Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-01-07

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TIE PINES OF NEW JERSEY.

THE PINES OF NEW JERSEY.
Mr. EDITOR On looking over your valu-
able and ably edited "Watchman u Journal
of the Bird December, my eye was caught by
the "Chance For Land and on referring to
the advertising columns | discovered that the
place referred to was the same at which |
spent several days very pleasantly last Octo-
Der, during which made many incursions
into the surrounding country.
Thinking that some of your large circle OF
intelligent readers might feel interested. send
/ you few of my "joltings - and also with
tie hope that it may catch the eye of some
honest Green Mountain Boy destined to the
delusive West with its ievers, agues and
floods, and induce him to visit this 'promis-
ed land" of New Jersey
Hanover Furnace is situate very nearly in
the centre of that State, in a region called The
Pines, which latter is belt of country ex-
tending from Rariton Bay about 30 miles
south of New York, to Cape May at the
southern extremity OF New Jersey.
This region found to my surprise almost
entirely uninhabited and as entered its dark
woods could scarcely realize the fact that
but few hours before had eaten a luxuri-
Gus meal at the gorgeous st. Nicholas Hotel
in the first city of the United States
| Up to this point and from the village Of
Bordentown | had ridden through very
beautiful level country through huge fields
of ripening corn whose ears hung heavy with
the golden grain, through smiling meadows
dotted over with herds Of Durhams, Devon
shires and Attorneys, and in the twinkling of
an eye was in the wilderness.
On my asking the driver of the stage "how
such state Of things came about?" he re-
/ Piled oval it is an old sayin if you give a
dog bad name you mout jist as wal hang
/ i'm. and so reckon twas with the Pines
/ here This is the country where the Relu-
gees Tories used TO hide, aud out they
would come of night harrassing the coun-
/ try burn, slay and rob and then back agin
to the Pines where they would live like fight
in cocks
"Arter they was gone and the Revolution
| over. the whole country was bought up by
/ speckylaters: and the great grand father OF
these Jones built an Iron Works, and none
of EN- would sell any land to nobody, but |
reckon times is changing by the lots of iellers
l see comm in and buying farms, &c, &c.
| found the country level, well watered,
and, when there was any attempt at farming,
producing abundanty. The timber seemed
to be principally Yellow Pine mixed with oak,
and passed a number of "coalings" col
liers where the denizens OF the woods with
grmy faces and grimier hands were charring
the wood to be sent to New York or Phila-
delphia.
On one Of my excursions | visited a Mari
Green Land excavation and was much in
tcrested in watching gang of men throwing
it out, for every shovel full was Of interest to
naturalist. or TO speak by the book palcon-
tologist being fun Of shells Of various kinds,
long serratcd teeth resembling those of the
shark and a variety Of bones in fact was
credibly informed that the entire skeleton OF
a Mastodon was dug out Of neighborng pit
few years since.
The Mari or Green Land is of great value
as a fcrtalizcr, and the deposit is of immense
extent beginning OF the north cast corner
OF New Jersey it extends nearly the whole
length of the State it crosses the States Of
MARYLAND and Delaware and finally runs out
in Virginia and through its whole length the
richness of the adjoining farms testify its ben
efcial and enduring qualities.
procured an analysis made by Prof. II.
d. Rogers which may be of interest to your
agriculturists.