CALCAREOUS SOILS SUPPOSED COMMON. 53 



The first two extracts merely state the geological theory of the 

 formation of soils, which is received as correct by the most eminent 

 agriculturists of Europe. How far it may be supported or opposed 

 by the actual constitution and number of ingredients of European 

 soils, is not for me to decide, nor is the consideration necessary to 

 niy subject. But the adoption of this general theory by American 

 writers, without excepting American soils, is an indirect, but com- 

 plete application to them of the same character and composition. 

 The writer last quoted states positively, that the various loams 

 (which comprise at least nineteen twentieths of our soils, and I pre- 

 sume also of the soils of Maryland) contain calcareous matter. 

 The expression of this opinion by Mr. Smith is sufficient to prove 

 that such was the fair and plain deduction from his general reading 

 on agriculture, from which source only could his opinions have been 

 derived. If the soils of Maryland are not very unlike those of 

 Virginia, I will venture to assert, that not one in a thousand of all 

 the clayey, sandy, and gravelly loams, contains the smallest propor- 

 tion of carbonate of lime and that not a single specimen of cal- 

 careous soil can be found, between the falls of the rivers and the 

 most eastern body of limestone. 



But though the direct testimony of European authors, as cited 

 in a foregoing page, concurs with the indirect proofs referred to 

 since, to induce the belief that soils are very rarely destitute of cal- 

 careous earth, yet statements may be found of some particular soils 

 being considered of that character. These statements, even if 

 presented by the authors of general treatises, would only seem to 

 present exceptions to their general rule of the almost universal 

 diffusion of calcareous earth in soils. But, so far as I know, no 

 such exceptions are named in the descriptions of soils in any general 

 treatise, and therefore have not the slightest influence in contradict- 

 ing or modifying their testimony on this subject. It is in the 

 description of soils of particular farms, or districts, that some such 

 statements are made ; and even if no such examples had been men- 

 tioned, they would not have been needed to prove the existence, in 

 Europe, of some soils, like most of ours, destitute of calcareous 

 earth. These facts do not oppose my argument. I have not 

 asserted (nor believed, since endeavouring to investigate this sub- 

 ject), that there were not soils in Europe, and perhaps many exten- 

 sive districts, containing no calcareous earth. Sly argument merely 

 maintains, that these facts would not be inferred, but the contrary, 

 by any general and cursory reader of the agricultural treatises of 

 Europe with which we are best acquainted. It has not been my 

 purpose to inquire as to the existence, or extent, of soils of this 

 kind in Europe. But judging from the indirect testimony furnished 

 by accounts of the mineral and vegetable productions, in general 

 descriptions of different countries; I would infer that soils having 

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