40 THE PRINCIPLES OF 



more we study its wonderful and complicated structure, and 

 the cosmic forces which act upon it and develop its powers, 

 the more will we be struck with the immediate and strong 

 ties which attach all animated nature to our mother earth. 

 This is where all life is elaborated, assisted, or acted upon, of 

 course, by other external forces which must not be forgotten 

 moisture and a suitable temperature. There must be 

 moisture ; there must be suitable temperature ; and these, 

 brought to bear upon the wonderful properties of the soil, 

 cause the germination of the seed and the growth of the plant. 

 These changes are closely and inseparably connected with 

 the growth of animals; they are equally and inseparably 

 connected with the existence of man ; with the functions of 

 brain and of thought, with poetry and art, and all the higher 

 developments of mind, all of which actually spring out of the 

 soil. What is wanted before these results can be realized is 

 the creative fiat, or the planting of the seed. The principle 

 of life must be assumed in the first instance, but once place 

 the fertile germ in the warm and moist matrix, and expose 

 it to the action of air and sun, and the rest follows in a 

 manner analogous to the development of the embryo in the 

 womb. 



The great primitive forces of fire, air, earth, and water, 

 which Aristotle called the elements, are all engaged, and all 

 that is needed beyond them is the fertilized germ or seed, 

 the presence of which we accept, but cannot account for 

 except by the simple statement that God planted it. 



Two subjects require to be carefully separated and defined 

 by pupils studying under the Department. One of these is 

 the conditions of fertility in a soil ; the next is the indications 

 of fertility. 



By the " conditions of fertility " we mean the parallel to 

 what is meant by " the conditions of health." The conditions 

 of fertility in soils are parallel to the conditions of health 



