BRITAIN? 



General Aspect of Great Britain. Considered as a 

 whole, few countries present more varied beauty of 

 outline or general surface than Great Britain ; and 

 in these respects, perhaps, each district has its own 

 peculiar characteristics, which, as well as its more 

 local divisions, will be more appropriately described 

 under its respective name. The southern and east- 

 ern part of the island contains the greatest extent of 

 level country ; b it even here, except in some fenny 

 or marshy distric ;s, the surface is agreeably diversi- 

 fied. The western and northern parts are more 

 varied and mountainous, while particular districts, 

 especially in Wales, the northern tracts of England, 

 and many of the northern parts of Scotland, assume 

 an aspect of alpine grandeur. The altitudes of the 

 highest summits of England, are generally between 

 two and three thousand feet above the level of the 

 sea. Some of those in Wales, reach the elevation of 

 3500 feet ; while in Scotland, many points are be- 

 tween three and four thousand feet above that level, 

 and a few exceed the latter number. 



Rivers and Canals. Great Britain is not distin- 

 guished by any feature more than for the network of 

 rivers and canals by which its surface is everywhere 

 intersected. The most noted of these natural chan- 

 nels are the Thames, the Severn, the Mersey, the 

 Humber, the Tyne, the Tweed, the Forth, the Tay. 

 tlie Dee, and the Clyde. These being joined by 

 numerous inferior streams and canals, constitute an 

 internal navigation almost from one extremity to the 

 other ; nor is North Britain destitute of these agricul- 

 tural and commercial facilities. One of the noblest 

 works in the country is the Caledonian Canal, which 

 being cut through a chain of lakes, quite intersects 

 the island, and joins the opposite seas, from Moray 

 frith to Loch Linnhe. Many beautiful and romantic 

 fakes too stud the mountainous districts. 



Climate. Few countries are so much affected as 



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by instability of climate. This has been as- 

 in a great measure to its position, which ex- 

 it to the variety occasioned by the union of the 

 dry winds from the continent, with the vapours that 

 arise from the Atlantic. The ranges of mountains, 

 which generally run from north to south, also render 

 a difference of climate between the east and west 

 parts of the island very sensible ; the former has a 

 lower temperature and a drier atmosphere ; the lat- 

 ter is comparatively mild but humid. The maximum 

 height of the thermometer generally takes place a 

 little west of the metropolis ; the minimum, of course, 

 on the elevated mountains of North Britain. More 

 inconvenience is experienced from cold than from 

 heat. Winter prevails over summer, and in several 

 parts may be said to maintain its sway for seven or 

 eight months in the year. The extreme high tem- 

 perature generally occurs in July or the beginning of 

 August ; and that of cold in January or February. 

 At the former period the thermometer seldom rises 

 above eighty-six degrees, and the medium of a series 

 of years is eighty-one or eighty-two degrees ; and it 

 seldom sinks lower than eight or ten degrees ; though, 

 even in the southern parts of the island, the mercury 

 has sometimes fallen below the zero on Fahrenheit's 

 scale. 



Soil. The soil of Great Britain is scarcely less 

 diversified than its surface or its climate. In the 

 lower parts clay and strong loams generally prevail, 

 and in several places extend to a considerable eleva- 

 tion up the sides of the hills. In some of the more 

 open plains sand abounds, while in others, especially 

 towards the eastern part of the island, fenny grounds 

 occupy wide tracts, while peat, earth, and rock usually 

 divide the higher regions. The British soil may 

 therefore be said to include all varieties, from the 

 stiffest clay to the most barren sand, and from the 

 deep and fertile loam to the sterile peat, that defies 

 the utmost skill and perseverance of cultivation. In 

 England and Wales about one-third of the surface is 

 stated to be under tillage ; one-third to be employed 

 as pasturage and meadow, and the remainder to be 

 occupied by waters, woods, and wastes. In Scotland 

 and its islands little more than fourth of the surface 

 is cultivated ; while about a forty-seventh part is oc- 

 cupied by lakes and rivers. 



Wheat is the most important agricultural product 

 of Britain, and is most extensively cultivated, and 

 arrives at the best quality, in Kent, Essex, Suffolk, 

 Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Rutlandshire, 

 and Herefordshire. Rye is less grown than formerly, 

 but is still cultivated in some of the dry and sandy 

 soils or elevated districts. The best barley counties 

 are Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, 

 Leicestershire, Nottingham, and Berkshire, with the. 

 upper parts of Herefordshire, Warwickshire, and 

 Shropshire. Oats are cultivated in all the northern 

 and fenny tracts of the midland counties. Beans in 

 most of the strong soils, and peas in the dry or gra- 

 velly parts. Tares, clover, and sainfoin, are widely 

 diffused. Potatoes are grown in all parts, but are 

 thought to attain the greatest perfection in Lancashire 

 and Cheshire. Turnips have now become a general 

 crop, and have, in many districts, in a great measure, 

 supplanted the old system of fallow. Hemp and flax 

 are grown in some places, and hops are peculiar to 

 others. A variety of small seeds are likewise culti- 

 vated in particular tracts, as canary, carraway, cori- 

 ander, mustard, rape, poppy, and some others. Saf- 

 fron, camomile, madder-root, and liquorice are also 

 among the products of Britain. Various kinds ot 

 fruit are diffused over the whole of the island ; and 

 horticulture is made a particular study, especially in 

 Scotland. The adaptation of the soil and climate in 

 most parts of South Britain to the growth of timber, 



