THE LAND AND ITS TREATMENT 5 



soiling. It should contain an abundance of decaying 

 vegetable matter. Humus is the great reservoir of 

 moisture. A soil rich in humus not only admits water 

 more freely, but retains more of it and gives it up more 

 slowly. Humus possesses other qualities of advantage 

 in preventing the loss of nitrogen and in setting free 

 mineral constituents of the soil. It can be obtained by 

 the addition of stable -manure or the plowing in of 

 green -crops, but the process must be gradual. To apply 

 large quantities of undecayed vegetable matter at one 

 time may injure rather than improve the condition. 



Moist, sandy and clay loams give most universal 

 satisfaction. The dewberry will thrive on a light 

 sandy soil, followed in turn by the red raspberry and 

 blackberry, while a strong clay loam is preferable for 

 the currant and gooseberry. The stronger soils are 

 better adapted to varieties of moderate growth, the 

 lighter soils to the more rampant growers. 



Sod land should be avoided, even though in excel- 

 lent general condition. The sod renders it incon- 

 venient to furrow and plant and may cause the death 

 of many plants. Grass may also become established 

 in the rows and give trouble. Thorough soil -prepa- 

 ration is imperative ; no amount of after care can 

 atone for neglect in this. Land which has been thor- 

 oughly worked for one or two seasons previous to 

 planting is to be preferred. 



In parts of the West where droughts are often se- 

 vere and where the substratum of the soil is hard and 

 impervious, subsoiling will often prove advantageous. 

 It should be done the fall before planting, or even 



