The Compost- rani. 109 



composed in the maia of sand and clay in various stages ; their degree of 

 cohesion at once points to the perceutagc of the clayey principle — their 

 want of fixity or amount of incoherence pointing alike to the predominance 

 of the sandy principle. Therefore, between the two antipodes, sand and 

 clay, there arc innumerable grades. 



l>ut, to be off-hand in the matter, let us assume three points in judging 

 a loam. First, a good loam should be almost or quite homogeneous in 

 color ; it should be rather adhesive — even when half dry ; it should, if 

 possible, contain much organic matter, or, in other words, the remains of 

 bygone vegetation — the roots of grasses, herbs, or even plants of half 

 shrubbery character. As to color, it may be almost yellow, or it may be 

 a dull hazel ; these things, although they possess their respective meanings, 

 are but of secondary import. What we want of loam, in the main, is the 

 quality of adhesiveness or coherence ; without which, composts, whatever 

 qualities they may possess in a manurial sense, do not " wear" — to use a 

 technical phrase. 



The next soil in pomt of importance in the compost-yard is peat, as it 

 is commonly called ; but, as this term is used with so much laxity, we 

 must offer a few passing remarks. It is a common practice amongst 

 gardeners to talk about bog soil, peat and heath soil, as though they were 

 the same material, or it were immaterial which formed part of the composts ; 

 but they are widely different. Heath soil is that dark soil containing 

 much sand — generally one-third its bulk — which is found on upland moor 

 soils, and covered with the common heath or heather. Bog or peat is 

 that dark, fatty material which is dug out of morasses ; such, indeed, as is 

 dried and sold for fuel in many parts of the kingdom, and containing but 

 little sand. This, in a raw state, fresh dug, is said to contain a supera- 

 bundance of humic acid, which is prejudicial in the culture of plants ; it 

 therefore requires to lay some time in the compost-yard, and to be turned 

 occasionally. It is not, however, the proportion of sand they contain 

 which distinguishes them ; they are very different as to the mechanical 

 textures ; although in both the fibrous portion is simply vegetable matter 

 in various stages of decay. The fibrous portion of the heath soil is, in the 

 main, woody fibre, giving a strong and enduring texture to the compost ; 

 that of the peaty soil is chiefly derived from annual or herbaceous vegeta- 

 bles, and is, of course, quicker in action and more liable to perish. Sandy 

 heath soil is by far the safest for choice plants which have to remain long 

 in their pots, whilst the peaty material is adapted to plants of rapid growth 

 and which are destined for a disrooting system, or to be entirely replaced 

 by fresh, young stock. 



