The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-16
..,,e i.ar.Ak roil is Z

mixture OF = ~ ~ Tome ipots
Kind of ochre. n Eaa Florida 70 ne of this is alto
ionet,mes found rocky every kind OF this land
lies itratum of black mould, made By the decayed
leaves, &c. of the wood and other plants growing
on It, The iacS contained i'll this itratnm render it
very fruitful, and, when cleared, this is the beG,
nay, the only t land. for the production of indigo,
potatoes, and pule the fri crops, by means OF the
manure above M entioned, generally very plert
iul; but the fats being foon evaporatd, IL te foil
over which it lay ihoud prove TO be fand, i, is M,
Deter than pine land; the other fort bears many
years planting its natural produce is 10 various in
,hiS CLIMATE that the sompl ete d.teripon of all
would be more work than one mans lifetime would
be iufficent for
49,, The fapIaalS, are in this country OF two very
oiHerent kinds the one is to be found in the pre
lands and notwithstanding the black appearance of
tine io'i, they much 4 white iani a. the higher
iah'is round them. True 1t is that clay very often
much nearer to their furfacc than in the h.her pine
lands they kind OF finl;s or drains 70 thore
higher lands, and their low iituaon only prevents
the growth of pines in them. IN wet weoth,r the
roads leading through them are alnoR impanable.
On accOun, of their producing Ione rpeci,s of yraf
OF better kind than the wire gras they are very Of
ten hyied meadows; and believe if they could be
improved by draining them, without taking away all
their moilture, very uitiul grafs might be RATED in
them; but on draining them completely, they prove
TO tie arrant land as any in this country
theie, and are chiefly to be found in Wet Florida.
they conit of high ground often with rnsll gem
Tie rilngs III them Some of var extent aud OH
the welt OF MiiiPPi, they are fad TO he many DAVIS
Journey over The iolhere is very fertile in fon,e
have leen tolii ihes IN great numbers, in others
int IN others again iome chalk and rnarl Ii is re-
lmarkabie, that cattle very fond of the praGas
growing here the Chckafaw old field as !, is term
ed, is clear dcmonfraton of rhis for the cattl. will
come to It from any ditance, even when the graf,
lcareeiy appears; and in all the circumiacent traa
are abundance of botk winter and fummer canes to
De found, on which they might more uxuriouly feed
| oSva'nb5 are aIio found of two kinds, river and
INLAND iwamps Ihoie on the rivers are iufly Ct.
teemed the mott valuable, and the more 70 if they
are IN the tide way, becaue then the river water NAV
De at pleliure let kept out with much leCs Ia
Dor and exPence than in the other kinds Thef lands
are the iouress OF riches i'll thee Provinces becaure
"here they lie between the fandy pine barrens, they
produce shaf valuable itaPe rice, and the Milf
iiPpi, where much of this river land is Gtuated
great deal higher than the common run of II in or
INA and other miIar countries this foil is the ben
adapted Tor corn aud indigo we. known Some Of
thee grounds are clay others fand and others again
partake OF both when ued for rice it matters NO,
winch ot theie ioils they made up of; but be.
"eVe' were the iandy ones to be quite drained thew
would prove barren enough. The aE of ,,,t.,
On ree IS more TO bbrsJ tie gro7oib ofroxi5s ,ed %;
ig'gE, which would ot,e wife fife the qra, ,bor
Tor promoting the growth of the rice fef. for non,
o' TIC can itaid the WATER but rice does as
long as it is not totally mmerfed Therefore !, :;
that alter wedding, the planter if he has it convent
ent lets on wafer to about half the height of his grain
by iwamPs then, i'll general is to be underfooj ans,
low ground fubea to inundations, siaineuined fr,n,
marines IN having large growth of timber. and
nuch underwood, canes, reeds, wythes, vines, bri
ars' ana iuch Ike 10 matted together that they are
IN great neaiure, imPenetrable 20 man or beat.
he back or inland JzOamS; anfwer in f.aation TO
what are called the meadows or Avannah. an,oro
tue pine lands: their Toll being rich, occaiions them
to bear trees. ~
he ma,h5s- are next to be coYGdered. Thew
are OF TOUR kinds two in the at, and two in the fre
water hey are either ioft hard the toGt n,ar1,e
committing OF very wet clay mud are as vet of mo
uie, without very great expence TO drain them the
!arG ones are made up OF kind of marty clay, which
IN dry ieaions is almoit burned up True If is thew
afford paGure fuffcient TO keen anv orao;n;vroy
animals IN good order bat their milk and Aer in
isaions when the cattle .he fea Gde canro, find
any other iond, and coniequen;ly feed on this alone
have 10 horrible tae that 10 Granger to the coupt
can make ufe ofthem.
" The marines on frefh water are in every refns.a
hmIiar TO hole tie falt, except that they are mo,
impregnated with the faline particles of which tbs
Irit are very rePete wherefore the hard ones with
little trouble are adapted cultivation the foft ones
colt comfortable deal more Of expence. TO rend.r
them it to anfwer this purpoe, bit when 70 drained
as to anfwer this end they certainly are by no rans
inferior to any land i'll this country In the lower
part OF thee marines grows kqSof 5itBsyto underi
6ea grain, OF which the wetern Indians make orea,
nle ior bread never could fee it in blofom, there
tore cannot deicribe it. 1t kaown by the name of
7vR oafJ.
" | fhall next defcribe the bay and e,sy.G call,
lhee interiect the pine lands and are fedom Of anv
breadth ; the bay gals are properly water courfes
covered with ipungy earth mixed with kind of
matted vegetable hbres They are 70 very unftable
as to ihake Tor great extent round perfon, who
landing on Tome part thereof moves hmlelf Tightly
up and down they often prove fatal to cattle and
iometimes have been detained for above an hour
at the narrowed paies ofthen, they being 70 danger
Gus to cros, that frequently hoie punges in r. a.
to leave only his head in fight
" The cJPreis gals differ from there, in being a
hrm iandy foil, in having no vitrioc taRe in the |
water and very ledom vent. never knew theft. |
made ute o. Tor the purpOle of planting and the cy
Prus they produce is dwarf kind not fit for ufe be-
ing very much twItei and often hollow There !, no
here, but in dry feafons ome tolerabe
grais Through all the above fpecies of land we fn
diiIributon of very fine clay, fit for manufaaurno
ne hnelt ever iaw is at the village on Mobile B5v. |
where have ieen the inhabitants i'm imitation IF |
the lavages, have ieveral rough made venes thereof
" The water in this country is very various as to |
t'ite quality, and ule There are falt brackiCh nj
trou', iulPhUreous, and good freh Ipo Is in mon |
paris ot this country well falt and freh lakes