m 
[Assembly 
lime or alumine, or is exclusively composed of siliceous grains; for, as 
it has already been remarked, that the natural goodness of the soil de- 
pends on the proper admixture of silex, lime and alumine; and farther, 
it is essential that the degree of fineness in the particles should be no- 
ticed, for a soil which is composed of Jfths of impalpable matter, is 
wholly barren, whatever elements enter into its composition. The me- 
chanical texture is, therefore, a question of importance, and ought not 
be passed over unnoticed in their examination. 
The questions for consideration now are, what are the essential ele- 
ments, or chemical composition of the lands and clays of St. Lawrencel 
In answer to these questions, it is proper to state, that no attempt has 
been made to ascertain the precise proportion in which the earths are 
combined, but merely the fact of their presence. 
In the first place, as it regards the sands, more particularly those 
which are of the purest kinds, and the least intermixed with clay, so 
far as external characters are concerned, I find that the fine siliceous 
matter amounts to about 80 per cent. A specimen of soil taken from 
the banks of the Oswegatchie, between De Kalb village and Heuvelton, 
yielded water, 5; vegetable and animal matter, 3; alumine, 6; silex, 
83; lime, 4. The siliceous particles are in a fine state. 
Another specimen taken from the sandy plains east of Ogdensburgh, 
yielded the same, or nearly the same, results. The natural produce in 
both cases is the poorer kinds of herbage. Coarse grasses, willows, pop- 
lars, polypods, &c. Another example taken one mile west of Heuvel- 
ton, I found contained 20 per cent of alumine. An excellent growth 
of wheat was supported on the field from which it was taken. In ge- 
neral, the sandy soils are composed of fths of siliceous matter, with but 
a small proportion of lime, not amounting to more than 10 per cent, 
and probably rarely over five. The clays upon the banks of the larger 
rivers, and especially the St. Lawrence, contain from 15 to 30 per cent 
of lime, forming that variety of clay called marly. This is an important 
fact, for, in the improvement of the sandy soils, much dependence may 
be placed on it for giving a proper stiffness to the lands, and also to 
furnish them the necessary quantity of carbonate of lime. In selecting 
the clay or marl for this object, it is essential that that portion which is 
intermixed with the land, should be excluded j unless it contains marine 
shells, which is often the case on Lake Champlain, where the same for- 
mation occurs. There appears to be also more lime in general in the su- 
perior layers of the clay, than in the inferior. The presence of any of 
the carbonates may always be tested by effervescence on the applica- 
