78 SOILS 



usable by the plants. Then, too, if it were known that 

 the plant food were held in a soil that is finely pow- 

 dered, of good physical condition, well supplied with 

 water, bacteria, and all factors incidental to the growth 

 of this supply, we should prefer to stand our chances 

 with a soil of this nature, with plant food in this condi- 

 tion, than where all opposite conditions were present. 



Observe the soil itself. If you would get acquainted 

 with this hidden plant food which you cannot see, you 

 must take the soil, itself, into your confidence and then 

 continue to observe the soil in the fields ; to watch it as 

 it produces crops of this nature and of that nature ; to 

 see how it behaves in summer and in winter or in wet 

 seasons or in dry seasons : in short, you must not neglect 

 this constant intimacy with the soil out of doors, as it 

 does the work satisfactorily, or as it tries to do it under 

 the circumstances with which you have enclosed it. 



With this training, which you must give yourself that 

 you may learn to observe and to know the soil, and to 

 reenforce the best knowledge by such information as 

 general soil analyses not in isolated cases, but of soil 

 groups or soil types you should be able so to acquaint 

 yourself with your soils that you may know the best way 

 of handling and treating them for each and every crop. 



