FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 8S 



The sandy loam soil is generally composed of about equal 

 quantities of what is called a sandy and a loamy soil, mixed 

 together; and as each of these soils has various degrees of 

 fertility, the quality of a sandy-loam may depend, for its 

 fertility, upon the sand, or the loam, of which the soil i$ 

 composed, and sometimes on both united. 



A rich sand, and a rich loam, when united in proper 

 proportions, form a most excelent soil ; while, at the same 

 time, a poor yellow sand, united with a poor hard loam, 

 form but an indifferent soil; though it may be much im- 

 improved by manuring. 



Generally speaking, sandy-loam soils are nearly equally 

 good for all kinds of products* excepting for grasses which 

 require moist or wet soils. Taking all the good qualities 

 of this soil into consideration ; the pleasantness, and ease, 

 with which it may be tilled; its suitableness to such a 

 variety of crops ; its being suitable to gypsum, one of the 

 cheapest of all manures ; and its forming one of the best 

 kinds of earth for roads; all these circumstances tend to 

 enhance the value of this kind of soil, and to render it one 

 of the most valuable which generally falls to the lot of the 

 Farmer. 



Of the gravelly-loam there are also varieties of soil, in 

 point of fertility ; some forming- very fine soils, and some 

 but indifferent; the soil, in this case, forming its character 

 mostly from the quality of the loam; though often from 

 the- kind of gravel with which the loam is mixed. A due 

 proportion of schistic, or slaty gravel, mixed with loam 

 of a good quality, must naturally form a vecy fine soil; 

 while, on the contrary, coarse gravel, especially of the flint 

 kind, when mixed with a poor loam, must form a soil of "no 

 great value for cultivation. Poor, dry, gravelly-loasns are, 

 however, greatly assisted by the use of gypsum. 



A sandy- clay is a kind of soil that does not often prevail, 

 to any great extent. A good clay, with a due proportion 

 of good sand mixed with it, must naturally form a good soil 

 for most purposes: Not so good, however, for Indian corn, 

 and for most kinds of roots, as a good sandy-loam. 



A gravelly- clay is also but seldom found, and is com- 

 monly of but poor quality; as a rich clay has seldom or 

 never any gravel in it. 



The degree of fertility which any soil may possess, is not 

 always to be estimated, by its general appearance. 'Much 

 depends on the ingredients of which the'soil is composed. 



Mr. Davy y of Greatbritain, makes mention of a very fer- 

 tile soil, for grain, at Ormiston, in that Country, which 

 contained, in one hundred parts, eleven of mild calcareous 

 earth, twenty-five of silicious sand, and forty-five of finely- 

 divided clay. It lost nine parts in decomposed animal and 



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