CHAPTEK II. 



SOILS. 



Section 1. — DrFTEEENT Kinds of Soil. 



Soils are usually designated by terms expressive of tlie 

 predominant material in their composition, thus we hear 

 of sandy ^ loamy ^ gravelly^ clayey^ calcareous or chalh/y 

 and alluvial soils. 



A sandy soil is that in which sand is the principal in- 

 gredient. Such soil is usually quite defective. It is so 

 porous that it parts almost instantaneously with moisture, 

 and plants in it suffer from drought. All the soluble 

 parts of manures are also quickly washed out of it, and 

 hence it requires continual additions to produce even a 

 scanty growth. The great point in improving it, is to 

 render it more retentive by the addition of clay, ashes, 

 &c. 



A clayey soil is that in which clay predominates. It 

 may be considered the opposite of sandy, inasmuch as its 

 defects are, that it retains moisture too long, is too adhe- 

 sive, in dry weather it becomes as hard as a burnt brick, 

 impervious to dews or light showers, and when thoroughly 

 saturated with wet it is tough, and requires a long time 

 to dry. No fruit tree succeeds well in such a soil ; but it 

 is capable of being improved and fitted for many species, 

 and especially the plum and the pear. The obvious w;ay to 

 improve it is, by incorporating with it lighter porous soils, 

 as sand, muck, or leaf mould. 



