154 



My intention here is merely to describe those 

 foils, so as they may be generally known, and 

 well assorted ; without entering into any de- 

 tailed dissertation on their particular proper- 

 ties, or chymical analyzation, as to their con- 

 nection with vegetables ; and first of Loam, 

 which is a loose friable kind of earth, the con- 

 stituent particles of which crumble and sepa- 

 rates easily in the hand ; it is of various tex- 

 tures, the strongest approaching a clay, and so 

 down in several shades, until the lightest be- 

 comes nearly similar to strong sandy peat It 

 is found of different colours, viz. black, yellow^ 

 red, &c. &c; sometimes also, it partakes of a 

 saponaceous quality, approaching to a marie ; 

 this when predominant is not recommend able 

 for general use ; yet there are some articles for 

 which it may be used with considerable 

 success. 



Yellow or red seems to be the natural colour 

 of maiden Loam, as either will change to black 

 as they become more or less mixed with other 

 extraneous substances, such as dung, &c. 

 Therefore, to have it pure, which is very mate- 

 rial, one should prefer either of these, if they 

 can be conveniently procured. The places to 

 look for this kind of earth, is generally in fields, 

 that have not been broken for a long series of 

 years ; also sheep downs, or commons, nio&t 

 frequentlyrunning in dry banks perhaps through* 



