BURWELL 417 



is crossed in places by the accommodation grass 

 roads common to the district. 



Soil. 



The character of the land varies ; there are 

 practically two classes of soil, known locally as the 

 * skirt ' land and the ' white ' land. The skirt land 

 forms a dividing-line between the regular fen and 

 the white or chalk land. It is a black, peaty soil 

 lying on gault clay, which makes it liable to become 

 waterlogged, and therefore susceptible to frosts. 

 It is subject to a drainage rate of 7s. an acre. It 

 can grow good crops, but these have a tendency to 

 blight in unfavourable seasons, and in some cases 

 the value of the crops obtained is merely sufficient 

 to cover the drainage rate. Three-fourths of the 

 estate belongs to the other category, where the soil 

 consists of a thin layer of strong clay on chalk. 

 There seems to be a diversity of opinion as to its 

 qualities for the purpose of cultivating in small 

 holdings. It is obviously impossible to plough 

 deep without bringing up the chalk, which in un- 

 favourable wet weather causes the soil to bind and 

 set hard. But in suitable seasons, and with a proper 

 knowledge of how to deal with it, good crops can be 

 obtained. 



Type of Farming. 



The type of farming practised locally is chiefly 

 corn-growing and bullock-fattening in open yards. 

 A very large number of pigs are kept. 



The new tenants are continuing this style of 



27 



