92 Agriadture of Dnrltain. 



The lead-mine district, wliich includes the whole of the 

 county lyinq: to the west of the tract of land just referred to, 

 contains 78,190 acres, let upon an average of 3^. 8rt. per acre. 

 As this statement may perhaps appear incredible to some, I will 

 mention four only of tlie townships in that district, with their 

 acreage and rental : — 



Townships. Acreage. Rental. 



Middletou in Teesdale .. .. 10,434 ....£3,037 



Newbiggen 4,')27 .... 1,190 



Forest and Frith 17,270 .... 1,366 



Hunstanworth 10,380 .... 1,029 



Acres .. .. 42,711 £6,622 



Or an average of 3s. Id. per acre. 



The soil of the greater part of this lead-mine district is poor 

 and thin, in places being composed of vegetable substances im- 

 perfectly decomposed. It presents us with large tracts of peat, 

 in which we find every here and there, from want of draining, 

 wet spongy flats, provincially called mosses or flows. Here all 

 is wild and uncultivated. It cannot be called an agricultural 

 district. The lettings are very small, and the moors not half 

 stocked. The chief dependence of the inhabitants is upon the 

 mines, and the care or cultivation of the land is with them a 

 minor consideration. A horse to bring coals for the family, a 

 cow to supply milk, or a few sheep, if he borders on the com- 

 mon, is all that the householder desires. The mining district is 

 known by the two general names of Teesdale and Weardale, 

 from the two rivers which run through it. The westernmost and 

 highest portion of Weardale is of by far the least value of any land 

 in the county. Kilhope and VYelliope are the two westernmost 

 branches of the river Wear, and the lands bordering on those two 

 streams skirt round the boundary of the county. They form an 

 estate held by lease under the Bishop of Durham, and contain 

 about 3800 acres. This estate was let at one period for 135/. ■ 

 per annum, and was valued at the last renewal of the lease at 

 282/. iOs. 



There are many portions in the interior of the county yet 

 remaining to be described, but I shall be obliged to dismiss 

 them in a few words. So far I have been describing the different 

 districts we have gone through rather with the desire of illus- 

 trating the very varied character, quality, and value of the soils 

 generally throughout the county, than with the hope of having 

 space to complete a description of the whole county in a similar 

 manner. I have only, then, further to observe, that in what re- 

 mains undescribed the soil is equally irregular in its value. " It 

 will have been observed, I think, from my previous description, 

 that the great bulk of the soil of this county is on a clay subsoil, 



