3 2 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
CHAPTER II. 
The Soil, and natural Productions of the Isle of France; Shrubs, Plants, &c.—~ 
Its Agriculture.—Some Account of M. Poivre, Intendant of the Island , &c. 
—Trees and aquatic Plants. — Trees, Shrubs, Plants, &c. brought into the Island 
from the North Part of Madagascar, in 1768, by M. Rochon. — Herbs, Vege¬ 
tables, and Flowers, introduced there—various other Shrubs and Trees brought 
thither.—Fruit Trees.—Marine Productions.—Native and other Animals of 
the Isle of France. 
The earth is almost universally of a reddish colour, and mixed with ferruginous 
matter, which often appears on the surface in small orbicular shapes of the size of 
a pea. In the dry seasons the ground becomes extremely hard, particularly in the 
environs of the town. It resembles potters’ earth, and when cut into trenches it is 
divided like lead with hatchets. After rain it becomes viscid and tenacious, but it 
is very fertile when cultivated; and the cultivation does not require extraordinary 
labour. 
There is no real sand ; and that which is found on the sea-shore is formed of 
the madreporae and shells, and calcines by fire.- The ground is covered with 
rocks, from the size of a man’s head to that of a large barrel. They are full of 
holes, at the bottom of which is an opening in the form of a lentil. Many of 
these rocks are in the shape of kidneys. In some places they appear in large 
masses; in others they are broken, but in such a manner as if they had suffered 
a separation, and been reunited. The mountains are formed of them, which, 
though parallel with one another, present themselves obliquely to the horizon. 
They are of an iron-gray colour, vitrify in the fire, and contain ferruginous matter; 
small pieces of very fine copper and lead have been extracted from them. In 
fragments of these stones are small crystallized cavities, some of which contain a 
very fine white down. 
