AGRICULTURE. 475 



form of chloride of sodium, or common salt. This material is abundantly 

 supplied to the soil by the decomposition of the red clays of the Permian in 

 Northwestern Texas. 



Ikon. — This element exists in the soils and is taken up by the roots in 

 small quantities in combination with various kinds of acids. 



Lime. — This element exists in the soils and is in combination with some 

 one of the acids. It generally occurs as carbonate or sulphate of lime — that 

 is, as the material derived from the decomposition of common limestone — or 

 as gypsum. 



Potassium. — This element exists in nearly all the soils in combination with 

 other salts and acids — more often with common salt or Glauber salt. When 

 there is a superabundance of this material in a soil it is known as "alkali 

 land." 



Magnesium. — This element is found in the soils, and is derived from the 

 decomposition of magnesian limestone, where it exists as carbonate of mag- 

 nesia. It also occurs as a sulphate of magnesia or Epsom salts. 



These organic elements are largely contained in the soil and held in solu- 

 tion in the moisture, ready to be taken up by the plant when demanded. If 

 the soils are loose and deep a large amount of this plant food may be stored 

 up for future use; or if the water flows through the soil too readily the salts 

 of various kinds held in solution may be carried off or beyond the reach of 

 the roots of the plant, which can only extend a few feet at most; hence the 

 best soils will be found to be those of moderate depth with a clay subsoil tha 

 is almost or quite impervious to water. 



ANALYSES OF SOILS. 



By an analysis of a soil its chemical properties can be determined and its 

 adaptation to certain crops be ascertained with a tolerable degree of certainty. 



To analyze the soil of every tract of land in the State would be an endless 

 undertaking, and one that is altogether unnecessary. Large districts of 

 country derive their soils from the same source, and a chemical analysis of 

 soils from different tracts of land in the same district will be sufficient. 



There are but few classes of lands in this part of the State, each one of 

 which will have its peculiar characteristics and chemical properties. 



An ideal soil would contain all the ingredients that are necessary to the 

 life of a plant, some plants requiring more than others of the different ma- 

 terials. The fertilizing of soils by the use of various manures is simply giv- 

 ing to the soils that of which they are found to be lacking in chemical analy- 

 sis. An ideal soil would contain the following ingredients:* 



* Hillgard. 



