The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-09-10
The Light Soils Of Northern Mich
gan,

|
The following communications
explain themselves, and should be
carefully read by every settler on
the Plains, and those who design
locating in this and other localities,
where the lighter soils exist in any
quantities:
EAST SAGINAW Mich, Sept. 4, 1874.
EnIroR LAKE COUNTY SrAR:-I send you
herewith letter from the Hon. j q. Rams.
dell relative to the light soils of Western and
Northwestern Michigan, for publication
Judge Ramsdel is a close observer, and hav
ing had practical experience concerning the
matters whereof he speaks, his views are en-
titled 10 "a eat weight. call particular at
tention to his statement AS TO the proper
manner OF putting la clover and timothy
seed. IL sown on the surface the seed will
terminate after the first shower. but the
roots do not strike deep enough to protect
the plants against the scorching sun and
they are likely To witaer for want Of moist
ure; but il the seed is two or three inches
deep, the roots will reach moist earth by tie
time the leaves reach the surface, aud the
sun will do no harm. Yours, &C.,
w. l.. WEBER.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mica,
Aug. 3lst, 1874
Hon. w. l.. WEBER,
D,ar Sr:-Yours asking
me to put Ia writing the substance ofmy re.
marks 10 you On the subject of reclaiming
and f'rtiliznP the lighter lands of West
pp hat ,i,,b sk Ion
for TIE benefit Of the settlers along the line
OF your Road, is at hand, and take pleas
ure in comp wing with YOUR request.
The soil Of the northwestern portion Of
lower Michigan is composed Of what scien-
fists term slightly modified glacial drift. hav.
ing undergone but little change, either from
chemical or mechanical agen les, since its
original deposit. IL contains in granula-
ted form, all the mineral elements existing
in the rock formations from which it was dc.
rived.
l have gathered specimens from the light
or soils of Mason, Lake, Manistce, Wexford,
Benzic, Grand Traverse and LeelaLau couii-
tie s-all taken from about thu &c inches be-
low the su fa"e-and subjected them TO an
exapninaiion with the aid Of powerful lens.
Tor the purpose OF determining their miner
al ingredien $; and In every case found an
abundance OF lime, mica and fe,dspar, as well
as silica, or common sand; the lime in tine
scales, or broken fragments, and the field
spar and mica IN rounded grains. As these
last named Eine rails contain large percent
aye Of stash, the only thing which this va
riety OF soil seems to lack is clay and vege
table matter. 4 good supply Of either OF
these would make il exceedingly fertile. To
attempt to supply the former would be to
labori0us, even il clay beds were near at
hand, but the latter may be easily supplied
by clovering or turning under bluegrass sod.
Great difficulty has often been experienced |
in getting a good stand of clover, but the
method has proved very success
iul here on new land OF that character:
Till the land thoroughly in the Summer,
being careful to pillow shallow, so as not to
turn the vegetable matter, already on the |
surface, too deep. In the latter part OF Au-
gust, OF first OfSaptember, SOW winter wheat,
and to each acre sow one peck of clover and
six quarts of timothy seed mixed together
aud rolled in plaster Cultivate tn" whole
IN with IA common cultivatOr, then harrow.
Narrowing alone ia such loose soil ,ciH not coyer
NE seed sufficiently. AS soon as the clover is
up give IL a light dressing of plaster, and la
about two weeks, another. In the Spring, |
as soon as the snow is off and the clover and |
grass begin to start growth, give another
scat of plaster. Frequent dressing with
light coat Of plaster until the wheat is well
headed is much better than one or two heavy |
Il essings. a ton OF nlaster sOwn at inter
'als Of two weeks until the crop is m ,ture,
IS worth more than two tons sown at one
line. Yours, &C.,
j. G. RAMsDELL.