130 APPENDIX. 



I have found during my geological researches in Maine, that those 

 soils which were derived from the disintegration and decomposition of 

 limestone rocks, were the most remarkable for their wheat crops. Such 

 districts are very extensive in Maine, and will ere long become exceed- 

 ingly valuable as grain soils. 



I have seen on a single farm of less than 30 acres of unmanured 

 land upon the Aroostook River in Maine, no less than 1000 bushels of 

 grain, principally wheat, which was raised this last summer. The soil 

 is alluvial and derived from limestone. In York and Oxford counties, 

 I also noticed very excellent crops of wheat in soils derived from the 

 disintegration of limestone, which alternates with gneiss. The w'hole 

 of the district between Houlton and the Aroostook River, which is a 

 portion of the public lands, is a most valuable wheat soil of immense 

 importance to our country ; north of the Aroostook to the St. John a 

 similar tract of good soil exists, which in the course of time will be- 

 come a most valuable farming country. 



In the western part of Maine and throughout a large portion of Mas- 

 sachusetts the soil is wanting in lime, and is frequently charged with 

 sulphate of iron. Such soils require liming in order to render them 

 productive. In general we may say that wherever ferruginous waters 

 percolate from a soil, that soil requires treatment with lime. The sul- 

 phate of iron in this case is decomposed by the lime or by the carbon- 

 ate of lime, and gypsum is the resulting product, while the iron is left 

 inert. Now we have a very simple calculation to make as to the quan- 

 tity of lime required for a soil which is destitute of it, or which con- 

 tains matters to be decomposed by it. Calculate by a simple trial how 

 much lime is required for a given measure of soil and then calculate 

 the superficial contents of the field and multiply it by the depth to which 

 the lime will extend ; other things being equal, 1 per cent, of lime will be 

 sufficient. Ground bones form a valuable manure, and there are mills 

 now at work preparing them for our farmers. Mr. Winchester the soap 

 maker, formerly threw his refuse bones into the sea, but lately, I under- 

 stand, he has hired laborers to dig them up for agricultural use. 



Burnt bones are easily crushed to powder in a break mill, and will 

 answer admirably as a top dressing. A few faggots are sufficient to 

 burn a large heap of bones, since the fat they contain aids in the com- 

 bustion. The refuse bone black of our sugar refineries is also a very 

 valuable manure, insomuch that proposals were made to the East 

 Boston Sugar Refinery, by Havre merchants, to send here for all the 



