The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-12-04
a9ritulturul.
Course of Reading for Farmers.

and how shall reld ? are inquiries often
made by persons who desire to improve
their leisure time and opportunities in the
acquisition of knowledge. Ii is u common
remark that farmers read less, as class,
than those ng'ged in mechanical, manu-
featuring, OF commercial pursuits. Whcth-
er this be 50 or not. it is true, beyond doubt,
that farmers read less than they might, and
for the lack OF method, what they do read
oftentimes rofts them little. Hence, some
Of them come to the conclusion that books
and papers are Of little worth TO those who
can busy themselves without them. Then
again. those whose work exposes them To
the sun and wind, rain and snow, cold and
heat, are, Us they claim, incapicltat,d, ut
least, particularly s., Tor reading, because,
just 80 soon u they take book or paper.
and sit down to rcid, they are overcome
with IN irresistible inclination to sleep.
80 they say. what We would not, that Dc
we and what W. would that do we not.
The mind is willing, but the aesh is weak
or, in other worts, IN the struggle between
the mental and the physical, the latter too
often gains the victory. Where this is the
case, it proves that such in consequences Of
feoblene-S Of will, lack the power OF self
control, and are, therefore, servants Of the
flesh and not OF the spirit.
Every thrifty and intelligent farmer secs
and admits the necessity Of knowing the
composition of the soil he til- and CROP.
To arrive ut thish he must read and study
works on geology. mincralogy. and botany.
Thus he may becone acquainted with the
character and quality Of SOILS, and thereby
enable to select arisht for crops which he
desires to prciucc. Asa general rule, the
principal mineral elements given soil
WILL correspond with that ofits underlielnr
geological formation.
Solls are thus classified by Morton, an En-
clish author AluminO Is, cilcarcous, sili-
ciou., liluvlal, clay slate, hIsltic, .al!uSlal,
green and rcd rand stone.
The aluminous, or clay soils. are called
Gloss adhesive ani retentiye. owing to the
extraordinary communication Such soils,
wh,n rich a,d well cultivated produce god
crOps OF wheat, oats aad clover also heavy
crops Of grass. Such were originally the sOils
Western New York. Ohio, Michigan. lndi.
auI, SOuthyrn Illinois, Kentucky, an Miss
ouri, or at least portions OF those sectiOns.-
The-. laads are not favorable to tho turnip
hustundry. Such soils require thorough
and deep understanding, with liberal apPli-
cations Of barn-yard nlnurss, with some
limc and sand.
Calcarcous soils hayc an excess oflime, mix
ed sometimes with clay, being greatly det.
cient IN silicious matter. Such soils, when
ploughed, not unIrequcn,ly harden or bake:
also by being tramped upon, bccome very
hard, being almost imper'iors to water, and
destitute Of vegetation. Such lands are un-
ct for turnips, if to be consumed on the
fields, for the reason already stated. They
are favorable. when under good tilage 10,
the gro~th Of wheat, barley, oats, turnips,
peas. potatoes, and clover. They need un-
derdraining, and sub-soiling.
Silicious soils have superabundance o.
silex consisting Of very fne sand, and vary
ins to a course gravel. They arc improved
by mixing with the two already mentioned.
Under proper cultivation these soils arS
productive and Of easy tillase. Good croI~
may bc produced by the application oi ma
nure and lime. Guano is said to d. we'll ou
such ls-bet.er than either of the two
proceeding.
The diluvial soils are strong and tenacious
and produce good crops Of wheat, oats, clo
yer and the grasses. They are improved by
the application Of lime and vegetable fertil'
irers.
The clay slate soil is not very productive
being deficient in c,leareoas matter, and !,
only G, Tor oats. barley, turnips and gnl~
Soils OF the basltic formation arc produo
duetive OF wheat, barley. oats, turnips, pea
and clover. Lims has beneficial eject up
on them. Deep ploushins and underdrain
Ing arc essential. ft-
BIs'ny opsa' wils dali for study and
Investigation. especially as it ralatos 70 tha
part of the vegetable xingdom cunning with
in the limits Of glrdsa and lid calIare.--
Every plat has its specific history CONCERN
ing i,s nature, habits, uses, bsss rnodss o
production aud preservation. These are al