26 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



some few instances entire failure has been the case, for 

 the reason that the soil started on was unfitted for the 

 purpose. 



The variety of soil that we value above all others is an 

 alluvial saline deposit, rarely found over more than a mile 

 inland from the tide mark. It is of dark heavy loam, 

 containing throughout a large mixture of decomposing 

 oyster and other shells ; it averages from ten to thirty 

 inches deep, overlaying a subsoil of yellow sandy loam. 

 The next lest variety is somewhat lighter soil, both in 

 color and specific gravity, from eight to fifteen inches 

 deep, having a similar subsoil to the above. Then we 

 have a still lighter soil, in both senses of the term, in 

 which the sand predominates over the loam, and laying 

 on a subsoil of pure sand ; this variety of soil is well 

 adapted for Melons, Cucumbers, Sweet Potatoes, Rad- 

 ishes and Tomatoes, but is almost useless for growing 

 crops of Onions, Cabbages or Celery. We have still 

 another kind of soil, which I place last, as being of the 

 least value for the purpose of growing vegetables ; this 

 variety, singularly enough, is found on the highest points 

 only, its color being somewhat lighter than that of the 

 variety first mentioned ; it is what is termed a clayey 

 loam, averaging ten inches in depth, under which is a 

 thick stratum of stiff bluish clay. \Vith a s'ubsoil of 

 this nature it is almost useless to attempt to grow 

 early vegetables for market purposes. 



I have just such a soil as the last mentioned, thoroughly 

 drained three feet deep, the drains only eighteen feet 

 apart, and yet in another garden that I work, having the 

 two first named soils and only one mile distant, manured 

 and cultivated the same in all respects, fruits and vege- 

 tables are ready from five to ten days earlier. But for 

 the succession, or second crops, such as Celery, etc., this 

 stiff, cold soil is just what is wanted ; earliness with these 

 is not the object, and its " coldness" is congenial to the 



