294 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
from all intrusion by a firm outer wall, and 
embellished within by the hand of art, and 
made the quiet resting place of those who, 
in death at least, have a common brother¬ 
hood.—[E d. 
WHY CLAY BENEFITS SANDY SOILS. 
In a former article on the “ Profitableness 
of Capital Invested in Improving Poor Land,” 
we gave, in illustration, some results obtained 
by adding .100 and 150 loads of clay to a 
comparatively barren, sandy field. In addi¬ 
tion to the isolated example given, besides 
which a large number of similar cases might 
be brought forward, we propose now to 
state some of the principles involved in cul¬ 
tivation, which would lead us to expect just 
such profitable results from changing the 
physical character of sandy soils by the ad¬ 
dition of clay. 
It is now generally admitted by intelligent 
cultivators, of the soil, as well as by scientific 
investigators, that while all kinds of growing 
plants derive a small portion of their susten¬ 
ance from the soil through their roots, their 
principal food—that is, the particles which 
goto increase their bulk—comes from the 
air through the medium of the leaves. If 
we take a piece of rotten wood, rub it to 
a fine powder and throw it into the air it im¬ 
mediately becomes invisible. A mass of 
vegetable, either burned or rotted, disappear 
into the atmosphere, and from their altered 
chemical condition or from their minute di¬ 
vision they are no longer perceptible to the 
vision. These fine particles are collected 
by the leaves again and enter into the com¬ 
position of growing substances. 
The food thus collected by leaves is car¬ 
ried by the circulating sap down to the diff¬ 
erent parts of the plants, and deposited 
where it is needed in the process of growth. 
The sap, on the contrary, is gathered from 
the soil through open mouths (spongioles) 
upon the extremities of the fine rootlets, and 
ascends through the inner wood, or central 
portions of the plant stalk; thence circulates 
through the leaves, gathering in its course 
the food collected by them, and it then de¬ 
scends through the outer wood, or external 
portions of the stalk,depositing the food where 
it is needed to increase the bulk of the plant. 
The amount of food collected by the leaves 
depends upon the extent of leaf-surface, and 
upon the continual change of air, so that 
fresh supplies of food may be furnished as 
fast as one portion of the air is exhausted. 
On this account it is probable that plants 
grow faster during gentle winds, than when 
the air is cal m and comparatively motionless. 
But it matters not how large may be the 
leaf-surface, nor how great may be the sup¬ 
ply of food furnished by the air, the plant 
will not grow rapidly if there is not an abun¬ 
dant supply of sap to carry this food to the 
points where it is needed. Much of the sap 
that ascends is evaporated from the surface 
of the leaves, and in dry weather it often 
happens that nearly all the moisture collect¬ 
ed by the roots is thus lost, and, as a conse¬ 
quence, the plant languishes, or is literally 
starved to death. 
This view of the subject reaches an impor¬ 
tant practical lesson—viz: that careful at¬ 
tention should be given to furnishing an 
abundance of sap by a well-developed sys¬ 
tem of roots. These roots should go down 
into the soil far enough to be beyond the 
• • "h of the sun’s drying effect. To accom¬ 
plish this, the soil must be stirred deeply to 
admit the air. In most soils freely-circula¬ 
ting air is necessary to destroy or change 
poisonous substances. But of this we do 
not propose here to speak. We will now 
only refer to the 
Mechanical Structure of the Soil, as relates 
to its fineness and coarseness. —The sap ab¬ 
sorbing roots of all plants are exceedingly 
small—so small that they can not be seen by 
the unaided eye. When we pull up a stalk of 
corn, for instance, we only draw up the 
larger, stronger roots. There is left behind 
by any single stalk, millions of tender root¬ 
lets, which can only be found by long con¬ 
tinued and careful washing of a portion of 
the soil, and the use of a magnifying glass. 
The practical point we are aiming at is, 
that these sap-absorbing roots are so very 
small, that they can not grow in any situa¬ 
tion where there is not a sufficiency of very 
fine, impalpable soil, to afford a medium for 
their growth, Small roots, large enough to 
be visible to the eye, cannot grow in a me¬ 
dium composed wholly of gravel stones. 
But fine sand grains are much larger com¬ 
pared with sap-absorbing rootlets, than are 
gravel stones the size of chestnuts compared 
with roots no larger than a cambric needle. 
The adaptability of a soil to the growth of 
these fine rootlets, and, in a great measure, 
its fertility, depends upon the amount of im¬ 
palpable material—that is, earthy substances 
so fine that when rubbed between the fingers 
there is no perception of roughness. We 
know that common clay is such a substance 
as this. It feels smooth, or salvy, so to sp eak 
when rubbed in the hand. 
It is on this account that we often find 
clay one of the very best fertilizers that can 
be added to a sandy soil. The particles of 
sand making up such a soil are too coarse to 
furnish a medium of growth to the sap-ab¬ 
sorbing rootlets. The addition of the fine 
clay particles supplies the want. 
To test any soil in reference to this point, 
take a portion and put it into a vessel; add 
four or five times its bulk of water ; stir 
well; let it stand two or three minutes ; then 
pour off the water into a clean tin or glass 
vessel, and let it stand perfectly still for a 
few hours, or till it becomes quite clear. 
If there does not settle to the bottom of the 
water poured off a considerable portion of 
fine, impalpable earthly material, equal in 
weight to from one-twentieth to one-tenth of 
the original soil, we may safely conclude that 
it does not contain enough of fine soil to sup¬ 
port the sap-absorbing rootlets of any plant. 
Manures added to such a soil may stimulate 
the growth of greater length of root, and 
lead them to a greater distance in search of 
moisture; but the most feasible means of 
improvement is, to bring about a change in 
the mechanical structure. Frequent stirring 
and exposure to the air and frost, which dis¬ 
integrate the coarser particles and furnish 
more of the fine material, are beneficial; 
but we believe the most rapid and, in the end 
the most economical improvement of such 
soils, is to add to them a liberal supply of 
fine clay. 
We venture the opinion, that on any sandy 
soil, or even on sandy loam, a few loads of 
fine clay thoroughly nrngled with it will, in 
the course of a few years, produce more 
marked effects than half as many loads of 
the best organic manure. When clay is 
so added, it remains a permanent improve¬ 
ment, unless the soil is subjected to running 
water that will wash out the clay again. 
The amount of clay that may be profitably 
added to any soil, will depend upon its pres¬ 
ent necessity or physical condition. On 
many soils ten loads of clay per acre, will 
show a marked effect, while on most very 
sandy fields, one hundred loads or more per 
acre will be found a most profitable outlay. 
We earnestly advise those who have light, 
coarse, or sandy fields, with clay accessible, 
to ponder this subject well, and to try a por¬ 
tion, at least, with a good admixture of 
clay.—Ed. 
HOW TO SEND POULTRY TO MARKET. 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist. 
My daily observation in the poultry mark¬ 
et of this city, of the loss suffered by poultry 
raisers for want of a little care, or else want 
of proper knowledge, prompts me to offer a 
word, with the hope that some abler pen will 
continue the subject. It is mortifying to me 
to see so much good poultry sold by farm¬ 
ers at half price, simply because not nicely 
dressed. Half-dressed, half-fattened fowls 
will not bring half-price. I will not attempt 
to describe the best method of fattening, 
but leaving that to others I will say, that 
only a little more fat put upon a fowl after 
it is in bare passable order will not unfre- 
quently double the value. 
Turkeys and geese should be killed with 
great care to keep them from bruising them¬ 
selves. A very good plan is to tie their 
wings, and hang them on a pole by their 
legs, before cutting off the head. The same 
may be said of other fowls. 
All kindsof poultry should be “dry picked” 
if to be canned far to market, as they keep 
better if dressed in this way, If scalded, the 
water should be just below the boiling point. 
In any case be very careful not to tear the 
skin or rub off the cuticle (or outer skin) 
from the legs. After being nicely picked, 
wash in clean warm soap-suds, and then 
“ plump ” them—as the Jersey men call it— 
that is hold them in boiling water about five 
seconds. 
Draw back the skin and cut off the neck 
bone near the body, and then draw the skin 
over again and tie it tightly with a string. 
This keeps the blood from running over and 
disfiguring the bodies. 
When all the animal heat is entirely gone 
pack them inboxes of about 200 lbs., using 
clean rye straw as this is less heating than 
other kinds. A little attention to these 
hints will materially increase the price ahd 
