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crops of grass or clover grow on the land, and 

 have all the manure, solid and liquid, applied to its 

 surface. There are many countries in England 

 yielding an average of thirty -two bushels of wheat 

 per acre for ten crops in succession, whereas but 

 few districts in India yield half that quantity while 

 possessing greater agricultural capabilities than 

 Great Britain. 



Another way to increase soluble silica in the 

 soil is to grow such crops, in rotation with wheat, 

 as will best prevent the loss of available 

 silica. This remark is intended to apply more 

 particularly to districts growing cotton, tobacco, 

 and opium, as these plants require no considerable 

 amount of silica, while the soil is improved by the 

 tilling which is necessary for them. 



Indian-corn, well managed, will extract more 

 silica from the soil than any other plant. As not an 

 ounce of this mineral is needed in the constitutional 

 economy of man or beast, it can all be composted 

 in the stalks, blades, and cobs of, or in the dung 

 and urine derived from, Indian-corn, and be finally 

 incorporated in the stems of wheat-plants. 



Indian -corn and wheat culture, if skilfully and 

 scientifically conducted, go admirably well together. 

 Of the two, perhaps the Indian-corn will yield a 

 better-paying crop. But when what is called ' high 

 farming' in England is introduced into India, the 

 crops both of wheat and Indian-corn grown here 



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