No. 199.1 121 



1st. It yields to the growing plant inorganic and organic supplies 

 of food as it grows, and is prepared to receive and elaborate it in itg 

 system, through the medium of its roots and spongioles. 



2d. It sustains, supports and affords a safe hold for its roots, giv- 

 ing them strength to uphold the stem, and enable it to withstand the 

 gales to which it is constantly exposed. 



3d. It absorbs hydrogen, ammonia, carbonic acid gas, water in its 

 pure state, heat, and the direct rays of the sun. 



4th. Chemically speaking, it elaborates by the aid of air and water, 

 all the chemical changes in the growing plant ; prepares and makes 

 ready the necessary food to be taken up by its roots to. sustain and 

 bring it to maturity and full perfection. 



The scientific farmer may, by the application of muck, and a few 

 chemical substances in addition, grow any crop upon his land, and, I 

 was going to say, any quantity^ but I will say any reasonable quan- 

 tity of either grass or grain. He can a|ter the character of a soil only 

 yielding the fine finger vine, to such an extent by draining, sub soil 

 plowing, and adding sand, marl, clay or muck, as to induce it to yield 

 a luxuriant and abundant crop of any description of plant, and all this 

 can be done at trifling expense, provided he will, in, the first place, 

 either analize, or employ a chemist to do it for him, a small portion 

 of his sub and surface soil. Thus he will became master of the con- 

 stitution and chemical requirements of his land, and be enabled, at 

 small cost, by the application of the proper ingredient to attain his 

 object, whatever it may be. By nature, all soils, wherever situated, 

 are each adapted to the peculiar kind of plant naturally growing upon 

 them, and likewise to different varieties of cereal grains ; for example, 

 rye will grow and flourish to a certain extent upon pure sand, and 

 is the only cereal grain that will. Soil in which clay predominates, 

 is generally considered the best adapted to wheat. 



A loam soil, consisting of sand and clay, for barley; a sandy loam 

 for oats. Oats will also do well in a soil in which sand predominates 

 to a very great extent. Soils indicate to the farmer when they are 



