27© Remarks upon the inferior Strata of the Earth 



which flows from I he higher grounds, from penetrating be- 

 yond a certain depth, such Innd is ovcigrown with moss and 

 rushes, farming a perfect sponge, and alVording scarcely any 

 vegetation useful for pasturage. But from what has beea 

 done to particular spots in the viciuitv of this mossy land, 

 we see that by draining, and the usual modes of improve- 

 ment, such lands are capable of being made very beneticial. 

 Where, instead of the grit rock, the shale occurs on the 

 surface of the ground, a considerable change may be per- 

 ceived in the nature and appearance of the vegetable^ pro- 

 duced ; and this latter, being a particular kind of indurated 

 clay, is easily convertible into excellent soil. 



A strikinir contrast offers itself betwixt the appearance of 

 the vegetation on the mountains and hilly grounds in this 

 district, and that of limestone. Here, they are mostly co- 

 vered with line, rushes, and moss; there, such productions 

 are scarcely seen ; whilst the finest kinds of grass and white 

 clover cover their sides, and are found in the interstices of 

 the rocks to their very sunnnits. The san)e difference is 

 observable upon passing through this mass of moor land 

 into the limestone country in Yorkshire, which lies to the 

 eastward. This change appears to be occasioned, as well 

 from the decayed i)articles of the limestone rocks being na- 

 turally disposed to furnisli a soil more favourable to the 

 growth of nuiriiious grasses, as from the water and rain 

 finding a nmre ready |)assa<ie into the earth, in consequence 

 of not meeting with beds of cky and marl beneath tlie sur- 

 face. 



In the louer grounds the top mouW is mostly of a fine 

 quabty. A few miles to the north of Lancaster, the earth 

 begins to have a considerable mixture of clay and marl in 

 its composition, which continues n)ore or less through the 

 whole countrv to the southward, intermixed with extensive 

 beds of gravel and sand. But from about five miles south 

 ol I^ancaster the general mass of llie countrv in the lower 

 grounds is, upon digging a few feet, found to be almost en- 

 tirely marl or clav, incumbent upon the ruck or shale which 

 form the basis of the district. 



Where these beds of gravel occur, the top soil is in ge- 

 neral thin, and requires frequent repetitions of manure to 

 keep it in ^nn}^\ condition. Where there is clav and marl 

 beneath, it i'^ generally of an excellent quality, but subject 

 to the common inconvenience of tins kind of substratum, 

 the coiiiuus growth of rushes. 



There is also in this district a considerable quantity of 



moss 



