196 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



to be found numerous black horn-stones often in large 

 fragments. Hence where these stones occur else- 

 where, it may be guessed with considerable certainty 

 that there is limestone soil near by. The limestone of 

 this region is also frequently covered with sand-stone. 



At the first glance, on account of its especial dryness 

 the soil on these hills seems not to be very fertile. Be- 

 sides, it promises little by reason of the common goose- 

 grass (Verbascum Thapsus) which so often takes pos- 

 session, and other plants fond of dry and poor soils. 

 But this land is praised as very good wheat-land. The 

 wheat sown in the fall grows through the temperate 

 and commonly moist spring until by June, when the 

 greatest heats begin, it has reached so much of its 

 growth as rather to be helped than hurt by the summer 

 heats ; whereas later field crops, such as maize, buck- 

 wheat, turnips &c depend more on seasonable rains and 

 therefore oftener fail. The lighter soil of this region 

 is moreover not disagreeable to the farmer because it 

 requires no great labor in the working. They flatter 

 themselves here that they can increase the fertility of 

 the soil by lime and plaister,* but this method is by no 

 means adapted for this soil. 



From the last hill, a mile from Reading, there is an 

 agreeable prospect over sundry ranges of larger and 

 smaller hills that with apparent regularity rise one be- 

 hind the other. The Blue Mountains are hardly to be 



* About Philadelphia and Germantown, Whitemarsh, Lan- 

 caster, and York the use of plaister for grass and plow-land 

 has recently become a favorite practice, because there is less 

 trouble involved than in the collecting, lading, hauling, and 

 spreading of the common dung of cattle trouble which the 

 farmer here does not willingly submit to. 



