50 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



strata and position are such that the increase of 

 diminution of one or the other may be confidently 

 expected from the effects of time or the process of 

 cultivation. 



The analysis of soils has hitherto made little 

 progress in this country, and farmers, in general, 

 know little of the soils they cultivate, and of the 

 reasons why some are fertile and the others steril, 

 when in general appearance they are much the 

 same. We think we are justified in expecting nmch 

 in this part of chymical agriculture from the con- 

 templated survey of the state, as it is one which 

 can scarcely fail to claim the attention of the scien- 

 tific men to whom this survey is confided. The 

 farmer cannot too thoroughly understand the nature 

 of the soil he cultivates, and any measures which 

 shall facilitate the acquisition of the desired knowl- 

 edge should be hailed with general satisfaction. 



TENDENCY OF SOILS TO DETERIORATE. 



The natural, the inevitable tendency of all culti- 

 vation is deterioration of the soil. The richest and 

 most fertile soils contain but a certain proportion 

 of matter fit for the purposes of vegetation, and 

 every crop taken from them sensibly lessens this 

 quantity. The result, therefore, must be, that con- 

 tinual cropping will reduce the best soils to barren- 

 ness, until, where circumstances admit, nature, by 

 her gradual method of repairing wrongs, again im- 

 parts a degree of fertility. It is, however, possible 

 to counteract tliis tendency to sterility in soils ; to 

 prevent the exhaustion of the qualities necessary to 

 support vegetable life ; and the difference between 

 good and bad farming, or proper and improper culti- 

 vation, may be determined mainly by a reference to 

 this single result. 



In this country we can hardly form a correct idea 

 from anything around us of the frightful barrenness 

 to wliich fertile soils may be reduced by impropei 



