FERTILIZING PIKE PLAIN LAND". \W 



Those lands of thig description, which are so barren that no 

 green plant whatever, is found on the surface, may generally, 

 perhaps always, be supposed to consist of pure sand, or that 

 which is nearly pure. Such lands cannot sufficiently retain 

 moisture unless they have a close under stratum, consisting of 

 some clay which may prevent the necessary moisture fronres- 

 caping-, before it can assist in the g-ermination of plants. If 

 such soils are situated upon a 'clayey bottom, which is within 

 the reach of the plough, it should be brought up by the use of 

 that instrument, and mixed with the sand. But if a mixture 

 of clay cannot be provided from such means, if it is to be pro- 

 cured within a convenient distance, it should be carted on. 

 spread on the surface, and pulverized in the first place, the 

 finer the better.* This is done most expeditiously, and effec- 

 tQaily with the harrow, and the roller.f When sufficiently 

 pulverized it should be thoroughly mixed with the sand by 

 ploughing and harrowing. When clayey earths cannot be 

 procured in the vicinity of barren sands, compost manure, such 

 as may be provided from the foliageof tr^es, or any other veg- 

 etable substances, in a state of decay, which may generally be 

 procured from neighboring forests, :[ if from no other scarce, 

 carted on and mixed with the sand, or other barren soil. Tare a 

 sure remedy against every defect which there may be in the 

 soil ; for although pure vegetable manure alone would furnish 

 too much nourishment to the -plant to render it productive, 

 yet as it may be supposed to contain some particles of every ne- 

 cessary ingredient to the growth of a plant of which clay is 

 considered one, it is the best substitute for that earth. There 

 may, however, be instances in which either elay or vegetable 

 substances cannot be procured without too much inconven- 

 ience and expense. In such cases there is an alternative which 

 has been tried with success ; that is ploughing in moist weath- 



* The expeidency of mixing clay with sand; and in what pro- 

 portion to constitute a fertile soil, will be seen by referring to the 

 analysis of the soil mentioned in essay en the nature and consti- 

 'luent properties of the soil. 



+ See essay on roller and lolling land. 



:{:If any part of North America may be discovered to hare bar- 

 ren sanuy tracts of land, so extensive as to render it impractica- , 

 ble to procure either clayey earths, or vegetable substances to fer- 

 tilize them, they may not be ^wanted for the purposes of tillage, 

 within ten centuries to come. ' 



