Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-11-30
Agricultural.
The Way to Analytic Soils.

BY DISCIPLE OF ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
When John Practice had brought the labors of
another day to close, and the shadows of the quiet
evening We're again thickening around the retired
mansion of Fayetteville, Science resumed his series
of instruction. ..-..
told you said he in my last lesson that the analy-
sis of soils of the utmost Importance to the farm
er, and by no means an impossible thing for him to
acquire. It's acquisition Will amply repay the trou-
ble may occasion, and it's value will be apparent at
every turn of his business career.
For instance, 1 say emphatically that no can
be efficient judge Of land arithout he ana!yze
soils. | am aware many people, by long experience,
have gained a certain knowledge of land by which,
from superficial instruction, they can in some mea-
sure Judge of its productiveness generally, and it's
particular adaptation to the growth of certain crops
But such Judges are exceedingly liable to be deceived
in fact, certain confidence can be placed in their
opinion They don't know the constituents of the
sol-they never trouble themselves about the sub
soil its capacity for retaining moisture in. dry
weather its organic and saline particles; its lime
ma gnesia, or irOn-an these things which bear a
most intimate relation to the fertility of the soil they
never enquire into. The consequence is, that they
do not know. how that land will act In very dry or
very wet Weather-they do not know whether it will
grow wheat, tobacco or turnips--What manure it
will require, and whether it does vegetably or geo
logically contain the means for producing that ma
nure-in fact their judgment is little better than
mere shrewd guessing it may possibly be right, but
there is no demonstration or proof accompanying
their opinion, the arhy and the therefore, the reason
and foundation of their opinions wanting neither
can they supply them.
The man who understands the analysis of soils
knows all they do in more perfect manner-and he
knows more. He can inform YOU what the soil is
composed Of and how it's compositions will act un.
der certain states of the weather. how in dry wealth
er how in rainy. He will inform YOU what crops
that composition will best grow, and what manure
to supply to it to make up any deficiency. Hence
this knowledge becomes of immense va1de.
| See farmer emigrant setting out westward in.
to unsettled regions in search of piece of land
Suppose him to be able to analyze the soil When
he reaches favorable piece of ground be common.
ces an examination of its qualities Boring into the
earth, he endeavors to ascertain the depth of the
surface SOIL and the nature of the subsoil With his
humble apparatus he examines the nature of the
soil He will soon know its fertility and what it will
grow. In an hour he will know the h,mtts or organ
ic matter, the lime the clay, and the sand it con
tans. He will have ascertaned it's power of retain
ing moisture and will judge at once, with an aeeu
racy nearly approaching certainty of the quality
capabilities of piece of land he never saw before
and from which the hand of labor and art has never
| yet extracted support and wealth. -
Set such man on a farm which he has visitet
with view of purchasing it, if suitable. 1t may b.
farm exhausted by repeated droppings until its SO
lUble salts and humus taken out Of the SOIL Ii
damp weather and certain seasons, such farm
would be possibly arrayed in verdure of deceptive
vegetation; but IN its crops would be considerable,
4 deficient
I The analyzer of soils knows this skin-deep sur
face will by no means satisfy him. He must literal
ly look into the matter. He tests the soil he find
its soluble extracts, its nourshments its feedin.
principles gome-nothing remaining but skeleton
sofia beggarly account of sand and CLAW not WORT
the labor of recovering to a state of fertility
In Analysing soil, the first matter requiring at
tention is taking the samples to be tested Soils fire
quently very materially vary in limited compass
sometimes in the same field You will often not;c
at one part of field rank and luxuriant vegetation
waving its dark green yerdure IN the sun, and il
another part thin, seedy vegetation internmixe,
with broom heather, or rrshes, will denote patel
of poor land On river banks and upon the site O
old forests are accommodations of alluvial deposits,
decayed vegetable matter, giving extreme fertih
ty to particular portions which cannot be said &C
tuay to belong to the soil though of course if thes
value of q farm
My own mode is to take an IRON tube, something
like a round cheese borer, and about as long as