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improved, retain their improvement with great tenacity and
have convenient access to limestone, one of the permanent
sources of fertility, at very cheap rates.

Though the soils of this section vary greatly in productive-
ness, yet they may be referred to the following general vari-
eties :

First, Red Isinglass Soils; second, White Isinglass Soils ;
third, Clay Limestone Soils; fourth, Mica Slate Soils; fifth,
Slate (roofing) Soils; and sixth, the Red Lands.

The climate is most favorable, the resources for improve-
ment widely diffused and easily attainable, and the means of
tranaportation to and from its markets of great convenience.
The whole section is well wooded and well watered.

THE INTERNAL RESOURCES FOR IMPROVFMENT OF SOILS.

Though these are not so varied as are found in the tide-water
section of the State, nor exist in so favorable a condition for
ready use, yet they are inexhaustible in quantity and of a
varied nature to suit the several varieties of soils which exist.

They consist of Limestones of the greatest purity, or Do-
lomites, that is Limestone, containing from ten to forty per
cent, of Magnesia,—or other varieties having imbedded in
them layers of Mica Slate, which when burnt affords good
quantities of Potash and Silica in a soluble form, both inval-
uable substances in manures and rarely found in them. These
Limestones are either metamorphic limestones,—that is lime-
stones which after being deposited has had its texture chang-
ed, and more or less perfectly chrystalized by heat,—or the
sedimentary limestones, which though of the same chemical
composition as the former, yet have sustained no change by the
action of heat since they were deposited. These extend in lay-
ers parallel to the mountain ranges, and are found to a greater
or less extent, but everywhere in sufficient abundance, for
exportation in all of the counties except Montgomery county,
comprising this Division. Millions of bushels are used year-
ly for agricultural and building purposes in this Division, or
exported to other sections for like uses.

When the great value of lime to soils is properly appreci-
ated, not only in improving the texture, but in furnishing
them indirectly with nutrient substances, by causing the inert
mineral niatters in a soil to assume a form in" which they are
capable of being used by the plant to increase its growth, the
value of these deposits cannot be overrated. This Division
has, therefore, within its bounds, and perfectly within control
of its population, a choice of these staple, permanent fertili-
zers, not only for improving the texture but also for increasing
the supply of plant food, sufficient in a great measure to sup-
ply, with the ordinary resources of the farm, nearly all of