practice as burning of the forests damages the trees so severely
that they can rarely become established. Many Florida wooded
areas have been cut almost bare of pines with the result that
much of the land in the state exists as is indicated in Plate IX.

 SUMMARY
 While Florida soils are not subject to severe erosion losses
except in the hilly sections of the central and the western counties
they are subject to severe leaching losses because of their sandy
nature. Clay subsoil prevents leaching. This problem is as serious
as the erosion problem, and can be considerably improved by
using crops that keep the land covered as much as possible.
Nature's way is often better than man's way.
 Soil conservation is a constant problem with the state and
nation as well as with the individual farmer. Plans are to be
made and executed each season and year regarding control
measures, such as building or repairing terraces, contour plow-
ing, planting tree crops, cover crops, repairing gullied areas,
seeding pasture areas and all other practices that will conserve
the land. Unless we save the soil, not only the farm people but
the nation as a whole will be confronted with greater difficulties
than they are now facing.

 SUGGESTED EXERCISES FOR CLASS STUDY
 1. Visit five farms in your community and ascertain the kind
 of erosion if any-sheet erosion, gully erosion-how much
 soil lost? Compare field with nearby forest area.
 2. Collect some garden soil and place two teaspoonfuls in
 a tall bottle or cylinder with fifty times this amount of
 water and shake thoroughly and allow to stand one min-
 ute. Then pour off the liquid leaving the sand in the bot-
 tom. Repeat this operation by adding more water five
 times and note the difference in color of washed soil from
 that of original. (The best part of the soil has been
 washed out).
 3. Take three to five designated fields in your community
 and get their history for the past five years regarding