on the relation of certain plants to 

 the ingredients of the soil on which 

 They grow. 



'ro the Editor of the farmers' Register. 



Your statement in a late number (12) of the 

 Register, has satisfied me that the white or moun- 

 tain locust (Robinia pseudacada,) is native on the 

 calcareous banks of the lower James River, and 

 perhaps on similar soils of other streams emptying 

 into the Chesapeake. 



This brings to mind some similar facts which I 

 had before noted. Bartram, in his Travels 

 through the Southern States, long ago published, 

 remarked, with surprise, the leather-wood (Direct 

 palustris,) and some other northern plants grow- 

 ing on calcareous hills in the lower part of Geor- 

 gia. With equal surprise I remarked the same 

 plant (Dirca palustris,) the calycanthus floridas, 

 and a yew tree, (Taxus wionfavia?) growing on 

 calcareous knolls in Florida. Pursh ibund taxus 

 canadensis on the banks of one of the streams in 

 Maryland, probably on similar soih 



From these facts may we not conclude that cal- 

 careous soils have considerable effect in protect- 

 ing growing plants from the injurious influence of 

 an ardent sun and a warm climate'? And from 

 this may possibly be derived a hint of some value 

 to the agriculture of the south. Thus, is it not 

 probable that, on calcareous soils, good crops of 

 wheat might be obtained in those parts of the 

 southern states where it does not thrive well in 

 the ordinary soils? 



It is said that wheat does well in the prairies of 

 Alabama, and 1 think you have remarked that 

 the growth of clover is much promoted by marling 

 in lower Virginia. 



How is it that these soils have this effect? Is 

 it simply by their tendency to retain the moisture 

 afforded by rains and dews? 



H. B. C. 



Newbern, N. C, May 20th, 1835. 



P. S. You may be assured that the honey lo- 

 cust is a native of the southern states, and I be- 

 lieve of the northern also. 



[Our correspondent is on the right track of an in- 

 teresting pursuit, which promises abundant and im- 

 portant results to the investigator who is aided by bo- 

 tanical knowledge, and by the wide range of observa- 

 tion afforded by travel. It is gratifying that the sub- 

 ject has now engaged the attention of one Who may 

 throw much light on it, and the few facts and deduc- 

 tions to which our correspondent refers, may lead 

 him to others far more interesting. Even under all 

 the acknowledged deficiencies of means for this in- 

 vestigation, we have long ago learntd that the limits 

 of the localities of various plants which were supposed 

 to be regulated by climate, were in truth determined 

 solely by the ingredients of the soil; and of all differ- 

 ences in soils in this and other respects, the greatest 

 by far, the most important, and yet the least noticed 



Vol. Ill— 17 



heretofore both by cultivators and scientific men, is 

 the difference caused by the presence or absence of 

 calcareous matter. We earnestly hope that at least 

 some curiosity is now excited on this subject, and that 

 it will be properly investigated by those who have 

 ample powers and means for the purpose. 



The power which calcareous earth gives to soil (di- 

 rectly or indirectly) of attracting and retaining mois- 

 ture, is an important aid to clover and other plants 

 which require it. But this is far from being its only, 

 or its greatest agency. Many plants, and clover i3 

 one of them, require lime as part of their food, with- 

 out which they can scarcely exist, and certainly cannot 

 thrive, even with every other requisite for growth. 

 Except on a few favored soils, profitable clover cul- 

 ture was impracticable in all lower Virginia before the 

 use of marl, or lime — and since marling, (and with 

 other aids,) growths as luxuriant, as hardy, and as pro- 

 fitable, have been produced in our neighborhood, as 

 any in the rich limestone lands of Pennsylvana; and 

 this on soils that were formerly very poor, and natu- 

 rally as unfavorable as any to this grass. Still these 

 instances are rare, because the improvement has not 

 yet been extended far, and because all that has yet 

 been written and done, has not removed the long es- 

 tablished and general, though erroneous impression, 

 that our hot summers and sandy soils prevented the 

 success of clover. Even our very intelligent corres- 

 pondent, when alluding to the truth which we are de- 

 sirous of having inculcated, does not appear to attach 

 to it any thing like its due importance. 



It would seem, from chemical observations, that the 

 phosphate of lime is an essential ingredient of wheat 

 — and therefore, that without a sufficiency of that in- 

 gredient in the soil, that grain cannot be produced. 

 Whenever there is enough lime in the soil, in any 

 form, wheat will be sure to obtain this necessary but 

 small proportion of the phosphate. But in many ex- 

 tensive regions, as in New England generally, (on up- 

 lands,) it is said that wheat cannot be profitably raised 

 — and doubtless, on account of the deficiency of lime 

 in the soil. A quantity of lime too small to cause 

 much improvement of soil, might serve to supply this 

 essential food for wheat — and even a still less quantity 

 of bone manure, the solid part of which consists en- 

 tirely of phosphate of lime. But such facts are more 

 strikingly manifested by certain plants, which thrive 

 in plenty either upon the total absence, or abundance, 

 of calcareous matter, and which cannot be found un- 

 der opposite circumstances — as the mountain locust 

 and papaw which we before cited, and others named 

 above— and sheep sorrel, and our poverty grass, (or 

 hen's nest grass" as commonly called,) both of which 

 are the most abundant growths of our poor soils desti- 

 tute of lime, and of which not a trace will be found 

 as soon as the land has been made calcareous. The 

 observation of these and similar facts would often 

 serve to indicate the nature, and degree of permanent 

 value of soils, even to the rapid glance of a traveller. 



