility" is 

 used to express the inherent capabilities of the soil 

 which can only be improved by costly operations usually 



