HAMPDEN SOCIETY. 237 



A third soil from Palmer, gives us the following : 



Insoluble silicates, - _ - _ 88.00 per ct. 



Phosphates, - - - - - 0.6 '• 



Lime, - - - - - - 2.0 " 



Organic matter, . . _ _ 3 q c 



In comparing these several results, we find but little differ- 

 ence in the amount and value of the mineral constituents of the 

 Ohio and Hampden county soils; if anything, the advantage 

 is on the side of the Massachusetts soils. The reason for their 

 respective differences in value, will not, therefore, be probably 

 found here. 



How is it then "with the organic portion of these soils: 

 Here there is a difference. The three soils which I have se- 

 lected from Hampden county, contain a greater proportion of 

 organic matter, than the general average. This element of the 

 different soils will generally be found to be greater in the rich 

 Ohio soils than the soils of New England. Compared with 

 the alluvial lands along the rivers of New England, the excess 

 is not very considerable. But there is a very great difference 

 in the state and condition in which this organic matter exists 

 in the soils of the Scioto, and the soils along the Connecticut. 

 In the former, it is so finely divided, so blended and incorpo- 

 rated with the mineral particles, that few, on examining the 

 dry, pulverulent soil, would be able to form a fair comparative 

 opinion respecting the quantity present. The amount would 

 always be underrated. A very large part of this organic mat- 

 ter is also in a soluble state, ready to be appropriated and re- 

 ceived as food by the growing crops. On the contrary, much 

 of the organic matter in the soils of New England is coarse, 

 recently derived from decayed animal or vegetable organisms, 

 and perhaps not yet thoroughly decomposed. It is also in 

 considerable part insoluble, or in a state allied to, and resem- 

 bling charcoal. 



A microscopical examination of the insoluble portions of the 

 Ohio soils, the silicious clays and sands, shows that they have 

 had an origin common to the great mass of the New England 

 soils. .The rocks underlying the soils of Ohio are for the 

 most part lime rocks, and the same is true of the soils of Iowa 



