THE DROUGHT IN 1911 157 



drift has very generally been derived from rocks of 

 similar character, and the light red sandy soils 

 resemble the rock below, though the included pebbles 

 speak of a glacial origin. 



But in the character of the season our second 

 pilgrimage provided a far greater contrast than the 

 change from east to west. The previous season had 

 been marked by dull weather, rain, and wind all over 

 the kingdom until the end of August, whereas to 

 match the drought of 1911 taxed the memory of the 

 oldest farmers; 1895, J 887, 1874, 1863 being 

 variously referred to, according to the age of the 

 speaker. Over much of the country no rain to count 

 fell between Easter and the Coronation, and that 

 slight break in the weather was soon succeeded by the 

 even fiercer heats of July. In some of the eastern 

 counties, it is true, heavy thunderstorms fell in June, 

 sufficient to establish the root crops and give the spring 

 corn a chance to develop ; sufficient also to drown the 

 young partridges, so that some of the choicest partridge 

 country was again without a show of birds for about 

 the fifth season in succession. But the thunderstorms 

 were only local, and their beneficial effect was soon 

 swept away by the intense sun and the fierce, drying 

 airs, until the face of the countryside lay brown and 

 parched as few men had ever seen it before. As we 

 left London on the 2ist of July harvest was in full 

 swing in the Thames Valley ; winter oats were already 

 carried ; in one place wheat was being threshed in the 

 field, and we even saw men opening out a field of 

 barley for the binder. And what a difference there 

 was in the look of the corn ! In the previous year, 

 south of Yorkshire one hardly saw a field that was not 

 laid and twisted in all directions and all of a grey, 

 dingy hue ; in 1911 the corn stood like a regiment, 



