SOILS. 



CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS. 



Elementary Principles. 

 Ultimate L Fertility of mere earthy soils does not depend on their ul» 

 testTfsoHs' chemical elements. Pulverized emery, which is almost 



pure alumine, will have the same influence upon vegetation as 

 pulverized quartz, which is nearly pure siJex. Hence the rea- 

 son that Davy, and other distinguished chemists, have disap- 

 pointed agriculturists by their analyses ; which were founded 

 on such mistaken views. 



Mere ear- 2. The perfection of earthy soils, without any reference to 

 whatTs^re- animal, vegetable, or other adventitious matter, requires the 

 quisite. following constituents in due proportion : 1 . Stones and peb- 

 Perfection bks sufficient to keep the soil open and loose. 2. Clay suffi- 

 quire'three' ^icnt to absorb and to hold water in a just proportion. 3. Fine 

 qualities. sand in sufficient quantities to prevent the clay from baking 

 into a compact mass, in time of drought. Also to prevent its 

 retaining so much water in the winter season, as, by expansion 

 during the freezing of the water, to draw the roots of vegetables 

 ling. from the earth — called the winter-killing process. 



To select To select a farm for purchasing, or to improve land by arti- 

 lan'd?^^^^^ ficial means, without the application of manures, requires 

 particular attention to these proportions. 



Plants feed Vegetables receive their chief support from the atmosphere ; 

 absorption and the whole of it, when they grow in clean, pure, umanured 

 of gases. earth. Neither dry sand nor baked clay will absorb the nutri- 

 tious gases. Duly moistened earth absorbs carbonic acid, am- 

 monia, and other nutritious gases, which are received from the 

 Carbona- soil by the fibrous rootlets, for the use of plants. Charcoal 

 ceous ma- other carbonaceous matters, absorb these gases with great 



nures. 



avidity. Hence the great value of carbonaceous manures, as 



Carbon and tk i • /• • 



moisture rotted straw, charcoal, &c. But a due proportion ot moisture 

 sorptbn of' is csscntial to absorption in all cases. Hence the importance 

 gaaes. ^^^^ attention to soils in reference to the absorption £ind re- 



