RYE. 33 



the lofty woodlands of the West, that have stood for 

 ages. Now, according to the common doctrine, so 

 many large oaks would suck up all the substance of 

 the soil and render it as poor as silex itself. Look 

 again at the Prairies of the W$st. They are an evi- 

 dence at once that my doctrine is true. They are 

 eternally covered with sedge or grass, and are as rich 

 as land can possibly be. 



The nakedness of the land during Winter and Sum- 

 mer is the cause of its impoverishment, and another 

 grand cause is the constant tillage without giving the 

 land rest. It is as natural for the soil to require rest . 

 as man. In the State of Delaware, particularly the 

 lower counties, a ruinous mode of culture has been 

 pursued for years. The land is mostly held by the 

 wealthy, and tenants seldom take or rent a farm for 

 more than one year. His object then is to get all off 

 the land he possibly can, and of course tills all he 

 can. They practise entirely on the old plan. 



I beg of the farmers of Maryland, and of the Uni- 

 ted States, to follow my advice as it respects the 

 mode of tilling, and put their farms in six or eight 

 fields ; and my word for it, you will see the benefit 

 which will follow. You will discover that you are be- 

 coming rich as well as your land, and your regret will 

 be, that you did not know this mode of cultivation 

 sooner. 



The action of the sun on the naked land, is like 



the power of the rays which come through a lens or 

 3* 



