Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-01-16

J. osv1tIr TkyIoR.


Silica, or sand, alnmins, or clay, and
carbonate. of lime, are the principal
ingredients of the soil. The open,
porous, or sandy, is where the silics
is the main ingredient. The atm,
clay soil is that in which alumins
predomiuates; and what is called Q
loan, contains nearly equal proportions
of silica, alumina and carbonate Of
time, furnishing tho best soil for till
age. 80
Each of these soils requires Q diff'
erent treatment for their improvement
The silicious, or sandy. is deficient II
humus, or vegetable and animal mat
ter. This can be supplied BY the adj
dition of muck, found in swamps, o.
low places; by blowing under greer
crops, either clover, rye, or oats; and
by the application of baru-yard
manures. The open, porous nature
of the soil has permitted the humus &c
eitter evsporste, or sink beneath the
roots of the growing crop. The more
we apply vegetable and ANNA
matter to this soil, the more tenacious
sticky and salvy it becomes, and thus
better fitted to prevent sudden, ex-
treme evaporation, leaving the ground
too dry, and also arresting the sinking
of the manure. Where there is
stiff subsoil, FIVE or six inches below
the surface, a sandy soil may be resdil,
and permanently improved. And ths
purchaser of a farm OF sandy sol
should he careful TO examine the SUBJ
soil, which if loose and sravelly, vii
make the soil and its tOp-dressings o
less value.
The alumiDous or clay soil, will b'
benefited by the application OF lim'
which unites with the clay, disiutegrst
ing it. or breaking up into fine parti
cles the whole mass, and TINS per-
mittiug the small roots to penetrst'
every part and find their TODD, which
before this disin,egration, lay lateu'
and useless. Lime is, a!so, in very
susll lr portions direct alimen', oil
tod FIR pl MS. 1t is from the grass
and gram the animal obtslos the lime
that makes the bones The clay sol
i greatly improved BY pulverisation
and hence should never be worked
when W.T.; when dry it should 'her
bs brokru up as finely as possible
As this $. Il does not permit 'hr sur
fac .>wa,tr to soas through readily
o. n aud amply drainage shout BE-
~ " e.. FL t- sill r''~-'nc Z"
as,.,-. L. paf .rui,'., ..:~-"i ''''
pc.Ash producing 90 nos me
hard .dh. sive clay, ani being ais {
mineral food Tor plants.
The calcarlous, ,r lime soil, com
bines in greater or less proportions
the sllicious, aluminous, and carb"na
ciou-, and pe,ng = mixture OF the prin'
cipL primary earths, is the most fer
tile vi ali the soils, and on this soil VI
may pro6tably put gypsum, or plaster
lime, and bumus in every form; and i
may be more certainly relied OF
whether the season be 8 wet. or DR.!
one .
1t is what is called loan, and i
the soil OF tho Wes'ern prairies, hold
ing in that primative state, a lsrg'
amount OF dead vegetable matter
The soil holds in its bosom the too(
for plants. This food is mostly iron
decayed vegetables, or decomposeC
dead plants and animals; the decsyins
and the dead becoming food tor tn
living. But this food can be tsker
only in liquid form, and hence tn
necessity Of the presence OF waite
which is : solvent, and holds in solu
ton that which the plant is seeking
and can take in no other way. Thl
shows Why liquid msnures are NOR
immediate 10 their action than thos
that are solid. :,
LIE nest oOlI ID thas "AAOh wv
contains the most food for plants, bu
that which has It, also, in the bes
prepared state for the plants to sPpro
pirate. The stiff, hard and lumpy ella.
soil locks the food up; the open sand.
soil permits it to run away, and eye'
10 the loamy soil the plant frequent.
is not able TO take its food, either frog
the want OF excess OF water: (tor waite
in excess either sours, or diiutes to-
much) or from its not beng broken u
to the requisite h0eness. The intelli
gent farmer, by clos. observation o
the habits and appehtes, likes and dis
likes Of plants, eau feed them with d
much certsi.ty as he can feed a.
animal. And be may analyxe hi
soil aud know what II is wanting in
and what will supply the want AM
not work bhrdly and mechanically Il
the dark.