290 AGRICULTURAL IVTUSEUIVI 



grey marl, accord! no- to the co!o:ir of the clay or sand^ 

 which predominates, and aecnrdinj? to the quantity o^ 

 the sh?ll, or richness of the marl. — iMav! is to be found in 

 ahiiost every ))art of this region, from 20 to 40 feet be- 

 low the siirlace. The kinds of wood ub.ich prdomi- 

 jiatc i'l this rei;ion, in Marylanil and Virginia, are oaic 

 of all kinds, cedar, and the inie; lor kinds of pine ; ches- 

 nrt. hckory aud nduv trees, ure aiso rrcqu:.'nt!y fouiul, 

 but rai'cly if ever predominate. NA'herever in this pia- 

 velly r<'gion the oak ha^ been cut down, and the land h:is 

 heeu cleared and cultivated^ and then turned out as it is 

 called, it will generally put up m cedar and the ip.eaner 

 kind of pine, v^hlGh grow <h, according to the observation 

 ©fold men, does not continue longer than ha'f a century, 

 whcu the oak resumes its place. Tliis growth of resin- 

 ous trees seems to be intended by nature, to render 

 light lands, and new-formed lands, more adhesive and 

 compact, at least we havv reason to suppose so from their 

 glutinous quality; and trom their generally gjowing m 

 liiri). lands, iheir tap roots sink deeper into this uncon- 

 cocLed earthj^ than the roots of any other kind of tree, 

 and enable it to di-aw up more nourishment, and of 

 course to throw oif more fohage, which communicate 

 tliiiir glutinous qu^ities to the soil. It seems probable 

 ^Iso that their tap root?, which penetrate to such an ama- 

 zing deptlvpaJtieularly of tlie pine, iar beyond the reach' 

 offrosL, may be one cause oi their perpetual verdure. 

 When these large and deep descending roots decay, 

 thev may also serve as conductors of water and air, to- 

 assist nature hillie great work of composition and do- 

 composit.on, among t!i»/ strata of the yet crude materials- 

 ihdtform the bisis of this new made land : in, the course 

 of revolving ages, when their task is finished, their 

 place is supplied by trees of a different ki'.d, that are in 

 tended to answer other great and mysterious purposes. 

 Thv: soil of t'lis division is drier anc waimei than that 

 ol ihe liai sfoncless d!Vi.<-i(^n, and ot course Mgetation 

 ■is somewhat q(i.<:ker, and tTiahi a- I'ives soone; to maturi- 

 ty. It docs nut, however, ubounU so muck in natural 



