of lime. It can hardly be burnt, transported to the fields, where it is to be used, and 

 spread, at less than two dollars per ton, on an average, so that the limeing of 100,000,000 

 acres involves an outlay of one thousand million dollars. 



These suggestions are made to show the vast importance of more knowledge than 

 we now possess, of soils and their products. This country throws away one hundred 

 million dollars a year in misapplied labor and capital, rather than expend a few dollars 

 for the careful and systematic investigation of the laws of nature, in their application to 

 all farming operations. If ignorance were wealth, how rich we should all be ! 



There is not a single element of fruitfiilness that has been thoroughly studied in this 

 gi-eat republic. Its citizens are content with the idle repetition of scientific terms and 

 phrases, without increasing in wisdom. Hence it is, that in all America there is not 

 one agricultural school to lead the minds of youth from the few things known about 

 the principles of agriculture, to the more than Californian wealth which exists in the 

 unknown, but within the reach of all. How much longer shall we cling to that igno- 

 rance which is nothing but weakness, and turn our backs upon that knowledge whicb 

 is power ? 



ICLJ 



THE PROPER MANAGEMENT OF SANDY SOILS. 



A MUCH esteemed friend has requested us to write an article on the proper management 

 of sandy soils, especially in regard to those which have been " hard run," or much im- 

 poverished by successive cultivation of wheat and corn. The subject is one of great 

 importance, and merits a much fuller investigation than the crowded state of our col- 

 umns this month permits. We regret this the less in the hope that some of our able, 

 experienced correspondents, will take up the matter and fully discuss it. 



Soils containing a large proportion of clay and lime, or such as are naturally good 

 wheat soils, stand cultivation and the removal of large quantities of grain much better 

 than light, sandy soils. Various reasons are assigned for this. It is said that these 

 heavy soils contain originally more of the organic and inorganic constituents of plants 

 than light ones. Their compact nature by excluding the air, prevents decomposition, 

 and so the matter locked up in them remains without loss till by plowing and cultiva- 

 tion the air is admitted, and these latent elements become active, soluble, and available 

 as food for plants. Again, it is probable that when these soils are under-drained and 

 properly tilled, they retain the greater portion of the ammonia brought to them in rain 

 water. Sand has not this power to retain ammonia at all, and sandy soils possess it to 

 a small degree only. 



The manner in which clays retain ammonia is a matter of dispute. It has been sup- 

 posed that tbey held it mechanically ; but the recent investigations of Mr. Way indicate 

 that the ammonia enters into chemical combination with the double salt of silicate of 

 alumina and soda, decomposing it and forming a double salt of silicate of alumina and 

 silicate of ammonia ; and that the large amount of silicic acid which the straw of wheat 

 contains, is taken up by the plant as silicate of ammonia. This double salt of alumina 

 and soda is found not only to retain the ammonia of rain water, but also to attract it 

 from the atmosphere when brought in immediate contact with, its particles. Hence the 

 value of summer fallows on heavy soils. Not only is the decomposition of the soil 

 facilitated by the admission of air, but this air actually carries with it the very fertilzer 

 most needed by our wheat crops — ammonia. 



But here there is a wide and most important difference between clays and sands. 

 Sandy soils contain but little of this double salt, to attract ammonia from the atmos- 

 phere, or retain that brought to it in rain. Summer fallows, or frequent plowings and 

 harrowings on such soils, are of no use except to destroy weeds. What is to be done ? In 



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