156 $. III. DIST. CHAR. Soil, 



relative age, 2. structure, 3. general materials, 4. 

 particular products, and 5. parts. 

 a. Relative age. 



According to which the soil is either primary or 

 secondary f , 



A. 128. A PRIMARY SOIL(S 1umprima- 

 rium) is distinguished by the composition of its 

 rocks and stones being destitute of organic remains ; 

 and by its dipping towards, and at length under- 

 laying, some tract or soil in which extraneous fos- 

 sils occur as integrant parts of the strata (v. p. 20. 

 note. n. 7. et p. 6. i. ) 



Obs. The formation of primary soils, accord iip 

 to the opinion of most geologists, must have pre- 

 ceded the existence of plants and animals, as they 

 never exhibit organic remains in the interior sub- 

 stance or fabric of their rocks The shells and other 

 extraneous bodies, now and then disc overed in their 

 fissures and external clefts, being generally supposed 

 to have been introduced by the deluge, or some 



they must be considered as distinct soils, though no material diver- 

 sity in the arrangement of their respective strata may appear to 

 take place. 



t It may be conceived, we ought not here to have omitted the 

 important distinction, established by Werner, between what are 

 usually termed transition and stratified rocks, both of which are 

 included in our secondary soils. The simple division of nioun- 

 tains into primary and secondary, first marked out by Lehman, 

 appeared, however, better to apply to the present study, than the 

 Wernerian distribution. 



