OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 221 
Dr. C. 'T. Jackson gives the following analysis of a soil in the State of Maine, which has pro- 
duced forty-eight bushels of wheat per acre. 
Vegetable matter- -....--------------17.9 
Silene ee Se See estan ee One 
Aliminghe 2-2. S65 = eee ==. 06 
Sub phosphate of alumina. -----.------ 3.0 
Peroxide vf Irons -- = eee 
Oxide mangantese= =" "2-2 seater 
Carbonate an umes 2 a 
AEN Cy ane cg a aie ate nea enema, (21) 
99.8 
The following analysis of the soil of a sugar plantation, in Louisiana, is by Prof. Shepard. 
Wraterte: S2Gus Joe Sees seen rse 800 
Organiowmatters-sosoe= oe ny 00 
MUNCH ee aes ee sm aclaseasiee sos 2900 
Alnming=seecse sake 5 soe ee ee IO0 
‘Protvoxide of rone=s- + 2=- Sy seee eo 2.25 
Wii! 38 Se 2s 2S 2 see ake Se 78 
IWaptiema. and: loss. e— saan om = oat 17 
100.00 
These analyses, selected at random, from numerous others, show within what wide limits the 
conditions of fertility may lie. 'The proportions of the ingredients of soils is not, I apprehend, so im- 
portant, provided that there be no deficiency of any. 
The impulse that agricultural chemistry has recently received from the researches of eminent 
Chemists, I fear, has led many to expect too much from researches on soils. 
Knowing, as every one does now, that the soil must contain all that is found in the ashes of 
plants—all the inorganic elements, such as lime, potash, soda, iron, magnesia, &c. and that the 
rest, the organic portion, composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, may be derived from the 
atmosphere; and as a soil, to be fertile, must contain the inorganic elements of the plants to be 
raised on it, it would appear that the simple analysis of a soil would solve the problem of its adap- 
tation to the sustenance of any particular plant, supposing that we know the chemical composition 
of such plant. 
Now I have full confidence in the resources of chemical analysis to accomplish all that legiti- 
mately belongs to it, or can reasonably be expected, and all that I say is only intended to prevent 
disappointment and the re-action that is sure to follow. : 
Organic matter is well known as a most important ingredient of fertility; yet the mere quantity 
indicates nothing, unless we know the state in which it exists. 
The soils derived from peat-bogs often remain barren for some time after they are reclaimed, by 
draining, although they abound in organic matter. This is also true of the vegetable mud from 
our swamps, which requires exposure to the action of the atmosphere, or mixture with other 
manures, before it possesses any agricultural value. The reason is this: in the instances just men- 
tioned, the vegetable matter is decomposed under water, without access of the oxygen or nitrogen 
of the atmosphere, and the result is, the formation of inert humus, or ulmine, which, in this state, 
is incapable of evolving either carbonic acid or amonia. But when vegetable matter is decomposed, 
