SURROUNDINGS OF THE HOME 253 



and exercise his judgment just as does the business or profes- 

 sional man when called upon to decide what, in mew of all 

 known conditions, is a wise course to pursue. The farmer 

 who wrests from the soil an ample return for the capital 

 invested and the labor involved, and who lives comfortably 

 all the time, must be both capable and efficient. An unwise 

 course in the care of the soil, whether from ignorance or from 

 shiftlessness, invites failure. To achieve success, here or else- 

 where man must work harmoniously with the forces of nature. 



SUMMARY 



The fruitfulness of soils that are plentifully watered is modified 

 greatly by their texture. There should be sufficient compactness to 

 prevent the leaching away of the soluble compounds essential to plant 

 growth. At the same time there should be no large air spaces to allow 

 a rapid drying out of soil water, and a destruction of the rootlets and 

 root-hairs. Then, too, the soil must not be so compact or so water- 

 soaked as to harm vegetation because of lack of soil air. 



Tillage of the soil seeks to maintain a loose finely divided condition 

 favorable to the growth of roots through it. If the soil is too loose, 

 it must be made more compact by use of heavy rollers in order to close 

 up the large air spaces. The addition of much finely divided well- 

 rotted fertilizer from the barn yard and compost heap, furnishes 

 abundant raw material for the growth of plants, and aids in securing 

 a soil texture that is desirable. 



The surface of the ground is always to be kept loose and dry so far 

 as necessary to conserve the supply of water in the soil, and should 

 be kept free of weeds. Care must be. exercised in the cultivation of 

 crops, not to break off or to destroy root systems already formed. 

 This would leave the plants deprived of water, and starved for lack of 

 the food material that the injured roots have been furnishing. 



The finer the soil particles the more of them in a cubic inch, or cubic 

 foot, and the far greater combined surface area to which a film of water 

 may adhere. It is from this film of water rather than from water 

 filling the spaces between the soil particles that the root-hairs draw 

 their water supply, and upon it the ability of plants to withstand 

 drouth very largely depends. 



Decaying vegetable matter not only contributes toward making 



