Book II. ANALYSIS OF SOILS. 221 



Sect. III. Of discovering the Qualities of Soils. 



1035. The value of soils to the cultivator, is discoverable botanically, chemically, and 

 mechanically ; that is, by the plants that grow on them naturally; by chemical analysis ; 

 and by extend and interior inspection or handling. 



Subsect. 1. Of discovering the Qualities of Soils by means of the Plants which grow 



on them. 



1036. Plants are the most certain indicators of the nature of a soil; for while no prac- 

 tical cultivator would engage with land of winch he knew only the results of a chemical 

 analvsis, or examined by the sight and touch a few bushels which were brought to him, 

 yet 'every gardener or farmer, who knew the sort of plants it produced, would be at 

 once able to decide as to its value for cultivation. 



1037. The leading soils for the cultivator are the clayey, calcareous, sandy, ferrugineous, 

 peaty, saline, moist or aquatic, and dry. The following are the plants by which such 

 soils are distinguished in most parts of Europe : 



Argillaceous. Tussilago farfara, Potentilla anserina, argentea, and reptans. Tha- 

 lietrum flavum, Carex, many species. Juncus, various species. Orobus tuberosus, 

 Lotus major, and corniculatus. Saponaria officinalis. But the Tussilago farfara is 

 a certain and universal sign of an argillaceous soil, and is the chief plant found on the 

 alum grounds of Britain, France, and Italy. 



Calcareous. Veronica spicata, Galium pusillum, Lithospermum officinale, and pur- 

 puro-creruleum. Campanula glomerata, and hybrida. Phyteuma orbicularis, Verbas- 

 cum lychnitis, Viburnum lantana, Berberis vulgaris, Cistus helianthemum, Anemone 

 Pulsatilla, Clematis vitalba, Hedysarum onobrychis. 



Siliceous. Veronica triphylla, and verna. Echium italicum, Herniaria glabra, and 

 hirsuta. Silene anglica and other species. Arenaria rubra, &c. Spergula arvensis, 

 Papaver hybridum, Argemone, &c. 



Ferrugineous. Rumex acetosa, and acetosella. 



Peaty. Vaccinium myrtillus, uliginosum, and oxycoccus. Erica 4 sp. Spergula 

 subulata. Tonnentilla officinalis. 



Saline. Salicornia 4 species. Zostera marina, Ruppia maritima, Pulmonaria raari- 

 tima, Convolvulus soldanella, lllecebrum verticillatum, Chenopodium maritimum, 

 Salsola kali, and fruticosa. Sium verticillatum. Arenaria maritima, &c. Atriplex 

 laciniata. 



Aquatic. Caltha palustris, Hippuris vulgaris. Pinguicula vulgaris, Lycopus euro- 

 peus, Valeriana dioica, Viola palustris, Satnolus valerandi, Selinum palustre, Epilobium 

 tetragonum, Lythrum salicaria, Ranunculus lingua, and flammula. 



Very dry. Arenaria rubra, Rumex acetosella, Thymus Serpyllum, Acinos vulgaris, 

 Trifolium arvense. 



1038. These plants are not absolutely to be depended on, however, even in Britain ; 

 and in other countries they are sometimes found in soils directly opposite. Still, 

 the saintfoin is almost always an indication of a calcareous soil ; the common coltsfoot 

 (Tussilago farfara), of blue clay ; the arenaria rubra, of poor sand ; the small wood - 

 sorrel, of the presence of iron. The aquatic, peaty, and saline soils are almost every 

 where indicated by their appropriate plants ; a proof, as we have before stated, that the 

 climate and natural irrigation of plants have much more influence on their habits than 

 mere soil. (See the Statumes Plantarum of Lin. and the Flore Francaise of De 

 Candolle i Galpines Compoidium Fl. Brit, s Smith's Flora Brit. ; Kent's Hints; and 

 Farmers Mag. Feb. 1819.) 



Scbsect. 2. Of discovering the Qualities of Soils by cltemical Analysis. 



1039. Chemical ajialysis is much too nice an operation for general purjwses. It is not 

 likely that many practical cultivators will ever be able to conduct the analytic 

 process with sufficient accuracy, to enable them to depend on the result. But still such 

 a knowledge of chemistry as shall enable the cultivator to understand the nature of the 

 process and its results, when made and presented to him by others, is calculated 

 to be highly useful, and ought to be acquired by every man whose object is to join theo- 

 retical to practical knowledge. If it so happens that he can perform the operations 

 of analysis himself, so much the better, as far as that point is concerned; but 

 on the whole, such knowledge and adroitness is not to be expected from men who have 

 so many other points demanding their attention, and who will, therefore, effect their pur- 

 pose much better by collecting proper specimens of the soils to be studied, and sending 

 them for analysis to a respectable operative chemist. 



1040. In selecting specimens, where the general nature of the soil of a field is to be 



