76 HAPPY INDIA 



obtained, at Stassfurth. The restoration of phos- 

 phoric acid to the soil is essential for every kind of 

 agriculture. 



If cows are fed continually on pastures which are 

 not manured with some substance giving phosphoric 

 acid, the milk will go down in quality, and so will 

 the products of milk, like cheese. Neither corn nor 

 vegetables will grow in abundance unless there is a 

 good supply of phosphoric acid. This is well known 

 to the European farmers, who apply it in various 

 forms, superphosphate, ground-phosphate, basic slag. 

 Fifty years ago Peruvian guano was largely used, 

 it was a complete manure, and gave excellent results. 

 But the deposits of guano were soon exhausted, and 

 now only sweepings remain. By the application of 

 these substances the land is maintained in a produc- 

 tive condition, and except for their use British farming 

 would to a great extent come to an end. It is chiefly 



by the use of f that the British farmer 



is enabled to produce from a field of corn from twice 

 to five times as much as is produced on the average 

 of Indian farms. 



For production from the soil it is necessary to 

 have first a good soil, such as it is ; second, sufficient 

 water ; third, sufficient sunlight ; fourth, sufficient 

 heat. The plant itself is chiefly composed of air 

 and water, out of which hydrogen and carbon are 

 obtained. The hydrogen is a constituent of the water, 

 and carbonic acid gas is in minute quantities in the 

 air ; these produce hydro-carbonates, which are the 

 chief components of all vegetable and animal matter. 



