92 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF YORK AND DISTRICT 



THE NORTH-EAST OF YORK 



BY 



D. H. FINDLAY, B.Sc. 



To the north-east, the low-lying basin of the Vale of York is bounded 

 by the low ridge of boulder clay already mentioned, which extends in 

 a curve from York through Stamford Bridge and northwards towards 

 Sheriff-Hutton and Brandsby. Beyond this ridge, in the north-east, 

 runs the higher oolitic limestone ridge of the Howardian Hills. In this 

 north-east sector there is an enormous variation in the soil, from lightest 

 sand to heavy clay, and corresponding differences are found in the crops. 



In the low-lying basin, nearest to York, the soil of which is mainly of 

 lacustrine origin, the general average is a medium to light soil, compara- 

 tively easy to cultivate, but there is a wide divergence from the mean. 

 Towards the north, the proportion of sand increases, and in the districts 

 of Strensall, Sutton-on-Forest, Stillington and Raskelf there are areas 

 of very light blowing sand which soon tend to become acid and under 

 natural conditions revert to moorland. A serious problem in this basin 

 is drainage, as much of it is at a low level. With the silting-up of its chief 

 drainage stream — the river Foss, a tributary of the Ouse — a large area is 

 becoming waterlogged. 



On the glacial ridge mentioned above, which lies behind the basin, 

 boulder clay predominates, but patches of glacial sand occur, and in the 

 vicinity of Stamford Bridge it is not uncommon to find a light land crop 

 such as rye or carrots in one field and a crop of wheat or beans in the next. 



It cannot be said that the farming of the area is specialised in any par- 

 ticular direction. The market of York, with its proximity to the industrial 

 West Riding, offers an outlet for a great variety of agricultural commodities. 

 Of recent years, the York farmer has been provided with an additional 

 string to his bow by the erection of a sugar-beet factory a few miles from 

 the city. On the whole, mixed farming is the rule, there being few farms 

 which have not a fair proportion of grass, and arable farming is combined 

 with stock husbandry. 



With such a wide variation in soil, it is not unexpected to find that 

 practically all the common agricultural crops are represented. Of the 

 cereals, oats and barley are widely grown, whilst wheat and rye are also 

 common. Of the fallow crops, swedes, turnips and mangels are grown 

 extensively for stock feeding, and considerable areas of potatoes and sugar- 

 beet are grown for sale. The beet crop is scarcely so popular since the 

 price was reduced, but there is still quite a large area. On the sandy soils 

 occasional crops of carrots may be seen. Pulse crops are not grown 

 extensively, but there are a few crops of beans and occasional crops of 

 green peas. The ' seeds ' ley is usually for one year only, and in most cases 

 is mown, two cuts often being obtained. 



In regard to live stock, dairying, cattle-feeding and pig-keeping are the 

 most important sections. Sheep are also kept, mainly as ' flying flocks,' 

 but it is on the higher ground of the limestone hills and the Wolds that 

 the sheep become of greater importance. 



