A general inventory of the natural resources and underlying scientific facts of the world has been made. Our knowledge of the earth's geography, as far as a general survey is concerned, is completed with the reaching of the North and South Poles. A preliminary study of the bulk of the animals and plants of the continents and of the oceans has been made. It remains for scientific men to establish the general principles of the phenomena of nature and to make detailed studies of individual phenomenon. The work must be intensive rather than extensive. It has become incumbent on scientists to turn their attention in part away from scientific investigation to aid in the preservation of the wild nature that has been left from the despoilation of modern civilization. The danger of the extinction of wild animal and plant life has become acute with the increasing use of automobiles, which can reach the previously almost inaccessible parts of the world. The increase in wealth by the development of the earth's natural resources has rendered possible the devotion of time to automobile travel and esthetic pursuits by a considerable number of persons in every community. This is emphasized by the augmentation in the numbers of persons who are devoting their attention to farming and gardening. The organization of garden clubs, of natural history societies, of bird clubs, of wild flower preservation societies, and forestry associations is evidence of the great interest which is felt in these subjects. The principles of gardening, of landscape, art, of farming and forestry have been developed by practical and scientific men. One important phase of such scientific inquiry has been the work of the ecologist, who has investigated the habitat relations and geographic distribution of animals and plants the world over. Forestry is in part the application of some of the principles of ecology to the study and raising of tree crops in the forest. The application of ecology to farming and gardening operations has never been attempted scientifically, and the underlying principles of this application have never been formulated. It is the object of this paper to show how the principles of ecology can be applied to the farmer's and gardener's art.
