(seq. 337)

East Florida

Situation before any inland, and whose Eyes are used to marl and other
rich Soil: this Imperfection however need not discourage European Emi=
=grants from making Choice of such Land, provided the Situation has other=
=wise most desirable Advantages both of free Air, and easy access; for the
quick Sand, which contains the subterraneous Universal Water Source,
lays in this Province under a Stratum (in case it is sand) generally
not above six foot thick; but where it is Marl (which generally is supported
by a coral Rock) there the quick Sand lays about four feet under the Sur=
=face, and is met with after piercing through the Coral Rock. The sandy
Statum, I have experienced in the dryest Seasons, never to be above two
feet under the Surface exhausted of Moisture, so that Vegitable Plants,
which strike the Fibers of their Roots more, than two feet deep, received
always Nourishment from below, and the Night-dews refreshed the Plants
as far, as they had been over Ground withered in the day time; the infallible
Truth of this is obtained by the daily Experience since 1765 in this very
Province, both in regard to cultivated, and such natural Products, which are
peculiar to the different Degrees of Climate in this Country.

16. However as I cannot expect my eight years Experience on sandy
Soil should be sufficient to out-do the through many thousand years enter=
=tained Notion, from a want of fair Trials, and Experiments in different
Climates, and on different, as well shallow, as deep laying quick Sand, &
dispose European Emigrants to trust to a Fertility in a thin Sand stratum,
but must expect, they will rather desire a Marl or otherwise manured Soil,
for which I do not mean to reproach Man's good Care of making sure, and
depending best of his own Experience. They need not however to exchange
or refuse occupying a well situated, and for many Advantages well calculated
Place on account of being sandy, and elect another inconveniently situated,
because its Soil is manured or a Marl. They may in rainy Seasons cover
any part (they please, and intend for Gardens, or Fields) with a stratum of
Stones or Shells about six INches thick; in case Leaves, Grass, Straw, or Rushes,
& are handyer, then a foot thick; this stratum will absorbe the fiery Particles
(Phlogiston) conveyed by the inflecting Rays of the Sun, and hinder the
reflecting Rays from exhausting the subterraneous Moisture reaching the
Earth's Surface. Whoever will bestow his leisure hours upon such usefull
and profitable Undertaking, he will in about twelve Months time be con=
=vinced of its good Effect, when he is another rainty Season removes said
Stones, Shells, &c, by forming Passages, and Rows, each six feet wide, clears
all Materials out of the Passages, and lays them upon those remaining in the
Rows