The Story of the Soil; from the Basis of Absolute Science and Real Life,

grieved at her disappointment, and open t

and that it should be a special preparation for my life work. I have given much thought to it. You said that I should choose

s present you gave me

with much less preparation than my own boy will have. Suppose he had remained a farmer! Surely no such success could ever have been reached. I am not so foolish as to have any such high hopes for you. Percy; but if you can only put yourself in the way of opportunity; and make such preparation as

homemade bookcase and took a

some words of Li

he answered

erial problem of the United States. I think I have scarcely heard a public address in which the speaker has not dwelt upon the fact that the farmer must feed and clothe the world; and it seems to me that the missionaries always speak of the famin

ad this address more

ad you some of the par

s about the value of agricultural fair

ople. In the nature of things they are more numerous than any other class; and I believe there are really more attempts at flattering them than any other, the reason of which I cannot perceive, unless it be tha

rest. It also follows that that interest is most worthy of all to be cherished and cultivated-t

ek in this address, any one of your own number or class would be more able to furnish it. You, perhaps, do expect me to give some general interest to the occasion, and to make some general suggestions o

ulture than now prevails in the Northwest-perhaps I might say in America. To speak entirely within bounds, i

lower field has been much better than the old land, and I think you are quite right in your belief that as an average the land is growing poor

ompare it with the actual crops of the country. Many years ago I saw it stated, in a patent office report, that eighteen bushels was the average crop throughout the United States; and this year an intelligent farmer of Illinois assured

years after that, although it finally failed so completely that its cultivation has been practically abandoned in those sections for nearly twenty years. However, the chinch bugs were

ents," said Percy, tur

better cultivation, but I believe that it is also true that

arming interest to push the soil up t

have done? We change our crops, and sow clover with the oats, and return

r, this is

al certain, advantages in favor of the thorough practice. It is probable it would develop those unknown causes which of late years have cut down our crops below their former average. It is almost certain, I think, that by deeper plowing, analysis of the soils, experiments with manures and varieties of seeds, observance of seasons, and the like, these causes would be discovered and remedied. It is certain that thorough c

, nor do I know what corn is made of. We plow the ground and plant the seed and cultivate and harvest the crop, but I do not know what the corn crop, or any crop, takes from the soil

in that way," said the mother, "but you know the farm l

minds; that we have done much work in blindness as to the actual causes that control our crop yields; and that we

discovery! The mind, already trained to thought in the country school, or higher school, cannot fail to find there an exhaustless source of enjoyment. Every blade of grass is a study; and to produce two where there was but one is both a profit and a pleasure. And not grass alone. but soils, seeds, and seasons-hedges, ditches, and fences-draining, droughts, and irrigation-plowing, hoeing

relish and facility for successfully pursuing the unsolved ones. The rudiments of science are available, and highly available. Some knowledge of botany assists in dealing with the vegetable world-with all growing crops. Chemistry assi

ntity of ground to each man; and this, again, conforms to what must occur in a world less inclined to wars and more devoted to the arts of peace than heretofore. Population must increase rapidly, more rapidly than in former times, and ere long the most valuable of all arts will