6 'The Natural^ History of Se I borne 



those who drink the pure element, but which does not lather 

 well with soap. 1 



To the north-west, north and east of the village, is a range 

 of fair enclosures, consisting of what is called white malm, 2 a 

 sort of rotten or rubble stone, which, when turned up to the 

 frost and rain, moulders to pieces, and becomes manure to 

 itself.* 



Still on to the north-east, and a step lower, is a kind of 

 white land, 3 neither chalk nor clay, neither fit for pasture nor 

 for the plough, yet kindly for hops, which root deep in the 

 freestone, and have their poles and wood for charcoal growing 

 just at hand. The white soil produces the brightest hops. 



As the parish still inclines down towards Wolmer Forest, 

 at the juncture of the clays and sand the soil becomes a wet, 

 sandy loam, remarkable for timber, and infamous for roads. 

 The oaks of Temple and Blackmoor stand high in the estima- 

 tion of purveyors, and have furnished much naval timber; 

 while the trees on the freestone grow large, but are what 

 workmen call shaky, and so brittle as often to fall to pieces 

 in sawing. Beyond the sandy loam the soil becomes a hungry 

 lean sand, till it mingles with the forest; and will produce 

 little without the assistance of lime and turnips. 



* This soil produces good wheat and clover. 



1 The water is hard, being strongly impregnated with lime from the 

 chalk. ED. ~ Now known as Chloritic Marl : it contains abundant 



nodules of phosphates, which give it great fertility. ED. 3 Lower 

 Greensand. ED. 



