STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 75 



my hand one of these rocks which you can examine. If these 

 rocks contain a very hirge per cent. o{ clay, and split up into thin 

 layers, we then call it a slale rock. 



These scliitose rocks contain all the elements in different pro- 

 portions which constitute a good soil. The experienced eya of 

 the farmer recognizes them at once as warm soils. They are more 

 easily decomposed than granite, and the results of this decompo- 

 sition constitute the mineral food for plants and trees. Here 

 again we find the ever-present carbonic acid busily at work, and 

 its task is much easier than with granite, for it readily works its 

 way through the rock and decomposes it more rapidly. 



ScIiistos\e soils are very conspicuous in the towns of Monmouth, 

 Winthrop, Readfield and Litchfield, and may be considered a fair 

 type of this class of soils. The rocks in these soils are flat and 

 angular, and quite fragile, and are constantly wearing away and 

 forming fresh supplies of plant food. 



This class of soils may be regarded the best for orchard culture, 

 and may be found in most towns west of the Penobscot river. It 

 is often the case that there is a blending of the gravelly soil of the 

 first class with these schistose soils. This is so in the towns of 

 Hebron, Hartford, Turner, Parsoiisfield, Poland and New Glouces- 

 ter. All these towns are noted for their large orchards. 



III. Calcareous Soils are formed from the ruins of limestone, 

 or carbonate of lime. Here the lime is locked up with carbonic 

 acid, and in this condition it is not readily soluble ; but when it is 

 saturated with water having an excess of carbonic acid which 

 forms a bi-carbonate of lime it is then readily taken up as plant 

 food. 



Calcareous soils are exceedingly rare in Maine. Indeed, at this 

 moment, I cannot refer to a single spot in the whole State, yet 

 lime, as you all know, is very essential for plant growth. Impure 

 limestones abound in patches and larger beds in very many towns, 

 and are of greater value than they receive credit for. In the 

 towns of Hebron, Poland, and in the western part of Norway, the 

 schistose soils are comparatively well supplied with lime from 

 these beds, and I attribute the success of orchardists in these 

 towns very largely to its presence. 



In Monmouth there is considerable phosphate of lime in the 

 rocks and soils. This is always a good indication. In the towns 

 which I have mentioned, I do not exaggerate when I state, that a 



