60 TALKS ABOUT THE SOIL. 



called a vegetable mould, or leaf mould. Its color is 

 a good test, and burning another test. There are also 

 smaller classes of soils ; as, a lime soil, meaning one 

 composed largely of weathered limestone. The red 

 soils of New Jersey, made from weathered sandstones, 

 are sometimes called iron soils, because containing 

 great quantities of iron-rust that gives the sand its red 

 color. 



Farmers also say of soils, that they are light, warm, 

 dry, heavy, or cold. These terms refer only to the 

 character of the soil ; as, a light or dry or warm soil 

 means a sandy soil or sandy loam. A heavy or cold 

 soil means a clay soil or clay loam. The sandy soils 

 and sandy loams are also called leachy soils, because 

 water leaches or soaks through them readily. Soils are 

 also classified according to the character of the sand 

 they contain : as, a gravelly soil, or one in which the 

 sand is mixed with small stones or gravel ; a coarse 

 sandy soil, meaning a soil containing more or less 

 coarse sand ; and a fine sandy soil, meaning one hav- 

 ing sand that is very fine or more like silt and clay. 

 Soils are also spoken of as being lean and hungry, or 

 rich and generous. What these very odd terms may 

 mean, we must learn by further observation and study. 



