GOOD SOILS BACK OF GOOD CROPS 7 



All soils, howe^'er, do not need tillage any more 

 than all animals need corn and wheat. The wide- 

 awake farmer must ascertain how it is with his 

 soils. However, we do know that for the greater 



HOW BAD DRAINAGE HANDICAPS 



When lands are \\"ell drained the roots are enabled to grow 

 down deep in the soil. As a result they are dry in the spring 

 and moist in the summer. "U^lien land.s are undrained the 

 water level is near the surface in tlie spring, forcing the roots 

 to grow extremely shallow. As tlie summer comes on the 

 water level is lower, far beneath the roots. As a result the 

 plants are greatly handicapped because they are far abo\'e the 

 \\ater supply. 



part of our older lands tillage is more needed than 

 fertilizers. This is especially true of the hay and 

 meadow lands, of the clay lands of the Middle 

 states and of the red clay corn and cotton lands of 

 the South. 



DEEPEN ROOT BED GRADUALLY 



' Good, thorough tillage means more than merely 

 turning a 4 or 5-inch furrow. It means the gradual 



