The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-04-27
For the Voice of Freedom.

For the Voice of Freedom.
SALEM COUNTY, n. j.,
March %, 1S48
Dear SRI left Vermont in September
last and came south for the purpose of teach
ing. l am located in the southern part of
New Jersey, in the county of Salem, near
the head of Delaware Bay, having obtained a
situation Immediately after my arrival in this
place. The standard of education, here, is
rather low, owing no doubt to the scarcity Of
well qualified instructors Intelligent and
enterprising young men, who are DESTROYS to
follow this pursuit as profession, will find
better opportunities here than at the north ;
not that the pay is so much more liberal but
the employment is more permanent. A
change in the method Of teaching, believe,
is about be effected through law lately en-
acted by the legislature of the State, to es,
tablish Normal Schools for the purpose Of ed
ucaring teachers.
The surface of the country hereabouts, is
quite low and level, there being no hills or
mountains visible in any direction; sngu.
lar prospect, indeed, to one who was never
before ont of sight of the Green Mountain
ranges The land is in an excellent state of
cultivation. The soil is variable, consisting
in some places of clay, mixed more or less
with loan; in others it is sandy, but rich, and
very productive, raising wheat, corn, oats
potatoes, apples and peaches in abundance
Much system and economy is manifested by
the farmers in tiling the land, who as Il class,
are very intelligent, moral and Industrious
\ large proportion of them rent the farms on
which they labor, or conduct them on shares,
and although rent is high, yet the facility for
raising grain, " truck" &C., and the proXimi-
ty to ready markets, enable the major part OF
their number to accumulate gradually COM
pc'ence, and live almost as independently as
the owners of the soil.
They keep few sheep, more cattle, and
make considerable butter, but little cheese,
devoting the soil chiefly to the raising of
grain and fruit Lime and mari are princi-
pally used for enrichng the soil. Or the for
mer they apply from twenty to fifty bushels
to the acre, using less on worn out lands, lest
it may kill the soil entirely, but increasing
the quantity from year to year as the soil re-
news its strength On good land ore appIici-
ton is sufficient for five or six years. 1t is
obtained in market at a cost of seven or eight
cents per bushel.
Since observing the Importance attached
to the use of lime in this section, as manure,
| have wondered why your farmers at the
north so seldom make use of it to resusritate
worn out lands. 1t is, However, quite possi-
BILE that it might not produce the same effect
upon your soil in Vermont, that it does here;
but it seems to be the opinion of the most cX-
perienced men here, with whom | have often
conversed on the subject, that, when proper
y applied, it will benefit almost any kind of
soil.
Many farms in this vicinity have been
greatly improved by the use Of mari a kind
Of green earth mixed with blue sand, and
shells. It's essential ingredient is lime, and its
value depends upon the proportion of calca.
rcous matter it contains. 1t is found in allu
vial districts, in beds from four TO twenty feet
beneath the surface. The bones Of marine
and land animals are often discovered en-
bedcd in this material. The shells Of oysters
and various other testaceous fish, have been
dug up at a depth of many feet below the sur
face, some of which exceed five pounds in
weight. The quantity of mari applied to the
acre varies according to its quality. In some
places the mari is so strong that five loads |
suffice for an acre, and in others from TWEEN
ty to hundred are proftably used. The
price is about twenty-five cents per load.
The winter has been very short and mild.
1t set in late, the fields being quite green I'M
til near the 10th of December Snow fell |
but two or three times, not enough to make
good sleighing and remaining but few days