Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-04-26
From the Gennessee Farmer.


AGRICULTURAL yIIRASEoLoGY.
No publication, whatever may its sub
iect or its merits, can be perused with ad-
vantage, unless the language used by the
writer is understood, and the terms made
use of clearly defined. Even definitions
too frequentlyremind one ofJohn Randolph
in the House Of Representatives: The hero
of Roanoke, in one Of his sarcastic and able
vet rambling speeches, found himself in the
midst ola sentence so completely Involved,
that extrication was impossible, unless by
cutting the gordian knot Of words that
inclosed him. "Mr. Speaker" said ne,
o." the subject we arc discussing, in the light
| have presented it to you, is as clear as-as
tho Ii ght Of that window,-and that is
not very clear" added he, pointing to the
dusty windows of the capitol. Johnson,
when he defined "higgledy piggledy" by
" conglomeraton," furnished pregnant IN
stance of the common faIit of definitions.
The labors ofChaptal and Davy, by show
inc that many ofwhat were formerly con-
sillaral primitive esrthc, orc merely conn.,
binations Of a few Of the principal ones, in
. different proportions, and by adopting an
improved phraseology, have done much to
simplify and render ineligible the language
Of agricultural chemistry, and its kindred
subjects. Still there are many terms used
necessarily more or less teachnical, or
belonging almost exclusively to tic business
OF agriculture, which VIC have reason to
believe are not by all precisely understood,
and rs they must be considered as part OF
the language ofeyery farmer in all countries
and arc Of importance in elucidating the
practice as we'll as theory Of agriculture, we
have supposed that paper studiously plain
on some of these terms, might not be alto
gether without its use. Anotherreason has
also had its influence in bringing us to this
conclusion-thc Genessce Farmer receives
generally an accession of new subscribers
at the commencement ofthe yearly volume;
and besides. the Monthly Farmer we hope
will find its way into the hands ofmultitudcs
to whom the weekly Farmer has been in
accessible; and though the readers Of the
latter may be in some measure familiar with
the topics here introduced, we trust they
viii not be entirely useless to any.
In accomplishing our object, twill not be
necessary to refer to more than three of the
primitive earths-.Silcr or flint, Altmine or
clay, and Lime-sincc, though chemistry
has detected the presence of seven Or eight
others, they exist in such minute quantities,
and are so sparingly distributed, as not to
produce the least sensible effect on the great
mass. OF these three earths. silex alone
composes one.halfo the globe, and lime
three.fourths of the remainder. Slick IS
the base of all the granite and sandstone
rocks, and all soils formed by the dlslntegra.
ton or crumblipg of these, are composed
of gravel or sand. Hence sucfr soils are
termed siIicious, or sandy. Aumine is
rarely found in pure state, but in a mixed
'state,-is the basis ofclay and several kinds
of rocks. Soil in which alumine prcdoml-
mates is called argillaceous or clay soil.
Lime is one of the most common earths,
and from the important uses to which 1t Is
applied in civilized countries, is well known.
It occurs most frequently combined with
carbonc acid, in which state it forms lime
stone, marble, chalk, marine shells, and the
shells Of snaiIs. The immense piles reared
from the depths of the ocean by the coral
insect, are also formed Of lime. Combined
with sulphuric acid, it forms that substance
so all important to the farmer. gypsum or
plaster of paris. The soil in which this
earth prevails, is called calcareo"s' or lime
stone soil. Thus the principal soils from
their composition are termed silicious ;, or ;
sandy-ArgllIaceous or clayey-and Cal
careous or limestone; and it is the com.
b;nation of these original earths in different
nroportions with each other, ana with
vegetable mold, that forms the varieties OF
soil, different as they arc in kind and fertility.
Some writer's formerly have spoken OF loam
os one Of the original earths' out eSamina-
ton has showed Ito be ths primitive earths. |