168 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



In the Southern States, too, there is much land that has 

 become sterile by severe croping With tobacco and Indian 

 corn ; and, by being left bare, has washed much into gul- 

 lies by the rains. 



Many dry, sandy, and gravelly tracts may be converted 

 into a state of fertility, by the addition of clay or marie to 

 the soil. 



See MANURES. 



There are also particular grasses that flourish in very dry 

 soils, which would enable the Farmer successfully to pur- 

 sue the soiling-system of culture in such lands. 

 See GRASSES, SOILING, 8cc. 



Where such soils are, however, at the same time very 

 broken, perhaps the culture of the locust would be found 

 the most profitable to which they could be applied. The 

 mulberry might also be cultivated in the lower and richer 

 parts, 



Sec LOCUST and MULBERRY. 



The soil of the county of Norfolk, Greatbritain, in its 

 original state, was mostly a poor weak sand, very similar to 

 much of the lands lying between the cities of Albany and 

 Schenectady, and to several extensive pine-plains which lie 

 in the county of Saratoga, and elsewhere in that vicinity. 

 But this poor soil has, nevertheless, been rendered nearly 

 as productive as any in that Country; and this has been 

 wholly effected by proper manures, to make it more reten- 

 tive of moisture, and by a system of husbandry adapted to 

 the soil. 



It is there that the culture of turnips, for feeding and 

 fating of cattle, is most extensively pursued. Those who 

 cultivate those lands have long since discovered, that the 

 only way to make them profitable for cultivation is, to stock 

 them with as many Neat- cattle as can be fed and fated 

 upon them ; which effords the manures that are essentially 

 requisite for such soils. They need little ploughing, but 

 much manure ; and that of Neat-cattle is particularly filed 

 for them. The soiling system is admirably calculated for 

 such lands. 



But, before such soils can be well fited for good cultiva- 

 tion, they require some manure which will endue them with 

 more solidity, and thus make them more retentive of mois- 

 ture; and this is only to be effected by sufficiently loading 

 the soil with the earth of bogswamps, or that dug out 

 of ponds, or with upland marie, or clay, or loam. Probably 

 peat, or turf, when completely decomposed by the acid 

 of lime, in composts, may be found to answer pretty well 

 {or this purpose. 

 See MANURES. 



