SECRETARY'S REPORT. 157 



extensively used for whet-stones, and answers a good purpose. 

 Slabs nine feet square and one foot thick have been split out with 

 great ease. 



A classification of the soils of the county admits of this general 

 division : upland, sandy plain, low meadow, and interval. With 

 a few words upon the character and composition of these soils, I 

 shall conclude my remarks upon the geology of Somerset county. 



1st. The rocky upland soil comprises by far the largest propor- 

 tion of the tillage land in the county. This upland has all the 

 elements of a good soil, but the loam is coarse, and the particles 

 only partly fitted for the proper growth of plants. Hence, much 

 labor is necessary to completely pulverize the soil, and obtain a 

 thorough tilth. It is well fitted for grass culture and pasturage, 

 and also adapted for orcharding, barley and corn growing. In 

 many localities the soil is nearly three feet deep, and could be 

 worked to that depth, if necessary, with the aid of improved im- 

 plements. In some places, however, the soil is very shoal, rocky 

 and only adapted for pasturage. Considerable quantities of wheat 

 are now grown on soils of this character, although the crop is not 

 generally cultivated. 



2d. Sandy soils, or plains, are those which contain from seventy 

 to ninety per cent, of sand. They are known by their small degree 

 of adhesiveness, and open, porous character. No extensive tract 

 of sandy j^lain, which is cultivated, occurs in the county, they 

 usually appearing in situations of small extent between hills and 

 upon high banks of rivers and streams. Land of this class is found 

 in Madison, Skowhegan, Norridgewock, Solon, Canaan, Anson, 

 and New Portland. In some locations the growth upon this soil 

 is pine ; and in others, white or grey birch, and poplar. These 

 plains are generally considered inferior to other soils, but with the 

 aid of manures and consolidating substances, they produce good 

 crops of corn, potatoes and grains, and no land paj's better for 

 improvements. They require frequent dressing, and often going 

 over, and can be worked earlier in the season than most other soils. 

 It needs more skill and practical experience on the part of the 

 operator to manage a sandy farm profitably, than an interval one, 

 for the course of cultivation requires frequent change, and the 

 plans must be laid deep and reaching far into the future. The sys- 

 tem of liquid manuring is found to succeed well on soils of this 

 description. The permanent improvement of sandy soils consists 

 in the addition of clay, marl and muck, wherever they can be ob- 



