THE YOUNG FARMER 



doubles the profit. The comparison is per- 

 haps not quite fair, since it costs slightly 

 more to harvest the larger crop, but it serves 

 to illustrate the point. 



Neither the crop adaptation nor the crop- 

 producing power of the soil can be deter- 

 mined by taking a sample and submitting it 

 to a chemist for analysis. These factors can 

 best be determined by the character of the 

 vegetation, both domestic and wild, and by 

 a knowledge obtained through observation 

 or reading as to what this particular soil 

 type usually does. Every type of soil has 

 certain characteristics which under like con- 

 ditions it may be expected to reproduce, 

 much in the same manner as each species of 

 animal reproduces its characteristics. 



The first essential is to be able to recog- 

 nize the different soil types. This can only 

 be done by close observation and study. The 

 second essential is to determine what the 

 crop-producing characteristics of these 

 types of soil are. This knowledge may be 

 obtained by personal observation; but as 

 most persons' opportunities are limited in 

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