SQIL, DRAINAGE AND PREPARATION. 27 



roots of the k/ce crop. But if selection can be made for 

 general purposes, choose a rather dark-colored loamy soil, 

 neither "sandy" nor "clayey," as deep as can be found, 

 but not less than twelve inches. If it overlay a sandy 

 loam of yellowish color, through which water will pass 

 freely, you have struck the right spot, and abundant 

 crops can be raised under proper management. When 

 selecting land, do not be deceived by any one who tells 

 you that if not naturally good, the soil may be made so 

 by cultivation and manure. These will help, certainly, 

 but only as education improves the shallow mind. Lux- 

 uriant crops can no more be expected from a thin and 

 poor soil no matter how much it is cultivated than 

 fertile ideas from a shallow brain, educate it as you will. 

 The best guide in the selection of land for garden pur- 

 poses is to closely examine and compare the crops on 

 lands adjacent ; if, under ordinary culture, you see these 

 lands producing good crops of Corn, Wheat, or Potatoes, 

 or where the meadows give two or three tons of Hay to 

 the acre, it is reasonable to expect that land on the same 

 level as that in question will be of similar quality. But 

 should the land to be selected for garden purposes be in 

 a region where there is nothing- but timber or the natural 

 grasses to guide, then the best thing to do is to carefully 

 dig in different parts of the land to ascertain the depth 

 and quality of the top soil, and above all the texture of 

 the subsoil, which, if it be of stiff, adhesive clay, such as 

 bricks could be made from, turn back at once and let 

 that soil alone, if desired for garden work. To the en- 

 tirely inexperienced person, who is about to lease or pur- 

 chase land for garden work, I would advise him to get, 

 if possible, an entirely disinterested practical farmer or 

 gardener to examine the soil and general surroundings of 

 the locality before entering on the undertaking ; for, as 

 before said, the quality of the soil is all important to 

 success. 



