No. 112.] ^ 499 



we were emphatically a sandstone region, and wholly destitute of 

 lime, whether carbonate, sulphatic, or phosphate, I was led to 

 think that this said hardpan might possess some.of these elements: 

 I was streugthened in this by discovering that plants grew very 

 rank where it was dug up from our wells, and left on the surface. 

 I urged the attention of this society to this point and under its 

 resolution I have had this same hardpan, in the must concrete 

 state I could procure it, subjected to a rigid analysis. I will now 

 give you the result as transmitted to me by Mr. J. H. Salisbury, 

 of Albany, the analyst of the State Society. 



" The samples of earth you sent me have been subjected to a 

 rigid analysis, the results are as follows : 100 parts of the earth 

 deprived of all its w^ater gave 



Silica 71.61 



Lime,. 6.69 ? ^^ carbonate of lime 12.04 



Carbonic acid, o.35 J 



Alumina and iron,. . . 9.90 



Magnesia, 0.15 



Phosphoric acid, .... 0.04 



Potassa, ... 0.30 



Soda, 0.21 



Sulphuric acid, 0.35 



Organic matter, 5.05 



99.65 



Its fertilizing properties, I think, arise from lime, phosphoric 

 and sulphuric acids, potassa and soda. The percentage of lime 

 as you will see from the analysis, is quite large. The deposite is 

 an interesting one, and if of considerable extent, ma/ prove val- 

 uable to the farmer in the vicinity." 



You thus perceive we have within our reach, a large body of 

 material, twelve per cent and more of which consists of the 

 very property of which our section Is otherwise deprived. Add 

 to this the universal experience of the value of underdraining ; 

 combine with this mode of culture the use of the subsoil plow, 

 whereby this hardpan is commingled with the surface soil, and 

 depend upon it, a great desideratum will be gained, for the mate- 

 rial increase of our crops. I have adverted to this point in order 

 to show how often we forego an advantage witliin our reach, for 

 the want of a little chemical knowledge. 



