new DIX. xix

coarser sand of the dry soil submitted to exa- mination, may be removed by seives. The sand is almost universally silicious: if it contains lime it will efl'ervesce in dilute muriatic acid, and may be tested as a calcareous soil. To ascertain the quantity oflime present in any soil, a quantity in a fine state should be burned in the air, 100 or 200 grains may then be well stirred in~a pint ofwater mixed with a wine glass full of muriatic acid, after the mixture has stood two hours, having been occa— sionally stirred, the water is to be poured ofl; the soil must then be heated to redness, and, when weigh- . ed, the loss will be nearly that ofthe lime it contained.

The quantity of vegetable or organic matter may be determined by drying the soil well, and burning a. weighed quantity in the air, the loss apprcximating ~ the quantity of organic matter. By these simple operations farmers might make useful comparisons between their richest and poorest soils, and be direct- » ed to the fertilising substances required by the latter.

The silicious or sandy soils are found on very part ' ofthe Island, their colours are red or light gray, fre- quently a thin stratum of white sand is turned up by the plough, and which, in some countries, would be considered quite sterile, but this white sand most frequently rests upon a pliable red sund stone sub- soil, containing a small quantity ofthe carbonate of lime, and often produces good crops of barley and oats. It is much improved by deep or sub—soil ploughing, and the application of clay, and more es— pecially marsh, or “ muscle mud,” would prove high- ly advantageous.

The argillo-silicious soils are also abundant. In - general they are a brisk red sandy loam, well adapt- . ed for all kinds ofgrain, clover, lucern and potatos. When first cleared,many oftliese lands will produce two crops of wheat and a crop of potatos, and, by . being turned out to pasture, or inclosed for mowing, will, yield a crop of wheat every four years Without manure. Few lands in the British Provinces possess