Topsoil, 1949

B/W - Sound - 16 mm - 00:11:00 One of a series of four films prepared especially for school use. This film tells the story of one of America's richest treasures—the thin layer of topsoil on which we depend for most of our food, clothes, and other necessities of life. It shows why and how both city and rural people depend on the topsoil of productive farmlands. It explains how topsoil was made by nature through the centuries and how it may be destroyed in a few years by improper farming methods. It distinguishes between productive topsoil and less fertile subsoil. It ends on the theme that topsoil can be conserved while still being used for maximum production. Simple narration and photography. Has special appeal for both urban and rural children. Suitable for use in intermediate grades and above. (Study guide). SEE: Erosion, Soil and Water Conservation, and Water for other films in this school series.