1864. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEE. 



can realize more than this from their cows. Diflfer- 

 ence in situation makes a vast diflPerence in this 

 matter. 



I have given you an estimate based upon actual 

 experience of what can be done in common times, 

 where I Jive, with sheep and cows. But if we 

 take them as they are now, when, instead of 40 

 cents we are likely to get nearer 80 cents per pound 

 for wool, and a lamb is worth from $2 to $3 as soon 

 as it can stand, my friend, T. C. P., will find the 

 profit on the other side of the house ; besides, a 

 man can keep any amount of sheep without doing 

 what a cheese maker is always obliged to do — that 

 ie, break the fourth Commandment. c. o. 



From the New England Farmer. 



Materials of Which Soil is Composed. 



CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS. 



Soils are named from the amount or proportions 

 of the various substances which enter into their 

 formation. 



If a soil consists of sand, it is called a sandy 

 soil. 



If the largest portion is clay, it is called a clayey 

 soil. 



When lime predominates, it is called a calcare- 

 ous soil. 



Those substances may exist together, but in 

 different proportions, in the same soil, in which 

 case it usually receives a distinct name. 



A mixture of sand and clay, with a small propor- 

 tion of lime, is called a loam. 



If it contain much lime, it is called a calcareous 

 loam. 



If it is composed of clay with much lime, it is 

 called a calcareous clay. 



A certain proportion of these substances has 

 given specific names to soils. 



Pure clay, which is commonly called pipe clay, 

 is composed of about sixty parts filica, and forty 

 parts of alumina, with a small quantity of oxide of 

 iron. This kind of clay contains no silicious sand 

 which can be separated by washing with water. 

 It forms but a small quantity of soil, and is found 

 in comparatively few localities. 



The clay forms the strongest ot clay soils. It 

 consists of pure clay, mixed with from five to 

 fifteen per cent, of silicious sand, which can be 

 separated fiom it by boiling or washing. 



Clay loam contains from fifteen to thirty per 

 cent, of fine sand, which can be separated by boil- 

 ing. The different parts of the soil may be very 

 easily separated, and it is consequently more easily 

 worked. Such soil is very properly sought for in 

 the selection of a farm. 



A loamy soil contains from thirty to sixty per 

 cent, of sand, which is retained so loosely that it 

 can be readily separated from it by washing. 



A sandy loam leaves from sixty to ninety per 

 cent, of sand. 



A sandy soil consists mostly of sand, and con- 

 tains no more than t6n per cent of clay. 



In a marly soil the proportion of lime must be 

 more than five per cent, but less than twenty per 

 cent. 



Marls are called sandy, loamy and clayey, in 

 accordance with the proporHons they may contain 

 of these substances, provided they b« free from 



Hmc, or do not contain more than five per cent, of 

 this material. 



Soils are denominated calcareous when the pro- 

 portion of lime exceeds twenty per cent., and thus 

 by its quantity becomes an important constituent. 



There are also calcareous clays, calcareous loams 

 and calcareous. sands, which take their names from 

 the proportion of clay and sand which they may 

 contain. 



Vegetable mold is sometimes a prominent char- 

 acteristic of a soil. 



In peaty soils its proportion may be equal to 

 sixty and sometimes as much as seventy-five per 

 cent of organic matter. 



The Honey Bee in California. -We have heard 

 a very singular, yet very plausible reason why bees 

 have not done well lately, or why they do not lay sp 

 their usual store of honey for winter. It certainly 

 will be remembered that on the first introduction 

 of bees into California, it was with great eclat and 

 a furor was raised — everybody was on the " bee 

 mania," sarae as every other mania, or speculation. 

 At first bees did remarkably; even most wonderfully 

 overflowing the hives with honey until it "cropped 

 out" like our "quartz leads," and often paid better. 

 The increase of swarms was without precedent, giv- 

 ing four, six, or eight, and sometimes ten swarms 

 in a season — the product from one hive. This was 

 a result never known in any other country. This 

 continued for some three years — the increase being 

 less and less and their products being also less until 

 the past year, from all quarters of our State, the re- 

 port is the bees have not done well, neither made 

 much honey and have not increased swarms. The 

 change has been most singular. The cause is un- 

 doubtedly the want of/<s«cf and the want of care and 

 attention — fsr the bee speculation, like everything 

 else when it "don't pay," the thing is neglected 

 and given up, and so the hives lay round loose, a 

 poor neglected " by-gone." 



The reasoning and philosophy of our friend was 

 this wise : when the bees first came, being pleased 

 and delighted with the genial clime and the abund- 

 ance of flowers, went to work in good earnest, the 

 same as the early miners did, to lay up their winters 

 store, to "jpt their pile," but after a little, when 

 they found there teas no winter and that they could 

 play rotted all the year, they could not see the use for 

 working so hard all the time. They found they 

 could get their food any time of the year, and aa 

 there were so many gardens in full bloom all winter, 

 they conclued these gardens, like the "/rec lunches,^ 

 would supply them, so they concluded they would 

 adopt the "loafing system," and now the beautiful 

 busy bee — that little emblem of industry — of which 

 every child hae been taught to sing, "How doth th« 

 little busy bee" — this useful tiny insect — has act- 

 ually been spoiled by coming to California and ac- 

 quiring the habit of "bumming around," living only 

 from day to day without a thought of coming win- 

 ters. What a reminiscense this is for the Bee spe- 

 culators of past years. — Cal. Farmer 



Hogs and their Culture. — This is a paiaphiet of 

 sixteen pages, by Reuben Hurd, of Springhill, 

 Whiteside Co., Illinois, a most excellent, common 

 sense view of breeding, growing and fattening 



hogs. 



