Introductory 1 1 



it, and harrow it, and manure it ? To be sure ; but 

 this is no more than has to be done, and is done, by 

 the natural husbandmen also all the world over. Crops 

 cannot be grown year after year, for many years in 

 succession, without constant labour. For every crop 

 takes something from the soil, and the loss has to be 

 made good. The clods must be broken up, too, or the 

 air and rain cannot enter freely, and the roots cannot 

 make their way through the soil. And this the farmer 

 must do as best he can, with his plough and harrow ; 

 but these are at best only clumsy instruments, and they 

 are not enough by themselves. If the fields were 

 deserted by the * natural ploughmen,' the worms and 

 others, the farmer would speedily find that his ploughs 

 could accomplish only the rough part of the work. 

 And it is much the same with the harrows ; they can- 

 not do the fine work of the great ' natural harrow,' the 

 frost, which crumbles the soil grain by grain, till it is 

 reduced to the condition of dust and ashes, ready for 

 sowing. 



And now surely the farmer may put in his seed and 

 feel that if only seasonable weather be granted him 

 he may be quite independent of further help from his 

 humble fellow -labourers. The ' if,' to be sure, is 

 rather a great and important ' if,' and altogether 

 beyond his own control; but, granted the weather, 

 may he not go on and prosper ? 



Not unless he is prepared to pay a whole army of 

 boys to keep off marauders ; and even then he would 

 probably find himself worsted in the battle with slugs, 

 and snails, and grubs, for these creatures have an 

 especial fondness for seedlings, wild and cultivated. 



