ble?"

"No," replied Lisa. "I mean that if, say, a farmer plants carrots in his
fields this year, he will plant something totally different next year.
This way, the nutrients in the soil stay in balance and can be used to
raise more carrots some other year. It's really very simple. It's kind
of like replenishing with one crop what was diminutized by another."

"So you think that, if the Stinkfoots were to grow carrots instead of
stinkweeds for a year, they could go back to stinkweeds next year?" said
the President uncertainly.

"I'd say more than likely," agreed Lisa.

"But," put in Hootsey, "the Stinkfoots can't live without their
stinkweed. Or they refuse to, in any event"

"Maybe we have a solution," grinned Ozma.

"But we don't," said Hootsey. "They will refuse to give up their
stinkweeds. You know it's true."

"Not if they can have them," said Ozma. "Listen, President Schnozzle.
What would you think of letting the Stinkfoots use your land to grow
their food here this year, while the Sniffer farmers use the Stinkfoot
Nation to grow anything that they want to eat? You can simply switch
territories every year, and the rotation of crops will keep both of your
soils fertile."

The Sniffer President sat down in a wooden chair. He was obviously deep
in thought. "You know," he said after a time, "I think you have
something there. If we can only state this plan to the Stinkfoots, I'm
sure it would work. I am beginning to recall that even our own farmers
have spoken about this rotation of crops on at least one occasion. And
I'd bet that the stinkweeds would have made the soil over there ideal
for our dietary staples!"

"More than likely!" said Lisa wisely.

"This is all very nice," said Elephant. "But how are we to propose this
idea to a people who is as unwilling to listen as a deaf tree-stump?"

"We have got to gain an audience with President McIdiot--I mean,
President McFoot. I suppose it does me no good to make fun of his
foolishness."

"Not foolishness," said Nibbles. "Just lack of education. I didn't know
until you guys just said so that rotation of crops was a good idea. Mr.
McFoot just doesn't know about farming. He may be a very very wise man
in a lot of other subjects."

"I think you're right," agreed President Schnozzle. "And I am sorry that
I reacted so harshly to his actions, which I can now see that he did out
of true concern and love for his subjects."

"In any situation," said Lisa, "it is a