122 



On the Geology of Soils. 



Vol. IX. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



•J. & J, DearLe 



Thomas H. Dickson . . . . 

 Wm. T. Crook, two mills 



D. Milne & Son 



Thomas R. Fisher 



Butten & Smith 



Craige, Holmes & Co. 



Thomas Simpson 



W.Hogg 



Armstrong 



Philadelphia 



Providence, Del. Co 



Philadelphia 



Germantovvn 



Brought forward. 



Plaid Shawls 

 Linscys, K. Jeans &c 

 Flannels & Blankets 

 Linseys & Checks 

 StockmgSj &c. 



144 



Philadelphia 

 j\ear Bordentovvn 



Germantown 



Yarn, 



Carpets & Shawls 



TOTALS. 



171 



For the Farmers' cabinet. n W],^^ ^ ^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^j^j^ ^^ -^ 



On the t.eology of Soils. | this country. Just see how easy it is for a 



Mr. Editor, — Dana ui his Muck Manual, man to sit in his closet, or mount the rostrum 

 has given us a great number of oracular, of a lecture room, and farm land and fix its 

 propositions on this subject, wherein he lays Rvalue— on paper. "There is but one rock 

 It down as the first principle in agricultural and one soil, and that one rock does not affect 

 chemistry, that "there is one rock, and con-' the vegetation which covers it." "The food 

 sequently one soil ;" as a second, " tliat rocks bearing plants will grow on every soil and 

 do not affect the vegetation whicli covers repay the labour of tiie farmer." Ergo, the 

 them." And his third principle is, " that soil on every part of the earth's surface is 

 rocks Aai;e nof formed the soil which covers equally good, and if it does not produce 

 them." He also states, though I believe, not| equally good crops, it is owing to the lazi- 

 as a fundamental principle, that "to the ag- ness, ignorance or stupidity of its occupiers, 

 riculturist, the terms pr unary and secondary Let all those— as well the lazy loafer as the 

 are iiseless. Equally so are all distinctions industrious farmer, who have had the mis- 

 of soil based on these terms;" and afterwards^ fortune to inherit or purchase a farm, which 

 adds, "to the farmer all soil is primary." He' they and their neighbours in the simplicity 

 adduces in support of his principles some of their hearts have called naturally poor 

 facts and a goodly quantity of positive asser- land— cheer up — light is breaking in on us — 

 tion, among which I shall at present only a wise man of the east has undertaken to 

 notice the following. ''Every where with prove that their land is naturally as good as 

 the exception of the tops of some mountains, that called the best, and we inay reasonably 

 the rocks of the globe are covered, from a 'expect that he will next show us how. by the 

 tew inches, to some hundred feet in depth, use of some of his new fangled mucks, it 

 with gravel, sand, clay, rolled stones, some- can be made to produce as w'ell as the best, 

 times alternately with each other, and some-j'witliout extra expense — or even better and 

 times in confused heaps." "With a few/cheaper, than by using cow dung or other old 

 exceptions the soil which now covers rocks, fashioned and vulgar manures. 

 has been derived from plaees distant, and | But seriously, although I have no idea that 

 ii-om rocks distinct from those on which it the author meant to advocate any such doc- 

 now reposes;" and that "it is in ^i?ni7ecZ trine, yet I appeal to every intelligent reader 

 patches only, that soil partakes decidedly of if the above is not the fair— the legitimate, 

 the character of the underlying rocks." (and irresistible inference, which evijry man 



" The plants used for food are cultivated of common sense would draw from such 

 on every variety of rock foundation which principles as are laid down in his proposi- 

 ihe earth presents. Their cultivation is tions. When he tells us that chemical ana- 

 iimited neither by granitic nor trappean— by lyses show that all soils are substantially 

 fossihferous nor non-fossiliferous rocks. Eve- the same, being mainly composed of silex, 

 ry where— over every variety of rock, theWid in another place, that there is but one 

 cultivation of the food bearing plants, repays|^soil ; and that crops are not affected in quan- 

 the lahour of the farmer." \ti(y or quality by the geological tracts on 



"In Massachusetts a?/ the various forma- which they grow'; what inference can be 

 tions which tlie eartli presents, except the drawn, but that all soil is equally good for 

 modern volcanic rocks are found, yet no dif-, the production of vegetables, therefore that 

 ference in the quality or quantity of the all the difference must be in the climate and 

 crops of rye, oats, barley, wheat or Indian management. And as a further consequence, 

 corn is found which can be attributed to dif- that all land within the same distance of any 

 ferent geological tracts." specified market is equally valuable,— ought 



