27 6 CHINESE HUSBANDRY. 



EARTHS. 



The foil is as different at Canton as in other 

 places, according to the fituation. All low 

 grounds are covered with clay and black 

 mould ; but the higher the ground rifes, the 

 more a yellow and reddifh ochrous earth, 

 glimmer, and fand, prevail : when fuch a foil 

 has been left uncultivated and untouched for 

 a while, it acquires, by the vicifiltudes of rain 

 and fun-mine, as it were a petrified furface. 

 Notwithstanding this, pines, and other bitu- 

 minous trees, grow very well on it ; and fome 

 not very, tender plants, which in our country 

 grow on old walls, and on high rocks, ftrik- 

 ing their roots into the cracks : this ihews, 

 that the earth on the hilis, which is expof- 

 ed to the winds and heat, is difpofed ta 

 produce plants, though the rain waflies away 

 its manure. 



The river Ta, or Taho, which runs into 

 the fea below Canton, the water of which is* 

 hereabouts a mixture of frefli and fait by the 

 tide, divides the country for the diftance of 

 fome miles round about the town, into many 

 greater and lefs iilands, whofe mores are 



broad, 



