370 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
Notes and Observations on the Botany, Weather, &e., of the United 
States of America, made during a tour in that country, in 1846 
and 1847. By Ww. Aron Browrrezn, M.D., F.L.S., &c. 
(Continued from p. 913.) ; 
The Jersey Pine barrens are but the northern extremity of that 
region so remarkable for its vast extent and general uniformity of 
aspect, as well as of geological and even botanical features, called 
the great Atlantic Plain, stretching from the mouth of the 
Hudson far down into Florida, having the great Appalachian 
chain for its western confines, and widening with the recession of . 
those mountain ridges from the sea coast, to their termination in 
the rolling country intervening betwixt the Atlantic and the basm 
of the Missisippi, that forms the upper districts of Alabama and 
Georgia, in which are united the head waters of the Savannah and 
Alatamaha rivers, and those of the Alabama, Chattahoochee, and 
other noble streams that descend to the ocean and the Gulf of 
Mexico. This immense alluvial tract, the bed, doubtless, of the 
Atlantic in former ages, and which rises by a scarcely perceptible 
inclination from the shores of the ocean to its mountain barrier 
on the west, exhibits the extremes of sterility and productiveness, 
of unhealthiness and salubrity, in proportion to the distance from 
the seaboard by which these conditions are greatly affected ; the 
increased dryness and elevation attained on approaching the 
“middle” and “ upper country” from the lower maritime districts 
being the more favourable to health, as the fertility of the soil 
diminishes. Towards the foot of the mountains the now undu- 
lating surface is clothed with Oak and Hickory (hence called 
Hickory lands), and the strong rich soil yields abundant returns 
in Wheat, Indian Corn, Tobacco, and all. the productions of the 
low country, except Cotton, for which the altitude of the upper - 
districts is unsuitable. 
Our route to Quaker m lay through a level but agreeably 
