306 CALCARF.OUS MANURES— APPENDIX. 



to be unnecessary to enlarge more upon here — ) instead of blinding us to 

 the unabated though more concealed effects of remaining sources of malaria, 

 should urge tlie more strongly, and encourage every effort, to destroy all 

 such sources. For if the mere counteraction of opposite influences has 

 so much improved the healthiness of a large portion of lower Virginia, it 

 may be safely inferred, that the removal of the remaining sources of disease, 

 and leaving the beneficial influences to operate freely and absolutely, in- 

 stead of merely by counteraction, vi^ould serve to make this region as 

 healthy, in general, as any part of our whole country.* 



The most important part of this subject is the consideration of the reme- 

 dies for the evils described. But although the means available for this end 

 in my opinion are ready, cheap, and sure, still it is needless at present to 

 argue in their favor at great length. Unless the people are aroused to a 

 proper sense of the evils under which the country suffers, no regard will 

 be paid to the consideration of proper remedies; and if the former object 

 can be gained, the latter will then necessarily follow. 



The most important of these remedies, and of which the proper use, I 

 maintain, will remove nearly all the existing sources of malaria, and make 

 lower and middle Virginia healthy, will be merely here stated concisely and 

 distinctly. 



1st. To prevent the continuance of any mill-ponds of very uncertain 

 supply, and variable " head," or height of water. 



2d. To furnish to the land-floods, of streams swollen by rains or by any 

 mill-ponds still left, the quickest and best possible discharge to tide-water 

 by open canals, so as to prevent the fresh-waters passing over any salt- 

 marshes. 



3d. To drain the great flat swamps ; all of which require a continued 

 canal to be extended from the lowest out-let up to the head of the supply 

 of water, in the most effective course, and on a general plan, through the 

 lands of many different proprietors. The drainage of lands so situated is 

 effectually forbidden by the existing laws; as there is no power to act, 

 unless all the proprietors concur in every particular of the execution and 

 expense of the drainage; which is obviously impossible. 



4th. To refrain from embanking from the tide any marshes of the usual 

 putrescent and perishable soil. 



5th. To apply marl or lime to all lands needing calcareous manures, and 

 on which they can be furnished at not too great cost for even such great 

 improvement of soil and product as would certainly be obtained in all such 

 cases. 



The two last means of prevention are altogether within the power of 

 individuals, and will be used, or not, according to the views of different in- 

 dividuals as to the agricultural profit to be expected from such operations. 



The three first-named means of remedy would each require the action of 

 the legislature, to enable them to be used to any considerable extent. 



The necessity for a general plan being authorized by law for inducing 

 and compelling combined operations to drain swamps on long and sluggish 

 streams, though merely for agricultural improvement and profit, is already 

 evident to most intelligent farmers ; and perhaps nothing is now wanting to 

 procure such legislation but the proper exertion of some of the individuals 

 who are most interested on the subject.! 



The giving free vent to land-floods, also, by wide and straight canals, and 



* This paragraph is an addition to this article, as it was first published in 1838. The 

 only other chanees made, are the correction of a few verbal inaccuracies, and the marks of 

 references to this Essay being made to suit the present instead of the previous edition 



t See Farmers' Register, vol. i., pp. 232, 386, 518, 733, 734. 



