slightly more than did the plot which had received manure 

 continuously; but in the extremely dry season of 1S93 the 

 manured plot yielded 14 bushels per acre more grain than did 

 the plot receiving artificial fertilizer. I do not make as much 

 money out of dairying as I do in growing truck crops, but I 

 keep cows partly because I like them and partly because I 

 believe I must have the manure to enable me to grow the 

 crops successfully one year with another. I have tried to 

 increase the humus content of my soil by plowing in winter 

 rye, but the result was so disastrous one dry season that I 

 abandoned the practice. It was my custom to sow winter rye 

 ahead of the potato digger, depending upon the working of the 

 soil by the digger to cover the rye. By June 1 of the next year 

 there would be a heavy growth of rye to plow under when it 

 was time to plant string beans. The season of 1911 was ex- 

 tremelv drv, no rain falling after Mav. The rve made a dense 

 growth, but in doing so exhausted the soil moisture, leaving 

 but a small amount in reserve for the bean crop. A strip 

 through the center of the field which had no rye gave us a fair 

 crop of beans; the balance was a complete failure. I have 

 never tried to get humus that way since, but have used rape 

 and barley sown in late summer with good success. These 

 serve as a cover crop, add some humus and do not interfere 

 with the next crop. 



Another important factor in land management is provision 

 of an ample supply of plant food. Professor Van Slyke, in his 

 introduction to his book on fertilizers, compares the condition 

 of many American farmers to the experience related by Dr. 

 Holmes, in "The Professor at the Breakfast Table," of the 

 person who put a little money into a bank and drew checks 

 against it. All went well for a time. The check book seemed 

 a "dictionary of possibilities" in which could be found all the 

 "synonyms of happiness;" at last, however, a check came 

 back with these two words on it: "No funds." Seasons of 

 abundant moisture and favorable temperatures for making 

 available the plant food of our soil may delay its protest of 

 our demands made upon it, but unless, we provide a reserve of 

 readily available plant food we shall regret it sooner or later, 

 I believe that a farmer should have a savings bank account to 



