24 



NEW-YORK FARMER AND 



our estimation with acquaintance, and prove a valuable 

 addition to the stock of culinary vegetables of our 

 markets, I therefore feel a pleasure in bringing it for- 

 ward to the notice of the Society. 



I beg leave to apologize for being thus particular in 

 treating of its mode of culture, knowing as I well do, 

 that the New-York Horticultural Society contains 

 among its members, men of the first respectability and 

 skill in Horticulture. My intrusion of these remarks 

 might be thought to be superfluous ; but some of its 

 members may think it useful, and if any thing I advance 

 might tend to the promotion of Horticulture generally, 

 or the public good in particular, 1 shall be much grati- 

 fied. 



With sentiments of esteem and respect, 



I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, 



Michael Flov. 

 David Hosack, Esq. M. D. President » 

 of the New-York Horticultural Society. J 



ART. 21. — On Soils — their elementary constitu- 

 ents few — when intermixed in moderate pri \oriio s, are 

 fertile — but when any one predominates to a grt at degree 

 are sterile — their general denominations — treated on se- 

 parately. By William Wilson. Head before Ike 

 New-Yorlc Horticultural Society, .March 26, 1322. 



There is one interesting consideration connected 

 with the nature of soils, with which every one who cul- 

 tivates them ought to be acquainted. Notwithstand- 

 ing the vast variety of soils that are to be found, they 

 are all composed of but a very few elementary substan- 

 ces; and in all cases except in some solitary instances 

 where metallic impregnations exist, soils composed of 

 every degree of mixture of these elementary particles, 

 are fertile ; and it is only in those instances where one 

 or other of these original elements predominates too 

 much, that a sterility commences. 



The attempt to establish particular denominations 

 for every grade of soil that is to be found, without 

 any great predominance of either of the original 

 elements, would be as endless as it. would be useless. 

 The term loamy soil, may without any great violence 

 be applied to all such. When the clay predominate s 

 to a small degree, it may be termed clayey loam ; 

 where it is the chief ingredient it is called a cl 

 soil ; where sand predominates a little, we call it a 

 sandy loam; where it is the principal ingredient, a 

 sandy soil ; where the vegetable matte' < \ Is I 

 others a little, we call it a vegetable loam ; where it is 

 the chief, a vegetable soil. According to these princi- 

 ples, soils are divided into these few denomination : 

 the v> getabl • or peaty. 



sandy; and this last is eon:- til led into 



the silicious and calcareous* The sili ndsare 



of a short, hard, flinty nature, the calcareous of a soft 



chalky or limy quality. On each of these we shall of- 

 fer such observations as we consider applicable to 

 them as connected with this climate in which we re- 

 side. And first, of the sandy soils. 



There are soils in which the cultivation of many sorts 

 of vegetables arc very precarious ; and the retaining of 

 them in a constant state of cultivation is attended with 

 great expense, owing to the continual supply of ma- 

 nure necessary to render them capable of producing 

 any thing like good crops ; yet in some instances where 

 they are constituted by the decomposition of rocks, 

 some kinds of fruit and forest trees succeed very well 

 on them. Such is the soil in the vicinity of Newark, 

 and for many miles to the northward along the banks 

 of the Passaic river. The soil here is evidently consti- 

 tuted by the decomposition of red sand rock and stones ; 

 and although very unfavorable to the cultivation of cul- 

 inary vegetables generally, yet is every where covered 

 with apple orchards, which produce tolerable crops; 

 and although not so abundant as tio.-c on loamy soils, 

 yet the fruit is of a good quality and flavor. The ex- 

 cellency of cider from the \. inity of ]\ ;wark, has long 

 and justly been proverbial. 1 liality of such 



soils for producing forest trees is very evident from 

 the line woods of oak, &c. that rear their stately 

 branches in grand magnificence along the elevated 

 ridges, in the vicinity of the copper mines along the 

 eastern road to Aqueneck. Here nature strongly in- 

 vites the hand of theV-igner a; for each side of the road 

 we are every where preset) id ill' the most vigorous 

 and flourishing verdure of nativ 'vines. Rye and 



buckwheat are here the sta| le productions of cultiva- 

 ted grounds. Indian corn also succeeds tolerably 

 well ; but the potatoe, and most other culinary vegeta- 

 bles are in the best of seasons, far inferior to those on 

 stronger soils. This view of sandy soils is far from 

 bi ing encouraging to the horticulturist. We shall now 

 direct our views to Long Island, a tract of land sorac- 



■: more favorable; where, althoug tl i sandy qual- 

 ity in a great measure still prevails, yet, in many in- 

 stances, the soil may bo considered a sandy loam. 

 Here we can in every such in an e perceive the supe- 

 rior degree of vigorous vegetation. The fruit trees ex- 

 cel in size and productiveness — tolerable crops of po- 

 und culinary vegetables can here be obtained in 

 I ■■ ■ ily part of the season — Indian corn, with all the 

 s of melons, pumpkins, squashes, and cucum- 

 attain their highest state of perfection. Yet it 

 would require a ; i deal more time than would be 

 proper to spare in this essay to particularize all the dis- 

 i ■; -.arable from the cultivation of sandy 

 soil . Their inaptitude for pr< .In. ing sury of the cab- 

 iage kind o pJ .very body knows ; but their de- 



;ree of inferi >rity to strong soils, for producing pota- 

 toes, both as respects the quantity and quality of the 

 crop, is a disadvantage of a very serious nature ; 



