Mr. Pierce on the Alluvial District of New-Jersey. 239 



cliaracter and value and of modes of examination, had pass- 

 ed rich beds without regard; marl is nowextensively used 

 and highly esteemed. 



The marl district extends from the hills of Nevesink ad- 

 jacent lo the ocean, to the Delaware, and is in width about 

 twelve miles. Mail has been discovered in numerous pla- 

 ces ofthis tract. It is often noticed on the banks of streams 

 and breaking out of hills of which it forms the nulceus, wav- 

 ing with the surface, and thus rendering access easy. 



These beds, apparently inexhaustible, are in some places 

 elevated near one hundred feet above the level of the sea. 

 This marl is composed of sand, clay and calcareous earth, 

 blended with shells and other marine organic remains, in 

 different stages of decay. The shells, more or less entire, 

 are not mineralized. Exposed on the surface they gradual- 

 ly decay, furnishing fresh manure for the soil. 



I visited several beds of marl and found them of a pretty 

 uniform character. The color is generally grey or greyish 

 white, and good in proportion to \\% whiteness, which indi- 

 cates the quantity of calcareous earth it contains. From 

 thirty to eighty loads of marl, according to its strength, are 

 spread upon an acre. It is believed that a good dressing 

 will last from twelve to twenty years. The lands of Mon- 

 mouth county are said to be enhanced in value more than 

 half a million of dollars by the discovery and use of marl. 



A respectable farmer of Middletown mentioned to me, 

 that five years since he contemplated abandoning his large 

 farm for land of other districts, as his own was unproductive. 

 Learning the discovery of marl, he made himself acquainted 

 with the modes of examining, and found good beds of this 

 manure in almost every field, and liberally applied dressings 

 to the soil. In walking over his grounds I observed rich 

 white marl breaking out of banks and hillocks, and the 

 streams paved with decayint-; marine shells. For more than 

 a century this land had been regarded by the proprietors 

 as useless. 



The farm in its improved state exhibited a gratifying 

 sight ; the hills where formerly thorns, thistles and mullens 

 disputed the dominion, now supported luxuriant corn. Ex- 

 tensive verdant meadows were clothed with a rank second 

 crop of grass ; numerous stacks of grain and well-filled 

 barns evinced the productiveness of these fields, which are 

 BOW estimated at three times the former value. 



