The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-12
INTEREST
IN A DRY SUBJECT
Continued from First Page.)

are supposed to be fashioned either from
, common or uncommon clay You can,
If you hit on the right processes of edu-
cation, make good negro out of a
black boy, sbut you cannot possibly make
q white man out Of him. So, from land
that Is not naturally adapted to raising |
Strawberries or roses or tobacco, you
cannot by any amount OF fertilization
produce what 1t was never intended to
produce. Yet simple as such q PROPOSE |
ton appears to be- somebody is forever
possessed with q notion that because the
climate or some other factor Is favorable !
he can raise certain crops on land that
contains too much clay and not enough
sand or that does not drain Alright and
never WILL Some soils are, furthermore,
naturally prone to diseases, Just as some
families and even races show inherited
lack of vitality, and hence are subject to
tuberculosis, cancer and various other
diseases.
One OF tho factors which have been
recognized In such a study as the one
that Mr.. Coffey Is making to satisfy the
requirements of the department Of grad
ua,e work at the George Washington
University is that of the mechanical
composition of the SOIL The term means
essentially the relative coarseness Or fine
ness OF the mineral particles that are
the basis Of all soil. The ordinary scheme
of classification runs from gravel through
sands, sandy loans, loans, and silt loans
to clays. II the particles of a specimen
OF earth are prevailingly coarse the soil
is apt to have one value; Il they arc for
the most part fine. quite another value.
There is n great deal OF variation among
even scientists In the use of these terms,
and 1t is Mr.. Coffey's purpose to try and
secure a more accurate and uniform
usage 80 the work Of different investga-
tors will be more comparable. Some
scientists think that this question OF me-
chanical composition is the most impor-
tant OF all. Even those who hold a less
extreme view are agreed that it is GER
tainly very vital
The reasons for tho differences of soils
as regards size OF particles involves the
whole fascinating geological story of the
North American continent. All along the
fat coastal plains Of the Atlantic from
New York City to the southern tip of
Florida arc immense tracts Of sandy soil
which tell to the geologst tale of the
upward pushing of the ocean bed in COM
parativclE recent times, with the result
OF exposing Il great shelf 200 miles wide
at Its greatest extent in North Carolina.
In this district, where so much of the
garden truck Of the whole country Is
raised. the soils are composed largely
of sand washed down by rivers from the
Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont
plateurs to the west.
TT Further back in the Piedmont belt are
= the soils which are heavier and more
consistent, being formed directly from
the underlying rocks. Behind this belt
arc the mountain sides. very ancient and
GrIZZled aristocrats, according to the geo.
logical blue book. A wearing existence
they have led. for countless ages. Every
Z drop OF rain that falls Is charged with
minute quantities Of acid that eats into
the mountain rocks and keeps the pro-
cesses Of tho formation OF new materia
alive. The frosts. too, Of the winter
split boulders and lodges. The roots O.
trees and plants on tho steep slopes con
tribute their quota Of chemicals that hell
to dissolve the stone beneath, and ulst
break It up by mechanical action.
Vastness OF the Work.
Considering the differences amon
rocks OF only one section, to say moth
Ing OF the differences In the soils du
10 differences in the processes of forma
tion, II Is not strange that the scientis
who undertakes to classify soils finds al
almost depress!ngly large list OF the va
rictles OF dirt awaiting MS disposition
The Ice alone has made mess enough
keep the experts classifying for gen
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