SOIL. 



129 



I have above spoken more particularly of 

 high lands ; the low and marshy grounds, called 

 in Brazil varzeas, are however those which are the 

 best adapted to the cane, and indeed upon the 

 plantations that do not possess some portion 

 of this description of soil, the crops are very 

 unequal, and sometimes almost entirely fail, 

 according to the greater or less quantity of rain 

 which may chance to fall in the course of the 

 year. The varzeas are usually covered with 

 short and close brushwood, and as these admit, 

 from their rank nature, of frequent cultivation, 

 they soon become easy to work. The soil of 

 these, when it is new, receives the name of 

 paid; it trembles under the pressure of the feet, 

 and easily admits of a pointed stick being thrust 

 into it ; and though dry to appearance, it re- 

 quires draining. The ma gape marie is often to 

 be met with in all situations ; it is of a greenish 

 white colour, and if at all wet, it sticks very 

 much to the hoe ; it becomes soon dry at the 

 surface, but the canes which have been planted 

 upon it seldom fail to revive after rain, even 

 though a want of it should have been much 

 felt. The white niarle, barro branco, is less 

 frequently found ; it is accounted extremely 

 productive. This clay is used in making bricks 

 and coarse earthen ware ; and also for claying 

 the sugar, lied earth is occasionally met w|th 

 upon the sides of hills near to the coast ; but 



VOL. n. K 



