1S87] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



657 



The ar<rilIiiceous sand is composed of fragments 

 of sott stone, which retain moisture, and do not 

 bind hard; tlie small proportion of humus is of no 

 i;o.isi>()uencc wliore [uanure is to lie had in any 

 quantity. 



A very rich heath or bofr-earth found at Meu- 

 don, and in irreat request for flowers and in com- 

 posts, consists ol" 



Gritty silicious sand, _ _ - 

 Vegetable fibres partly decomposed, 

 Humus, - . _ - - 

 Carbonate of lime, - _ _ 



Soluble matter, _ _ _ - 



Parfs. 



62 



20 



16 



.8 



1.2 



100 



This soil, like our bog-earth, would be very un- 

 fit l(jr the growth of corn; but, Irom the quantity 

 of humus and vegetable matter, is hiizhly uselul 

 in composts and artificial soils; mixed with lime, 

 it would make an excellent top-dressing for moist 

 clay soils. 



Mr. Thaer has given a classification of soils of 

 known qualities, which, we think, worthy of no- 

 tice. It is as follows : — 



Below this, are very poor rye-lands. 



In all these soils the depth is supposed the 

 same, and the quality uniform to the depth of at 

 least six inches; the sub-soil sound, and neither 

 too wet nor too dry. 



Nos. 1, ], and 3, are alluvial soils, and from the 

 division and the intimate union of the humus, 

 are not so heavy and stiff as the quantity of clay 

 would indicate. 



No. 4 is a rich clay loam, such as is found in 

 many parts of England, neither too heavy nor 

 too loose — a soil easily kept in heart by judicious 

 cultivation. 



No. 5 is very light and rich, and best adapted 

 for gardens and orchards, but not for corn ; hence 

 its comparative value can scarcely be given. 



Nos. 6, 7, 8, are good soils; the quantity of car- 

 bonate of lime in No. 8 compensates for the small- 

 er portion of humus. This land requires manure, 

 as well as the others below. In those from No. 9, 

 downwards, lime or marl would be the greatest 

 improvement. Nos. 1-5 and 16 are poor light soils, 

 requiring clay and much manure. But even these 

 lands will repay the cost of judicious cultivation, 

 and rise in value. 



The last column of comparative value, is the 

 result of several years' careful valuation of the 

 returns, after labor and seed had been deducted. 



Few soils in England contain more than ibur or 



five per cent, of humus, even when in very good 

 heart; and two per cent, with a good loamy tex- 

 ture, will render a soil fir lor corn witli judicious 

 cultivation. The textuie is of most importance, 

 as may be seen by comparing No. 7 and 8 with 

 No. G." If this is of good quality, dung will soon, 

 give the proper supply of humus. 



The depth of the soil and the nature of the sub- 

 soil "rreatly aliect its value. However rich it may 

 be, if there is only a thin layer of good soil over a 

 sharf) iiravel, ora wet clay, it can never be very 

 productive; in the first case, it will be |)arched in dry 

 weather ; and in the latter, converted into mud 

 by every continued rain. If the subsoil be loam or 

 chalk, six inches ol good soil will be suHicieiit. 

 With a foot of irood soH, the subsoil is of little con- 

 sequence, provided it be dry, and the water can 

 find a ready outlet. The best alluvial soils are 

 generally deep, the chalky, shallow. 



The exposure, with respect to the sun, and the 

 declivity of the ground, are very important cir- 

 cumstances, and equivalent to an actual differ- 

 ence in the climate. A gentle declivity towards 

 the south, and a shelter against cold winds, may 

 make as great a difi'erence as several degrees of 

 latitude; and in comparing the value o( similar 

 lands in difl'erent climates, the average heat and 

 moisture in each must be accurately known. A 

 soil very fertile in the south of Europe may be 

 verv unproductive in Enfjland; and a light soil of 

 some value in the west of Scotland might be ab- 

 solutely brrren in Italy or Spain. 



from the Cultivator.. 

 EXPERIMENT IN HARVESTING CORN. 



We think it has been well established, in re-, 

 peated experiments, tliat the old, and in many ca- 

 ses present practice, of topping corn, very consi- 

 derabl}^ diminishes the quantity of grain; a result 

 which vegetable physiologists had long ago pro- 

 claimed. Desirous of knowing how far the pro- 

 duct would be diminished by cutting up the entire 

 crop, at the ordinary period of topping, we invit- 

 ed the public attention to the subject in our March 

 number, and have subsequently instituted a small 

 experiment, the result of which we give below. 

 We do not mean to intimate that this experiment 

 is conclusive, though the result is such as we ex- 

 pected; and we therefore again invite gentlemen 

 who may have experimented in the matter, to 

 fbward us the results, in order the better to arrive 

 at a correct conclusion, in a matter, which is cer- 

 tainly of high interest to the farmer; for if other 

 trials justify our conclusions, an immense loss is 

 annually sustained by the practice of topping 

 corn. 



On the 16th of September we selected thirty- 

 two hills of corn — being a good sample of two 

 acres — in four contiguous rows, eight hills in a 

 row, and topped them in the old way. 



VVe selected thirty-two hills in like manner, ad- 

 joining the preceding, which we cut at the roots, 

 and stooked, at the same time. 



And we left thirty-two hills adjoining the last, 

 to ripen on the entire stalk. 



The parcels were apparently alike. 



On the 9th of October, we picked, husked and 

 weighed each parcel separately. The weight, 

 and number of ears, of all descriptions, were as 

 follows: 



