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THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



No. 4. Kaolin (porcelain clay), from Maryland. 

 No. 5. Kaolin from Virginia. 



Gypsum Marl. A sample of marl said to exist in very great quantity and readily 

 accessible on the shores of Lake Jessup, Florida, gave upon analysis the following : 



Per Cent. 



6.36 



. . . . . 68.94 



13.79 



&quot;Water and organic matter, 

 Sand and clay, 

 Gypsum (CaSO 4 , 2H 2 O), 



Limestone (CaCO 8 ), 



Iron and aluminium oxides, 



Phosphoric acid, 



3.77 



7.14 



Traces. 



100.00 



The crystals of gypsum are easily discernible to the eye, and the large percentage of 

 this fertilizer makes this deposit of very great value to the farming interests of that section. 



Unproductive Soil. The following analysis of soil (which was from Oak Hill, 

 Yolusia Co., Florida) shows that its barrenness is very likely due to a lack of constituents 

 suitable for plant nourishment, and not to the presence of any injurious substance. 



It contains 



Per Cent. 

 Moisture, ........ 1.05 



Organic matter, . . . . . . . 7.00 



Soluble in acid, 2.60 



White sand, 89.35 



100.00 



One of the most fertile soils of Sweden is said by Bergmann to contain 30 per cent, of 

 carbonate of lime. A very productive soil in France was found by the analysis of Chaptal 

 to contain nearly 25 per cent, of carbonate of lime, beside 7 per cent, of organic matter. 

 Tillet analyzed a soil that contained 37.5 per cent, of carbonate of lime, which was exceed 

 ingly fertile. Some of the best Mississippi Valley soils are said to yield, upon analysis, from 

 20 to 25 per cent, of magnesian lime, and from 2 to 3 per cent, of phosphate of lime, while 

 many other soils throughout the United States have been known to yield an equal proportion 

 of carbonate of lime, when analyzed. 



As we have seen, chemistry will show the constituents of the soil, and what elements are 

 lacking that are essential to the growth of certain crops, but will not indicate whether those 



