oi THE 



^^ SOIL 



necessary to accomplish this. Layer upon layer 

 of finely crushed particles were exposed to the 

 action of the air which completed the work the 

 grinding of Nature's forces had begun. 



To foUow out the story of the development 

 of the soil is a most fascinating study, and if 

 you have time from your other interests, you 

 will be glad that you took it up; for though you 

 may be a good farmer without this knowledge, 

 you will be a better one with it, because you 

 wUl be more intelligent and sympathetic. 

 The soil-blanket holds within its warm folds all 

 that is necessary for life, and the wonder of it 

 all increases the more we learn about the mill- 

 ions of years and mmiberless forces employed 

 to bring it to this state of perfection. If 

 Nature has not wearied in her great work, 

 there is poor excuse for the gardener to shirk 

 or neglect the labor necessary to get the best 

 possible results from any given piece of soil. 



Nobody yet knows what are the best possible 

 results from any given piece of soil; for since 

 new discoveries are being made every year, we 

 can show only what has so far been done with 

 the best knowledge and skiU at our disposal. 

 One man in Pennsylvania is selling his soil ; not 

 his crop, at $1.50 per bushel to inoculate other 

 ground. 



