Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-10-04
For the Spectator.
Agriculture of Augusta Comfy.

1"e O0SSS.- 10 give the unSclentlflc reader 8
clear view ofmuch that will be said hereafter,
about the formation and improvement of the
soils OF this county, few general remarks on
the original structure of such soils appear to be
necessary. hope, therefore, that few para
graphs transcribed from my little work on ''Sci-
entitic and Practical Agriculture" will not be
regarded as inappropriate in this connection:
Tin examining any soil, which has been left
undisturbed to pass through its natural stages of
formation, we find the surface portions differing
considerably from those nearer the oringinal
rocks. They differ not simply in appearance,
but also in composition, and consequently in fer
tility.
ut is both interesting and instructive to trace
out the various changes which have taken place,
in reducing the original rocks of the earth to the
condition of arabic soil. Let US take, for exam
pie, calcareous formation, made up of lime
stones and calcareous shales which have just
been np-heaved by volcanic agency, and for the
first time exposed to the disintegrating influence
of the weather The shales are rapidly crum-
bled down to the condition of clay, from which
the rain gradually dssolves out much of the
carbonate of lime, carrying it off to form lime
stone springs. The more solid rocks are worn
down more slowly, but not less surely, by the
operation of the same causes. In this way q
soil is gradually formed, supplied with all the
mineral ingredients of the rocks. But such q
soil, produced by such process alone, would
still lack one important class OF its fertility: it
would still want the organic matter, which we
shall hereafter find performing most important
offices in the production of plants. If the rocks
have been highly fossiferons, more or less or
ganic matter may be already present; but the
supply soon begins to be collected from another
source. The new soil is gradually provided with
the seeds of grasses, herbs, and trees of various
kinds, from older lands; and such of them as
find here their appropriate mineral food, soon
terminate, take root and send out their blades
and leaves to collect carbonic acid from the air,
while the roots themselves drink in the same
kind of nourishment from rain-water, together
with ammonia and mineral matter. Some of
the roots soon penetrate the lower parts of the
soil for many feet, whence they draw up mineral
substances, and send them out in the sap, to be
incorporated with the organic food from the air,
in the body, and branches, and leaves of the
growing plant. AS the grass the weeds, and
the leaves of trees fall and decay upon the sur
face, they leave dark rich deposit of humus,
to serve as food for the same or other kinds of
growth. In this way, great quantities of organ
ic matter are often accumulated, forming with
the clay deep, rich vegetable mould.
"The mineral matter which once fed the de-
cayed leaves and grass, has not only been in
creased in quantity near the surface, but has also
been so elaborated ip the plants through which
it has passed, as TO be now In the best possible
condition to afford nourishmeut to subsequent
crops growing upon the same soil. oe
"The portion of soil which has thus become
enriched with organic and mineral substances, is
called the SURFACE SOIL, and is the part usually
cultivated. The 'sub-sol' is the layer upon
which the surface-soil rests. 1t generally has
but little organic matter in it; and, in the ma
liority of fields in our Southern and Western
States, it has never been disturbed by the plow.
On rolling lands which have been long under
cultivation, the surface soil, on different parts of
the same hill, is generally more uniform in its
character than the sub.soil because the loose
material on the surface becomes mingled, by the
mechanical action of the pillow, rains, and frost !;
while the sub.soil having been less frequently
disturbed, lies nearer to the rock from which 1t
originated, and more nearly resembles it. The
value and Importance Of the sub soil, and its
proper management, will be discussed hereafter, "
Up. 1s7-ls9)
The soils of belt /, vary widely In form and
quality. Along the summit and slopes OF the
Blue Ridge, they are composed to great ex-
tent of the debris of the Trap rocks, which form
| the central mass of the mountain. These rocks
consist chiefly of Hornblende and Feldspar*-
the former, mineral Astounding in clay, iron,
lime and magnesia, with some suiphuric and
phosphoric acids; the latter, at the same time
afording clay and potassa abundantly. Hence,
the resulting soils are rich in mineral fertity but
in many places, particles of quartz are SO album
dant in the rocks, as to give the lands sandy
or gravelly misunderstanding them easily wash
ed, and hence not very durable when steep
Whenever the soils of this section are sufficiently
firm and tenacious to hold grass well, they make
fine grazing lands. An example of these may
be seen upon the large grazing farm of Brsxton
Davis, ESQ.,, between Rock6sh and Turks Gap.
Lands of the same quality, now lying idle, might
be similarly improved for a like purpose, at 9TH
er points on the mountain.
The sandstones and states of the ridges and
spurs nearer the Valley, yield soils far inferior
to those above mentioned; but where the hill
slopes along the sides of the larger mountain
gorges, and the bottoms opposite these gorges,
have been swept over by the freshets, which
were wont to rush so wildly over hill and valley,
long before man became an inhabitant of our
continent, and have thus received deposits of the
detached soils and pebbles from the main ridge,
they have been greatly improved. Localities
thus enriched very frequently present striking
contrast, when found side by side with the al
most barren slopes and bottoms, covered over
with the debris from the sandy ridges alone.
Back Greek, as well as several other branches
of South River, affords examples of hillocks and
bottoms along its margins, enriched in the man
ner above alluded to. But on the eastern side
of South River the bottoms are generally more
completely covered with sand and boulders, and
are usually less fertile than those on the Western
side. The only exceptions are those enriched
by the drift from the Blue Ridge, and such as
have received q liberal mixture of the limestone
clays, swept across from the Western slope of
the river valley.
Belt Q, bounded by line running from lit
tie West of Midway, and, passing half mile
East of Greenville, extending to the end of the
slate formation (3) is very narrow near the Rock
bridge line; and, with the exception of a strip,
less than mile wide, and not more than three
miles long, lying around and East of Midway,
we find but little good land in this belt, until we
approach S. River. Here the lands are natu-
rally of excellent quality and susceptible of a
much higher degree of improvement, than has
yet been bestowed upon them.
The aluvial bottoms on both sides of the riv-
or, as far down as the mouth of Back Greek,
may be regarded as belonging to this belt. At
this point is situated the magnificent farm of
Hon. A. Fl. Il. Stuart. & Brother, which 1 had
not the opportunity of examining as infinitely as
was desirable, but which possesses some points
of peculiar interest, in regard to the origin of
its alluvial soils. We find here remarkable
mingling of the drift from the traps, states and
ssndstones of the mountain, on the one hand,
with the limestone olays from the opposite hills
on the other. Similar combinations of the ele-
mants of fertility occur all the way down the