SOIL MANAGEMENT 55 



certain extent, the presence of the one overcomes the defects 

 of the other. Thus, the sand in loam makes the soil more 

 easily worked and produces better aeration, while the presence 

 of clay and silt increases the amount of plant food and the 

 capacity for holding capillary water. Loam soils are con- 

 sidered very valuable because they require less effort to keep 

 them in a condition of good tilth. When a loam is very sandy, 

 the same measures should be taken to improve it as are neces- 

 sary for improving sandy soils. When it is a clay loam, it 

 needs treatment similar to that needed by clay soils. But 

 in either case the soil may be put into a condition of good 

 tilth much more easily than sand or clay. 



The same attention must be paid to keeping loam soils 

 permanently fertile that has been indicated in the discussion 

 of sandy and clay soils. These soils, because naturally rich 

 and productive with a minimum of labor, are likely to be 

 neglected until loss of fertility is noticeable. When this 

 point is reached, it requires much more trouble and expense 

 to restore the fertility than would have been necessary to 

 maintain a constant or increasing fertility. Besides, in the 

 latter method there is the additional gain in securing the 

 advantage of a uniformly high production of crops. 



SYSTEMS OF FARMING AND SOIL MANAGEMENT 



It is clear from what has been said that keeping up the 

 soil fertility is of primary importance in any system of farm- 

 ing. The general principles to be applied are the same, 

 whatever the system. The differences lie in the kinds of 

 natural soil, in climate, in crops, and in animals. For example, 

 one farm having sandy soil must be handled in much the 

 same way as any other farm having the same kind of soil. 



