Introductory g 



noticed, and often abused, laborers who are incessantly at 

 work for him. 



Of course, he knows very well that he cannot do with- 

 out sun and rain, and he will readily allow that dew, frost, 

 and wind are useful, and that at present he could hardly 

 do without them ; but grant him these — and what are they 

 after all but laborers borrowed from the larger farm — and 

 surely his improved plows and harrows and his patent 

 manures will be able to manage the rest. In the days 

 when a forked stick was the best plow, no doubt things 

 were different, and the farmer was more dependent upon 

 what the natural laborers were pleased to do for him, but 

 now! 



Well, let him try! There is an island just risen above 

 the waves here, or there is a stream of cooled lava there — 

 nice, fresh, virgin surfaces both of them, where nature's 

 husbandmen have not yet been at work, so that he may 

 keep either to himself, and show what he can do when he 

 is not interfered with. Let him try his modern steel plow, 

 driven by steam, too, if he will, upon either of these. 



But there is no soil! Of course not; is the soil put 

 ready for nature's laborers.? Do they not have to make 

 it, and out of these, or similar materials.? But one cannot 

 plow the bare rock, even w^ith the help of steel and steam; 

 and before these can do anything with it, it must be 

 broken up and crumbled by other workers, much more 

 humble and feeble in appearance, most of them absolutely 

 noiseless, some quite invisible, and yet — far more power- 

 ful. 



Wonderful things, no doubt, are being done with 

 machinery, and the time may possibly come when we 

 shall be able to grind up the rock without too great 



