Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-30
THE CITY.
A USEFUL WORK.
A Few Extracts showing Its scope
nuH Value.


A Few Extracts showing Its Scope
and Value.
We have received copy of the Man
nal of Agriculture for the Southern
United States" by Major E. G. Wall, o.
Mississippi 1t is very useful work
and should be in the hands of every gar
dener and planter in the country. As
its scope and value will be better under
stood by few extracts than by anything
we might say, we have selected those
which will be Of interest 10 the general
reader as well as to the farmer:
CLASSES or SOILS.
Sandy soil; such as have at least
seveniy-liye per cent OF sand. he
quantity of sand may be determined
with considerable accuracy by very sim
ple means. Dry and weigh pound OF
soil, and put it into vessel which will
hold n gallon or two of water. Ponr
clean water over it and stir il up thor
oughly, then pour the water gradually
off. The sand will sink on account OF
its weight BY repeating the washing
with portions of clear water, until the
water passes off clear, the sand alone
will be left and may be dried and
weighed, and the quantity Of sand in a
pound Of soil determined.
A sandy loan is soil which contains
fifty to seventy-fve per cent. of sand,
which may be separated and determined
as above.
A clay loan has twenty-five to fifty
per cent. of sand, and the remainder
chiefly clay.
A clay soil has less than twenty-five
per cent. of sand, the remainder chiefly
clay. The dark red clay soils have a
larga per cent of oxide OF iron.
ANY soil containing ten per cent. of
lime Or more, may be considered limy
or calcarcous soil, whether remainder be
clay or sand, or both. To determine the
amount of carbonate Of lime in the soil,
heat two ounces of well dried soil, on a
piece Of sheet iron, or in an iron ladle,
till the vegetable matter is burnt out.
Then pour over it pint of water, and
add tuld ounce of muriatlc acid. The
acid will dissolve the lime, while it will
dissolve very little else from the mass.
Wash the earth with clear water several
times, take the remainder, dry and
weigh it, and the loss will be carbonate
of lime This is but rude experiment,
but near enough for practical purposes.
A peaty soil is one which contains
twenty per cent. of dark decayed vegeta-
Bile matter Such soils are common in
low, swampy places The quantity of
peat may be determined by burning out
the vegetable matter, and ascertaining
the loss Of weight
Compactness is quality of import
ance in a soil. 1t must be sufficiently
firm to hold the roots Of growing crops
firmly in place This is especially i'm
Dortant in wheat or grass crops, which
are exposed to the irosts of winter; yet
il must not be so compact that the roots
cannot readily penetrate it.
MODES OF DRAINING.
There are tho modes Of draining in
common use. The one by surface or
open drains; the other by blind or COW
cred drains The open drains consist of
one or more channels or bitches running
through the lowest part of the field A
natural clalutt Ut DIdnch oiltn serves
the purpose. The land can be either
bedded so as TO run into these main
bitches, or, if Unnecessary, cross bitches cut,
emptying into the main drains. These
cross drains should have as much "fall "
as possible on level land near their
mouths. The covered drains are in
every respect preferable TO the open
drains. They are constructed by digging
bitches from three TO four feet deep,
parallel to one another, and leading into
a larger or main channel, like the open
drains. But instead Of being left open,
\ tshe.Or pipe is formed Of tiles, broken
stones. timber or coarse brush IS laid IN
the bottom TO carry of the water, and
the ditch then filed up.
INDIAN CORN.
The most important point IN the cult
vaiion Of this crop Is the preparation ol
the land BIZ deep and thorough pioEing;
Corn roots run deep enough TO avail