ADMIXTURE OP SOILS. 265 



Lime acts powerfully as an alkaline substance, and in many 

 ways to benefit the soil and hasten vegetation. It l)cing com- 

 paratively a cheap commodity, it may be economically used by 

 almost every farmer. 



As containing valuable mineral acids, plaster may be named 

 as supplying sulphuric acid, necessary to all vegetables. It is 

 found in the ashes of plants. It is known under the name of 

 the oil of vitriol. 



Bones can hardly be deemed by the farmer of too much 

 importance. They contain when dry one-third organic mat- 

 ter and two-thirds mineral. They supply phosphoric acid, a 

 very important element in all vegetable production ; — the more 

 common name for this substance is phosphate of lime. The 

 process of decomposing bones by the aid of wood-ashes or sul- 

 phuric acid should not only be understood, but practised, by 

 every farmer. 



Sand, or the coarser particles of soil, contains acid, and is 

 decomposed by the action of various substances named, and 

 supplies silicic acid necessary to give strength to the growing 

 stalks of plants. 



Much might be said of the improving of soils by mixing one 

 with another. If clay largely predominates it should be 

 amended by an application of sand. If the soil is too sandy, 

 let it have an admixture of clay. The muck-bed often is com- 

 posed of earthy material, as well as vegetable, and its applica- 

 tion will serve the double purpose of manuring and altering 

 the texture of the soil. 



Intelligent care should be used to raise such crops as may be 

 profitably expended on the farm, that the substances of which 

 they are composed may be returned again to the soil without 

 any loss. 



There are leakages of manure on almost every farm. The 

 owner ought to know, by actual trial, that the sink and water- 

 closet of every ordinary-sized family are capable of enriching an 

 acre of land every year, better, probably, than was ever done by 

 him in his life. 



Close and intelligent observation will enable every farmer to 



know that the character of his soil renders it adapted to the 



production of some particular crop better than another; and 



also what crops should succeed each other, so as to give such 



34 



