INTRODUCTION. 45 
Wheat, oats, potatoes, timothy grass and a hundred 
other things are uncertain, affected vastly by the 
vicissitudes of the weather. Alfalfa once rooted in 
dry rich soil has the permanence of the wild native 
things. Corn also planted upon alfalfa sod well cul- 
tivated mocks at seasons, for floods affect it not, 
since the land must perforce be well drained, and 
drouths and heats that sear other vegetation pass it 
by, leaving it fresh, green and undismayed. These 
two crops then are destined not to free the farmer 
from labor, for they bring abundant labor to him, 
but to take away from him the cares and perplexi- 
ties incident to the growing of uncertain things. 
