13 



grass, corn, oats, and potatoes. On the main eastern road from Sa- 

 lem to tlie extreme line of the country, there prevails generally a 

 gravelly loam from six inches to a foot in depth ; not difficult to be 

 worked ; and productive under good cultivation. Tiie lands border- 

 ing on the Merrimack are much broken ; but the hills are generally 

 rounded, of not difficult ascent, and composed of a rich dark clayey 

 loam. They ordinarily produce good crops of wheat, barley, corn, 

 oats, and potatoes. This variety of soil embraces an extent of three 

 or four miles from the river on the south side. On the west side 

 the land is much more charged with sand, and is not so fertile. With 

 the exception of a considerable tract in Haverhill and an island of 

 fifty acres lying below the bridge in Haverhill, there is no fresh allu- 

 vial meadow on the river. The towns in the interior of the county 

 are of various character, in some places presenting long strips and 

 high eminences of rich clayey and gravelly loam ; and in other parts 

 a broken, thin, hungry and stony soil, the cultivation of which is 

 difficult and unproductive. The primitive forests have been long 

 since removed ; but there are extensive tracts of wood in different 

 parts of the county. The maritime parts are principally supplied 

 with fuel by importations of wood from Maine, or coal from Penn- 

 sylvania. The interior have a supply from their own wood lots ; or 

 their peat bogs, the value of which is becoming more highly appre- 

 ciated. 



The soil has in parts of the country become exhausted ; and in no 

 part of it can it be advantageously cultivated without manure. The 

 stony and rocky character of the soil is in some places an impedi- 

 ment to cultivation ; but a large proportion of the land in the county 

 is already under partial improvement or susceptible at present prices 

 of labor, while present prices of produce remain, of profitable culture. 



The county is well watered ; and contains several ponds of some 

 extent, the scenery in the neighborhood of which is picturesque and 

 beautiful. Some of the situations on the Merrimack and many on the 

 sea-shore are commanding in their position and present views of large 

 extent and great variety and beauty. 



The farmers in Essex are particularly favored in respect to mark- 

 ets. Boston is easily accessible to most parts of this county, being 

 from its farthest point not more than forty miles distant ; and the 



