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M A I C A. a 





T. II 



Of the Lands , Settlements ', Soils, Produce, a?id Income of Jamaica. 



THIS ifland, on a moderate computation, is reckoned to contain about four 

 millions and a half of acres of fertile land; but as the mould is varioufly 

 mixed, and the feafons fall differently in the different parts, the foil is varioufly 

 adapted to different forts of vegetables ; for which reafon I (hall now divide the 

 ifland, as it naturally is, into the mountainous, the hilly, and the bottom lands; and 

 endeavour to give a true idea of the nature of each in its turn. 



The mountains of this ifland are generally lofty, and, for the moil parr, as yet 



adorned with their native wmd s, which Jceeps the earth conftantly moilt and cool 



thofe partsxl5""^the loil is generally of a clayey nature, with a large adm 

 of gravel and vegetable mould ; and as it is frequently refremed with mowers, and 

 but feldom expoled to the more active rays of the fun, it is not only the fitteft nurfery 

 for the moft confiderable timber- trees of the ifland, but the moft luxuriant and 

 natural foil for all forts of European plants, as well as native fucculent vegetables; 

 and indeed it anfwers fo well for thefe, that they generally have moll: forts of European 

 greens, roots, and fruit, with a great variety of the indigenous of the growth of thofe 

 rts, in all the public markets. 



The hilly lands, tho' generally (haded and frequently refreshed with mowers, are 

 yet more vigoroufly warmed by the fun. Here the foil is generally terrene or 

 earthy, with a more or lefs copious admixture of clay or gravel, and a larger quan- 

 tity of vegetable mould (a)\ which frequently renders it a moft agreeable bed 

 for the fugar cane; efpecially when marl or clay does not prevail, and a little 

 care is taken to manure the ground. Thefe lands anfwer always beft for the na- 

 tive provifions of the country, and produce all forts of grain, fruit, and farinaceous 

 roots in great abundance : they fupply the mod: agreeable foils for the cacao, coffee, 

 ginger, black pepper, all-fpice, and canella-, nor does the vanilla^ the mandihocca> 

 the maze, the convohine potato, or the Indian corn grow any where more natu- 

 rally, or in greater perfection. 

 IThe third divifion comprehends the lower parts of the ifland; where the lands, 



which are generally the moft fertile and convenient, /eldom fail of being well 

 opened and cultivated. The nature of the foil, however, is different in different 

 parts, and thence may be very conveniently divided into fuch as are immediately 

 furrounded by, or contiguous to the mountains, and thofe more remote and extend- 

 ed plains commonly called Savanas. The former, which fupply not only the rich- 



eft but the moft appropriated foils for the fug 



plant whofe 



growth requires the heat of the lower lands to raife, the moifture of the mountains 

 to dilute, and abundance of vegetable mould to inrich its fap) are conftantly inriched 

 by the warnings of, warmed by the rays reflected from, and refreshed by every 

 cloud that breaks, or fhower that falls upon the higher lands. The favanas 

 are not often inferior to thefe in the quality or native richnefs of their foil, being 

 generally compofed of a fine brick mould, with a more or lefs copious admixture 

 of clay or gravel, which renders it commonly of a more fticky nature: but the 

 feafons feldom fall fo near the fea to refrefh the foil, or to raife fo conftant and 

 luxuriant a vegetation; for there the breezes are too ftrong and conftant by 

 day to let the lighter clouds defcend (o low, and generally too ferene to move 

 them down by night ; which conftantly deprives the lands thus fttuated, both of 



(a) See the nature of thefe different forts of earth and mould in the Natural Hiftory y Part I. where 



■we treat of native fofiils. 



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dews 



