AND WHERE TO FIND ONE. 233 



ground still remains free and mellow to imbibe the atmos 

 pheric influence, and does not bake in drying so as to ex 

 clude the air, like our heavy, loamy land. This is the 

 reason why sweet potatoes grown on light, sandv soil, are 

 dry and mealy when cooked, light colored and of excellent 

 quality, while those grown on rich, heavy land, worth from 

 $100 to $200 per acre, according to the location, are 

 watery, heavy, dark colored and unpalatable. This is the 

 reason why our light Jersey soil is so very certain for a 

 crop of round potatoes.&quot; 



Here are some two millions of acres of unculti 

 vated land, shut out from all ready approach, until 

 the year 1854:, for want of railroads. In that year 

 the Camden and Atlantic road was opened. It be 

 gins at Camden, opposite to Philadelphia, and ex 

 tends to the ocean at Atlantic City, once a mere 

 barren sand-heap, but now a populous town, with 

 gravelled streets lighted with gas, and built up with 

 great hotels on the beach, and private summer resi 

 dences of wealthy Philadelphians. At that time 

 Atlantic county contained 315,000 acres, of which 

 only 15,000 were improved ; Cumberland contained 

 335,450 acres, with only 4^,460 improved. The 

 railroad traversed an almost desolate wilderness. 

 The land had only a nominal price, and was con 

 stantly accumulating in large tracts in the hands of 

 wealthy owners. But no sooner had the railroad 

 been opened than the whole condition of things was 

 changed. Its track is becoming lined with farms 

 and villages. The old growth of pine and scrub 

 oak is being cleared off. buildings erected, lands en 

 closed, and crops produced. On every side tho 



