The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-10-29

II is to say, where soils of given quail
u ity, or adapted to a given system oi
n agriculture, are to be found.
n Third. The proper depth and dis
y tances of drains depend on the per
S meability, or mellOwness of the soil
b and subsoil, by water. A knowledge
# of fthis, and the phenomenon of springs,
b which is essential to economy and
efficiency in freeing land from water
when in excess, and in obtaining a
g supply of it when deficient, consti-
T tutes one department of agricultural
geology. .-e--
Fourth. Another department Of
I agricultural geology comprises q
knowledge of the nature and proper
! ties aud the distribution of mineral
manures, or those substances which
may be obtained from the subsoil and
substrata for the correction of chem
ical and mechanical defects in the
2 composition of the soil.
Fifth. Jointed structure and slaty
cleavage of rock impregnated with
metallic substances are in many i'll
: stances local accidents to Waich the
strata have been subject, and which
must affect the character Of the soils
derived wholly from rocks OF the
same formation. Soils will be drier
on rocks tr&versed by numerous
joints and by siaty cleavage, than on
those which are destitute OF them.
, Tain soils resting on such rocks, if
, the Joints are numerous and the
cleavage vertical or bighly inclined,
!. are great devourers nf manure which
runs through en- like a sieve, snd
are what are usually known as leael'y
soils. Salts Injurious to vegetation
prevail in soils resting on rocks
which abound in metallic sulphurets-
Sirth. Agricultural geology should
discriminate between soils composed
exclusively OF the material of the
rocks on which tIey rest, and those
in which the materials have been
derived from various strata and
blended by aqueous transport.
Serenth. The Investigation of the
sources whence materisls for bnild
ling, draining and road-naking may
be obtained, of the best quality and
at the cheapest rates, Is depart
ment of geology of no small impor
tance to the farmer 1t will often
Instruct him how, on the one hand
he may obtain under or near TO his
own land the very substances which
he is bringing at a greater expense
from a distance ; and on the other
hand, how by means OF railways they
may be brought at cheaper rate
from q distance of twenty OK thirty
miles than from nearer sources OF
supply, whence lie is hauling taem
with his own horses. 4r-.-ar-
Such are some of the questions
which agricultural geology Is requir
ed to answer. To some OF the most
importint OF them, which relates TO
lttho distribution of soils- it is unable.
in its present state, TO give more
than very imperfect answers, because
the greater part OF the datI nccessa-
ry for their solution are yet uncollect-
ed. For the purposes OF agriculture,
geological investigations embrace
two classes of facts-the distribu-
ton and composition of the rock
formations, and the distribution and
I composition OF the drifts or erratic
tertiaries. Geologists have occupied
themselves too exclusively with the
former the latter, from their super
fetal position and the extensive
areas which they cover, are of the
most immediate Importance in an
agricultural point OF view.
Almost everywhere in Ohio we
find the drift, more especially in the
northern and western portions of the
State. Where the drift is only two
feet thick, it, in many cases, consti-
tuses both soil and subsoil when it
extends to seven feet, 1t is greater
aud deeper than the deepest drains
of the deepest drainers. There are
places = like Massillon, in Stark
county-where the Drift is more than
hundred feet thick or deep in su, b
cases the substrata can have no agri-
cultural value.
But an agricultural survey at the
same time takes cognizance of the
system of agriculture adopted, and
determines whether or no it is the
best for the soil and locality; an ap-
proxima.e analysis of the pasture
grasses, and forage plants will be
made, to determine the comparative
nuLritive value OF these plants. The
function performed by red clover in
agriculture viii, at least, be attempt
ed to be exp aimed.
This approximate analysis of
grasses / hold to be consummatiou
of the very creates: importance to
the farmer Very few farmers are
aware of the amount OF beef an acre
of good and nutritious grass will
produce In some grasses the first
growth contains the greatest proper
ton of nutritjve matter, in others, the
most nutritive Is found in the after
math. 1t is very possible that this
analysis will demonstrate that sOInel
grasses will not yield to exceed sew
enty- five or eighty pounds OF bee
per acre, whilst others will produce
two hundred pounds of becfper acre.
| OF course this can be determined
only by chemical analysis.
You will, perhaps, object and say
that al! this is too scientific and not
sufficiently practical for the farmers
lof Ohio. Well, / remember very
well in 1919, when the first reapin 3
machine was brought to Stark c0un-
ty, the farmers objected to it on the
ground that there were too many
stumps in the country, and il would
require a greater degree Of skill toi
handle, and greater degree of me
chanical knowledge to keep it IN order,
than the farmers generally possess |
ed. The objections in 1S49 were
we'll founded-do these objections
| hold good In 1869? Let the hundred
thousand reapers and mowers used in
1Ohio since 1S49 answer You may
say to-day that this agricultarai sur
yey is too scientific for the ordinary
farmer. The generation twenty years
hence will smile at this objection the
same as you smile noD at the ohjec
ltion in 1S49 to the reaping machine
/ You must put science into your farm
ling. This word science frightens you.
You, perhaps, have been deceived in
/ some nostrum or quackery which was