Through this book, the author aims to draw attention to the destruction of the soil - the capital of the Earth. He discusses some consequences of this increasingly evident process and recommends methods to regain and maintain the lost fertility. The experiences from 40 years of work, primarily dedicated to agricultural research in the West Indies, India, and Britain, aided the author in tackling this important task. Sir Albert Howard's 'Agricultural Testament', a standard work on applied biology, remains worthwhile reading even after six decades. The reading is never dull and provides many thought-provoking insights for both researchers and open-minded practitioners of our time. It would be ideal if development services also familiarized themselves with the ideas presented in this work.