THE 
31 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 follow 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 
will 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 numberless 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 skill at our disposal. 
One man in Pennsylvania is selling his soil; not 
his crop, at $1.50 per bushel to inoculate other 
ground. 
