BLACK WATERS. 36U 



part of the wood-land of lower Virginia is most freely and abund- 

 antly thus supplied, not only because of the abundant sources pre- 

 sented in a thick layer of fallen leaves, the growth of many 

 successive years, but also because of the very level surface of the 

 land, which obstructs the flowing off of the surplus rain-water, and 

 the general sandy and open texture of the soil and sub-soil, which 

 operate to absorb quickly the water and its dissolved vegetable 

 matter. Yet it is more especially these lands that show the least 

 remaining and abiding store of this supply of vegetable manure. 

 The soil, or all of the upper part which shows any colour from 

 containing vegetable matter, is usually not more than two inches 

 thick on sandv soils, and still less on the stiffest ; and all the por- 

 tion below (though necessarily manured by being often soaked to 

 a foot or more with rain-water conveying all its dissolved vegeta- 

 ble extract), is entirely barren and worthless. Such results would 

 be as inexplicable as they are wonderful, but for the reasons afford- 

 ed by the doctrine of the combining and fixing powers of carbonate 

 of lime and vegetable salts of lime; the absence of which ingre- 

 dients is the sole defect in these cases, and which, when present in 

 soils, show results of fertilization altogether the reverse of these. 

 Where lime is present in sufficient quantity, no colouring or ma- 

 nuring matter is lost to the soil in the flowing off of surplus water, 

 nor in the wasteful and profitless decomposition of the greater 

 quantity of colouring and alimentary matter soaked into the earth. 



My observation was not attracted to the cause of the existence 

 of black waters, and this application of the facts, until nearly the 

 close of my residence in the country, and of my opportunities for 

 personal and accurate observation. And I am well aware, and 

 ready to admit, that previous observations, made by mere chance 

 and without object, are worth very little comparatively. I there- 

 fore would be glad to have the attention of other observers drawn 

 to this point, and any facts to be elicited that will either confirm 

 or disprove my positions. From inquiries made of persons who 

 have had ample opportunity to observe what waters were either 

 permanently black or without tinge of such vegetable stain, I have 

 heard the following general statement of facts, on which my com- 

 ments will be offered as the facts are presented. 



Streams and ponds of black waters are rarely seen above the falls 

 of the rivers ; and are believed to be very rarely found even twenty 

 to thirty miles above. They are never seen in the still higher 

 lime-stone region. If this opinion be correct, then these waters 

 are confined exclusively (as they certainly are mainly) to the region 

 of soil of the most acid quality. At the distance above the falls 

 where black waters are never found, the high land was naturally m 

 general of good quality, and the bottom or alluvial lands, on small 

 streams, invariably of good soil. Of course these qualities indi- 



