tnake additional experiments to ascertain whether it maj not 

 be beneficial for some kinds of soil in our county, or perhaps 

 for some particular crops. The reason assigned by that emi- 

 nent chemist, Sir Humphrey Davy, why gypsum produces little 

 or no effect on some soils, that those soils probably contain it 

 already in sufficient quantities, does not appear satisfactory. 

 The mode in which it operates is not well understood, but if 

 our soils already contain gypsum enough, why does it not dis- 

 play its powers in the production of good crops here, as well 

 as in the lands in Pennsylvania, and on Connecticut River ? 

 The experiment should be made on light sandy soils, or on a 

 dry loam. On clay or on wet soils, gypsum it is said does not 

 succeed. 



&and and clay operate as manures for each other. Where 

 there is an excess of sand in the soil, clay is one of the most 

 beneficial manures, and on the other hand, where there is an 

 excess of clay, it is remedied by the application of sand. The 

 improvement of the soil in these cases is lasting, and not like 

 that produced by vegetable and animal manures exhausted after 

 a few crops. A permanent change is produced in the texture 

 and constitution of the soil, it becomes bettter adapted for the 

 reception of manures of a different kind, and will render them 

 much more efficacious. 



In this county, from the dryness of the atmosphere, and the 

 nature of our soil, we suffer more from dry seasons than wet 

 ones. But a small proportion of our lands require draining for 

 tillage, and especially for grass. There are however some 

 tracts of land in various parts of the county, which must 

 be drained to be productive. These are often composed of 

 rich earth, washed in a long course of years from the higher 

 lands adjacent, and of vegetable matter the accumulated pro- 

 duct of centuries, and if rendered sufficiently dry, would pro- 

 bably produce large crops. It is well known to every practical 

 farmer, that the first requisite to the successful cultivation of 

 such lands, is to lay them dry, that till this is done labour, til- 

 lage, manures, and all efforts to render such land productive, 

 will be in a great measure fruitless. The facility of draining 



