IMPROVING POOR SOILS. 365 



sa.ndy soil: and in this view, chalk, in an equal state of observations 

 fineness, is as valuable as lime*. ^"'^ enquiries 



tir /. , . . ,. . , respecting the 



We must ncYer forget, that plants contain a hvmg prm- improvement of 



ciple, that the action of this principle seems to be analogous to P"^'^ ^*^^^5- 

 the power which fire has of altering the arrangement of the par, 

 tides of matter ; ofelevating some into the form of gas, and of 

 rejecting others ; and that the final cause of life, in every indi- 

 vidual, is to bring together such particles of matter, as, when 

 duly acted upon and assimilated, will constitute the essence of 

 each particular living being. Thus, from the same nourish- 

 ment do different living powers produce totally distinct 

 matters, only by new arrangements : and in his laboratory 

 the chemist, from various and different proportions of the 

 same ingredients, can constitute and produce results, more 

 different, in their properties and appearances, than any two 

 species of plants or animals. 



All the alterations which the earths undergo when by 

 heat they run into fusion, become fluid, or rise into vapour, 

 are produced by operations very similar to those of di. 

 gestion and chylification in the body. Every particle of 

 matter, by one process or another, is capable of being con- 

 verted iuto aeriform fluids, which, in rising from the sur- 

 face, meet, intimately mix and form new compounds. 

 The same may be affirmed of composts : the intermixture 

 of various substances produces decomposition, particles, 

 formerly united, are separated, and new arrangements take 

 place, 



* The nature of the lime employed must be attended to ac, 

 corduig to the nature of the soil to bejimproved.f Chalk, when 

 burnt into Lime, contains from 3 to 10 per cent, of sand or clay^ 

 whereas some lime-stpnes contain from 50 to 80 per cent. ; some 

 also contain Magnesia, which according to Mr. Tenant, Philos, 

 Trans, is not only not useful in agriculture, an improver of the soil, 

 but hurtful to vegeetable life. Magnesian lime-stone may be 

 discovered by the slowness with which it dissolves in acids ; and it 

 may be easily detected in chalk, by adding a sufficient quantity 

 of the vitriolic acid, which, uniting with the magnesia, forms 

 the bitter purging salt very distinguishable by its bitter taste. 



f This opinion of Mr. T's, is controYCrted, by Mr. Headrick. 

 See Farmer's Mag. 



5 . All 



