JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THE INFLUENCE OF GEOLOGY ON HORTICULTURE. 

 By Cecil H. Hooper, M.R.A.C., Agricultural College, Wye, Kent. 

 [Lecture delivered October 13, 1908.] 



In dealing with the relation which exists between geology and horti- 

 culture, we have to pass by the fascinating story of the earth's former 

 inhabitants as told by the fossils in the rocks, as well as the minute 

 subdivisions of the more important strata, and consider the surface 



Fig. 73. — Rock, Subsoil, and Soil. 

 (From " The Soil," by A. D. Hall, M.A.) 



geology, dealing more with the beds which have a wide superficial 

 arcn and whieh are of importance to agriculture and horticulture than 

 with those which are most interesting to the geologist on account of the 

 large number of fossils contained in them. 



The gardener regards the earth's surface as "soil." He classifies soils 

 according to the substances which predominate in them, such as sand, 

 clay, lime (derived from limestone or chalk), or vegetable matter. 



Professor J. Wrighteon suggests dividing soils into — 



L, Clays. 



2. Clay loams. 



8. Loams ■ easily worked soils, such as friable garden soils. 



