Originally published during the early part of the twentieth century, the Cambridge Manuals of Science and Literature were designed to provide concise introductions to a broad range of topics. They were written by experts for the general reader and combined a comprehensive approach to knowledge with an emphasis on accessibility. The Fertility of the Soil by Edward J. Russell was published in 1913. The volume brings together a variety of information drawn from the author's talks and lectures about the characteristics and cultivation of different types of soil.