vi 



PREFACE. 



fined to that county. But Onslow, Jones, Hanover, Bruns- 

 wick, Beaufort, and others, still possess equally rich swamp 

 lands. 



The Gallberry lands, which occupy a middle position be- 

 tween these rich swamp lands and the sandy rolling uplands, 

 are usually very poor ; but there are many tracts which rank 

 under this class, which may be cultivated profitably. 'There 

 are two kinds of Gallberry lands : one which is black or black- 

 ish, which consists mainly of vegetable matter, and a white 

 marine sand. This variety of this class is generally too poor 

 to pay the expense of reclaiming. It may produce a few tol- 

 erably fair crops of corn, but it is soon exhausted, for it con- 

 sists only of sand and vegetable matter. It may graduate 

 into a better kind, as the white sand is exchanged for a drab 

 colored one, and which becomes fine. The other variety of 

 this class, is clay-colored, and is very stiff, and mixed with 

 coarse particles of flint. It is almost impervious to water. It 

 is naturally cold, and is not productive, prior to draining and 

 the employment of fertilizers. It has a body, and is better 

 than the black soil with the usual admixture of white sand. 



. In the examination of soils, the physical properties require as 

 much attention as the chemical ; for, in order that a good chem- 

 ical mixture of elements may be fertile, they should possess a 

 certain degree of adhesiveness or closeness, which will retain 

 water. Those which are porous and coarse, permit water to 

 pass through almost immediately. The result which follows, 

 is fatal to plants, or crops of value ; chemical action under 

 those circumstances is too feeble to furnish it with sufficient 

 nutriment. The fertilizers of the eastern and south-eastern 



counties have received all the attention which could be be- 

 * 



stowed upon them. The great defect which I find in their 

 composition is, the great excess of sand. This element being 

 in excess, gives them only a local value ; that is, they are not 



