AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM 283 



of the soil, interspersed with a few explanatory and ge- 

 Jiieralizinj;^' ideas, I will proceed to a more ininute atid 

 specific description of the soils, most commonly iound, 

 giving- tJiis analysis as taken chiefly from Kirwan and 

 the most appioved chymical writers, shewing what 

 constitules a fei-file soil, and in what the\ diiTer in each 

 o! the above grand divisions, and in what consists the 

 chief food of plants. 



First til u, let us recapitulate the grand divisions :-r- 

 They are four in number, viz. 



The Beachy or Littoral Region, 

 The Alluvial Region. 

 The Hilly or Tiiieless Region. 

 The Mountainous Region. 



It will at once be seen, that each of these regions is 

 susceptible of almost innumerable divisions and sub-di- 

 visions, or genera and species To attain to a full and 

 perfect knowledge of these, is the grand desideratum of 

 farmers, and 1 trust that tlic united labors of a great Agi i- 

 cultura! nation, enjoying the blessings of freedom, and 

 abundance, will, by continuing to accumulate atoms, in 

 no distant time, arrive at tl)is llerculanean goal of their 

 enquiries. 



Of the properties and distinct qnaliiies of soil to b,e 

 fouiul in the beachy rofjion. In gei-ieral it is a very light 

 f^oi', '."on-isliisg oi sand and a portion o' calcareous matter, 

 bc(Jded on rock, gcneraiiy the piinioeva! rock or granite. 

 Sometimes islands oi* mounds of sand and pebbles, are 

 tiirown up by the force and long cojitinuance of currents 

 alone In general the soil of this region is little fitted to 

 the purposes of Ap.riculture. Some of the islands aiimg' 

 our coast, are, however, from particular local causes, ex- 

 ceptions to tlsis I'nie. 



Tiic alluvia! region, aecordi;^g to the definition already 

 given, is the river formed land, and extends to (he falls 

 of the rivers. This region, therefore, from it^ extent, 

 contains many kiiuls of soil, suseeptibi.- of divisions by 

 well marked and (iiatinet boundaries, whi'-h may be tra^ 

 ced on the surface with sufficient clearness^ to give a 



