1"783, 784] ANALYSIS OF PINK HILL UNDER-SUBSOIL. 357 



783. No. 212. Pine Hill Subsoil, from the same locality as the pi eceding. 

 Depth : Five to eleven inches. 



Vegetation : Same as the preceding. 



A pale yellow, sandy loam. — Not yet analyzed. 



No. 209. Pine Hill Unoer-Subsoil, from same locality. 



Depth: Eleven to eighteen inches. 



Vegetation : Same as the preceding. 



An orange-colored loam, heavier than the preceding. 



The loam, saturated with moisture at 67.6 deg. Fahr., lost 7.691 per cent, of 

 moisture at 100 deg.; dried at which temperature, it consisted of: 



Insoluble Matter (clay and fine sand) 83.030 



Potash 0.485 



Soda 0.061 



Lime 0.073' 



Magnesia 0.519 



Brown Oxide of Manganese 0.153 



Peroxide of Iron 4. 145 



Alumina 8.871 



Phosphoric Acid 0.022 



Sulphuric Acid 0.021 



Water and Organic Matter 3.117 



100.497 



784. These analyses show very important differences to exist between the 

 surface soil and the underlying loam, the latter being not only calculated to 

 improve the former in its physical properties ( IT 504, ft'.), as shown by the larger 

 amount of moisture which it absorbs, but also much richer in several of the 

 important nutritive elements ; so that, if at the surface, it would constitute & 

 soil of average fertility. The stratum analyzed, it is true, lies mostly below 

 the reach of the plow, but the subsoil proper (No. 212), is manifestly but the 

 transition from the surface soil to the orange-colored loam, being intermediate 

 in character. 



Here also, therefore, deep plowing is indicated as the first step towards the 

 improvement of these lands; it will increase not only the retentivenes, but 

 also the native fertility of the soil, by mixing with it a more fertile subsoil'. 

 The chief deficiencies of the soil thus formed will be in phosphoric and sul- 

 phuric acids, and lime ; also soda. Superphosphate of lime would seem, 

 therefore, to be the manure specially indicated ; but the soil, after being rendered 

 retentive by the admixture of its subsoil, will bear almost any improvement, 

 save that merely stimulant manures (1[416), will be of little avail on it. — The 

 loam stratum being rarely more than 3 to 4 feet thick, and then underlaid by 

 loose sands, the land may in general, be considered as being naturally under- 

 drained. Where the Post Oak, Black Jack, and Hickory prevail to any extent, 

 this loam may generally be expected to be within available distance of the 

 surface ; but where the Long-leaf Pine alone, with stunted Black Gum and 

 Dogwood, is to be seen, the ashy surface soil (No. 206), generally extends to 

 the depth of 12 to 18 inches, and is then often underlaid only by arid sand. 

 Such soils will hardly pay for improvement on the large scale ; they require to 

 be "made" altogether, and in analogy to the sea-coast hommocks, this might 

 perhaps be best done by the joint application of lime or marl, and vegetable 

 matter, where (as near K. R. Stations) the value of the land is such as to render 

 similar improvements practicable. It must be remembered, however, that in 

 these cases, nutritive manures (1[416), alone can be relied on for permanent pro- 

 ductiveness. 



