JOURNAL 
OF 
The New York Botanical Garden 
VoL. XV October, 1914 No, 178 
THE SOIL, THE BASIS OF SUCCESS IN GARDENING 
AND IN OTHER LINES OF PRODUCTIVE WORK* 
It is but recently that the proper use of the soil has become 
one of the greatest problems that is before the world. 
The present business inactivity and the oppressive oi cost 
of living is being experienced in other nations, and the cause in 
every instance is traceable to the soil. The increase of ene 
tion and the demands of TA are everywhere greater 
_than the production of food supplies. 
The soil has always been one of the great sources of wealth, 
and as such its productive power should have been most carefully 
and intelligently conserved and improved, for it is the greatest 
asset a nation can possess. The general unrest and financial 
uncertainty of the present time is world-wide for the reason that 
the soil of all nations of large population is not contributing of 
its wealth sufficient to meet the expanding needs of the people. 
urope is carrying a war debt of over $30,000,000,000, the 
interest of which is paid in two ways, by borrowing more money 
and by raising tax rates. With war pensions, the building of 
battleships and army appropriations, our own country is steadily 
approaching the aie of the debt-ridden countries of 
Europe, while the great problem of the soil, the greatest source 
of national wealth and the most potent factor in the undis- 
* Abstract of a lecture delivered at the New York Botanical Garden on June 6, 
194. 
poate for September (15: 175-189) was issued October 10, 1914] 
191 
