Vol. I. New-York, ©ceemlier, 1842. No. 
A. B. Allen, and R. L. Allen, Editors. __ 
THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST ' 
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Composition ami Cultivation of Clay Lands. 
The earthy substance known as alumina 
or argil, forms a most important part of the 
materials of the earth. It exists nowhere 
in a pure or uncombined state, and when 
procured from alum, of which it forms the 
base, it is a light, white powder, very soft and 
spongjr. It is distinguished in a peculiar 
manner, by forming a tenacious and ductile 
paste, when mixed and kneaded with water, 
and whenever it is found in soils to any con¬ 
siderable extent, it imparts to them this 
quality in an eminent degree. 
The substances nearest approaching to 
pure alumina, are the argillaceous minerals, 
some of which are among the most beautiful 
of Creation’s gems. A large class of these 
known as perfect corundum , possess a hard¬ 
ness and density, only inferior to the dia¬ 
mond, and are classed by the lapidary, ac¬ 
cording to their various colors. The red, 
Saxton & Miles, Publishers, 205 Broadway. 
constitutes the oriental ruby ; the blue, the 
sapphire; the yellow, the topaz ; the purple, 
the amethyst; the green, the emerald; and 
the yellowish green, the chrysolite. Of 
these, the sapphire analysed by Klaproth, 
was found to contain 98.5 of argil, 1 of oxide 
of iron, and 5 of lime. The ruby afforded 90 
of argil, 7 of silex, and 1.2 of iron. Emery, 
a more extensively diffused mineral, and of 
general use in the arts, is composed of 86.5 
of argil, 3 of silex, and 4 of iron. Mica, an 
invariable constituent of granite, has 30 to 35 
per cent, of alumina; and hornblende, which 
combined with feldspar and quartz, consti¬ 
tutes sienite, has 12 to 14 per cent. Basalt, 
forming an extensive mass of rocks, has 16 
per cent, of alumina; clinkstone and wacke 
have a large proportion ; argillaceous slate, 
extensively disseminated, has 26 per cent; 
and whet slate, or honestone, of a splintery 
character; and drawing slate used as tiles; 
alum slate, from which alum is extracted; 
and bituminous shale, each contain large 
quantities. 
In the disintegrated form in which alumina 
exists in combination with other earths, 
porcelain clay contains a greater amount 
than any other substance ; Wedgewood hav¬ 
ing found it in Cornwall, Eng., to contain 60, 
combined with 20 of silex. Generally how¬ 
ever, it has not over 42 to 48, with silex 52 
to 58. The strongest agricultural or pipe* 
clay , consists, according to Johnstone, of 36 
to 40 of alumina, with 52 to 56 of silex, 3 or 
4 of oxide of iron, and a trace of lime. This 
