538 The Scouring Lands of Somerset. [oct., 



alluvial land ; and these are typical of other examples. There 

 is a great difference in texture between the "teart" and the 

 sound soil in each case — always in favour of the latter; and 

 this is particularly noticeable in the top 4 in. or 5 in.* 



A comparison of the figures for each pair of fields does 

 not, however, show any very great differences ; but it is to 

 be noticed that the percentage of organic matter is invariably 

 higher in the samples from sound land, and this is un- 

 doubtedly the cause of the manifest difference in texture ;f 

 in fact, the greater amount of organic matter in these samples 

 was indicated by their "feel" and by their darker colour. 

 The figures for Nos. 5 and 6 are indeed widely different, but 

 these differences are almost entirely due to the excessive pro- 

 portion of organic matter in the sound field, and this is simply 

 an extreme case. The point is, however, that between the 

 "teart" land and adjoining sound alluvial land there is a 

 great difference in physical condition, but remarkably little 

 in mechanical structure. 



Table II. 





Near Bishopsworth. 



Northam 



ptonshire. 





Sound 

 7- 



Teart 

 8. 



Sound 

 (Thrupp) 



* 



Sound 

 (Braunston) 

 10. 



Gravel 



Coarse sand... 

 Fine sand 



Silt 



Fine silt 



Clay 



Moisture 



Loss on ignition (organic matter).. 

 Calcium carbonate ..: 



077 



19*26 

 20*06 



2473 

 16-56 



3 '62 

 1 1 -So 

 0 23 



0- 47 

 2*24 

 576 

 8-62 



23-06 

 34-63 

 5-55 

 16-46 



1 - 31 



0- 44 

 28-21 

 23-60 



9-29 



13- 72 



14- I3 

 2-04 

 6-6 3 

 0-I9 



0-89 

 23-24 

 20-34 



9 '59 

 16*13 

 16 77 



2*33 

 9*02 

 0*25 





98-56 



98*10 



98-25 



98*56 



Again, if we take a case in which a "teart" soil (on the 

 Lower Lias) is compared with an adjoining sound field on the 



* The analyses refer to samples taken to a depth of 9 inches. 



t There is always a fair proportion of calcium carbonate in the soil of 

 " teart " fields (see Table). This would be expected to exert a favourable 

 influence on the texture. It does not, however, have its full effect, because 

 apparently it is always present in comparatively large pieces, and not in a 

 very finely divided condition. 



