Geological Features. 515 



diately surrounding the lakes, the beds of greywacke, roof 

 slate, and felspar porphyry, which compose the higher moun- 

 tains are more elevated and contorted than the schistus and 

 limestone beds which range through the western side of 

 Yorkshire into Lancashire. 



The natural character of the surface of the country forms 

 two very distinct features : the lake district being hilly and 

 mountainous ; and all the other tract passed over, flat or gently 

 varied. 



The soil on the red sandstone is almost everywhere light, 

 free, and generally deep, because the gritty stone from which 

 it is formed readily decomposes. The soil in the schistose 

 district is fine, compact, clayey rather than sandy, very thin 

 on the eminences, and only deep in the valleys ; this genus of 

 rock decomposing but very slowly. The soil and surface on 

 the sandstone district are well adapted for the culture of corn, 

 and all the roots and herbage plants of agriculture, especially 

 if the climate be somewhat moist ; the schistose district, under 

 a moist climate, is adapted for the growth of timber on the 

 eminences, and for pasture on the sides of the hills and in 

 the valleys. Had the sandstone been as difficult to decom- 

 pose as the schistus, the whole tract of country where it pre- 

 vails must have remained one rocky surface, covered for ages 

 with little else than lichens : had the schistose rocks of the lake 

 district not been considerably elevated, the weather, and espe- 

 cially the rain, could not possibly have had so much effect in 

 reducing their surface, nor would those num^erous crevices 

 have existed, which alone render it possible for the roots of 

 trees to establish themselves amongst them. 



Irrigation of that species called catchwork might be 

 carried to a great extent on the sides of the hills and moun- 

 tains ; but the grass produced, though greater in quantity, 

 would no longer be of the same nutritive and aromatic quality 

 that it is at present. In various places, where irrigation has 

 been employed, the finer Fhse, Festuca, Cynosiirus, and An- 

 thoxantlium have given way to cock's-foot grass, and the 

 coarser species of ^grostis, y4vena, and Poa. 



The hilly district, besides being favourable for the growth 

 of trees and grasses, is also particularly so for the establish- 

 ment of machinery to be driven by water. This district has 

 scarcely at all been employed in this manner ; but, were it 

 found necessary to resort to water as a primary power instead 

 of steam, the hills and mountains of Cumberland and West- 

 moreland would be found of immense value, and the water 

 which might be collected on them, in zones, as hereafter 

 described, would probably be more than sufficient to move 



X L 2 



