RULES AND SUGGESTIONS IN FARMING. 195 



epitome, of what has been stated in the preceding essays 

 of the principles and practice of the New Husbandry. 

 Though they may not in all cases fully apply, they will 

 in the main, we believe, be sound and useful. 



1. The essential elements of a good soil, are sand, 

 clay, lime, and organic matter. Magnesia, iron, and vari- 

 ous other minerals and salts, are often found blended with 

 the preceding ; but in general they are not considered as 

 exercising a great influence upon its fertility, except they 

 exist in more than ordinary proportions. 



2. The presence of sand, clay, and vegetable matter 

 in a soil, is deemed indispensable to all crops ; and lime, 

 in some of its forms, is considered indispensable to wheat, 

 and perhaps some other crops, and prejudicial to none, 

 where it is in moderate quantity. 



3. The presence of sand and clay is readily detected 

 by the experienced eye ; that of vegetable matter by the 

 consistence and color of the soil ; and that of carbonate 

 of lime, or calcareous earth, by drying a portion of soil, 

 and pouring upon it some acid, as the muriatic, or even 

 strong vinegar. If it contain any considerable portion of 

 carbonate of lime, effervescence will take place, and the 

 carbonic acid be expelled by the application. The pro- 

 portions in the elements of a soil are ascertained by ch.^m- 

 ical analysis. 



4. Sand is the most essential in the earthy ingredients 

 of soils, and most predominates in them, though where it 

 exceeds eighty-two per cent, the soil is virtually barren, 

 for it is then too porous to retain long either moisture or 

 manure. Clay is next in importance and proportion ; but 

 when it greatly preponderates, the soil becomes stubborn, 

 is hard to be worked, is too retentive of moisture, too im- 

 pervious to atmospheric influence, and is more or less un- 

 productive. 



Lime exists in the smallest proportion, and is least 

 essential of the three common earths, and from two to four 

 per cent, of the upper tillable stratum is all that is deemed 

 essential to the growth and maturity of any crop. When 

 Hme is in excess it induces barrenness, though calcareous 

 soils are considered conducive to the health of the neigh- 



