OF SELBORNE. 5 



infamous for roads. The oaks of Temple and Black- 

 moor stand high in the estimation 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 pro- 

 duce little without the assistance of lime nd turnips 6 . 



* A science that has sprung into active existence since the days in 

 which White wrote, would have explained to him many of the facts 

 described in this Letter; and would have shown that Selborne is not 

 devoid of interest in a geological point of view. He would have learned 

 from it that the several soils which he observed and which he enume- 

 rates, forms part of a general system, to the elucidation of which they 

 are adapted materially to contribute. 



The parish of Selborne is situated in the lower part of the chalk forma- 

 tion, and embraces within it the upper members of the weald. These 

 are well displayed as they occur in succession, forming strips which run 

 along the parish from north to south: in crossing it from west to east, 

 each of the strata is visited in the order of superposition. They are four 

 in number; comprising the chalk, the upper green sand, the gault, and 

 the lower green sand. In no situation are these several strata more 

 strongly marked or more clearly defined than in this district; where the 

 regularity of their succession is such as to leave no doubt of the distinc- 

 tion between the upper and the lower green sands, and between the 

 gault and the weald clay. The latter formation occurs immediately after 

 quitting the parish at Harting Comb. 



The chalk constitutes the mass of the Selborne hill, which is covered, 

 towards the village, by the Hanger. A fine and lengthened swell, sloping 

 gradually at either extremity into a lower and hollowed sweep, is here 

 suddenly terminated on its eastern face by a steep descent. So rapid is 

 the slope that it is only to be ascended along an oblique cutting up the 

 side of the Hanger, {the Bostol,) or by the igzag: the Slidders, however 

 practicable for descent, cannot be climbed without considerable difficulty. 

 The Down or Common on the top of the hill, declining gradually towards 

 Newton, as well as towards the descents to the north and south of it, 

 is, in its easy sweep, characteristic of the usual condition of the chalk. 

 The steep declivity towards Selborne offers a deviation from the ordinary 

 character of the formation, connected with the convulsion by which the 

 Weald has been denuded : a convulsion, the effects of which are yet 

 more strongly marked on the abrupt declivity of Nore Hill, the next 

 adjoining promontory to the south. 



The covert of the Selborne hill, as indicated in the text, is altogether 

 beech. Its upper part is a fine chalky sheep down. 



The prospects visible from its elevated top are admirable for their 



