148 ON SOILS, ETC. 



may judge by colour, the whitest that can be procured ; as I have 

 always observed it to be the finest, and have from repeated trials 

 proved that the finer the sand, the surer a good crop of cuttings. 



It requires no kind of preparatory process, more than shifting, 

 to divest it of those small pebbles, &c, which are usually found 

 amongst it, and to be kept pure and unmixed with extraneous sub- 

 stances, until wanted for use. 



By vegetable mould, at least the kind best suited to our purpose, 

 is meant that which accumulates, or in a manner grows, if I may use 

 the expression, in woods, particularly those of a long standing, by 

 the annual fall of leaves, &c, and their consequent decay ; the 

 vicissitudes of a few revolving seasons reduces them to a perfect mould, 

 which is afterwards known by the above appellation. It is of a very 

 loose, light nature, and comparatively rich, but far behind that pro- 

 duced by the mixture of animal excrement. Yet it is doubtless of 

 an ameliorating nature, and highly recommendable for such plants 

 as delight in a moderate and well digested manure. 



In its simple state it is hardly fit for any thing except annuals, as 

 its extreme lightness, like the peat, renders it unable to support 

 arborescent plants with any degree of credit : however, when mixed 

 with loam, or any other soil of a more firm texture than itself, it is 

 particularly useful for West India plants, geraniums, and annuals in 

 general. 



The best manner of procuring it is to have several large pits dug 

 in the most convenient part of the woods, into which may be 

 annually raked all the leaves in the vicinity, together with the gen- 

 eral surface of the ground produced by them in preceding years, 

 which will materially accelerate their decomposition ; so that in a 

 few months, they become a perfect mould, and fit for use, 



Of animal manure, that procured from old hot-beds is, I think, 

 most suitable for composts in this department. It likewise should 

 not be used for plants until rotted to a perfect mould ; to promote 

 which, it should be well mixed with a small portion of loam in the 

 compost yard, whereby they will become better incorporated, and 

 more fit for use ; it is necessary however, not to add too much loam 

 to it in this process, as it is so much easier to add afterwards than 

 to take away, according as circumstances may require. 



This mixed with a proper quantity of loam, is in general the best 

 compost for such plants as have soft fleshy roots, also for soft wooded, 

 half shrubby, and herbaceous kinds of plants, annuals, biennials, &c. 

 &c. but is never used simply by itself, and very rarely, if at all, 

 mixed with peat or sand. 



