FROM NAZARETH TO CARLISLE 195 



forests are largely oak,* but the trees are nowhere 

 either large or strong. What we have seen yesterday 

 and today would be counted young wood, but this is 

 hardly probable, because we observed no old stumps. 

 Besides, the thin trunks do not stand very close to- 

 gether ; the dry soil of these hills does not give any 

 superfluous nourishment. And this was confirmed by 

 the accounts of the inhabitants who say they rarely 

 find an oak more than six inches through. Hence they 

 are obliged to fetch their fence-rails 4-6 miles, split 

 chesnut-rails being used for this purpose, the oak rot- 

 ting faster, especially if the bark is left on. 



After sunset we came to Kutz-town (19 miles from 

 Allen-town and 31 from Nazareth). A well to-do 

 German, in order to cut something of a figure with his 

 name in his ears, gave the land for this place, which 

 is only some three years old, and the houses but few 

 and not large. 



From Kutz-town to Reading, 19 miles, through a 

 similar landscape, over limestone hills. Nearer the 

 town the land grows better and is better farmed ; and 

 the houses are more numerous and finer. We did not 

 cross a brook until six miles from Reading ; on the 

 road there appeared many kinds of soft clayey-slate, 

 grey, white, reddish ; at times we saw the red earth, 

 but the common surface covering continued the red- 

 dish-loam. 



Along all these limestone hills, and only on them, are 



* The soil of these forests is not a very good grass-soil and 

 furnishes but meagre pasturage for cattle. It was long ago 

 remarked that the European oak was a hindrance to the 

 growth of grass and other plants within its influence. Is this 

 true here also? 



