18] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



east side, as most of our rain comes from the west or south-west, 

 and the clouds are attracted in their course by the high grounds in 

 the midland counties ; on which account much more rain and snow 

 falls on high grounds than on low, the source of springs and rivers 

 being generally from high grounds, or valleys supplied from such 

 high grounds by the excess of moisture there falling. 



The aspect of this county is various : the middle and south parts 

 are generally level, and of moderate elevation, but with some ex- 

 ceptions, as the lime-stone hills and cliffs of Dudley, Sedgeley, 

 Rushali, Walsall, &c. which contain an inexhaustible supply of that 

 material, and of excellent quality. The quartzoze or ragstone-hills 

 of Rowley, still more elevated, furnish a good material for roads and 

 pavements. The hills of Clent, Barr-beacon, the high grounds on 

 Cannock-heath, and near Rugeley and Beaudesert, the hills of 

 Byshbury and Essington, are formed chiefly of gravel. Tettenhall- 

 wood, Kinfare-edge, and some situations near Enville, command 

 extensive prospects ; but much the highest ground in the county 

 is in the northern part, which rises gradually to what is called the 

 Moorlands. It has been ascertained, by tracing the canal levels, 

 that the valleys near Leek are more elevated than the hills near 

 Wolverhampton. The altitude or elevation of a country has great 

 influence on its climate and vegetable productions : it is calculated 

 that 60 yards of elevation is in this respect equal to one degree of 

 latitude. The lowest ground in the county is on the banks of the 

 Severn at Over Areley, where the elevation is about 60 feet above 

 the level of the sea : fruit has been long cultivated here, and suc- 

 ceeds as well as in Worcestershire. The country gradually rises 

 hence to the north to the summit of the Staffordshire Canal, an 

 elevation of 385 feet. The surface of the parishes of Tettenhall and 

 Byshbury, contiguous to this summit, are elevated from this level 

 to 500 feet. Here also fruit succeeds well, particularly the Tetten- 

 hall pear, which is indigenous to the neighbourhood. The summits 

 of the Birmingham and of the Wyrley and Essington Canals (ele- 

 vation 500 feet) extend 40 miles to the north-east and south-east of 

 Wolverhampton : fruit-trees do not succeed well much above this 

 level, without natural or artificial shelter. Byshbury -hill, and the 

 hills of Penn, rise to 650 feet; Barr-beacon, 750; the hills of Sedge- 

 ley and Dudley Castle, 800 feet and upwards ; and the Rowley 

 and Clent-hills, 900 feet : at these latter elevations the ripening of 

 grain is sensibly retarded, generally two or three weeks later than 

 in the lower land. The summit of the Grand Trunk Canal is ele- 



