The Soil 





W. Fairbanks 



At the top of the bank we see a layer of dark, rich soU. 



fishing, the soil was oi- little consequence. Now things are 

 different. The wild game has mostly gone and we have to 

 depend upon the products of the soil. 



The people of those lands where the climate is unfavor- 

 able and the soil poor and rocky lack most of the comforts 

 of life, unless they are able to obtain them through trade. 

 It does not follow, however, that people living in lands 

 favored by Nature are always happy and prosperous. 



You must remember that when the first men increased 

 in numbers over the earth, the soil was fresh from the hand 

 of Nature. Although they had everything about them that 

 could be asked for, yet they were poor. There are men 

 living today on the rich deltas that we have learned about 

 who have few of the comforts that we have. This is be- 

 cause they are lazy and ignorant, and do not make proper 

 use of this valuable gift, the rich soil. 



