139 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 7, 1859. 
THE SCIENCE OF GARDENING. 
{Continued from page 120.) 
We liave noticed the ready mode, so usually within the gar¬ 
dener’s power, of improving the staple of a soil by the mere 
admixture with it of some other soil in its immediate vicinity. 
As a guide in forming such mixtures, by showing how the earths 
and their compounds differ in their physical qualities, the follow¬ 
ing researches of M. Schubler, epitomised by Mr. Cuthbert John¬ 
son in his “ Modern Agricultural Improvements,” will be found 
useful. 
“ The weight of the earths and their compounds differs very 
materially, according to their degree of dryness. In the following 
tables, the wet state is regarded as being that when a soil tho¬ 
roughly moistened is laid in a wet state on a filter, and no longer 
allows any water to drop through. 
“Several of the earths exhibited the following differences in 
reference to this point.— 
Kinds of earth. 
» 
Specific 
gravity, that 
of water 
being taken 
as = 1. 
Weight of a cubic foot. 
In the dry 
state. 
In the wet 
state. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Calcareous sand . 
2 720 
113.6 
141.3 
Siliceous sand . 
2.653 
111.3 
130.1 
Gypsum powder. 
2.331 
91.9 
127.6 
Sandy clay . 
2.601 
97.8 
129.7 
Loamy clay . 
2.581 
88.5 
124.1 
Stiff clay, or brick earth .. 
2.500 
80.3 
119.6 
Pure grey clay. 
. 2.533 
75.2 
115.8 
Fine white clay (pipe clay) . 
2.440 
47.9 
102.1 
Fine carbonate of lime. 
2.468 
53.7 
103.5 
Fine carbonate of magnesia. 
2.194 
15.8 
76.3 
Humus . 
1.370 
34.8 
81.7 
2.332 
G8.7 
102.7 
Arable soil. 
2.401 
84.5 
119.1 
F’ine slaty marl . 
2.631 
112.0 
140.3 
“ Weight of Artificial Mixtures of Earths. —When different 
earths are artificially mixed together, a cubic inch of the earthy 
mixture obtained gives a weight greater than the arithmetical 
mean (or common average) of the earths entering into the mixture, 
whether mixed in equal portions according to weight or volume, 
or in other quantities. ‘ I took,’ says M. Schubler, ‘ in different 
proportions, a common siliceous sand, a rich clay, and a fine clay- 
marl, of which I had previously ascertained the absolute weights, 
and mixed them together, when I determined the weight of the 
mixture and obtained the following results :— 
Kinds of earth. 
Weight of 
5.7 cubic 
inches. 
Arithmeti¬ 
cal mean. 
Increase of 
weight. 
Grains. 
2840 
Grains. 
Grains. 
2020 
1790 
Clay and Band in equal propor- 
2545 
2430 
115 
Cluy and sand in equal propor- 
2685 
2430 
255 
2 parts clay and 1 part sand by 
2390 
2293 
97 
2 parts clay and 1 part sand by 
2470 
2293 
177 * 
2 purts sand and 1 part clay by 
2740 
2566 
174 
2 parts sand and 1 part clay by 
2825 
2566 
259 
Equal parts of marl and *and by 
2315 . 
2267 
48 
_ 
“ ‘ This phenomenon is only to be explained by supposing a 
more intimate approach in the interstices of the contiguous earthy 
particles; something similar, therefore, seems hero to happen 
with this mechanical commixture to what takes place in a still 
higher degree with natural mixtures of earthy and rocky ma¬ 
terials : for instance, with the dolomite snail and stony marls, in 
which cases not only the absolute weight, but the real specific 
gravity also, is greater than in the separate earths.’ 
“ Such researches as these all tend to promote the permanent 
improvement of the soil by the admixture of earths ; and there 
is no doubt of the great advantage of this mode of improving 
land. ‘ The best natural soils, ’said Davy, ‘ are those of which 
the materials have been derived from different strata ; which have 
been minutely divided by ah and water, and aro ultimately 
blended together ; and in improving soils artificially, the farmer 
cannot do better than imitate the processes of nature. The ma¬ 
terials necessary for the purpose arc seldom far distant; coarse 
sand is often found immediately on chalk, and beds of sand and 
gravel are common below clay; the labour of improving the 
texturo or constitution of the soil is repaid by a great permanent 
advantage ; less manure is required, and its fertility insured ; and 
capital laid out in this way secures for ever the productiveness, 
and, consequently, the value of the land.’— (Elem. Agric. Cltem., 
p. 204) 
“ A very important question to the cultivator of the soil is .the 
amount of water, both by weight and volume, which various soils 
are capable of containing: this we shall find determined in the 
following table. To obtain these results considerable care is re¬ 
quired. 
“ It might appear, that this determination could be made by 
the mere comparison of the weights of a cubic inch of dry and 
wet soil, or from the absolute weight of a volume of the dry soil, 
and its power of containing water ; we should, however, in this 
way obtain no correct result, because many soils, especially thoso 
containing clay and humus abundantly, contract considerably in 
drying, a cubic inch of such dry soils generally occupying a 
greater space in their wet state.” 
Kinds of earth. 
Power of containing 
water. 
A cubic foot 
of the wet 
earth con¬ 
tains of 
water. 
According to 
weight. 
According to 
volume. 
Siliceous sand . 
Per cent. 
25 
Per cent. 
37.9 
Pounds. 
27.3 
Calcareous sand . 
29 
44.1 
31.8 
Gypsum powder. 
27 
38.2 
27.4 
Lime, precipitated. 
47 
54.5 
39.1 
Fine lime . 
85 
66.1 
47.5 
Fine magnesia. 
256 
76.1 
62.6 
Sandy clay. 
40 
51.4 
38 8 
Loamv clay . 
50 
57.3 
41.4 
Stiff clay, or brick earth . 
61 
62.9 
45.4 
Pure grey clay. 
70 
66.2 
48.3 
White clay (pipe clay). 
87 
66.0 
47.4 
Humus . 
181 
69.8 
50.1 
Garden mould... 
89 
67.3 
48.4 
Arable soil. 
52 
57.3 
40.8 
Slaty marl.’.. 
34 
49.9 
35.6 
(To be continued.) 
KIDDLE NETS. 
One day last summer I was dining with a friend in Loudon. 
On the appearance of a dish of mackerel, my friend asked— 
“ Have you ever seen them caught ? ” 
“ No,” I said; “my aquatic adventures are confined to a trip 
down the river now and then, by steam or in a pair-oar. I am 
no salt-water sailor : especially have I no fancy for being rocked 
into a state of unutterable misery on board a fishing-boat. The 
sight of them riding at anchor has often made me experience 
emotions bordering on sca-sickncss.” 
“Aye,” he replied, “ but I had in my mind a different mode of 
capture—one quite free from such unpleasantness. You may 
witness it from dry land if you please, although to join in and 
enjoy it thoroughly a ducking is essential.” 
“ Where ? ” 
“ On the Sussex coast.” 
“ Easily accessible ? ” 
“ Yes; within a moderate walk of a station on the South-eastern 
Railway.” 
“ Which station ? ” 
“Rye.” 
The result of this conversation was, that soon after I was in an 
early train bound for the spot indicated by my friend. 
It was a delicious morning in the middle of June. The summer 
air had not lost all its sweetness, even after journeying over the 
numerous factories, and closely-built, thickly-peopled rows of 
streets, upon which travellers on that line of railway look down 
for some distance after starting ; it was sweeter when the market- 
gardens came in sight, with their strawberry-beds; vegetables of 
every shade of green; and acres of hand-glasses glistening in the 
sun : it was sweeter still when we reached the open country, and 
it came to us unimpeded across the Surrey downs. Those beau¬ 
tiful downs! Somewhat barren-looking, perhaps, they are ; but 
there is an unspeakable charm in their sharp outline against the 
