WEST DEVONSHIRE. 15 



of winter rains, when, the fubfoil being 

 furcharged, the foil, efpeciallv in particular 

 plots, remains perhaps, for feme length of 

 time, in a Hate of mud ; yielding to the 

 foot in walking over it ; a mere quagmire ; 

 horfes and cattle reaching the rocky fub- 

 flratum every flep. This evil quaHty, 

 however^ is narrowly hmited, both in 

 refpedt to extent and continuance ; and 

 might be removed, by draining. 



Upon the whole, the natural properties 

 of this Angular fpecies of foil is fuch, as to 

 render it highly fivorable to the purpofes 

 of Ilufbandi-y ; as being, under proper 

 treatment, .produdive either of corn or 

 grafs. 



VIII. SUBSOIL. This is univerfally 

 of a flony nature. I met with no beds of 

 clay, loam, fand, or gravel ; fuch as we 

 find in other Diflridis. The prevailing 

 fubftratum is a foft slate v rock; which, 



. in fome places, rifes to the foil ; in others 

 intervenes a ftratum of rubble, or unhard- 

 ened Hate ; which, in quality, partakes of 

 the firmer and purer rock ; the relation of 

 the two being analogous with that which 



fub- 



