No. 12. 



Premiums of Pa. Horticultural Society. — Soy. 



379 



ther from market and from the supply of 

 town-made piitrejcent manures, both of which 

 I know were important advantages in the 

 eyes of the gentlemen alluded to. So great, 

 so surpassing all others, are the advantages 

 of having easy access to our marl beds, that 

 I deem them beyond all other advantages 

 witiiout them. And I would strongly urge 

 upon all persons who propose to settle in 

 Virginia, to seek for marling lands. Some 

 such lands are near Petersburg, and much 

 more in the adjoining county of Prince 

 George, twelve to eighteen miles from 

 Petersburg, and in other parts of the State. 

 But I refer especially to that neiglibourhood 

 because I know it best, it being the place of 

 my birth, long residence, and most extensive 

 and profitable operations in marling and cul- 

 tivation. 



"The prices of such lands within four to 

 seven miles of ship navigation, and 12 to 18 

 from Petersburg, vary from $10 to less than 

 $2 the acre, according to value or de- 

 mand. Such lands are mostly poor, but 

 easily and highly improvable by calcareous 

 marl; and have plenty of that most valuable 

 of manures, either under them, or at most 

 within two or three miles, and now to 

 be dug gratis. These lands too are healthy. 

 They are the ridge or higher lands between 

 the rivers, on smaller water courses. The 

 marl can usually be applied for less than ^5 

 the acre, and which will usually add 50 per 

 cent, to the next succeeding crop; and with 

 proper management gives a four-fold increase 

 within ten or fifteen years, even without the 

 addition of other manures. 



"The neighbourhood of my present resi- 

 dence also offers great, though difi"erent ad- 

 vantages. Hereabout, the ridge lands are 

 more sandy and poorer than those of Prince 

 George, above referred to, and still more 

 like inuch land that I saw in New Jersey; 

 and the marl under them is poor and scarce. 

 But along the Pamunkey river, within three 

 to five miles, there is abundance of both 

 green sand and calcareous marl, much of 

 of which, if in New Jersey — as your green 

 sand or " marl" does — would sell at a high 

 price, and there be carted twice as far as it 

 need be here, where it is to be obtained for 

 merely the digging. The access to this pe- 

 culiarly enriching marl, gives a peculiar in- 

 trinsic value, in my opinion, to all lands 

 near to it. But that has scarcely aflx^cted 

 their prices. They however sell higher 

 than better lands elsewhere, becaiuse of the 

 vicinity to Richmond — 15 to 20 miles — 

 which offers a market for all surplus produce 

 of the farms. 



"If fifty or one hundred suitable indi- 

 viduals from New Jersey were to form set- 



tlements here, their industry, frugal habits, 

 and labour for improvement and cultivation 

 of lands, with the means offered them in 

 cheap land and cheap marl, and other ma- 

 nure, would soon quadruple the productive 

 power of their farms; and such population 

 might serve as much to benefit the country 

 and people around them, as their own for- 

 tunes." 



The letter goes on to give further details, which per- 

 haps, would too much extend our article. Our corres- 

 pondent states that he would take pleasure in aiding 

 any in their inquiries, who may be desirous to pur- 

 chase and settle in his vicinity. He also names his 

 son, Edmund Ruffin, Jr., in Prince George County, 

 and Laurens Wallazz, in the same neighbourhood, as 

 among those who will give information when re- 

 quired.— Ed. 



Premiums of the Pennsylvania Horti- 

 cultural Society. 



/ 

 The following will be awarded at the stated meet- 

 ing on the ]8th of next month. Those for this month 

 were given in our last number. 



Peaches — For the best, half a peck to be 

 exhibited, ^3. 



For the next best, do. do. S2. 



Pears — For the best, do. do. ^2. 



For the next best, do. do. $2. 



Plums — For the best, two dozen to be 

 exhibited, $2. 



For the next best, do. do. SI. 



Figs — For the best, one dozen to be ex- 

 hibited, $2. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Soy. 



Dr. Emerson of this city has received 

 from a friend in China, some seeds of the 

 Dolichos Saja, a plant from which the Chi- 

 nese and Japanese prepare their celebrated 

 dark coloured sauce called soy, an article 

 largely consumed by all ranks of people in 

 those populous countries. The consumption 

 is rather limited in the United States, but in 

 England about 1000 gallons are imported 

 annually, in addition to a large quantity 

 counterfeited at home. It is excellent on 

 fish and with soups. The flavour is pecu- 

 liar, but when once acquired, the taste like 

 that for olives and many other things, be- 

 comes very strong. By the Chinese and 

 Japanese, soy is not only esteemed for its 

 agreeable but for its wholesome qualities. 

 The notion of its being made for cock-roaches 

 is of course a vulgar error. 



The plant is des-cribed as having an up- 

 right and hairy stem, erect bunches of 

 flowers, and pendulous, bristly pods, each 

 containing about two seeds or beans. 



