G5 



CHAPTER V. 



Soils of the London Clay Soils of the Chalk Formation. 



[N the last chapter we traced the area of greatest develop- 

 lent of recent soils. We have next before us that group 

 >f formations known as the London clay, and I must draw 

 f r our attention to them as briefly as possible. The London 

 jlay formation may be roughly described as occupying an 

 irea of triangular shape, the base extending from or near 

 [arlborough in Wiltshire to the city of Canterbury, the 

 jrpendicular rising from the city of Canterbury to Sax- 

 mundham in Suffolk, the hypothen use starting from Sax- 

 mndham in Suffolk, and extending to or near Marlborough 

 Wiltshire. Thus we have a triangular area, including 

 estuary of the Thames. Within that area we find 

 portion of South-east Suffolk, nearly the whole of the 

 mnty of Essex, a portion of Hertfordshire, the whole of 

 [iddlesex, a portion of North Surrey and Kent, a part of 

 irkshire, Hampshire, and a small portion of Wiltshire. 

 >uch is the area which is occupied by the soils of the London 

 ly, the great central city being London. With respect to 

 the agricultural characters of the London clay, we may 

 that where the London clay really predominates, there 

 the soils are of a stiff character, as, for example, in 

 [iddlesex, and over the greater portion of the county of 

 sex, and a portion of Berkshire, especially that portion 

 on the south side of Reading. The London clay, when 





