AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



PUBLISHED BV JOSEPH UliECK & CO.. NO. 52, NORTH MARKET STREET, (Agricultural Warehoise.) 



L. XVI. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14, 1S38. 



NO. 33. 



SOIL. 



(Concliiiied.) 

 >ains are tlio most dosiralilo of all soils to oc- 

 . They are friable ; can in genovnl he culti- 

 I at almost any season of the year ; are ))!oiigh- 

 rilli greater facility and less strength tiian 

 ; hear better the vicissitudes of the seasons ; 

 seldom require any change in the rotation 

 ted. Above all, they ara peculiarly well 

 ted for the convertible hushanilry ; for they 

 e altered not only without injury, but gener- 

 vith benefit, from grass to tillage, and from 

 i to grass. They should not liovvcYer, be 

 in tillage too long, nor while they arejncul- 

 :)n, should two white crops be taken in suc- 

 in. 



ams are of four sorts ; 1. Sandy; 2. Grav- 

 3. Clayey ; and, 4, Peaty. 

 A sandy soil and a sandy loam, are easily 

 giiished. A sandy soil is always loose and 

 )rmg, ami never gets into a clod, even in the 

 weather; whereas a sandy loam, owing to 

 ly that is mixed with it, retains a degree of 

 ion or cloddncss, after wetness or drought, 

 11 not suildeidy eriinible down, with the ap- 

 on of machinery for that purpose, 

 lellow, rich, crumbling sandy loam, adhe- 

 iioiigh to fear no drought, and friable enough 

 in off superfluous moisture, if inctiudient on 

 id subsoil, is the most profitable of all soils, 

 managed with nnich less expense than any 

 soil, and raising with advantage, every spe- 

 crop that the climate will adu;it of. 

 jrravelly loams, when warm, sound and dry, 

 I from springs, are useful soils, more esjiec- 

 1 wet seasons and climates. 



clayey or stiff loam, is nearly allied to 

 jarth. Though the soil might have origin- 

 :en poor, cold, and hungry, yet if it be well 

 d, according to the Essex system, and highly 

 ed, it will yield great crops. It is found 

 iapted for the dairy in Cheshire, 

 eat, in some of its varieties, may likewise 

 verted by culture, into a species of black 

 im, and, in that state, it becomes highly fer- 

 :) productive. 



ns will produce hemp and flax, in thegreat- 

 fection and abundance, besides the other 

 isually cultivated in this country; and in 

 anis, where the substance is both dry and 

 ucernc might be more generally grown than 



preference to other grasses. 

 >re the subject of soils is dismissed, there are 

 liscellaneous particulars which merit atten- 

 is, 1. The means of ascertaining their com- 

 2. The nature of mould so essential lor 

 Ttility ; 3. Their color; 4. The importance 

 ivating good soils ; and, 5. The general 

 les on which their improvement may be 



hat the most efficient methods for improv- 



ing soils may be ado|iied, it is necessary that their 

 compositicm should be known. A distinguished 

 philosopher has suggested a plan for that purjiose, 

 which can easily be carried into eflect, by any 

 person at all conversant in chemical researches. 

 But the generality of farmers have not the means 

 of entering into such researches ; yet they are 

 able, by obifervation and experience, to rliscover 

 the most important ileficiencies of the soil they 

 cultivate. This may be effected, by comparing 

 their own soils with each other, and with the 

 most fertile in their immediate neighborhood. The 

 great object they ought to keep in view is, to ren- 

 der a soil capable of receiving and retaining such 

 a due quantity of moisture, as may he sufliicient to 

 nourish the vegetables that grow in it, anil to ab- 

 sorb or to throw off, that superfluous water which 

 would prove injurious. 



2. Mould, which contains a mixture of animal 

 and vegetable remains, particularly from putre- 

 faction, is an essential ingro(iient in all fertile soils. 

 It arises from the decomposition of the roots and 

 leaves of vegetables on grass land, and the stubble 

 and roots of grain crops, on arable. 'J'his process 

 on grass lands is very slow ; for it is calculated 

 that it proceeds at the rate of only one inch in a 

 century. Considerable accumulations of this 

 mould, are likewise i)roduoed from the leaves of 

 trees, amassed for a number of years,, and rotted 

 on the surflice. When in addition to vegetable, 

 there are animal lemains, in a state of decompo- 

 sition, the soil is distinguished for its fertility. 



3. It is of essential consequence, when the sur- 

 face is bare and exposed to the rays of the sun, 

 that the color of the soil should be such, as to at- 

 tract and absorb the greatest heat from the sun 

 and the atmosphere, more especially in soring. 



Soils are of various colors ; the principal are 

 white, black, and red. 



White stiff clays arc heated with difficidty, and 

 being usUKlly very moist, they retain their heat 

 only for a short time. 



A black soil, containing much vegetable matter 

 is most easily heated by the sun and air. Its tern, 

 perature has increased from 65 to 88 by expo- 

 sure to sunshine for an hour. A chalky soil, un- 

 der the same circumstances, was heated only to 

 69 . In the sjiade, however, the black mould lost 

 its heat more rapidly. 



The red color in soils, is owing to iron in vari- 

 ous combinations. It is favorable or adverse to 

 fertility, according to the nature of the combina- 

 tion. That which approaches nearest to the me- 

 tallic state, is considered by .some the most favor- 

 able. 



4. It has been justly remarked, that loo much 

 can hardly be paid for a good soil, and that even 

 a low rent will not niake a poor one profitable. 

 The labor of cultivating a rich ami a poor soil, is 

 nearly the same ; while the latter requires more 

 manure, and consequently is more expensive. — 

 Poor soils, at the same time, may have such a 

 command of lasting manures, or even of tempo- 



lay render them prof. 



rary sorts, like seaweed, as 

 ituble to cultivat !. 



5. There are various modes of improving soils. 



Soils with acids or salts of iron, may be anjeli- 

 orated by the a|)plication of lime, or chalk. The 

 sulphate of iron is thus converted into a manure. 



If there be an exce>-s of calcareous matter lit 

 the soil, as in chalky soils, it may be improved 

 by the application of^sand, or clay, or earthy sub- 

 stances. 



Soils too abundant in sand, are benefited by the 

 use of clay, or marl, or vegeiable matter. 



A deficiency of vegetable or animal matter must 

 be supplied by manure. 



An excess of vegetable matter is to be rcinoved 

 by burning, or to be remedied by the a|)plication 

 of earthy materials. The substances necessary 

 for improving soils, are seldojti far distant. Coarse 

 sand is often found immefliately upon chalk, and 

 perhaps always under it, while beds of sand and 

 gravel are commonly below clay, and clay and 

 marl generally below sand. 



The labor and expense of improving the tex- 

 ture or constitution of the soil, it has been justly 

 observed, are amply repaid by the great perma- 

 nent advantages they jiroduce. Less manure is 

 afterwards required, the future fertility of the soil 

 is ensured, and capital, thus, ex[iended, secures 

 for ever the productiveness, and consequently the 

 value of the land. 



How TO SAVE IN LITTLE MATTERS. — Procure a 

 book and keeji an exact account of all your ex- 

 penditures. At the expiratien of 3 months, review 

 the account and see how much you have expend- 

 ed in fourpenny and ninepenny items which you 

 could have done without as well as not. Then 

 see to it that each ensuing quarter shall be minus 

 just those things. In many cases the aggregate 

 would be found more considerable than you would 

 be aware of, unless you kept such an account. 



The true economy of housekeeping is simply 

 the art of gathering up all the fragments so that 

 nothing be lost. I mean fragnicnis of time as well 

 as matters. Nothing should be thrown away as 

 long as it is possible to make any use of it, how- 

 ever trifljng it may be ; and h hatever be the size 

 of a family, every member sboidd be employed 

 either in earning or .savijig money. 



The maxim of Bacon, " Knowleilge is jiovver " 

 is never more true lliaii in rcgaid to agrieidture, 

 Hence no farmer who does not avail himself of 

 the fruils of others' experience, imd who does not 

 improve his knowledge by peiusing the ablest 

 works on agricultural subjects, can ex|.cct to be 

 successful. 'J'he prejudice of many farmers 

 against agricultural knowledge in a printed form 

 is absurd. 



" Count that day lost, whose low descending sun 

 Views from thy baud, no worthy action done. 



