A. Rk. Horwood—Upper Trias, Levestershire. 459 
highly fertile formations, and the red beds have been characterized 
as the most fertile landin England. The red colour which is indicated 
by the name Ratcliffe, Red Hill, is retentive to the rays of the sun in 
marked contrast to the blue clays of the Lias, which are not suited 
to arable land as a rule, thus differing from the Marlstone, which 
yields also a red and fertile soil (cf. Rutland). 
Thus, in so far as Leicestershire is concerned, the Upper Trias 
constitutes the richest part of the county, apart from the mineral 
products, the Middle Lias (if we exclude the syenite and Barrow 
limestone and coal industry) coming next in respect of the soil 
fertility and mineral resources. There is so little Oolite in the 
county that its much higher relative soil value need not be taken 
into account. 
The main source of water ‘supply from the Upper Trias is the 
Lower Keuper Sandstone, called Waterstones. This name, however, 
is unfortunate, for it really applies to the character that the marls 
possess in regard to texture, resembling the appearance of watered 
silk,’ which is well shown in the sections at Appleby. At the present 
time the supply of water from the Trias is not generally utilized, the 
larger towns, such as Loughborough and Leicester, receiving their 
water from Charnian reservoirs or from the upper reaches of the 
Derwent, largely derived from Millstone Grit and older Paleozoic 
rocks. Formerly many small villages received their supply from the 
Lower Keuper, and the distribution of -villages along the outcrop 
indicates the importance of this formation at one time as a water- 
bearing stratum. Its abundance at certain horizons is shown by the 
following borings. At Newtown Unthank water overflowed the top 
‘of the borehole, sunk to a depth of 615 feet, the Waterstones being 
120 feet thick, Coal-measures 353 feet, water being met with first at 
a depth of 220 feet. 
At Hathern a boring was made to a depth of 320 feet below 
- 140 feet of Lower Keuper Sandstones into conglomerates, and water 
was abundant. At Chilwell water rose to the top of the boring, 
435 it. 9in., from below Waterstones 115 feet, with Bunter and 
Permian beds beneath. 
At the Spinney Hill boring water was met with in a boring of 
600 feet (increased later) at 400 feet in Waterstones (232 feet), or 
more probably Red Marl. At Lindridge water overflowed the top 
of the borehole (270 feet) when Waterstones were reached. At 
Elmesthorpe it was found to be constant at 800feet in a boring 
1,440 feet, the Waterstones being 330 feet and the Coal-measures 
980 feet thick Ina boring at Hinckley, one mile W.N.W., made 
November, 1877, the water rose to 237 feet from the surface in 
a boring 805 feet deep from Waterstones. There were 530 grains 
of solids and 39 grains of chlorine in the imperial gallon, and the 
yield was 400,000 gallons per day. The same feature was noticed 
1 The marls are impervious and dry, the sandstones pervious, 60,000 gallons 
per hour being obtained from waterstones at Hllistown at a depth of 300 feet, 
and at a depth of 670 feet in another boring pure limpid water rose 40 feet 
above the borehole. 
