190 
SOIL OF THE RED SAND-STONE FORMATION. 
tcracting the effect of the drouth upon newly-trans- 
planted trees, instead of watering them, is to lay a 
good, thick coating of straw, leaves, or other trash 
around the tree for a number of feet, which will 
prevent the earth from drying up. Note ( h ,) is 
another appeal from truth and good sense to the 
farmers to save your ashes ; and perhaps no better 
use can be made of them than applying them to 
fruit-trees. Ashes are also an excellent thing 
around newly-set trees to assist in keeping the 
earth moist. I would suggest to “ An Amateur,” never 
to stop asking questions, while, by so doing, he can 
elicit such valuable answers, which will not only 
serve his own purpose, but those of thousands of 
other amateurs in the cultivation of fruit-trees. In 
regard to peach-trees, I hope he will ask the ques¬ 
tion, and after getting the answer from friend Allen, 
“try again,” and perhaps he will be able to sell 
peaches instead of buying. [See an article on 
Peach-Trees in May No., by a valued correspon¬ 
dent.] While on this subject, I will suggest to all 
amateurs, that asking questions in a plain, short 
form like these, upon any subject, enables the editor 
by himself or his correspondents, to give the infor¬ 
mation in the shortest and plainest form. I have no 
doubt but every sensible question is answered with 
pleasure by the editor, and it may often form the 
bud that will blossom into full-blown ideas. 
Alderney Cows. —I, too, am of opinion that this 
breed of cattle have been very much overlooked, or 
rather looked over, by their great tall sisters of the 
Durham breed. I have no doubt but a good lot of 
pure Alderney cows would prove the most profitable 
dairy in the United States, for good, rich butter will 
always sell for a rich price. The Jersey practice 
of standing the milk “ ten inches deep,” is not one 
that I can advise to be followed in this country. 
Neither is it requisite for milk to stand “ three 
days” to bring up all the cream. I have no objec¬ 
tion to letting it stand until congulated, provided 
the butter is thoroughly washed in cold water till 
all the sour milk is dissolved and washed out; for 
if one particle is left in it, it will injure the butter. 
Ladies’ Department — Here is another of those ex¬ 
tremely interesting extracts from “ The Old Lady’s 
Diary” in which she says that “ whilst travelling 
last summer, her attention was frequently called to 
the subject of bed-bugs.” Alas, and alack ! what 
traveller does not have his attention called to these 
pests full often. It is truly disgusting only to think 
of the names of these filthy creatures, that some 
inn-keepers find harbors for. Our present fashion 
of making bedsteads seems to be particularly de¬ 
signed for bug-breeders. It is strange to me that 
iron is not more used for bedsteads. They could 
be made as cheap as wood ; very durable and neat; 
and so constructed that there would not be a crack 
or hole big enough to make a bed-bug’s nest in. I 
suggest to the American Institute, to offer a special 
premium for the best iron bedstead. There is great 
lack of substantiality in all our furniture of these 
modem times. 
Sundry Items. —I cannot pass by an article of 
our correspondent, “ E. S.,” without stopping to 
estow a word of commendation. Whatever is 
written by this excellent correspondent is sure to 
contain something interesting and useful. Now 
this one item about thawing meat is worth a year’s 
cost of the Agriculturist, to every family that lives 
in the freezing part of the United States. 
Boys’ Department. —Don’t overlook the article 
under this head in the January number. It is a 
very interesting one. The cut delineating the 
crystals of snow is a most beautiful one, and wor¬ 
thy of the attention of old men as well as boys. 
Look at it again. 
Hops , you say, have been exported to England; 
but it seems by your price-current, that it has not 
raised the price high enough to enable the Ameri¬ 
can cultivator to live by it. In fact it does not ap^ 
pear to me that we can compete successfully with 
the very cheap labor that is bestowed upon this 
crop in England. 
The Editor’s Table, this month, contains quite a 
variety of good dishes, among which it is gratify¬ 
ing to see what a continued increase there is in 
books upon agricultural subjects. The “Memoir 
on Maize,” I have not yet seen, but hope it is 
worthy of the praise bestowed upon it. I look upon 
the Indian corn crop as the most valuable of any 
crop on the face of the earth. Every part of the 
plant is valuable food for man or beast. The grain 
affords the greatest amount of food for the labor 
bestowed of any edible thing that is cultivated in the 
northern portion of America. In many parts of the 
United States it can be grown for 12 cents per bushel, 
and pay the cultivator better than any other crop. 
A well-written book upon this subject must be a 
valuable and very acceptable one to millions of the 
inhabitants of corn-growing America. 
Reviewer. 
SOIL OF THE RED IsAND-STONE FORMA 
TION. 
As you doubtless have many readers who look 
forward to a future day, when they intend to pur 
chase land for cultivation, and others who are at 
this moment in quest of farms, a description of 
the soil of the “ Old and New Red Sand-Stone For¬ 
mations,” may prove not altogether uninteresting 
In making this attempt, I pretend to no scientifh 
accuracy, but simply such observations as some 
practical acquaintance and general reading has fur 
nished. 
This soil, under consideration, is formed from 
the decomposition of the above mentioned rocks* 
on which it rests, and which, for all*practical pur¬ 
poses, may be regarded as the same, although 
known among geologists under distinct names, re¬ 
ferring to their position. 
The soil, for the most part, entirely free from 
stones, is made of different proportions of clay and 
sand, varying in different localities; in some places 
forming a heavy, in others a light loam, wffth inter¬ 
mediate varieties, but seldom running into the ex¬ 
tremes of a thick stubborn clay, on the one hand,, 
or of a loose sand on the other. 
The rocks, on which this soil rests, are stratified, 
and most minutely so near the surface, breaking up 
into thin flakes and lying for the most part at a dip 
[Th edip or sloping direction of a stratum, or layer 
of rocks, in geology, is its greatest inclination to 
the horizon, or that on a line perpendicular to its 
direction or course ; called also the pitch'] ot from 
10 to 20 degrees, thus presenting a ready passage 
for all surplus waters, completely obviating the ne- 
