m] THE SOIL AND THE PLANT 41 



the ground a long time it can develop a big root 

 system and then it will grow well : trees, grass and 

 the longer-lived deep rooting arable crops, particu- 

 larly wheat and beans, do very well. Each of these 

 types of soil has its advantages: sands are easily 

 workable and present great possibilities in the way 

 of cropping : loams give good heavy crops of almost 

 any of the ordinary farm and market garden plants : 

 clays are very well suited to grass, wheat, and beans, 

 three crops of considerable importance to the farmer. 

 A really strict comparison is not possible because the 

 types are so different, but in the main we must give 

 the palm for fertility to the loams. The districts 

 in our own country famous for their fertility are 

 commonly loams; they are often alluvial deposits 

 bordering the sea, as in the Chichester district, or 

 lying in broad valleys, as in the vale of Evesham; 

 they are assured of an ample water supply by 

 their position, and favourably situated in regard to 

 climate. 



But we must never forget that every soil will bear 

 some plants well although they may not happen to be 

 saleable at the time. Gervase Markham's list drawn 

 up in 1620 needs but little change to-day. "Ground 

 which, though it bear not any extraordinary abund- 

 ance of grass, yet will load itself with strong and lusty 

 weeds, as Hemlocks, Docks, Mallows, Nettles, Ketlock 

 and such like, is undoubtedly a most rich and fruitful 



