430 [Senate 



Organic matters of soils according to Jackson. 



When vegetable substances decay in soils, they undergo a kind of 

 fermentation and disorganization, and ultimately are converted into 

 acids, wrhich combine with the bases or alkalies and earths of the 

 soil. This result is very different from that which takes place amid 

 pure vegetable matter in bogs, where no bases exist to combine with 

 the acids formed. Hence we find the acids in soils that have a suf- 

 ficiency of alkaline or earthy bases, are always neutralized by them, 

 and the soil is fertile. But if the soil is silicious or sandy, there is 

 but little alkaline or earthy matter capable of taking up the acids, 

 and but a small proportion only is neutralized, from whence a?ises 

 the acidity and barrenness of the soil. It is in vain that green crops 

 are turned in or peat spread on it, if there is a deficiency of the bases. 

 Hence arises the necessity of adding ashes, lime or ammoniacal ma- 

 nures to such soils; animal manures, especially the liquids, answer- 

 ing best for this purpose, and ashes on a light sandy soil, serving 

 both to improve its texture and to supply the alkalies. If the soil 

 is poor in vegetable matters, ashes, lime or ammoniacal salts will 

 serve only for a short time as fertilizing agents, and vegetable ma- 

 nures should be supplied. 



Keeping these principles in -^iew, the farmer may act with more 

 certainty of success, in reclaiming a field from barrenness. 



In all soils which I have analyzed,, and I have obtained them for 

 that purpose from all parts of the world, the following, organic mat- 

 ters are invariably present : 



1. Crenic acid and crenates of bases ; 



2. Apocrenic acid, combined also wnth bases ;. 



3. Humic acid, " " " " 



4. Humin, or neutral undecomposed vegetable matter | 



5. Extract of humus, and 



6. A second extract, not yet named, separated from the above; 



7. Phosphoric acid, in minute quantities, combined generally with 

 lime, alumina or magnesia. 



The same organic acids have been found by Hermann Berzelius 

 and others, in a number of European soils, so that it may be regarded 

 as certain that all soils contain them, and thei'e can be no doubt that 

 they are essential to the fertility of soils. 



Origin of the saline matters of soils. 



The alkaline, earthy and metallic bases of the salts found in soils, 

 are traced directly to the mineral kingdom, some of them being de- 

 rived from the decomposition of the minerals of rocks, and others 

 from the saline contents of mineral waters. The same is true, also, 

 of the mineral acids, such as the sulphuric, muriatic, nitric and phos- 

 phoric acids ; while the vegetable acids, composed of carbon, oxy- 

 gen, nitrogen and hydrogen are products of vegetable elaboration 

 the elements of water and air» 



