512 FARM MANAGEMENT 



character of the trees, weeds, and crops help in telling the 

 fertility of the soil. 



When considering plants, the entire list observed should 

 be considered rather than the presence or absence of some 

 one plant. It is often said that sheep sorrel indicates 

 an acid soil, but sorrel will grow around a pile of limestone. 

 It is a hardy plant and will grow under adverse conditions. 

 The presence of sorrel and other plants of low lime re- 

 quirement, and the absence of clover, alfalfa, and other 

 lime-requiring plants, rather than the presence or absence 

 of some one plant, is the point to consider. 



It is sometimes said that redtop indicates a wet soil, 

 yet it is the chief hay plant on some dry hillsides. The 

 fact is that redtop is a hardy plant and will live under 

 many adverse conditions, one of which is too much water ; 

 another is dry soil ; another is lack of lime or an acid soil. 



The following plants, in general, indicate good soils. 

 Any one of them may be found on poor soils, but the general 

 presence of these plants indicates good soils : 



Alfalfa, clover, Kentucky blue-grass, corn, wheat, wal- 

 nut, ash, basswood, crab apple, quack grass, Canada 

 thistle. 



The general presence of the following plants and absence 

 of the above list suggests poorer soils or poorly managed 

 soils : 



Redtop, Canada blue-grass, rye, buckwheat, oats, 

 potatoes, chestnut, beech, pine, hemlock, spruce, daisy, 

 wild carrot, five finger, paint brush, sorrel, golden rod. 



Any one of the last list will grow on a good soil, but most 

 of them can be grown on soils that will not grow the plants 

 of the first list. Golden rod grows luxuriantly on the richest 

 soils, but grows on the poorest soils. If there is a general 

 prevalence of the crops of the last list, and absence of 



