Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-02-21
AGRfGIJ bYuRAb
GaoIogiclI Definitions.

Many terms in general use among scien-
tifc men, and usually employed in agricul
turai works are obscure to our young readers.
For their sakes We will explain some Of
them and shall not be angry if old men
profit by the explanation.
SoH-The surface earth, Of whatever
ingredients it may lie composed. 1t may
be clay soil, a sand soil, calcareous soil
as the surface is composed Of clay, or sand
or clay strongly mixed with lime, etc.
Sab<oH-Thc earth lying below the or.
dinary depth to which the plow c. spade
pcnetrates. Sometimes it has hardened by
the running of Che plow over it for ser
les Of year; then It is called pan, as hard
pan, clay pan, etc. 1t is sometimes Of the
same nature as the top soils, as in clay
lands in others it is different earth a.
when a coarse gravel underlcs ycgotlble
mould, or when clay lies beneath sandy
soil.
SoJsoa P2oring-!n ordinary plowine,
the share runs from five to seven inches
deep. \ plow has been constructed [callcd
the subsoiI plow) to follow the rurrow aud
break up from six to eight inches deeper
so that the whole plowing pcnetrates from
ten to sixteen inches.
SnbsoH IPor.-A plow having mar
row double share, or small share on each
side Of the cutter, and on mould board
It is designed to break up and soften the
subsol, but not to bring it 10 the top.
Noa-A soil in which decayed vegeta-
bic matter largely predominates over earth
Thus, leafmould is soil principally com,
posed Of rotten leaves; dung mould, or
dung reduced to q fine powdery matter;
heath mold, black vegetable soil found in
hcath-lands; peat-mould, garden mould, etc
Loam.-Clay, or any Of the primitive
earths, reduced to a mellow. friable state
by the intermixture of sand, or vegetable
matter, is called loan. Clay lands well
m1nured with sand, dung, or muck, are
turned generally to a loam
Iiamua Or 4iamine.-Generally en-
ployed to signify pure clay. 1t is, chemi-
cally speaking, a metalic oxide aluminua,
is the metalic jaSc, and is an elementary
substance
1t is generally known that the diamond
is pure carbon, Charcoal is carbon in an
impure state,) but it is not generally known
that the ruby and the sapphire, two of
the most beautiful gems with which we are
acquainted, are composed almost solely of
alumina,' or pure clay, in a crystalized state
Sj{ici0us.-An earth composed largely
of slick .Slec or <licia is considered to
be primitive earth constituting flint, and
most kinds of sands, and sand
stones, etc. China or porcelain ware is
formed from SILICA and aIumina united i. c.
from silicious sand and clay.
CalcareoWj.-A soil into the composition
Of which lime enters largely. Limestone
lands are calcareous. Pure clay manured
freely with mari, becomes calcareous. Mari
is mostly clay and carbonate of lime
AHurtoL-Strctly speaking, aluvium
or alluvial soil, is soil formed by causes
yet in existence. Thus bottom land is
formed by wash of a river 1t is usually
a mixture Of decayed vegetable matter and
sand
DHputaI-A diluyial soil or deposite is
one formed by causes yet in existence
Thus deposite by delpge is termed dill
uUjaL The word is derived from the lat
tin dit"ri"m, signifying dcluge.
The terms argillaccous, calcareous, silic-
ious, a!iuvial and diIuval are constantly
employed in all works which treat Of hus-
baHdry.
FriaJle-A friable sol is one which
crumbles easily. Clay is adhesive, or in
common language clammy; leaf-mould is
triable, or crumbling. Clay becomes fria-
bic when, By exposure to air or frost, or
by addition Of sand, vegetable matter, etc,
it is thoroughly mellowed