The Story -Book of the Fields 



potatoes without having spent anything more 

 on manure. Is that all ? Not yet. After 

 the wheat and the potato, only scanty food 

 will be left in the upper layer of the ground ; 

 but in the lower layers there is part of 

 the manure carried away and dissolved by 

 the rain, which could not be reached by the 

 short roots of the two preceding crops. In 

 order to make use of these lower substances, 

 and to bring them to the surface converted 

 into fodder, we now sow a plant with strong 

 roots, such as clover or sainfoin, or better 

 still, lucerne, which penetrates further. And 

 that makes three. 



After clover we might try a fourth crop of 

 a different kind ; but it is obvious that as 

 the guests succeed one another at the same 

 table, the remains must constantly become 

 more scanty and less fit for use. And before 

 very long a time will come when all will be 

 exhausted : the supply of manure will have 

 given back everything that it possessed. 

 Then we must set the table afresh, manure 

 the field, and begin the same crops over again 

 —or try new ones. We need go no further. 

 We understand that in order to make the 

 best possible use of this valuable substance 

 from which bread, vegetables, fodder, meat, 



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