236 ANALYSES OF SOILS. 



tliey were not carried out to tliat extreme point wliich often is necessary, and perhaps 

 always ought to be desired. Then again (he analysis of the rock which gave origin to 

 a soil seemed to be equally important, and this work has Ijeen pursued as far as time and 

 opportunity would permit. Another undertaking, which no doubt will be regarded as 

 useful, was the analysis of the waters of the State. The mode pursued in this department 

 will be given wlien we reach that subject. 



One of the difficulties to be overcome, was the proper selection of specimens for analysis. 

 The first attempt made to procure soils for this purpose, was by means of a published cir- 

 cular, requesting farmers, who felt an interest in the subject, to forward samples of such 

 soils as they might suppose could be rendered useful upon their lands, or which would 

 illustrate somewhat generally the subject of inquiry. To this circular, no response was 

 ever made. It then became necessary to visit different parts of the State for this purpose. 

 After some deliberation, in which some previous experience was made to bear, I deter- 

 mined to collect, first, new soils — those which had never been cultivated ; and secondly, 

 old soils, under cultivation, selecting specimens of the latter from those farms where a 

 history of the husbandry could be obtained, and usually specimens of the soil and subsoil, 

 the former taken just at the termination of the roots of grasses, and the latter from the 

 bottom of the furrow slice. All these soils were labelled upon the spot, and put into strong 

 double papers. In the whole of this matter, it is plain enough that only general results 

 could be obtained, except in particular instances ; and it may lie that the majority of 

 farmers will feel themselves just as much in the dark about the composition of their own 

 soils, that of their farms, as they were before the present undertaking was commenced. 

 It was, however, totally impossible to visit every town in the State. In some instances 

 we were warranted in generalizing freely as it regarded the composition of soils over large 

 areas. For it is perfectly evident, and the observation is Ijorne out by trial, that the nature 

 of the soil of an area of moderate extent is suflficiently well determined by the analysis of % 

 few specimens ; and we think we do not hazard much in saying, that in the several dis- 

 tricts, there is such a similarity, that the composition of their soils is well determined, and 

 may be practically useful in the pursuit of agriculture. Hence we believe that the results 

 of our labor may, notwithstanding we have not visited every town, much less every farm, 

 be still found of some service to the husbandry of the State, especially if agriculturists ob» 

 serve, in connection with the analyses, the rocks and the nature of the drift wliich prevail 

 on their estates. • ' 



1. HIGHLAND DISTRICT. 



The territory distinguished by tliis name is separated into two portions, wliich are widely 

 removed from each other. The first and largest portion may be termed the Northern 

 Highland District, and the second the Southern Higiiland District. The former comprises 

 a large territory of wild land, some of which is incultivable. It is the only part of tho 



