Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-11-10

!, some form nr other. has been found enter in
:, the composition Of soils. Mr.. Puvis says
that among these substances, the Two iirst form
almost Exclusively three -fonr,lS OF solls-e third
j. found more or less mixed in the other fourth
All soils in which the latter earth j. found, have
similar characters, producing certain families at
vegetables, which cannot succeed in those III
which i, is not contained. The cacareous cle-
,nrnt scen,s to be in the soil, means and Pt'"-
ciple nf triahilty Soils which contain ealcarrons
earth in suitable proportions, suffer bnf l''ie rom
moisture, aud let pass easily 10 the ln"ef neus, Tue
supcrabnndani water, and consequently cram
themselves with fhcilify.'-And on the Other hand
:, Il said that it renders sns rctcnive oi nnisre
,vhicl, otherwise, by their snpcrahundancc OF sand,
would have Suffered amos, an immediate filtration
and evaporation OF the " tier.
As to soils Suitable for hmiug. Mr.. fu'is ihf-
uiS,es same % visible Characters by which tue,
srv almost ceriainlv 10 be distinguished The
soils where the cow-whcat. rcsi-iarrow, th'iies'
s-feot, AMI red poppy spring Spontaneously
which produce well in wheat. or plants OF ilc pea
Kind, and especially sain-ion--whefe Inc chcs-
nut saceeeds badle-wlicI shows hut Ht'' o'
doys-toati, volunteer grasses, or common "e'ds'
e.xcep, OF the small eenminouS kinds--'",is'
which, after being dre. orumblc with the rS' ram,
All these are almost certainly cllchreonS, anu
have no need of lime. "pseept,aS Mr. kniin nam
,,insin thu form Of GYPSUM. hich le thinks n.d
vet he benefcal. . u the eanirar y. MI sails oomPo-
ed OF tfemnuidcrnrs ofefanitc or stfsius-7ihosl
all sandy soiI>,--ihose which arc most AMI cold
those where riI>lics. tbs heath, the "lhil'l moss
.pripe spontaneously. almost all the soils inirst-
"a with daas-,on,h, with bent-grass, red snrrrl aad
tho little ttHsr-fe w---iai sod wherr, unless -
elayev as 10 offer great difficulty TO cultivation
only rye potatoes aud bnck-whcat can be made
10 grow and where sain-ioin, and where the great
or part OF the crops al commerce cannot succeed
where. however, trees OF all descriptions, anu
especially Of ,he resinous kinds, the wood-pine,
the sea pine, the larch and the chesnnt, thrive
better than in the best land--ali theso so'ls are
without the calcur ,,us principle and the 'mprov-
ing manures in which it is found would give TO
these tho qualities Of, and nourlsh tho growth
peculiar Ia caIcsrcous soils"
The uses OF Inning IN agriculture, from NJ.
Puvis' reasoning, are rs follows;
"lsi. When soil contains inert animal or
vegetable matter, fheir dccpmf oSiilon may be
promoted, and it may be rendered fiji Tor the food
Of plants by the addition of ca1,tic line.
End If tn soil contain acid, that may be- ncn-
frazed either 10y can>ric or carbonaicd lm",--
and besides the organic matter whose decompo-
ri,ion may have been prevented by the acid,
will be permitted TO dissoire.
8. Soils that cnniain too much silica, nre made
more rc,enlivr of molsthreby III. ad lion of lime,
or igs carhes1te.
a. Claws may be rendered less retcn,ive o.
moisture aad more trable bv the same means.
5. TIE gas>eS which escape when organic mat
ter puiri6ps, retained in the soil by mcan
Of lime It's carbonale--and thus given ouan-
iiiv of manure or the orilnal vegetable matter a
the soil will retain lis ciicacv longer. BY II.
cent discovery, II has also been asceriaincd, tia
the decomposition of plants Yields peculiar acid
called the humic, winch forms with lime sal
sparinelV sol bic in water. The generation o
{ i, salt also serves In renlrr the nnirimcnt con
timed in the soil, Wore lasting.
3. Lime and lis compounds absolutely nc
cessary as constituent parts Of the growth Of ma
ny plants. Tbs ulphate plaster, is essential I
the growth OF clover, and the phosphate or bone
to that of wheat. Home the efficacy of plaS,r
of Par, aud crushed bones as nproters Of til
soil"
The quantities OF lime applied, should var
according 10 the consisencr OF SOILS. They ousi
10 be small on light and sandy sos-anl ma,
without Ill consequences, be h0avy on clay SOILS"
have introduced these extracts, Nj. President
as well 10 induce reflection upon This mode of in,
proving the soils, as 10 cll forth experiment
the intimate composition oi that porto
which apprrtlins to rs. Should we not, indeed
set foot an governmental enquiry with tina
view Il might lead, perhaps, 10 the stimulatin
discovery, that the lands ia oar oan inmcdn,
vicinity are, a, believe they are, pccua,
ly adapted toa durable Improvement nav, III.
they can be greatly and quickly improved,
any lands in the world, by a proper understands
oil the starting poiat AM starting means. 1t h;
been, and still IS, n mootrd point with our farmer
whether plaster operates beneficial, +; some la,
ing applied the closest experiments aud found il
fai-whlc others by similar trials have found
TO operate as with magic. The question is lrt
on what soils plaster can be applied to adval
ttsa--and as Ia their means OF distinction.
lig'i solution OF tbs question would save III
farmer vast deal OF expense and l,hour Ii,
has been already show soils which produce III
sorrei =! iinly--ehieh are ma,sh s.llcious ,
mostly argl1ceous-wlich ba ore llcir an
ca"on 10 cultivation were p;oti,e IN the eruvl
OF chestnut and pne---if clover be a calca
rrous plant, delghins TO grow where tia
prineiae Is contained in proper pronnrtin,
and II II will not be bench ted where ia
prnciPle OF IFS Vitality alerad, exi,tS-it 70
lows, tIiat plaster s,loul be applied to sue
soils. II, on the contrary, lands which proluc
wei! IN wheat--which pn!reri>c easily, AMI o
winch the ciois melt away on cxpo,ufe Ia RAIN
which have bat liile of The above mentioned Y.
gciaiion, naturally possess the princplr-it fol
lows, that the artificial application of lime in an
preparation Is unnecessary. | think Mr. ltuili
says also, that all lands which are acid ,ucl, A
doubtless every farmer present has called soui
ana oil which sorrc and broom ed 20 are cviden
ceS, can be benefited by plaster or limo in SOM
form. Should we not then make experiment
upon this subject! Small ones a, first. and
they succeed as is desired, then more cxtcn
,xal I l. i