20 
CHAP. III. 
Soil-—Air and Climate — Agriculture — Towns— 
Buildings. 
In a country of such extent, and comprehending so 
many degrees of latitude as Madagascar, the soil 
must necessarily be various : nevertheless, in general 
it consists of a deep rich mould, probably formed by 
the heavy accumulation of decayed vegetable matter, 
which is constantly increasing, the productions of 
nature being forced up by the mild temperature of the 
air, frequent showers of rain, and the innumerable 
springs and rivulets which run in every direction. 
But little artificial help is necessary to render this 
alluvial soil productive; and though agriculture is 
much practised, the only manure used by the natives 
is wood ashes, which they procure by burning large 
heaps of bamboo, and other wood. In many of the 
provinces there are large plains, where the soil is a 
stiff clay, of a reddish colour, producing abundance of 
grass. There is found also in some districts a red 
earth, similar to Bol Armenian, and another sort like 
that called Terra Sigellata, which is brought from the 
Isle of Lemnos. A fat clayey kind of marl is found 
in many parts, as white as chalk, of so soapy a 
quality, that the natives use it in washing; and it 
would answer in the bleaching of linen. In the 
southern districts are some extensive plains, consisting 
entirely of sand, of an arid quality: these are desti- 
