Improvement of Sandy Soils* 
99 
grasses, turnips and other roots, and all other 
plants, require most of the above substances in 
greater or less proportion. These are indis¬ 
pensable to the perfect development of the ve¬ 
getable. If any soil is deficient in one or more 
of them, it cannot mature the crops requiring 
them, and though perhaps they are never entirely 
wanting, yet if they are absent in sufficient 
quantities for the use of the different vegetables 
required, they are classed as barren. The 
spontaneous growth of certain trees and shrubs 
is a surer test of the existence or deficiency of 
inorganic materials adequate to the support of 
profitable Vegetation, than even the alembic of 
the chemist. It is shown for instance that the 
dried wood of Poplar, Elm, Hickory and Ma¬ 
ple, contain a proportion of ashes, greatly ex¬ 
ceeding those of the Birch, Pine and several 
species of the dwarf or scrub Oak. Now what 
are we to infer from this, but that Poplar, 
Elm, Hickory and hard Maple, when spon¬ 
taneously existing in great perfection, indicate 
in the soil, an abundance' of the alkalies, and 
other inorganic matters existing in ashes ? or 
in other words that the existence of these trees 
show a good soil ? And what are we to infer 
from the profusion of Willows, Beech, Birch, 
Pine and dwarf Oak, but that the soil is defi¬ 
cient in Alkalies ? Universal experience con¬ 
firms these deductions of science. 
To understand then, precisely what is neces¬ 
sary to the renovation of exhausted sandy soils, 
it is first requisite to ascertain their general de¬ 
ficiencies. These are both mechanical and 
chemical. They are totally destitute of that 
compactness and adhesiveness, essential firmly 
to secure the roots of vegetables; and incapable 
from the want of intimate contact, of conveying 
to them the liquid nutriment, necessary to their 
growth. They are leechy; allowing the rains 
that fall upon them to evaporate speedily, or 
sink far beneath the surface beyond the reach 
of the thirsty roots. They are equally waste¬ 
ful of manures added to them, yielding their 
rich gases at the first demand that is made, 
whether it be from the dissolving rains, or the 
exhausting heat, and this renders it necessary 
when cultivated in any crops excepting grass, 
that manure should be applied only just before 
it is required to put in the seed, and from the 
great facility with which its parts with it, they 
not unfrequently afford a large first crop. 
They possess a white, glazed surface, which, 
in the last number of our paper on the subject 
of hoeing crops,” we showed, is unfavorable 
to absorbing the heat from the sun’s rays, and 
conveying the desired warmth to stimulate the 
absorbent vessels beneath the surface; and 
equally incapable of a rapid evaporation of 
heat, when the influence of the sun is with¬ 
drawn, thereby failing to condense a copiou 
dew. 
But they are also essentially deficient in com 
bining those ingredients in sufficient quantities, 
which we have shown above, to be requisite to 
the perfection of vegetable life. They are 
made up almost entirely of disintegrated quartz, 
which consists of 93 to 94 per cent of silica, 
thus allowing but a small proportion of all the 
other ingredients demanded for successful culti¬ 
vation. 
Here then we have the deficiencies of a sandy 
soil, and these being known, the remedies are 
obvious. It sometimes occurs that a clay sub¬ 
soil exists under the sandy super-soil. When 
this is the case, nothing is more obvious, than 
to bring up by deep ploughing, the clay from 
beneath, to mix with the sand. If this is not 
within the reach of a sub-soil plough, the addi¬ 
tion of clay from adjoining fields is the very 
best application that can be made. This shoufd 
be scattered over the field, pulverised and har 
rowed upon the surface if in grass; or if in 
tillage, lightly plowed in after thorough har¬ 
rowing. Lime also should be added in quanti¬ 
ties proportioned to the amount of vegetable 
matter in the ground; 10 to 100 bushels per 
acre according to circumstances: also clay 
marls , containing 5 to 20 per cent of lime; or 
calcareous clays , containing over 20 per cent of 
lime, or even other calcareous soils, if such as 
contain a large proportion of clay cannot be ob¬ 
tained. Muck from swamps; and especially peat , 
if it can be got, which of course is not to be 
found far south; after draining and exposure to 
the air, and thoroughly mixed with animal ma¬ 
nures and ashes, are potent agents in the reno¬ 
vation of sandy soils; and there is no applica¬ 
tion after clay more beneficial than ashes , either 
fresh or leached. They contain generally all 
the inorganic substances required for the most 
successful cropping, and in a light soil are un¬ 
surpassed by any other manures. Gypsum , 
which is available almost every where in the 
United States at a moderate price, is a valuable 
application, at the rate of 100 to 400 lbs. per acre. 
Barn-yard and animal manures of every descrip¬ 
tion cannot be better applied than by adding to 
any of the above. In addition, sea-weed which 
is rich in powerful salts, and fish if they can 
be had in large quantities, may be spread over 
the ground and ploughed in, which will make an 
immediate return in large crops, though they 
seldom last beyond a single season in very light 
lands. Bones of every description ground or 
crushed, and hair and horn shavings are pecu¬ 
liarly adapted to the objects in view. Charcoal 
finely pulverised applied in moderate quantity 
on the surface has been proved to be a most va¬ 
luable manure. It is rough, porous and black \ 
