The Science of the Soil 



97 



The mechanical constitution of a good garden soil for the production 

 of most fruits, flowers, and vegetables might be stated thus, and assum- 

 ing that an acre of soil at 1 ft. deep weighs 3,000,000 Ib.: 



Clay, 40 per cent = 1,200,000 Ib. per acre. 



Sand, 35 = 1,050,000 



Lime, 10 = 300,000 



Humus, 15 = 450,000 



These figures may be compared with the following analysis of a fertile 

 soil on the same basis: 



The grower should avoid a purely sandy or gravelly soil, because it 



will empty his purse in purchasing manure and supplying water; and 



he should shun a wet, heavy, sticky yellow clay such as is suitable for 



the making of bricks and pottery, because it would require large funds 



VOL. I. 7 



