374 Report on a i^e-exatnination of the- 



considered by those who are anxious to leave the soil of New England that they 

 may find a more fertile spot in the West. Such soils they can undoubtedly find ; 

 for geine has been for ages accumulating from the decomposition of vegetation in 

 regions which have not been cultivated : and for many years, perhaps, those re- 

 gions will produce spontaneously. But almost as certain as any future event can 

 be, continued cultivation will exhaust the geine and the salts, and other generations 

 must resort to the same means for keeping their lands in a fertile condition as are 

 now employed in Massachusetts, viz. to provide for the yearly supply of more 

 geine and more salts. — pp. 47,48. 



Next follows some remarks upon the power of soils to absorb 

 water. This is conceived to depend principally upon the organic 

 matter they contain, and next upon the proportion of alumina, 

 after which cabonate of lime is considered favorable to the imbi- 

 bition of moisture. These ingredients of soil being essential to 

 fertility, the absorbing power, if correctly ascertained, becomes to 

 some extent a measure of its productiveness. Prof. Hitchcock's 

 method of determining the problem in question, was to expose 

 100 grs. previously heated to 300° F. in a cellar for 24 hrs. on a 

 small earthern plate. At the end of this period, the plate was 

 again weighed and the increase ascertained. 



The power of a soil to absorb moisture is no doubt a very 

 important consideration to the agriculturalist ; and it appears to 

 us to depend upon several conditions beside those above hinted at. 

 For example, the mechanical condition of the soil must materially 

 influence its capacity for acquiring moisture. A finely comminu- 

 ted soil will absorb in a higher ratio than one which is coarse or 

 gravelly. The presence of carbonate of potassa, or chloride of 

 calcium, by their deliquescent properties will also powerfully aug- 

 ment the absorbability of a soil. It is in part owing to the alka- 

 line carbonate referred to, that the light soils in and near New 

 Milford, (Conn.) possess such superior qualities for agriculture. 

 This carbonate is supplied without interruption from the decom- 

 posing state of the feldspar in the granitic gneiss hills (called Can- 

 dle Mt. range) situated west of the village, and which run north- 

 ward to Cornwall. We know also, that wood-ashes constitute 

 the best amendment for light silicious soils, rendering them pro- 

 ductive in almost every species of crop, even when applied with 

 very small quantities of other manure. Illustrations of this fact 

 are frequent upon Long Island and the dry sand soils of the Con- 

 necticut valley. 



