30 



AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



The following is an analysis of three specimens of very 

 fertile soils, made by Sprengel : 



Soil near 

 Osterbruch. 



Silica, Quartz, Sand, and Silicates 84.510 



Alumina 6.435 



Oxides of Iron 2.395 



Oxides of Manganese 0.450 



Lime 0.740 



Magnesia 0.525 



Potash and Soda extracted by water.... 0.009 



Phosphoric Acid 0.120 



Sulphuric Acid 0.046 



Chlorine in common Salt 0.006 



Humic Acid 0.780 



Insoluble Humus 2.995 



Organic matters containing Nitrogen.. 960 

 Water 0.029 



From the banks of the Weser. 

 near Hoya. near Weserbe. 



71.849 

 9.350 

 6.410 

 0.925 

 0.987 

 0.245 

 0.007 

 0.131 

 0.174 

 0.002 

 1.270 

 .550 

 2.000 

 0.100 



83.318 

 3.085 

 5.840 

 0.620 

 0.720 

 0.120 

 0.005 

 0.065 

 0.025 

 0.006 

 0.800 

 4.126 

 1.220 

 0.150 



100. 100. 100. 



The above had remained for a long time in pasture, and 

 the second was remarkable for the fattening qualities of its 

 grass when fed to cattle. 



The following 



Silica and fine Sand 77.209 



Alumina 8.514 



Oxides of Iron 6.592 



Oxide of Manganese 1.520 



Lime 0.927 



Magnesia 1.160 



Potash, chiefly combined with 



Silica 0.140 



Soda, ditto 0.640 



Phosphoric Acid combined 



with Lime and Oxide of 



iron 0.651 



Sulphuric Acid in Gypsum.. 0.011 

 Chlorine in common Salt.... 0.010 

 Carbonic Acid united to the 



Lime 



Humic Acid 0.978 



Insoluble Humus 0.540 



Organic substances contain'g 



nitrogen 1.108 



are arable lands of great fertility : 

 1 2 3 



Soil 



From Belgium. 

 64.517 

 4.810 



From Ohio. 

 Soil from Moravia. Soil. Subsoil. 



100. 



87.143 

 6.666 

 2.220 

 0.360 



0.564 



P.312 



0.120 > 

 0.025 J 



0.027 

 0.036 



0.080 

 1.304 

 1.072 



1.011 

 100, 



94.261 

 1.376 

 2.336 

 1.200 



0.243 

 0.310 

 0.240 



trace 

 0.034 

 trace 



100. 



0.800 



Se^ * 



Carb. of 

 Mag. 



5 o.ioo 



? 0.013 



10.36 



1.221 



0.009 



0.447 



100. 



" Of these soils, the first had been cropped for 160 years 

 successively, without either manure or naked fallow, The 

 second was a virgin soil, and celebrated for its fertility. The 

 third had been unmanured for twelve years, during the last 

 nine of which it had been cropped with beans, barley, pota- 

 toes, winter barley and red clover, clover, winter barley, 

 wheat, oats, naked fallow." (Johnston.) 



Bergman found that one of the most fertile soils in Swe- 



