SOILS. ^%* 



grf^ss crops ; and by repeated applications of manure-. 

 Some gravels and sands are of so burning a nature, that 

 unless the season is wet they will produce but little. 



But as the soils which may be denominated gravelly, 

 are some more, and some less, so ; some very hard and 

 dry, some mellower, and not so much affected by 

 drought: we will not pretend to designate particularly 

 the most profitable uses of soils of this kind, as much 

 must depend on their particular character, and as those 

 of the better kind may often be found very good for 

 most kinds of culture, 



SANDY SOIL. 



A sandy soil is that in which sand predominates, but 

 which contains a sufiiciency of other earthy matter, to 

 make it more or less retentive of moisture, and thus be- 

 comes endued with various degrees of feitliity. Wher- 

 ever unmixed with other ingredients, it is of little or 

 no value. Very light sandy soils neither ailord sufh- 

 cient stabilit}' to plants, nor retain moisture enough to 

 convey to them their necessary food. 



Where a sandy soil is underlaid, and at no great depth, 

 with what is usually called a har-d pan^ it adds greatly to 

 the retentiveness of the soil, and of course to its fer- 

 tility. 



Sandy soils are usually of a yellowish, or redish cast. 

 Sometimes they are greyish ; and frequently they are 

 dark coloured. The latter are generally the most fer- 

 tile ; the yellowish and redish are commonly the least 

 so ; and the greyish commonly holds a middle station 

 between the two extremes. There are writers howev- 

 er, who consider a red sand one of the most profitable. 



The light, open, and porous texture of sandy soils 

 render them easily cultivated, so that, if what is saved 

 in tillage be expended in additional manurings, it is 

 doubtful whether this soil, when skilfully managed, will 

 not be found as profitable to the farmer as most other 

 lands of middling quality. 



The best mode of improving sandy soils, is, by a mix- 

 ture of clay, marl, sea-shells, peat, vegitable earth, co\t 

 dung, awiue's dung-, or mud from swamps and ponds. A 

 dressing of clay two or three inches thick, and well mix- 

 ed, will make it fruitful for many years. As these sub- 



