34 



superior density or specific gravity of carbonic acid 

 gas, it being much greater than that of the other el- 

 ements of which the atmosphere is composed, it is 

 nevertheless found in abundance in the elevated re- 

 gions of the earth, and even on high and barren 

 mountains contributes in an important degree to the 

 support of plants and of trees. If the air and water 

 afford the most important elements of plants, it may 

 be asked, what then is the use of the soil? Its 

 first use is to furnish a point of support in which the 

 plant can fix itself; but it doubtless contains many 

 things which water serves to dissolve, and hold in 

 solution, that they may be taken up by the plants. 

 He expressed his belief that in most of the soils in 

 New England and in Massachusetts, the principal el- 

 ement wanting is lime. This abounds in the wes- 

 tern districts of New York, and renders those lands, 

 as in Geneseo for example, on the magnificent farm 

 of Mr. VVadsworth, extraordinarily productive in 

 wheat. 



The addition of lime to our own soils, he consid- 

 ered of great importance. Our sea-shores abound 

 in shells, whose base is lime, and which are capable, 

 by being burnt, of being converted into the best of 

 lime. New Haven, the town of his own residence, 

 abounds in oysters, both natives and those that in 

 great numbers are colonized there from Virginia. 

 The shells are burnt for manure and applied to the 

 land. The soil of New Haven and its vicinity is de- 

 rived from a species of red sandstone ; but this was 

 composed of the elements of granite^ quartz, mica 

 and feldspar, the ruins of granitic and other primary 

 rocks. 



