INTRODUCTION 



IT is the first business of every farmer to reduce the fertility of 

 the soil, by removing the largest crops of which the soil is capable; 

 but ultimate failure results for the landowner unless provision 

 is made for restoring and maintaining productiveness. Every 

 landowner should adopt for his land a system of farming that is 

 permanent, a system under which the land becomes better 

 rather than poorer. 



If the independent farmer is to adopt and maintain permanent 

 systems of profitable agriculture, he cannot accept " parrot " 

 instruction ; he must know the why and wherefore, the reason for 

 doing things, and the ultimate effect of his agricultural practice 

 upon the productive power of the land. Every farm is an inde- 

 pendent enterprise in which the farmer himself is the superin- 

 tendent and general manager, and he must be able to direct the 

 business, even though he may be the only man to execute his 

 own plans. The agriculture of a state cannot be managed from a 

 central office. The landowner must think for the land. 



The author is familiar with the often expressed idea that what 

 the farmer wants is a simple statement of facts, but he is even 

 more familiar with the absolute truth that what the farmer de- 

 mands is the most positive proof of the correctness of such state- 

 ment before he is willing to make any change from a practice 

 based upon long experience. 



In the preparation of this book free use has been made of such 

 technical terms as are necessary to the discussion of fundamental 

 principles with scientific correctness. No apology is offered for 

 this. Farmers and agricultural students have at least as good 

 intellects as other classes of people; and if when they leave the 

 farm they can learn to understand and manage successfully such 

 lines of business as banking, contracting, building, operating 

 railroads, factories, and other commercial establishments, 



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