M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-09-02
Sgntultural,
IMPORTATION.
sTLEX

sILEX.
Slick, or sand, is the largest COM
poneut of soils, and with aiumna and
with alumina and lime, is the base
of all soils. Soils are porous in pro-
portion to the amount of slick they
contain. If a soil contains over
eighty per cent. of sand, it is too dry
and porous for productive land. 1t.
will bear the securing rush only,
which is formed almost wholly Of ST.
lex. Combined with alumina and the
alkalies, it becomes soluble or liquid,
and then enters largely into vegeta-
ton, and forms the hard coating Of the
stem and leaves of grain and grass.
ALUMINA.
Alumina, or clay, makes a soil
tough, tenacious, and impervious to
water. Strictly speaking, clay is
silicate of alumina, though in COM
mon parlance we use them as synoni-
nous. 1t rarely enters into the CON-
position of vegetables, it being rather
base for the soil than O constituent
for vegetation.
LIME.
Lime, in the form of phosphates and
carbonates, enters largely into the
composition of plants, and is, in fact,
an essential element of vegetable
matter. BY acting on the alkalies, it
sets the soluble silica free, making it
available Tor plants. 1t also renders
the soil warmer and more porous,
combines With the resinous and oily
matter in the soil, and forms soup
thus destroying the antiseptie matter
in the soil, andRiding decomposition.
MAGNEsIA.
Magnesia is abundant in almost all
the rocks. The phosphate of magne-
sia is the principal ingredient Of the
seeds Of grain and grasses. 1t forms
the germ, while lime and silex form
the stalks and stems of trees and
grain. 1t is abundant in the soil.
PHosPHoRUs.'
Phosphorus, combined with the al- |
kalies and iron, exists in all organized
bodies-animal and vegetable. With
magnesia, it forms the seed Of grains
and grasses--with lime, it forms the
trunks of trees. 1t exists in small
quantities--is soon exhausted by cul,
tlvation, and must be supplied, Or
crops will fail.
AMMONIA.
Ammonia is a powerful element Of
fertility, but is soon exhausted. 1t
can, however, be restored by the ap-
plcation ofstabie manure. The strong,
pungent smell of the horse-stable, is
volatile ammonia, Or hartshorn, esca-
ping from the manure. Clay, coal
and plaster readily absorb and detain
il.
ALKALIEs.
Potash, soda and ammonia, called
aHalieS, and lime and magnesia,
called alkaline earth8, enter largely
into the composition of vegetation,
and their absence would render a soil
sterile.
MANURE.
In the genera! term manure, is in.
cluded everything that will aid fertil-
ity, or correct deficiencies in the soil.
II soils are too sandy and light, lime
and ashes to dissolve the sand, and
render it soluble, is as much manure
as is muck, dung, Or other fertilizers.
LIME.
Limo should be applied to peaty
sUlls-to those which contain a large
amount Of vegetable matter--to those
which are sour--to heavy clay lands,
and light sandy soils. On clay and
sandy land, the effect is entirely diff.
ferent, making clay land more hiable,
and sandy land moro adhesive.
AS lime has tendency to sink into
the earth, it should be applied to the
surface; and light dressings, frequent
ly applied, ARE better than heavy dress
ings.
MARL.
AS mari is lime combined with
earthly matter, aid this, generally, of
l. =, IoL