THE 
39 SOIL 
like treasure in all our fields.’ And in every 
garden and field lies hidden the same treasure 
that can be revealed only by the expenditure 
of intelligent labor. 
Tillage is an art in itself, and very important 
to success. There are two kinds—the tillage of 
preparation and the tillage of maintenance. 
They are widely different in their purpose and 
effect. The average farmer thinks that both 
may be carried on at the same time, and this 
belief may be in part the cause of his failures. 
The tillage of preparation includes not merely 
the breaking up of the soil by the plow, but 
pulverizing it for as great a depth as the roots 
of the plants will reach. How deep that may 
be, depends upon the character of the soil and 
of the crops. For example, a hard soil with a 
subsoil near the surface, must be plowed deep; 
so that the root crops, which run deep, may 
find sustenance. On the other hand, sandy 
soil, or one which leaches away, can stand only 
shallow plowing, as we must hold the subsoil 
firm to prevent leaching. So that, even in the 
tillage of preparation it comes back to the same 
point, to learn the needs of your particular soil 
and supply them. 
The tillage of maintenance should be given as 
often as once a week or ten days, and is merely 
