185-i. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS. 



The want of soino system of classifying soils 

 has long boon ft-lt. The arbitrary terms in com- 

 mon use convey no definite idea of the sulyect. A 

 writer in the Fanncr''s Magazine recommends a 

 classification based on analysis. We are not pre- 

 pared to say that this mode is at present practica- 

 ble, but it is at least worthy of attention. His 

 plan is as follows : 



1. Siliceous soi/s, containing from 90 to 95 per 

 cent, of sand. These would be divided, on the 

 same principle, into blowing sand, coarse sand, 

 good agricultural sand, and calcareous sand. 



2. Loamy soils ; 70 to 90 per cent, of sand sep- 

 arable by washing, subdivided into coarse sandy 

 loam, fine sandy loam, rich loam, and calcareous 

 loam. 



3. Clayey soils, with -10 to 70 per cent, of sand ; 

 divided iuto clay loam, clay, and calcareous clAy. 



Each of these soils, termed calcareous sand, 

 calcareous loam, &c., contains 5 per cent, of 

 lime. 



Marlcy soils constitute a fourth group, in which 

 the proportion of lime ranges between five and 

 twenty jier cent. , and are divided into sandy marls, 

 loamy marls, and clayey marls. 



Calcareous soils contain more than 20 per cent. 

 of lime. They are divided into sandy calcareous, 

 loamy calcareous, and clayey calcareous. While 

 in calcareous sands, clays, and loams, the propor- 

 tion of loam does not exceed 5 per cent. The dif- 

 ference of composition denoted by difference of 

 name, is similar to the sulphates and sulph?7es of 

 chemical nomenclature, which contain different 

 proportions of sulphuric acid. 



According to the quantity of peljbly fragments 

 yielded by a square yard, or by a cu1)ic foot of the 

 soil, thc3' may be denominated gravels, or gravelly 

 sands, loams, and clays. 



Vegetable soils vary from the common garden 

 mould, which contains from 5 to 10 per cent, of 

 vegetable matter, to the peaty soil, in which the 

 organic matter is about GO to 70 per cent. They 

 will be vi'gL'tablc sands, loams, clays, marls, &c. 



Considered geologically, soils may l)c classed in 

 three groups : 



1. Local soils, or those derived exclusively from 

 the debris of the rock on which they rest, unmixed 

 with materials of other rocks. 



2. Erratic soils, containing the unmixed mate- 

 rials of several, and in many cases distinct forma- 

 tions, transported by currents of water which, at 

 the close of what is called the testary period ol 

 geologo, acted irrespectively of the present lines of 

 drainage and sea levels. 



3. Alluvial aoW^, composed of finely divided mat- 

 ter, transported and deposited by rivei's and tidal 

 currents, in subordination to the existing levels 

 and lines of drainage. 



American Flax Growing.— The American Linen 

 Company, composed of some of the best business 

 firms in this city, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, 

 Fall River, (their mills are at Fall River,) have 

 issued a circular to all the farmers of America, to 

 encourage them to grow flax, which we copy in 

 another place for the information of our readers. 

 The Coiiipany Turnish samples with prices affixed 

 and proiiiiwi' to jiay thope prices for all the flax of- 

 fered within a year ; so that tlie grower has noth- 

 ing to fear from an over-stocked market. 



The American Linen Company has expended 

 over $450,000, and expect to make the sum over 

 half a million, in completing the l)cst establishment 

 in the world for spinning and weaving fine shirt- 

 ings, sheetings, table linen, and goods for men's 

 wear. They will require two millions of pounds 

 of lint, and hope to manufacture from half to 

 three-fourths of a million of dollars' worth of 

 goods per annum ; and they particularly desire to 

 do this from American flax, l)ut at present are un- 

 able to procure a supply, ft is not grown in the 

 country. Shall this be said another year? Shall 

 it be said that a country of such an unbounded 

 extent of cheap rich soil must import the raw flax 

 for its own manufacturing \ There is no time to 

 be lost. Farmers, prepare your ground for flax ! 

 —N. Y. Tribune. 



For the New England Farmer. 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE MIDDLESEX 

 CO. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



Fon TUB Year 1S53. 



Although, to use the language of the Chairman 

 of the Committee on milch cows, this society "ha? 

 gone somewhat over its time," it has now "come 

 in," with a production, full grown and well formed, 

 which will hereafter be referred to as a model for 

 imitation. 



The Report on farms, and tlie statements con- 

 nected therewith, using, as tliey do, the right words 

 in the right place, neitlier more nor loss, are well 

 suited to confirm our long-cherished impressions, 

 that tliis is one of the best modes, in which agri- 

 cultural societies can operate, to benefit the far- 

 mer. Select a committee, who will labor, con 

 amorc, and go into all tITe towns of the county, 

 and visit all who will receive them, and it Avill 

 not be difficult, in any of our towns, to find ob- 

 jects worthy of being reported. It will not do to 

 wait for claimants to come forward of their own 

 motion — for if you do, tiie chance is, that many 

 objects most worthy will be passed without notice. 

 Real merit does not protrude itself — it needs to be 

 sought out by those who have discrimination to 

 distinguish it, and independence to declare truly 

 what they find. 



Having heard much of the "Ijutter products" 

 of this region, we wei'e curious to o1)serve what 

 the "butter committee" would say of the "butter 

 stock" of the County. Their report affirms all 

 that has been said of Mv. Reed's extraordinary 

 Jersey cow. It is worthy of notice, also, that of 

 the two cows, to which _^r.s7 premiums were award- 

 ed for their yield of butter, four ([itaris of the 

 milk of one yielded as much butter as sixteen 

 quarts of the milk of the otlier. This is a differ- 

 ence that would justify experiments, to ascertain 

 the principles on wliich butter is made. We 

 learn that the Exhibitions by this Society have 

 been permanently located at Concord ; and that 

 convenient accommodations have been provided b^ 

 the generosity of the inhabitants of the place. This 

 will do, so long as the border towns are satisfied 

 therewith ; but no movement should be made to 

 lesson the general interest in the operation of the 

 Society, or to provoke inexj)edient subdivisions. 

 Having more than once witnessed the Exhibitions, 

 by this file leader of our County Societies, we are 

 [(leased to find it going ahead, with all tlie energy 

 of youth. May its prosperity be perpetual, and 



