122 HOW TO GET A FAKM, 



ally reclaimed. In a primitive condition of society, 

 therefore, with money scarce and land abundant, the 

 richer soils are neglected for the poorer. 



The early settlers, throughout New England, es 

 tablished themselves on the higher lands along the 

 river courses, leaving to their more wealthy succes 

 sors the task of clearing up and draining the swamps. 

 New York and New Jersey were settled on the 

 same plan ; the higher grounds were first occupied, 

 while vaat meadows of extreme richness were neg 

 lected, because they required drainage. New Jer 

 sey contains multitudes of abandoned clearings, 

 made by the first settlers on the poorer soils, but 

 long since deserted for the richer ones. Maryland 

 abounds with evidences of the poverty of the soils 

 first occupied, and of the richness of the meadow- 

 farms subsequently brought under tillage. In Penn 

 sylvania, the oldest habitations were always the 

 most distant from the rivers. The rule prevails 

 throughout the South and West. The higher and 

 drier lands, in Mississippi, were peopled first ; the 

 rich bottom lands of her great river were subse 

 quently reclaimed by ditches, and the vast embank 

 ment which now keeps out the annual overflow. 

 Throughout South America the same extraordinary 

 uniformity of practice has prevailed. In England, 

 over the European continent, and wherever man 

 has found a foothold, no departure from it can be dis 

 covered. The law laid down by Mr. Carey may thus 

 be regarded as incontrovertible the poorer lands of 

 a country are settled first, the richer ones are settled 

 last. 



