The Delaware register, or, Farmers', manufacturers' & mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1829, 1829-10-03
JOHN D. GREEN, Esq.

and should have answered it before this time if had
not been very much engaged. You may naturally
suppose that settler in new country has always
something that demands his attendance. but at this
time have been particularly engaged in building hou-
SEES for the approaching crop of sugar and having to
do this, and at the time to carry on the ordinary
business of the plantation, you may reasonably con-
clude that have had enough TO occupy me.
You wish me to give you some account of this
country. / shall confne my observations principally
10 the counties of Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson and Mad
ison, These counties are situated between the Su-
wanes and Apalachicola rivers and are about 1870
miles long and from 40 to so miles broad. Each of
these counties has the Gulf of Mexico on the South
and Georgia the North The first thing that strikes
a traveller is the small quantity of good land AT
the lowest calculation two thirds of it never be
rendered fit for cultivation. The other third is land
of various degrees of fertility and the principal
part of it is situated in a strip extending East and
West, about 100 miles and from 10 to 90 miles from
North to South. With few exceptions all the land
bordering on the Gulf and for 90 80 miles in the
interior is of the poorest kind being lew fiat pine
land intermixed with small cypress ponds and what
call Bay Calls Then comes the belt of good
land which have Just mentioned and which is eeya-
ted from so to $50 feet above the low pine land
The general aspect of the rich land is hilly some
parts may be denominated waving, and only small
portion can be called level. This hily nature of the
country great iidHuSUiHe lDi
building, but renders the land more difficult to cult
vate, and liable to wash in ruts and gullies. Some
persons think that without great and precautior
the soil will wash from the hills into the vales. My
opinion s that great attention will be requisite &c
prevent any considerable deterioration of the soil from
that cause.
The growth of timber is principally of red oak
black, do. post oak, hickory, lockwood, magnolia anc
few sweet gum and some tracts great many
short eaved pine. In some places the oak woods are
very clear and have underbrush, but in general the
lnderbrush is very thick and composed Of dogwood
sweet gum, chinkapin and oak bushes.
The soil is principally reddish sandy loan, witt
however a sufficient quantity of clay to render it
tentive of moisture. Very contrary opinions en-
terained by different people relative to the SOIL Some
think there is too much clay in it, some think that
there is not enough, others think that there is very
good proportion of clay and sand. My opinion coin
oides with the last, although have seen on the same
quarter section different portions of land to which al
the three opinions might be justly applied The
depth of the soil varies from three to fifteen inches
and this may sometimes be observed the same
quarter section. 1t is universally based clay, gen
orally red, but sometimes yellow. The stratum o
clay is from 5 to Is feet thick.
Some parts of the country are very well waterec
by branches and springs. This is particularly the cast
with Gadsden county, and particularly some part o
Jefferson county. The springs being in the valley
and the houses being generally built the hills it be
comes lnconyenent to get water from the springs
most persons dig wells which are from 25 to 40 fee
deep. The water is of an excellent quality, and ha