Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-03-30

From the Rochester Temperance Journal,
TIE SOIL: WHAT Is TIP

THE SOIL: WHAT IS TIP
The three great kingdoms in which we
find nearly everything tangible,in this world,
are the mineral, the vegetable and the ami
NAL. The last mentioned is almost entirely
and directly dependent upon the vegetable,
while the vegetable could not subsist with
out the mineral, so that it is a fact which
needs no demonstration, that the vegetable
and animal kingdoms are dependant upon
the mineral kingdom for their subsistence;
that is to say, earth and gases constitute
the food Of plants which, either directly or
indirectly, nourish all the animals which ever
have, or ever will subsist, upon the face Of
the earth. But stop, says a bible student,
Did not lie say, Of whom it was said, New
er Man spake kethis Man, that man does
not live by bread alone, but bv every word
that proceedeth from the mouth Of God
Yes, we al nit this-and in so doing We al
50 admit What Jesus most forcibly taught,
that man has a spiritual as well as a carnal
or feshly nature-and therefore he does not
live, or should not subsist upon substantial
bread alone, but needs evermore to be fed
with that Super-suGstantial bread which if a
man eat, lie will say, evermore give me of
this bread, though my earthly home be new
err so well furnished with the substantial
Tread which j. is composed of the elements con-
r tanned in the mineral kingdom, whose soil
is TILED for the staff of life.
= Ask the first person whom you chance to
meet, the Question that stands at the head OF
this article, and what do you suppose will
= be his reply lie will probably say the
! ground, the earth, The dirt upon which we
e tread. All true. The soil is that upon which we
walk-it is the covering, or upper stratum
of the earth's crust-simply the ground viii
no reference to its constituent parts, depth
g or uses, all of which are exceedingly various
d and reliable.
h, The g~eologist talks about ~alluvial or dilu
d vial deposits-the agriculturist and the hor
n ticulturist about what it will produce; wheth
er wheat or some other grain carrots O
some other roots appleso or some other fruit
and, also, concerning the culture, as t
- whether it, the soil, shall be stirred by spade
or pillow, or some other instrument of husbat
dry.
When the soil is looked upon as a covel
ING of what is beneath-or in the geoiogici
- view which is that Of formation, and miner;
construction, or, again, with reference to j
depth as to whether it be an inch or man
feet in thickneSs-whether it be impreGnate
nd with organic remains or motor, inali
OF with reference to its rillage in order to pr
.ly duce food for man and beast. The last
these several views being the one that mo
ng intimately concerns all who are tillers Of Il
soil.
But the question recurs. What is t
I'VE soil in its composition! or how is it forme'
nd The soils of hills anI mountains consi
ore mainly Of the disintregrations Of their roc
}, ! formations. The influence, of both heat a
nth moisture, tends to facilitate the gradua! d
Ter indignation of even the hardest rocks; a
has as soon as the smallest portion of loose m
ter or earth is formed on their surface, t
the ces of an obscure vegetation begin to m
this fest themselves. Lichens of various XII
u in spring up, one generation succeeding ano
8 a er, until of their decayed and partially
composed fragments, a soil is prepared
the reception of the mowers. These in Il
''erS turn decay, and their decomposition affo
Il CeiLdln quantity vi OISdHlC IIdlIcl, WI
,ake mixes with the disintegrated portions Of
tna' rocks; and in their improved soil other XII
; Is Of plants are capable of subsisting. Me
while, the atmosphere still exercising its
NJ iuence on the surface Of the rocks, and
nen' roots of the plants penetrating into their
F"Gi- urcs, an a%ugmention to the mass Of the
only is nrcnarinG' so that hv such slow and o.
ual means a soil is formed, in which c
was forest trees can fix their roots. Thus v
day. wa originally a bleak and olninous mas
ngry rock, becomes capable of supporting sue
ting sively the various tribes of plants, and f
,nant to reward the cultivator.'
4 on The alIuvium soil is the aqueous de
and its of gravel, sand, earth, salt, mari, and
fned, various matters which result from the d
tegration of rocks, and the comminutic
detritus, and organic remains
! Diluvium soil is any geognostic forms
r. Of the earth's crust, made or supposed
~ have been made by a deluge.
Bays are a recent geognostic formatio
%alluvial earths, and dead herbaceous veg
~ lhe ton, soft, watery, antiseptic t~inctured
ihghC metallic oxides. More anon. L.
ening