A new system of practical domestic economy.

Date:: 1823

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new system of practical domestic economy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

29/524 (page 13)

SOIL AND WATER. he either purchases, builds, or rents. To ascertain the exact quality of land, requires, indeed, con- siderable practice and experience: but a general idea may be formed by the simple experiment of turning up a turf, pouring some soft water on it, and kneading it with the fingers, when a kind of adhesiveness will be perceived in proportion to its fertility. It will be proper also to ascertain the depth of good soil, by digging small trenches in different places. If the soil dug from any trench, does not refill it, then the land is bad : if it fills up the space exactly, then the land is middling. But if the trench shall be not only filled, but heaped, then the soil may be considered as rich and ex- cellent. It must be added, however, that this rule is not strictly applicable to stiff clay or marl. On such a soil, and on a slight elevation to guard against dampness, a man may fix without danger of inconvenience ; provided he pays some attention to a proper supply of water, so that it shall neither be too much nor too little, and at all times under his own control. Of all adventitious circumstances, indeed, per- haps the first is water, not only in regard to quan- tity, but to its chemical qualities. In building, a house, therefore, in a new situation, it may be well first to choose the spot, and then to dig for a well; by which means the expense may often be saved of trying the foundation for that purpose merely. To impress the importance of this consideration upon our readers, we may throw out a few chemical reasons for the necessity of examination, as well as a few of the simplest chemical tests for ascer- taining the question, on which depends so much of the health and comfort of our household, and of domestic convenience and domestic economy. Persons unacquainted with the chemical powers