THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



of ray lan J, on my growing crops, upon peae, 

 vegetation, clover and eastern shore bean 

 are positive realities, and I shall continue to 

 ese this earth so long as beneficial results follow 

 its use. 



Bine clay is considered by some to be a peculiar 

 deposit, but we consider its fertilizing property de- 

 fends in a great degree upon the animal matter for- 

 merly existing in the superincumbent marl, united 

 w4th aluminous and ferruginous earth ; for we have 

 never heard of its existence with us, without being 

 accompanied with marl, or unmistakable evidence 

 that marl pre-existed. Docs this not go to render 

 it highly probable that they are intimately connec- 

 ted, and its efficiency dependent in a great degree 

 upon the animal matter, previously existing in 

 Che marl above ; also, from the decay of large 

 whales, the bones of some now remaining, and yet 

 found in removing the marl. This clay consists 

 of many of the ingredients of guano, phosphoric 

 acid, soda, potash, ammonia, and sulphuric acid. 



Now phosphorus, sulphur, potash, and soda are 

 fcrond to exist in the ashes of plants. 



In this earth are many of the essential ingredi- 

 ents of vegetable organizations ; ready when dis- 

 solved to he absorbed, and assimilated by the 

 growing crop, after its' application to the soil. 



In Vol. X11L No. 4 of the Southern Planter, page 

 165, in an analysis of a fine blue clay, from Marl- 

 bourne farm, which consists of carbonate of lime, 

 sulphate of lime, bhuilphuret of iron, potash, soda, 

 phosphoric acid, alumina, an oxide of iron, organ- 

 ic matter #nd water, silica, ammonia from the 

 organic matter. In appearance and physical pro- 

 perties, Professor Gilham savs ; " This clay is like 

 the blue clay mentioned in my essay, and I have 

 tout little doubt, it is equally fertilizing." Agri- ; 

 Cultural chemistry has made rapid improvements, 

 and yet the science may be said to be in its infancy. 

 Srae agricultural community are under many ob- 

 ligation] to Professor Gilham, for his valuable con- 

 tributions to agricultural chemistry. 



If the present surface of this earth was formerly 

 the bottom of the autedeluvian ocean, which 

 r©ems to be the fact from the discovery of marine 

 shells on the Pyrennean mountains, 10,000 feet 

 above the level of the sea, and other evidences of 

 a deluge; and the fact also established, from the 

 discovery of the rhinoceros, an animal of the 

 Equatorial regions, and also the mammoth, in a 

 frozen condition in Siberia and the arctic regions, 

 ibis whole country must have been submerged by 

 sea water, abounding in muriate of soda ; and Sir 

 Humphrey Davy informs us that muriatic acid, 

 acting on animal or vegetable fihrine, albumen or 

 oaseiae, changes it to a purple color. Therefore 

 wo conclude, this blue clay owes its color to the 

 action of sea water on these organic constituents 

 of animal matter. So the color itself would go to 

 prove the probable presence of either animal or 

 vegetable matter, neither does its chemical analysis 

 conflict in the least with this supposition, but rath- 

 er goes to establish the probability, that animal or 

 vegetable matter, or both, in a decayed condition, 

 exists in combination with aluminous and ferrugi- 

 nous earth. 



Red clay is immediately in contact laterally 

 With this blue clay, and the lino of division is of 

 an intermediate color. 



From the application of this earth to our soil peas 

 • are increased in quantity, and are more produc- 

 tive ; clover is increased in gro«vth and improved 



ia color; cora, wheat and vegetation improved by 

 the application of an earth, that causes the sheep 

 sorrei to reappear on land from which it had dis- 

 appeared by the use of lime or marl. From this fact 

 and other considerations I should conclude that 

 acidity is not opposed to fertility or increased pro- 

 ductiveness. Now I do not think that sorrel seeds 

 are carried in this earth, nor believe in spontaneous 

 generations; but the lime having destroyed or 

 neutralized the acid, necessary for the growth of 

 sorrel, this blue clay restores it, or liberates it 

 either directly or by combination, and the sorrel 

 having the elements necessary for its growth re- 

 stored, grows more luxuriantly after this earth f 

 than it did previous to liming or marling. 



I suppose the seeds of the sorrel had remained 

 in the earth for years, and it on l) r required the 

 necessary material for its growth and development. 



Now if the disappearance of sorrel Is an evidence 

 of the correction of the acidity of the soil, and 

 the existence of a certain degree of alkalinity, 

 then the reappearance of the sorrel is the evidence 

 of the restoration of the acidity, and increased 

 productiveness is the consequence, going to prove 

 that acidity in a soil is not the cause of its 

 poverty. 



It in the generally received opinion in our vicin- 

 ity, that our lands that have had an application of 

 marl or lime, in sufficient quantity, are not troubled 

 with sheep sorrel after these alkaline earths are 

 fully incorporated with the soil. There are some 

 exceptions to this rule, but what are the modifying 

 circumstances we arc unable satisfactorily to 

 explain. 



The sorrel (Runux aceia sella) is remarkable for 

 tho agreeable acidity of its leaves, which is chiefly 

 dependent on the presence of the binoxolate of 

 potash. Oxalic acid is formed in both the animal 

 and vegetable kingdoms. It is found as an ox- 

 alate of ammonia in guano, which accounts why 

 sorrel so frequently follows its use. 



Many other plants besides the sorrel produce it, 

 such as rhubarb, valerian and lichen. It is also 

 produced from a diseased condition of the kidneys 

 of aninals. 



Now the sorrel does not grow on all soils, but 

 with us it generally grows on light and sandy soils, 

 sometimes in isolated patches, again more general- 

 ly distributed over a field. Now, this oxalic acid, 

 which predominates in the sorrel, it is fair to con- 

 clude, must exist in certain localities favorable 

 for its formation, and wherever it does exist we have 

 a soil favorable for the growth of sorrel. But ox- 

 alic acid has a very strong chemical affinity for 

 lime, so strong that it will unite with the lime that 

 is presented to it, in combination with sulphuric 

 acid or gypsum. Therefore whenever land is limed 

 or marled, in which oxalic acid exists, an insoluble 

 oxalate of lime is formed, and the necessary in- 

 gredient for the growth of sorrel is neutralized by 

 the lime, and consequently the sorrel ceases to 

 grow. This appears to our mind, a sufficient rea- 

 son to account scientifically and satisfactorily for 

 the disappearance of sorrel after liming or marling. 

 Certain plants require particular ingredients for 

 their growth. It is an acknowledged fact, that- 

 marine plants will not grow without the presence 

 of muriate of soda. Why will the sorrel again 

 grow after the application of blue clay and guano, 

 unless they abound in acids or favor the genera- 

 tion of oxalic acid 1 It does exist in guano as an 

 oxalate of ammonia. We know, from the constitu- 



