65 



which of course fertilizes it 5 but it has still a different ap» 

 pearance from any other Earth I have met with. The de- 

 tached pieces adhere rather strongly, and are rather hard 

 to break ; a character which I have known brick-makers to 

 Call water-bound. I believe it to be a vegeto-carbonaceous 

 binding, if I may term it so. 



The next left hand figure is a soil from Shrewsbury with 

 which I was favoured by Colonel Green. Its peculiar ap- 

 pearance caused it to be noticed. It is a very fine, but 

 looser Earth than either of the former ; perhaps has less 

 common Clay, and it appears to show more Chalk with 

 Siliceous pebbles ; and it connects its particles so as to 

 leave hollow interstices, although often in largish frag- 

 ments. It produces good wheat, barley, &c. The lower 

 right hand figure is of a fine Earth for Oaks from Lord Fitz- 

 william's fine Oak-park about nine miles from Sheffield, 

 Yorkshire. It is a light ochraceous Loam, chiefly Clay 

 and fine Sand coloured by a lightish Oxide of Iron with 

 some vegetable Earth. It is remarkable for an astringent 

 bitter taste, resembling Bark. The largest Oaks in Great 

 Britain are found in this park. The left hand lower 

 figure represents a Mould brought from near Bridgenorth 

 in Shropshire by my friend Mr. Charles Stokes. It is re- 

 puted as very fertile for Barley and Wheat, and for retain- 

 ing moisture when most of the neighbouring lands are dry 

 and sterile. There is a remarkable gravel terrace near it. 

 The red appearance with a peculiar softness in the aspect 

 makes it noticeable. It is mostly Sand mixed with Clay 

 and Red Oxide of Iron, and does not seem to have much 

 Lime or Vegetable Matter among it. 



The analyses of Vegetable Earths, 8cc, are well treated 

 of in many books, particularly Kirwan's Essay on Ma- 

 nures, and H. Davy, Esq., for the Board of Agriculture. 

 It is, however, desirable to gain as much knowledge as 

 we can of a soil by figures and practice also ; otherwise we 



