SOIL. 



201 



The soil on these banks is generally a stiff clay ; and 

 while in a state of nature, produces various species 

 of oak, hickory, poplar, chesnut, ash, gum. Sec. 

 The barrens produce little else but shrub oaks and 

 yellow pines. These sandy lands yield an immense 

 quantity of bog-iron ore, which is worked up to great 

 advantage in the iron works. There are large bo- 

 dies of salt meadow along the lower part of the De» 

 laware river and bay, which afford a plentiful pas- 

 ture for cattle in Summer, and hay in Winter ; but 

 the flies and muskitoes frequent these meadows in 

 large swarms, in the months of June, July, and Au- 

 gust, and prove very troublesome, both to man and 

 beast. In Gloucester and Cumberland counties are 

 ^several large tracts of banked meadow. Their vi- 

 cinity to Philadelphia renders them highly valuable. 

 Their swamps afford lumber, which is easily convey- 

 ed to a good market. The sugar maple tree is com- 

 mon in Sussex county, upon the Delaware. In the 

 hilly and mountainous parts of the state, which are 

 not too rocky for cultivation, the soil is of a stronger 

 kind, and covered, in its natural state, with stately 

 oaks, hickories, chesnuts, 5cc. and when cultivated, 

 produces wheat, rye, Indian corn, buckwheat, oats, 

 barley, flax, and fruits of all kinds, common to the 

 climate. The land in this hilly country is good for 

 grazing, and farmers feed great numbers of cattle 

 for New York and Philadelphia markets; and many 

 of them keep large dairies, as there are large tracts 

 of fine meadows between the hills.* 



* Morse. 



