ANALYSIS OF SOILS* 
20 
through the winter, they were disposed of, and the sheep 
augmented. After about six years’ service, my honest, 
quiet, sober laborer died, leaving his wife and two chil- 
dren surviving: a third had recently died. We found 
him possessed of some money, though I know not the 
amount ; two fine hogs, and a flock of forty -nine good 
sheep, many far advanced in lamb ; and all this stock 
was acquired solely with the regular wages of ten shil- 
lings a week, in conjunction with the simple aids of 
rigid sobriety and economy, without a murmur, a com- 
plaint, or a grievance ! 
I report nothing concerning our variously constituted 
soil, thinking that no correct statement can be given by 
any detail of a local district under cultivation, beyond 
generally observing its tendency, as every soil under 
tillage must be factitious and changeable. As a mere 
matter of curiosity, I might easily find out the propor- 
tions of lime, sand, clay, and vegetable earth, &c., that 
a given quantity of a certain field contained ; but the 
very next plowing would perhaps move a substratum, 
and alter the proportions ; or a subsequent dressing 
change the analysis: the adjoining field would be dif- 
ferently treated, and yield a different result. I do not 
comprehend what general practical benefit can arise 
from chemical analysis of soils ; but as eminent persons 
maintain the great advantages of it, I suppose they are 
right, and regret my ignorance. That the component 
parts of certain lands can easily be detected, and the 
virtues or deficiencies of them for particular crops be 
pointed out, I readily admit; but when known, how 
rarely can the remedy be applied ! I haye three corre- 
spondents, who send me samples of their several farms, 
and request to know by what means they can meliorate 
the soil. I find that B. is deficient in lime ; but under- 
stand in reply, that this earth is distant from his resi- 
dence, and too costly to be applied. D. wants clay ; E. 
is too retentive and cold, and requires silex or sand ; 
but both are so circumstanced, that they cannot afford 
to supply the article required. Indeed it is difficult to 
say what ought to be the component parts of a soil, un- 
less the production of one article or grain is made the 
