14 The Natural Historg 



The Planters for the most part live by the Water side, few 

 or none living in the In-land parts of the Country at present, 

 though the Lands are as good and fertile as any that are yet 

 inhabited ; but not so commodious for Carriage as by the 

 Water, for most part of the Plantations run but a Mile back- 

 ward into the Woods, so that betwixt every River you shall 

 see vast Tracts of Land lying waste, or inhabited only by 

 wild Beasts : What is worthy of Observation is. That almost 

 every Planter may have a convenient Dock upon his Planta- 

 tion, and a sufficient Quantity of good Timber to build Ships 

 and Boats withal. 





OF THE CORN OF 



NORTH CAROLINA. 



THE Wheat of this Province is very good and fair, the 

 Plour very White, but the Grain is not altogether so 

 large as ours, yet it seldom yields less than thirty ]\Ieas- 

 ures for one sown ; not but that there has been Sixty Increase 

 for one sown in Piney Land, which is accounted the worst Soil 

 in the Country, and I have been credibly inform'd, that the 

 Wheat which was Planted in the Savannas, and such like rich 

 Soil, has produced a Hundred for one Measure Sown. These 

 considerable Increases prevent the Planters to make strict and 

 nice Observations of the Nature and Goodness of the Soil ; 

 for I never saw one Acre of Land managed as it ought to be, 

 and were they as Negligent in their Husbandry in Europe, 

 as they are in North Carolina, their Land would jiroduce 



nothing 



