116 The Control of the Soil [pt. ii 



completely than sand. In this case 25 c.c. of the filtrates 

 are distiLled with caustic soda and the ammonia in the 

 distillates determined by titration. 



A third experiment with burnt sugar solution proves 

 that soluble organic matter, like ammonia and phos- 

 phates, is absorbed to a greater extent by clay than 

 by sand. 



Sandy soils and light soils generally are very attractive 

 because they are more under control than most others. 

 No matter how wet the season they can be worked. An 

 intelligent man may get two crops in the year from part 

 of the land: after early potatoes, for example, he may 

 take cabbage, sprouts, or sprouting broccoU. Straw- 

 berries can be successfully grown and many other 

 valuable crops. No rigid rotation can be adopted: there 

 must always be a certain amount of cross -cropping. Few 

 soils, however, are so entirely dependent on the skill and 

 intelligence of the farmer. Some of the best farms in 

 England are to be found on the sands : they are managed 

 on sound Unes, well manured, kept free from weeds, and 

 made to yield heavy crops: labour-saving devices are 

 introduced and the skilled hands are well paid. On the 

 other hand bad management speedily ruins the land and 

 the farmer: docks, bindweed, sorrel, com marigold, 

 spurry, and a host of other weeds soon come in and 

 before long the land is useless. 



Loams 



Loams come in between sands and clays and can only 

 be defined as soils which are not as heavy as clays and 

 not as Ught as sands. Usually they contain not more 

 than 10 to 15 per cent, of clay and not more than 20 per 



