1851 
333 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
is even more decisive than was seen between the trap 
soils of the first table. The determinations, in fact, run 
so closely together, that many of them might be taken 
for corresponing ones on the same specimen; the diffe¬ 
rences between the lime, magnesia, alkalies and soluble 
silica, do not in either case exceed the half of one per 
cent. The white clay, too, does not vary so much 
from the other two as might have been naturally expect¬ 
ed, from its very different appearance. A considerably 
larger quantity of iron and alumina is dissolved, but this 
is the only very essential difference. The lime and mag¬ 
nesia are nearly the same, and the general coincidence is 
such as to bring the three soils distinctly within the same 
class. 
Another example of well marked characters in soils, is 
to be found in two from the vicinity of New-Haven, anal¬ 
yses of which are herewith given. These soils were upon 
the extensive deposit of sand and gravel drift which fills 
up many of the valleys in Connecticut and Massachu¬ 
setts, forming light, and in most cases, rather poor soil. 
One of these was from a field actually worn out by culti¬ 
vation, and the other taken from a bank at some distance 
beneath the surface; the intention being to ascertain if 
cultivation had not reduced the surface to. the same con¬ 
dition as the unaltered subsoil. 
Sandy Soils, New-Haven. 
No. 1, worn out. No. 2, native. 
Iron and alumina, ... 
5.12 
Lime,. 
0.08 
Magnesia,. 
0.28 
Potash and soda.. 
0.45 
Soluble silica,. 
. 0.34 
0.26 
Insoluble matter,. 
. JO.46 
91.87 
These analyses are quite interesting, from the fact that 
they show 4 a surface soil so perfectly worn out by a 
miserable system of cultivation, as to be scarcely better 
in any respect, and in one or two actually inferior, to a 
sample taken from the center of a sand bank. A man 
who can farm his land no better than this, can lay no 
claim whatever to a true understanding of his business; 
he has been short-sighted for himself, and for those who 
are to succeed him. This soil originally light, needed 
brining up in place of exhausting, needed constant 
watchfulness lest its scanty stores should fail. A soil 
formed from serpentine and chlorite rocks, found in the 
immediate vicinity of these sands, gave quantities of 
magnesia and lime greatly larger than those cited above, 
showing it to possess a widely different character. The 
results were incomplete, and are therefore not inserted 
here. 
The above are not intended as examples of complete 
analyses, but have been carried only so far as would serve 
to illustrate the object for which they were intended. 
No determinations were made of phosphates, sulphates, 
or chlorides, excepting as they are included with the 
alkalies. Such determinations would have given addi¬ 
tional interest to the results, but were not indispensable, 
and would have involved great additional labor. 
These analyses prove very satisfactorily, some of the 
ideas which I had previously entertained ; indeed it is 
necessary to say that my success was more decided than 
I had expected. The general agreement between the 
samples from the same field, and between those from the 
game formation, is as marked as the decided disagree¬ 
ment, when we come to compare these with those from 
any other formation; even a very inexperienced eye, 
could scarcely fail to note these points. 
We may conclude then, first, that so far as these re 
suits go toward forming a rule, the soil from the same 
field, unless there is some marked and visible change 
in certain parts, will agree in composition,'and that a 
sample taken from a mixture of five or six shovel-fulls 
from various parts of the field, would afford a reliable 
mean result. We may in the second place, feel quite 
certain that when no disturbing causes have operated, 
the soil from one formation will show marked differences, 
when its composition is compared with that from another 
formation. The analyses given establish these two 
points, and also show in the two last instances, that land 
may be reduced nearly to a desert by unskilful cultiva¬ 
tion. They lead the way, moreover, to some further 
illustrations and remarks on this subject of soil analyses; 
but these I must, from want of space, defer until my 
next letter. Yours sincerely, John P. Norton. 
€1 }t Inrtirultral Dipitrtmrnt. 
CONDUCTED BY J. J. THOMAS, MACEDON, N. Y. 
Culture of Fruits—Familiar Hints. 
It is not necessary, at the present time, when almost 
everybody is planting fruit trees, to go into a long ar¬ 
gument to show its advantages. A continued and most 
convincing proof is furnished by the fruit itself,—whether 
it be from the single loaded plum or apricot tree in the 
pinched up kitchen yard of the townsman,—or the broad 
orchard bending under the myriads of delicious speci¬ 
mens on the spacious grounds of the farmer. 
But an inquiry is made—much oftener than it is rightly- 
answered—“ how shall we manage our young trees, from 
the moment they are received from the nursery, so that 
they may speedily come into profitable bearing?”—or, 
“ how long will my young trees have to grow before I 
shall get fruit from them?” 
As the time required for their fruiting depends very 
greatly on their management; while the quality, even 
more than the amount yielded, is influenced by the 
treatment they receive, it is well worth some pains and 
labor to give them every advantage. 
Is it not strange, that while every man knows so per¬ 
fectly well that half-starved cattle cannot possibly thrive, 
so many expect young fruit trees not only to thrive and 
grow, but to yield good crops, when not receiving even 
a tenth part of the attention that is bestowed on a half- 
neglected herd of cattle? Crowded, in the first place, 
into small holes, dug into hard soil; and afterwards 
suffered to be overgrown and choked by weeds and grass, 
they are quite sure to refuse the injustice of re-paying 
with a good crop, such negligence, not to say utter star¬ 
vation at the roots. It is not difficult to see plenty of 
just such trees, of the apple, for instance, in passing 
through some parts of the country, of which the annex¬ 
ed portraits are tolerably fair representations. (Fig. 1.) 
Now, it is nothing whatever but this neglect that has re¬ 
duced them to such a condition;—with good cultivation, 
they might have been just such healthy, vigorous, hand¬ 
some, prolific specimens as these below, (Fig. 2,) which 
