New-York daily tribune., 1861-09-09

eeced with small streams ana occarlOndi "et meau""o
in which deposits Of peat muck are stored sueen1
to ferilze the whole upland surface after it has been
exhausted of its natural fertility The subso Of the
upland generally 80 mixed with gravel that it renders
extensive undertaking unnecessary. Some Of the
roads which have been long in give the traveleran
impression that be is passing through an extensive
sandy region but this impression is disspaed when he
ob,erves from the appearance Of crops, that 1t s an
exceedingly fertile district The excess OF sand In the
rcads is because the clay in the condition Of the finest
impapsble powder and it has washed out by rains and
blown out in dust by winds.
1t is certainly one of the most extensive fertile tracts
In an almost level position and suitable coudon Tor
pleasant farming that we know Of this side OF the
western prsiries.
We found some Of the Oldest farms and some OF the
most sandy ones which we had before observed In
Monmouth, Burlington, Camden Gloucester, Salem,
and Cumberland counties, which are all OF the same
geological formation, apparently just as prohtaby pro-
ductve as when fret cleared Of forest, fifty or hum
dIed years ago.
The geoogst would soon discover the cause Of this
continued fertility The whole country is marine ce
post with here and there workable beds OF green sad
MARIA substance which has added millions OF dollars
to the value of crops in New-Jerey-and all through
the coil we found evidences of calcareous substances
generally In the form of indurated calcareous mari,
showing many distinct forms Of ancient shells, we be-
heve of the tertiary formations and, as matter Oh
course this mary substance is scattered all through the
soil in very comminuted form, and in the exact con-
dition most easily assmilated by such plants as the
farmer desires 10 cultivate.
Geologically viewed, then, all this region would be
A. once pronounced most admirably suited to the wants
OF agriculiurists Practically viewed, by uneducated
men, in its natural condition Of forest growth, 1t has
of,en been pronounced sterile, because the timber often
grew scrubby and in some instances, was mainly COM
posed Of q species of quercus, known as scrub-oaki
and by some its scrubby character has been attributed
70 want of strength In the land TO enable it TO grow
| larger. Nothing more enormous could be imagined.
II nigh, iust as truly be imagined that the praiFes OF
| Illinois were barren because they bore no timber
1t is true that there are tracts, some OF them extern
sive in the wilds of West jersey that are measuraby
barren-some of them drifting sands But the mary
regions, and where the soil Is Of such an arglaceous
character that the water Of shower stands long pud
dies in the hardbeaten road and in the fields makes
the plow-ands muddy are not barren no matter what
| the forest growth may be supposed to Indicate For
mari composed Of marine deposited carbonate Of lime
and clay, not 60 compact but that 1t readily becomes
friabe aud pulverulent, when exposed TO the atmos
phere must be an eternal source Of fertility, under an
intelligent system Of manipulation and rotation Of crops
mari in all its FORMS has been used to fertize crors
| In England from the time il occupied by the
| Romans; and in France and Germany mari bed Is
counted on as valuable bed of manure, that can be
| dug and carted and spread over the field How much
| more valuable then it must be when found already
mixed through the so where new particles will be
turned up and exposed and transformed to the owner
use every time he stirs the earth.
Having then satisfied our minds Of the caufe, they
will not be excited with wonder at seeing ndubit-
able evidence OF fertility in soil which in other situa-
tons having the came general characteristics or at least
appearances il entirely unremuneratiye except Rs its
productiyenesS IL promoted by artificial fertilization.
But the mind Of any observing person will be exer.
cised with wonder as be travels down the road from
Camden to Millville TO find that cultivated farms sud
denly cease before be gets through Gloucester County
and that he 10 plungng into as wild a region as any
wilderness Of the West though he can find percep
tible change In the general character Of the soil.
Al a station on the Milvlle railroad, where the only
sign Of any occasion for train to stop is country
road-cros.ng and rough platform, we disembarked,
and found small specimen Of colored boy waiting
with a wagon to convey us mile or two through the
woods. to some human habtation. This station is
called Weymouth Road "a town Of that name has
an existence somewhere few miles distant, and this
| road through " the Stesm-Mill Woods" forms the
northern boundary of the great tract purchased by Mr.
| Lands, which extends six miles south, along both
sdes of the railroad and along which broad avenues
vii be laid out, 30 as to make convenient thorough
fare from all the farms aloog that line to the saton to
be located in the center.
The size Of tract containing 2o,Oe0 acres will be
seen best by comparison. Congressional township
Of land s six miles square, and contains 23 0iO acres.
A section one mile square Is $40 acres. hslfmile
| square, or quarter section, is l6O acres.
tract Of 90 900 acres is about five and half mes
square, and II cut up into small market garden farms,
averaging twenty acres, will accommodate thousand
families. Including mechanical and other employ
menk. this tract of wilderness will afford room for,
and in few years will probably be occupied by, that
number, In place Of the dozen or two of woodchOp-
pers and ooslbumers who have until within the last
two or three years, held 1t In joint partnership with
the coons, crows and squirrels.
The tract has been about useless to the world
Il was In s original position at the bottom Of the
ocean. 1t will be 90 no longer. 1t was too far away
from navigable water to make any Of its forest pro-
ductions, except charcoal, available. Now railway
has penetrated s mysteries and suddenly enhanced all
values. Such trees as suitable for saving are
worth converting into building materials. Oak andpine,
and all others near the railway, t for cordwood,
valued dollar cord beside the cost Of cutting and
hauling, and the land viii average say twelve cords Of
wood per acre. beside quantity not merchsnable, to
convert into cosl and the land heretofore valued at
three four dollars an acre, wood and all, is now
n IN Il. ,1-I