380 
ANALYSIS OF SOILS. 
energy of these people, is everywhere visible in 
the beautiful villages, fine barns, country houses, 
numerous churches and school houses which 
attract the attention of the visitor'on every side. 
In no western state have more liberal and effi¬ 
cient arrangements been made for education, 
in proportion to the population, than are to be 
found in the State University, the branches in 
connection with it, and the public school system. 
A railroad, equal in construction to any in the 
United States, runs from Detroit to New Buffalo, 
on Lake Michigan, connecting with northern 
Indiana; and another through the southern tier 
of counties, will be finished from Monroe and 
Toledo to Chicago within one year. So far, 
Michigan has been eminently a wheat-produc¬ 
ing state, the soil and climate being peculiarly 
adapted for this grain. Within the last five 
years, much attention, however, has been turned 
towards sheep, cattle and horses; and the ex¬ 
ports of wool, and the two latter classes of pro¬ 
duce are rapidly becoming of great importance. 
The mildness of the climate fits this state be¬ 
yond any other, for the growth of wool; and 
those who have gone largely into the business, 
have found it very profitable. On the eastern 
coast, many years pass without requiring above 
a month’s winter feeding of sheep, where the 
fall pastures are good, and sometimes not even 
this, snow, to any depth, being uncommon, and 
rarely continuing on the ground but a few days 
at a time, while really cold weather does not 
generally set in until after the January thaw. 
From the last statistical report of the secre¬ 
tary of state for the years 1848 and ’49, the fol¬ 
lowing particulars are drawn. The returns are 
from 31 counties, and are generally complete— 
the city of Detroit, however, being omitted, 
owing to the census being taken at a different 
time from the rest of the state. 
Number of acres improved, 
1,437,4591 
ii 
“ sown with wheat, 
465,9001 
Bushels of wheat raised. 
4,739,299 
all other grains, 
8,179,767 
Pounds of wool clipped, 
1,645,756 
<( 
sugar made, 
1,774,368 
Number of horses, 
52,305 
(l 
neat cattle, 
210,268 
U 
swine, 
152,541 
-• a 
sheep, (1850, doubled,) 
610,563 
u 
flouring mills, 
228 
u 
runs of stone in do., 
•568 
a 
barrels of flour made, 
719,478 
<6 
saw mills, 
730 
cc 
feet of lumber sawed, 
167,179,257 
Value of merchandise imported, 
$4,660,974 
In the year 1840, the state contained only 
99,618 sheep, with a clip of 153,375 pounds of 
wool, and the wheat raised was a little over 
2,000,000 of bushels. 
Michigan has seen some hard times, and has 
had much to struggle with; but at present, 
everything is prosperous. This year’s crops 
have been large and of fine quality, the only 
complaint being of lowness of price; but our 
farmers are generally out of debt, and fore¬ 
handed. The good returns of the wool crop 
enable them to hold on to their wheat, and 
everything is going ahead as fast as we can 
well keep up with it. C. F. 
Michigan, Dec. 13, 1850. 
ANALYSIS OF SOILS. 
I send enclosed, a copy of the analysis of sur¬ 
face and subsoil, made by Dr. Antisell. 
SURFACE SOIL. 
Quartz, Sand, and insoluble Silicate of Iron and Lime, 83.30 
Alumina and Peroxide of Iron,.4.50 
Lime.1.65 
Magnesia.21 
Soda. .12 
Potass...faint trace 
Chlorine. 1.20 
Sulphuric Acid.08 
Phosphoric Acid-«.. 
Carbon Acid.. 
Moisture.-...4.70 
Organic Matter...4.24 
......100.00 
SUBSOIL. 
Sand and insoluble Silicates.90 30 
Alumina and Peroxide of Iron.. 5.50 
Lime.70 
Magnesia.25 
Soda.. .15 
Potass.... 
Chlorine.21 
Sulphuric Acid.14 
Phosphoric Acid...... 
Carbonic Acid.. 
Moisture.2.27 
Organic Matter. 45 
.99.99 
R. Linsley.- 
West Meriden, Conn. Nov. 1, 1851. 
We are glad to see our agriculturists giving 
their attention to the analysis of their soils. 
The benefit that will result from this critical 
examination into the sources of the food for 
their crops, and the means necessary to yield 
them, at all times, a full supply, cannot fail to 
be attended with great and lasting advantage to 
the interest which they represent. 
--- 
Profitable Farming.— A farmer near Bastrop, 
Texas, with the aid of three hands, has raised 
the past season, 6,000 bushels of corn, which 
he can sell at $1 a bushel. The crop averaged 
60 bushels to the acre. So says the Texas 
Register. We say we don’t believe it. 
