Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1832-10-22
Fran he Ncw Eagidnd Farmer.
DISSERTATION OK TIE MIX rCRE OF

S oils C1Hrluded.
Shell mari is easily distinguished by the shells
which always appear n ii; but the similarity be
tween earth mari and many other fossil substances,
rcnturs it jigiiault 10 distinguish them INC com
n1a IT,, iow ever, viii DC sufficiently certain Tor
all the purposes OF the farmer. Earth, that eiief
ves,as in acids, paralle, Of the character ofmall,
and the degrees OF elicrvcsccncc will pretty accu-
Ylely show to what extent ii partaies of that cha
ractor But WE must not be governed exclusively
ly tie strength and richness vi mari. in our seleL-
tor of situatlons 10 apply II; we should also at
tend To It's natural lenacty aud the character OF
Ia earth about the beds winch contain II. Fit be
sil.cous earth or coarse gravel, then the mari be-
longs to cold ana clayey soils. II 1t be Il compact
and sAycy substance, then the mari should be pla-
cod on tooia and warm soils. When mari is pro-
perry applied, almost any desired degree of rich
ness can b. produced by il. No other manure viii
BE- necessary in the first rotation Of crops. But the
aams cautions are important III the use OF this sub
sllnc,, which IRE neces ,ary 10 be observed IN
the application of lime Both mari and lime slim
uate the soil 10 unusual excrtlon, and II nothing
else for long succession of years be ap-
Piled, there will follow debility, and the land wall
be reduced to barrenness Tins eff ct is TO be fear
cd only in the imprueni and exclusive use Of these
substances und3r prudent manascmant they arc
powerful and highly important agents. In c1f-
rec, rotation Of croppin :, and with occasional sup
plies Of other manutes, neither mari nor lime vii!
ever prove injurious.
By digging deep in the earth, all the mineral
substances are found which may impart new tex
tarc to soils, or by acting on the animal and vege
table matter contained in them, IN the decompos-
Ton and solution of IT, viii assist in furnishing food
for plants. The fossils, which, mixed with soils
viii increase the richness and fertility of them, ale
very numerous. and no more than impertecily UNI
/ '.erstood. Every extended advance OF the former
towards th interior reg ois of the earth tends to
ilcreasc our knowledge of the mineral king lom
1t IS likely to furnish the chemist with some new
subject of analysis Excavations may sometimes
be prnftably made in the ea,th, for the sole pun
pose Of mixing the materials obtained with the
different soils on the farm. Experiments of this
SORT they shosiJ not result in any addition to thu
stock OF general knowledge. would certainly IN
crcas' local kn,wiedgs, aud would mpart more
correct ideas OF the constituent parts of that por
toi OF the earth in our possesslon and under ou
immediate control. Ike substances taken out o
ne earth IN the varoas operations ofsocicty, soulS
always be carefully examined, and experiments
made with them In deep rcocsses Of the earth arr
1ldien many precious treasures, and every gencr
"hon ofmon have part to perform in the develop
ment of them.
We descend far into the earth for the fossil which
no." warns so many ofour houses, and ON which
We depend for heat in many of our works OF art
There, also, we can find the choicest Substances
10 enrich our land. III former researches of this
nature have been followed with great reward, am
there can be no want of natives TO perseverance II
tue work.-'fhe preceding remarks have been
cmeliy confined to substances, which, ut the SAM
'ihc theyLmIrove the texture Of the soils, act ~
''em as manures, either by their stimulating inhu
ence, orby imparting the food Of plants Su;l b
S"hecs form the principal resources for cnrchins
I.1' IN the progress Of Improvement on farm
n p0t there IS also mixture necessary the foun
9anon OF Improvement in many situations, Their
@v sand batfens anapare clags With Yr3lIe