TILLAGE 135 



should be kept in mind whenever we have anything to do 

 with the soil: we should each see to it that the soil is as fertile 

 and productive when we pass it on to our children as it was when 

 we received it from our parents. More people will have to be 

 fed from the soil in the future than in' the past; and it is 

 not fair to the coming generations for us to handicap them 



EFFECT OF TILLAGE. 



The alfalfa at the left was grown in soil more carefully prepared than that 



at the right. 



by lowering the producing power of the soil. Rather, it is 

 our duty to increase that power. 



Proper soil management, then, is the handling of the soil 

 in such a manner that it will produce year after year the 

 largest possible yields of valuable crops, at the lowest 

 possible cost, without lowering its productive power for 

 the future. 



90. Tillage. No one knows who first conceived the idea 

 that before a crop is planted the soil should be prepared 



