96 CULTIVATION OF THE 



established to justify the attempt in that part of 

 the State, with more than the mere hope of a 

 fortunate result. The soil, a light sand, has as 

 much fertility as is required by the wants and 

 habits of the plant, and so open in its nature as 

 to carry off the superabundant moisture, and 

 allow at the same time the vine freely to push 

 its roots, both superficially and in depth, in 

 search of the nutritive aliment congenial to its 

 prosperity and advancement. The climate du- 

 ring the summer has a temperature equal to the 

 production of the finest wines, and the general 

 character of the month of September, as is well 

 known, is remarkably dry, insomuch that the 

 crops of the country are frequently much injur- 

 ed, and sometimes entirely cut off by the exces- 

 sive drought. Agriculture at Cape May has 

 perhaps received less attention than in many 

 other parts of the country. The extensive forests 

 of the southern section of New Jersey, and the 

 facilities afforded by the various navigable waters, 

 intersecting the country and so communicating 

 with the Bay of Delaware, have opened to the 

 inhabitants the profitable market of Philadelphia; 

 and it has heretofore been found that in the 

 rapid growth of their woods, and the increas- 

 ing price from an increased consumption of 

 fuel, that a better return has been made to the 

 proprietor from the trade in timber, than from 

 the cultivation of the land. 



The introduction of the anthracite as a fuel 

 and the diminished price of that article from th, 

 opening of new mines, in almost every part of 

 Pennsylvania, within reach of the city, threa en 



