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by the fires have quite prevented tlie frost from settling. The banks or close 

 vicinities of streams or lakes are counted valuable for orchards, on account of the 

 fogs which often rise from them during frosty nights late in the spring, whereby 

 the frosts are kept off. 



The soil of Wisconsin, and the North-West, presents a considerable variety 

 both as regards the surface soil and subsoil. In the surface soils we find a|l 

 varieties, from the almost pure muck or peat of the swamp or marsh, to the 

 heaviest clays and lightest sands. The subsoils are not less various, comprising 

 all shades, from the most porous sandy or gravelly bottoms, to those of solid clay 

 or rock. In such a variety, it were singular, indeed, if so far as soil is concerned, 

 all tastes could not be suited, all varieties cultivated — which is, indeed, the case. 

 Were it not for our climate, all fruits pertaining to the temperate zone could be 

 produced abundantly on our soil. But there are some soils more favorable than 

 others for fruit, oi- certain kinds of fruit. The precise soil that we w^ould prefer, 

 would be a deep, warm, sandy loam, resting upon a solid, compact clay, or rock 

 bottom, so as to prevent leaching. The most of our prairies have a surface soil, 

 somewhat similar to the one we have been describing; but some, together with 

 much of our openings and timber land, have but a small proportion of sand and 

 vegetable mattei-, whence clay 23redominates. This latter class of soils, when 

 resting on a porous subsoil, are apt, when long cultivated, to lose their vegetable 

 matter, and bleach out, finally becoming comparatively cold and lifeless. Hence, 

 it would seem objectionable to work such soils too long and constantly'', as when 

 exposed by cultivation to the mechanical action of the sun, wind and rain, 

 they part much more rapidly with their fertilizing elements. If undisturbed, as 

 in the case of pasture or timber lands, the leaves, grass, tops and roots, form a 

 barrier to the operation of these dissipating infiuences; and thus the surface soils 

 would increase in richness, if not too closely pastured. Such soils, when culti- 

 vated, should be ploughed deep, and, with hoed crops, have the surface often 

 stirred to pi'event injury from droughts, to which they are quite subject, when 

 exposed to both leaching and cultivation. They are, therefore, most productive 

 in wet seasons ; though there is about them, in such seasons especially, a very 

 troublesome tendency to pack and bake, if left naked, which is by no means 

 advisable in the horticultural management? of them, where mulching can be had. 

 On such soils, when not too destitute of vegetable matter, the growth of trees or 

 plants, including perhaps most farm crops, though often rank enough, will 

 nevertheless be later and weaker, or more watery and imperfect, less firm and 

 mature, inclining to the production of straw or wood, rather than grain or fruit; 

 and the longer they are worked the more so they become, because of their 

 increasing weakness and coldness. When new, or filled with vegetable matter, 

 they are both strong and lively, and if v\'e would keep them so, wo must be very 



