The Goodness Of The
Soil Is Evident From This Circumstance, That Though The Ground, After
The Nine Months Of Dry Weather, Looks Altogether Like Barren Sands, It
Puts On An Universal Coat Of Green Within Seven Days After The Rains
Begin To Fall.
Farther to confirm this, among the many hundreds of acres
I have seen in corn in India, I never saw any that did not grow up as
thick as it could well stand.
Their ground is tilled by ploughs drawn by
oxen; the seed-time being in May or the beginning of June, and the
harvest in November and December, the most temperate months in all the
year. The ground is not inclosed, except near towns and villages, which
stand very thick. They do not mow their grass for hay as we do; but cut
it either green or withered, when wanted. They sow abundance of tobacco,
but know not the way to cure it and make it strong, as is done in
America.
The country is beautified by many woods, in which are a great variety of
goodly trees; but I never saw any there of the kinds we have in England.
In general their trees are full of sap, which I ascribe to the fatness
of the soil. Some have leaves as broad as bucklers; others are much
divided into small portions, like the leaves of ferns. Such are those of
the tamarind tree, which bears an acid fruit in a pod somewhat like our
beans, and is most wholesome to cool and purify the blood.
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