placed. A certain inclination is peculiarly advantageous to them; and, indeed, in working clayey lands that stand upon a dead level, we are careful to ridge them in such a way as to favor the escape of water."

CHAPTER III.

CLASSIFICATION AND ADAPTATION OF SOILS.

SECTION I.

CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS; SECTION II. ADAPTATION TO DIFFERENT FRUITS - VARIETIES OF THE APPLE, APRICOT, BERBERRY, CHERRY, CURRANT, FIG, GOOSEBERRY, GRAPE, PEACH, AND NECTARINEVARIETIES OF THE PEAR, PLUM, QUINCE, RASPBERRY, STRAWBERRY.

SECTION I. CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS.

IN arranging soils according to system, we shall

adopt, as the most simple, that which was used by Loudon. The classes are formed from the presence or absence of organic or inorganic matter in their bases; therefore they are divided into primitive and secondary earths. These classes are subdivided according as they are founded on saline, metallic, or carbonic matter: the genera, on the principal earths, salts, metals, or carbon; species, on different mixtures; varieties, on color and texture; sub-varieties, on moisture, dryness, richness, or lightness. Mr. Loudon observes:

"In naming the genera of soils, the first thing to discover is the prevailing earth or earths; either the simple earths, as clay, lime, and sand, or the particular rocks from which the soil has been produced, as granite, basalt, etc. Where one prevails,

80

GENERA AND SPECIES.

the generic name should be taken from that, as clayey soils; where two prevail, to all appearance equally, then their names must be conjoined in naming their genus, as clay and sand, or lime and clay, etc. The great thing to be observed is precision in applying the terms. Sir Humphrey Davy observed: The term sandy soil should never be applied to any that does not consist of at least seveneighths sand; sandy soils which effervesce with acids should be distinguished by the name of calcareous sandy soils. The term clayey soil should not be applied to any land which contains less than onesixth of impalpable earth matter not considerably effervescing with acids; the word loam should be limited in its application to soils containing at least one-third of the same, copiously effervescing with acids. A soil to be considered as peaty should consist of at least one-half of vegetable matter. cases where the earthy part of a soil is evidently the decomposed matter of one particular rock, a name derived from it may with propriety be applied. Alluvial soils may be designated as silicious, calcareous, or argillaceous; and in some cases the term saline may be added as a specific distinction applicable, for example, at the embouchure of rivers, when the alluvial remains are overflown by the sea.

In

"In naming the species, greater nicety is required than in naming the genera. The species are always determined by the mixture of matters, and never by

the color or texture of that mixture, which belongs to the nomenclature of varieties. Thus a clayey soil with sand, is a sandy clay; this is the name of the species: if the mass is yellow, and it is thought worth while to notice that circumstance, then it is a yellow sandy clay, which expresses at once the genus, species, and variety. A soil containing equal parts of clay, lime, and sand, would, as a generic term, be called clay, lime, and sand; if it contained no other mixture in considerable quantity, the term entire might be added as a specific distinction; and if notice was to be taken of its color or degree of comminution, it might be termed a brown, a fine, a coarse, a stiff, or a free entire clay, lime, or sand."

The following table (p. 82) is used not only by Mr. Loudon, but by the agricultural establishments of Fellenberg, at Hofwyl, in Switzerland, at Moegelin, in Prussia, and also by Prof. Thouin.

SECTION II. ADAPTATION OF SOILS.

The choice of a suitable soil for the different species of fruits is a matter of great importance.

That which is adapted to the growth of the apple differs somewhat according to the variety. Yet we find certain general qualities of the soil applicable to all. Those lands which part with their moisture readily are not suited to the growth of the apple,