84 
to the fertile soil of the surface, is illustrated in the numerous 
upheavals ; the gradual deepening of color as the rocks slow- 
ly absorb oxygen from the atmosphere, and humus from the 
decaying vegetation, is apparent to every observer. Every 
phase of disintegration is shown, and every class of stone, 
from the impervious rock, hard as flint and heavy as lead, 
formed under enormous pressure, to the light and friable 
scoria w^hich can almost be crushed in our hands, and the 
transformation from the immense boulder to smaller and 
smaller rocks until the rock soil — the base of all soils — is 
formed, takes place almost before our eyes. 
"The process of disintegration may be greatly hastened by 
cultivation. Anything that will stir the rocks and break or 
chip off small portions from time to time makes it easier for 
the rootlets to enter the pores, and so hurries along the dis- 
integration and decomposition. 
''On such soils as these ordinary methods of culture have to 
be abandoned ; add to this fallen trees lying all over the fields 
and culture as generally understood becomes impossible; all 
that we can do is to keep down the weeds and clean around 
the trees while they are young; in this we have derived great 
benefit from a suggestion of Dr. A\^ilcox — the arsenic spray. 
This is a solution of arsenic and washing soda dissolved in 
water by boiling, and applied by force pumps in the form of 
a fine mist ; it will not take the place of cultivation, but is a 
valuable auxiliary. 
"We have found that on our aa lands the best and cheapest 
method is to leave all the debris on the field to rot back into 
soil ; it keeps down the weeds and adds to the humus ; it 
must, of course, be laid in windrows, and gradually pulled 
together as portions of it disappear; two or three years tell 
the tale. If the land is planted as soon as cleared of forest — 
and no other method should be adopted — there will be nearly 
a year in which no great expense for weeding will be re- 
quired ; but sooner or later the weeds creep in, and then if 
the trees have not made a good growth in the meantime, the 
trouble and expense commences. Intercrops may be called 
to our assistance for the first two years ; after that they will 
have to be abandoned to a great extent, as the roots of the 
two crops will have interlaced and both will suffer. Our best 
soils, our arable land! Sand and volcanic ash saturated 
with humus and thoroughly pervious to air and moisture re- 
quire less cultivation than more compact soils ; even here, 
however, a thorough stirring produces new combinations ; 
new supplies of food are presented to the innumerable bac- 
teria, and they in turn produce large supplies of soluble food 
material for the trees — which promptly respond to it — and if 
fertilizer is liberally supplied in addition at this time, two or 
