either worthless or injurious. And this more important end, the author regrets 

 to believe has as yet scarcely been even partially attained, by the dissemination 

 and proper understanding of correct views of the subject. Of course it is not to 

 be supposed that this essay has been read (if even heard of) by one in ten of 

 the many who have been prompted by verbal inlormation to attempt the practice 

 it recommends ; and of those who have read, and who have even expressed 

 warm approbation of the work, it has seldom been found that their praise was 

 discriminating, or founded upon a thorough examination of its reasoning and 

 theoretical views, on which principally rests whatever value it may possess. 

 For all persons who are so eas ly convinced, it may truly be said, that the volume 

 embraced nothing more, and was worth no more, than would be stated in these 

 few words — " the application of calcareous manures will be found highly im- 

 proving and profitable." It is not therefore at all strange, that the attentive read- 

 ing of a volume to obtain this truth, was generally deemed unnecessary. 



Though the first edition of this work has been nearly exhausted, the circulation 

 has as yet been almost confined to that small portion of the state of Virginia alone 

 in which the mode of improvement recommended had previously been success- 

 fully commenced, or had at least attracted much attention. But this district is 

 not better fitted to be thus improved than the remainder of the great tide-water 

 region stretching from Long Island to Mobile— and to a great part of which cal- 

 careous manures may be cheaply appUed. It is only in parts of Maryland and 

 Virginia that many extensive and highly profitable applications of fossil shells, or 

 marl, have been yet made. In North Carolina the value of the manure has 

 been but lately tried ; in South Carolina and Georgia, no notice of it has yet 

 been taken, or at least has not been made known ; and in Florida and Alabama, 

 (parts of which are peculiarly suited to receive these benefits.) it is most erro- 

 neously thought that such improvements are only profitable for long settled and 

 impoverished countries. The farmers of Pennsylvania have gone far ahead of 

 those of Virginia in manuring with^lime — and it is believed (but upon no certain 

 testimony) that in New Jersey, use has been made of the calcareous manure 

 which in Virginia is called marl, as vveU as of the green sand, which they even 

 still more erroneously call by the same name. But whatever may have been the 

 extent of their use of calcareous manures of every kind, and however ^reat their 

 success, it is believed that our northern brethren have been as little directed by 

 correct views of the operation of these manures, as those of the south, who have 

 neglected them entirely. 



But though the circulation of this work will be most useful through the great 

 tide- water region, which is so generally supplied with underlying beds of fossil 

 shells, and so much of the soil of which especially needs such manure, still the 

 assertion may be ventured that there is no part of the country where the views 

 presented, if true, are not important to be known; and, if known, would not be 

 highly useful to aid the improvement of soils. It is to the general theory of the 

 constitution of fertile and barren soils, that the attention and severe scrutiny of 

 both scientific and practical agriculturists are invited ; and to the several minor 

 points there presented, which are either altogether new, or not established by 

 authority — such as the doctrine of acidity in soils — of the incapacity of poor and 

 acid soils to be enriched — and of the entire absence of carbonate of lime in most 

 of the soils of this country. 



The circumstances stated above, have induced the publication of a second,edi- 

 tion as a supplement to the 'Farmers' Register,' (and suited to be bound with 

 either volume of that work,) which, in that form, may have the facility of distri- 

 bution through the mail— and which may be offered at so low a price as to reach, 

 as nearlv as possible, that general circulation which is its author's main object. 



^pril', 1835. 



