Book III. ANALYSIS OF SOILS. 31S 



Lotus major, and corniculatus. Sapoiiaria officinalis. But the Tussilogo farfara is 

 a certain and universal sign of an argillaceous soil, and is the chief plant found on the 

 alum grounds of Britain, France, and Italy. 



2075. Calcareous. Veronica spicata. Gallium pusillum, Lithospermum officinale, and 

 purpuro-caeruleum. Campanula glomerata, and hybrida. Phyteuma orbicularis, 

 Verbascura lychnitis. Viburnum lantana, Berberis vulgaris, Cistus helianthemum, Ane- 

 mone Pulsatilla, Clematis vita alba, Hedysarum onobrychis. 



2076. Siliceous. Veronica triphyllus, and verna. Echiumitalicum, Hernaria glabra, 

 and hirsuta. Silene anglica and other species. Arenaria rubra, &c. Spergula arvensis, 

 Papaver hybridum, Argemone, &c. 



2077. Ferrugineous. Rumex acetosa, and acetosella. 



2078. Peaty. Vaccinium myrtillus, uliginosura, and oxycoccus. Erica 4 sp. Sper- 

 gula subulata. Tormentilla officinalis. 



2079. Saline. Sal icornea 4 species. Zostera marina, Ruppia maritima, Pulmonaria 

 maritima. Convolvulus soldanella, Illecebrum verticillatum, Chenopodium maritimum, 

 Salsola kali, and fruticosa. Slum verticillatum. Arenaria maritima, &c. AtripleX 

 laciniata. 



2080. Aquatic. Caltha palustris, Hippuns vulgaris. Pinguicula vulgaris, LycopuS 

 europeus, Valeriana dioica, Viola palustris, Samolus valerandi, Silenum palustre, Epilo- 

 bium tetragonum, Lythrura salicaria. Ranunculus lingula, and flamula. 



2081. Very dry. Arenaria rubra, Rumex acetosella, Thymus Serpyllum, Acinos 

 vulgaris, Trifolium arvense. 



2082. TJiese plants are not absolutely to be depended on, however, even in Britain ; 

 and in other countries they are sometimes found in soils directly opposite. Still, the 

 saintfoin is almost always an indication of a calcareous soil ; the common coltsfoot 

 (Tussilagofarfara), of blue clay; the arenaria rubra, of poor sand; the small wood- 

 sorrel of the presence of iron, or of peat. The common reed-grass ( Arundo phragmites) , 

 and the common pond weed (Polygonum amphibitim), grow on alluvial soils, which yield 

 excellent crops if properly drained ; but where the field horse-tail (Equiseium arvense) 

 grows freely, it indicates a cold and retentive subsoil. The field pimpernell (Anagallis 

 arvensis), the field madder (Sherardia arvensis), the corn gromwell (Lithosj)ermum ai-veiise), 

 and the lamb's lettuce { Fedia olitoria) , grow on cultivated lands, where the soil is a 

 strong black loam on a dry bottom ; when such a soil is wet, the clown's all-heal [Stachys 

 j)alustris) makes its appearance, A light sandy soil is known by the presence of the red 

 dead nettle (Lamiumpurpureum) ; the shepherd's purse ( Thlaspi bursa pastoris). If the par- 

 sley piert (Aphanes arvensis) is found, the soil is rather unproductive ; if the corn spurry 

 {Spergula arvensis) grows very thick, the ground has likely been rendered too fine by the 

 harrow ; the common ragwort (Senecio Jacobcea) , and the corn thistle {Serratula arvensis)^ 

 grow indiscriminately on light and strong loams, but always indicate a fertile soil. The 

 whitlow grass (Draba murnlis), and the common knawel {Scleranthus annuus), grow on 

 soils that are dry, sandy, and poor in the extreme. The common rest harrow (Ononis hir- 

 cina) is often found. on dry pasture, and where the soil is incumbent on rotten rock. The 

 aquatic, peaty, and saline soils are almost every where indicated by their appropriate 

 plants ; a proof, as we have before stated, that the climate and natural irrigation of 

 plants have much more influence on their habits than mere soil. (See the Stationes 

 Plantarum of Lin. and the Flora Franqaise of De Candolle ; Galjiine's Compendium j 

 Flora JBrit.; Smith's Flora Prit. ; Xent's Hints; and Farmers' Mag, Feb. 1819.) 



S UBSECT. 2. Of discovering the Qualities of Soils by Chemical Analysis. 



2083. Chemical analysis is much too nice an operation for general jmrjwses. It is not 

 likely that many practical cultivators will ever be able to conduct the analytic process 

 with sufficient accuracy, to enable them to depend on the result. But still such a know- 

 ledge of chemistry as shall enable the cultivator to understand the nature of the process 

 and its results, when made and presented to him by others, is calculated to be highly 

 useful, and ought to be acquired by every man whose object is to join theoretical to prac- 

 tical knowledge. If it so happens that he can perform the operations of analysis him- 

 self, so much the better, as far as that point is concerned ; but on the whole, such 

 knowledge and adroitness is not to be expected from men who have so many other points 

 demanding their attention, and who will, therefore, effect their purpose much better by 

 collecting proper specimens of the soils to be studied, and sending them for analysis to a 

 respectable operative chemist. 



2084. In selecting specimens, where the general nature of the soil of a field is to be 

 ascertained, portions of it should be taken from different places, two or three inches below 

 the surface, and examined as to the similarity of their properties. It sometimes happens, 

 that upon plains, the whole of the upper stratum of the land is of the same kind, and in 

 this case, one analysis will be sufficient; but in valleys, and near the beds of rivers, there 

 are very great differences, and it now and then occurs that one part of a field is calcaieous. 



