Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands. 141 



A moisture it never had before, 



When its face was hard and dry. 

 And so wherever the plowshares run, 



The clouds run overhead ; 

 And the soil that works and lets in the sun, 



With water is al\\a}s fed.' 

 I \\ onder if ever that farmer kneu 



The half of his simple word, 

 Or guessed the message that, hea\enly true, 



Within it was hidden and heard? 

 It fell on my ears by chance that da> , 



But the gladness lingers now. 

 To think it is ahvavs God's dear way 



That the rainfall follows the plow.'' 



Cultivate to Retain Moisture. — When 



we cultivate to retain moisture we should have 

 in mind how the moisture escapes, and conse- 

 quently what is necessary to prevent its escape. 

 We should remember that when it rains and 

 the fine particles of soil are dissolved they run 

 together making a smooth surface, a crust as 

 we call it. As soon as the soil begins to dry, 

 we notice little cracks, through these cracks 

 the moisture will escape, for it is being brought 

 up by those little capillary tubes and set free 

 through these openings or cracks in the crust of 

 the soil, to be carried away by the wind. So 

 in order to prevent this it is necessary not only 

 to break up the crust, but to shorten the capil- 

 lary tubes, so when the moisture is brought up 

 by them it is set free in this loose soil or dust 

 and held for the use of the plant. This can 



