THE CARNATION. 17 



PRIMITIVE SOILS. 



EARTH, in regard to its different qualities, is divided 

 into four sorts of native or primitive soils, viz. argil- 

 laceous or loamy, calcareous or chalky, siliceous or 

 sandy, heathy and boggy or peaty, and these are 

 further distinguished according to their nature, whe- 

 ther stiff or light, as clayey, gravelly, marly, &c. 



Maiden or vegetable mould, which is formed by 

 the decay of all vegetable and animal substances, 

 forms the superficial stratum of all soils, and is con- 

 sidered the most fertile of all. The grand art in 

 gardening is to know when there is deficiency or re- 

 dundancy of any of those primitive soils in the mould 

 you are going to make use of, and to be able to mix 

 and regulate it, so as to suit the nature and wants 

 of the tree, shrub, or plant you intend to set in it. 



' There are many people who, from want of 

 * thought or observation, foolishly imagine, that be- 

 ' cause a plant is set in mould it must thrive in it, 

 ' exposed in all weathers w r et or dry, hot or cold ; 



