CALCAREOUS MANURES-THEORY. \g 



sund wuuld be still lighter than the Ibrmer, and loavii/ day stiffer than the 

 latter. 



In all compound names of soils, the last term should be considered as ex- 

 pressing the predominant earthy ingredient. Thus, a sandy loamy calca- 

 reous soil would be nearer to loam than sand, and more marked by its cal- 

 careous ingredient than either. Other ingredients of soils, besides the 

 earths, or any accidental or rare quality affecting their character considera- 

 bly, may be described with sufficient accuracy by such additional terms as 

 these — 3, ferruginous gravelly silicious loam— ox: a vegetable calcareous clay. 



CHAPTER II. 



ON THE SOILS, AND STATE OF AGRICULTURE OF THE TIDE-WATER DISTRICT OF 



VIRGINIA. 



-" During several days of our journey, no spot was seen that was not 



covered with a luxuriant growth of large and beautiful forest trees, except 

 where they had been destroyed by the natives for the purpose of cultiva- 

 tion. The least fertile of their pasture lands, without seeding, are soon 

 covered with grass several feet in height ; and unless prevented by cultiva- 

 tion, a second growth of trees rapidly springs up, which, without care or at- 

 tention, attain their giant size in half the time that would be expected on the 

 best lands in England." 



If the foregoing description was met with in a ' Journey through Cabul,' 

 or some equally unknown region, no European reader would doubt but 

 such lands were fertile in the highest degree— and many even of ourselves 

 would receive the same Impression. Yet it is no exaggerated account of 

 the poorest natural soils in our own poor country, which are as remarkable 

 for their producing luxuriant growths of pines, and broom grass, as for 

 their unproductiveness in every cultivated or valuable crop. We are so ac- 

 customed to these facts, that we scarcely think of their singularity ; nor of 

 the impropriety of calling any land barren, which will produce a rapid or 

 heavy growth of any one plant. Indeed, by the rapidity of that growth, 

 (or the fitness of the soil for its production,) we have in some measure 

 formed a standard of the poverty of the soil. 



With some exceptions to every general character, the tide-water district 

 of Virginia may be described as generally level, sandy, poor, and free from 

 any fixed rock, or any other than stones rounded apparently by the attrition 

 of water. On much the greater part of the lands, no stone of any kind is 

 to be found of larger size than gravel. Pines of different kinds form the 

 greater part of a heavy cover to the silicious soils in their virgin state, and 

 mix considerably with oaks and other growth of clay land. Both these 

 kinds of soil, after being exhausted of their little fertility by cultivation, and 

 " turned out" to recruit, are soon covered by young pines which grow with 

 vigor and luxuriance. This general description applies more particularly 

 to the ridges which separate the slopes on different streams. The ridge 

 lands are always level, and very poor— sometimes clayey, more generally 

 sandy, but stiffer than would be inferred from the proportion of silicious 

 earth they contain, which is caused by the fineness of its particles. Whor- 

 tleberry bushes, as well as pines, are abundant on ridge lands— and nume- 

 rous shallow basins are found, which are ponds of rain water in winter, 

 but dry in summer. None of this large proportion of our lands has paid 

 the expense of clearing and cultivation, and much the greater part still re- 



