Virginians whose only religion is ancestral worship. If the lands
were ever any good they'd be good now. Good lands stay good. As an
Illinois man, you ought to know that. My father settled in Illinois
and I tell you his land is better to-day than it was the day he took
it from the Government."

"My grandfather also took land from the Government," said Percy,
"but the land that he first put under cultivation is not producing
as good crops now as it used to, even though--"

"Then it must be you don't farm it right. Of course you don't want
to corn your land to death. I lived on the farm long enough to learn
that; but if you'll only grow two or three crops of corn and then
change to a crop of oats, you'll find your land ready for corn
again; and, if you'll sow clover with the oats and plow the clover
under the next spring, you'll find the land will grow more corn than
ever your grandfather grew on it."

"But how can we maintain the supply of plant food in the soil by
merely substituting oats for corn once in three or four years and
turning under perhaps a ton of clover as green manure. That amount
of clover would contain no more nitrogen than 40 bushels of corn
would remove from the soil, and of course the clover has no power to
add any phosphorus or other mineral elements."

"Oh, yes. I've heard all about that sort of talk. You know I'm a U.
of I. man myself. I studied chemistry in the University under a man
who knew more in a minute than all the 'tommy rot' you've been
filled up with. I also lived on an Illinois farm, and I speak from
practical experience. I know what I am talking about, and I don't