IV 

 THE WEST MIDLANDS 



EVESHAM and Pershore lie at the beginning of the 

 broad vale of Lias clay that stretches north-eastwards 

 into Yorkshire, a grass-land country all the way, on 

 which probably more milk is raised than on any other 

 formation. Where we do find the land under the 

 plough the soil generally turns out to be lightened 

 by drift, even if it is not wholly of drift origin, as 

 in an interesting little area of light, highly cultivated 

 land in the Avon Valley, lying immediately to the 

 east of Stratford. From Evesham to Stratford one 

 road runs under the Oolite escarpment, at first through 

 a tributary valley in which fruit predominates, much 

 of it consisting of orchards of long standing ; then 

 just after the turning towards Chipping Camden and 

 the hills has been passed the orchards give place to 

 the typical Lias grass country, here of indifferent 

 aspect, and not over well farmed, though in such a 

 season one might easily do heavy grass-land less than 

 justice. But near Stratford and beyond it one 

 suddenly comes upon soils of a very different type, 

 where a sharp sandy loam full of rounded pebbles 

 occupies the wide valley, and only gives place to the 

 clay as one advances up the flanks of the hills. 

 Much of it is in a high state of cultivation, and| as 

 is so often the case it was standing the drought far 



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