444 



THE BRITISH ISLES. 



patches, which form so striking a feature in France, are hardl}-^ ever met with. 

 Nature, indeed, has been permitted to retain her pristine beauty, despite the 

 interference of man ; at all events, the imdulations and contours of the ground have 

 not been obliterated by a too minute and artificial subdivision of the soil. Most 

 of the ancient forests have ceased to exist, but luxndreds of country residences stand 

 in the midst of parks, clumps of fine trees stud the meadows and hedges, and many 

 a village lies embosomed in orchards, vphose verdure cleanses the atmosphere, 



Fiir. 219. — Laxd vxder Ccltivation. 



NORTH 



Mer- of (jr. 



Proportion of Total Area under Cultivation. 



Less then 10 to 30 30 to 50 50 to 70 70 to 90 Over 90 

 10 per cent, percent, percent, percent, percent, percent 



and which regulates the rainfall just as the forests did in days of yore. Exten- 

 sive stretches of heath have been planted with pines and other conifers since the 

 middle of last century, more especially in the hills of Scotland and Ireland : some 

 of these modern plantations number as many as 50,000,000 trees. Although 

 British farmers are noted for the care with which they till their fields, there yet 

 remain extensive tracts of heath, moorland, and bogs, particularly in Scotland and 

 Ireland. These barren tracts not only stretch across cold mountain-tops, where 

 the temperature is not high enough to ripen crops, but they also invade the hilly 



