Farming of Lincolnsliire. 



271 



fossil shells, and is undoubtedly the Kimmeridge or Oxford clay 

 laid bare wherever the green sand has been eroded to a sufficient 

 depth by ancient floods.* At Hareby, where this clay crops out 

 from beneath the sandstone, large pits of it are excavated, and it 

 is appHed to the land with the most useful results. It occupies a 

 space between the foot of the hills and the alluvial deposits of the 

 fens, and valleys of it open up into the hills from Hagnaby to 

 Bolingbroke, &c., and from Steeping to Ashby, Partney, &c. In 

 the latter valley the marl crops out half way up the hill side, 

 covered by the green sand strata, and along the bottom it is 

 hidden under a few feet of coarse granular sediment mixed with 

 «iud from the floodings of the Partney river, — evidently the 

 debris of the hills washed by numerous rivulets into the stream^ 

 and by it deposited in horizontal meadows on each bank. The 

 breadth of the green sand formation is inconsiderable^ except in 

 the southern parts, where, between Langton and Bolingbroke, it 

 is 4i or 5 miles. 



Unlike these hills, with their steep red fields, their sombre 

 woods, and dark green pastures often rough with furze, the Wolds 

 ascend with naked dull grey acclivities to a loftier elevation, and 

 their baset-edge extends in one unbroken line for manv m.iles. 

 The sand generally reaches for some distance up the slope, and 

 midway along the face of the hill the band of red chalk is observed 

 shining pink through the scanty herbage, and at times may also be 

 seen dotting the brown fallow fields with ruddy heaps of stone. 

 The Chalk hills range from Barton-upon-Humber to Gunby, a 

 distance of 45 miles, having an average width of about 6 miles. 

 The broad chalk district at the northern extremity of this line 

 appears to be entirely sundered from the rest by a deep valley of 

 clay between Brigg and Ulceby, but from Melton-Ross, south- 

 ward, is an uninterrupted succession of chalk hills and winding 

 vales, expanding to a breadth of 8 miles in the central portion, 

 and gradually tapering to a point at the southern termination. 

 The red chalk, which probably derives its tint from the presence 

 of a small quantity of oxide of iron, runs along the whole length 

 of the formation; but as its thickness is merely from 6 to 12 feet, 

 and as it always crops out on a steep slope, a very small pro- 

 portion of the soil rests upon it. This seam or stratum, being 

 at the base of the formation, generally lies upon a bed of sand, 

 and when sinking a well upon these hills this bed must be 

 pierced before water is found. At Caistor, midway up the ascent, 

 the band of red chalk rests immediately upon the red clay and 

 oolitic rock of the green sand, which throw out numerous fine 



* In many parts of the clay district borings have been made with a \\e\v of 

 obtaining coal, but of course without reward ; the bituminous shale which abounds in 

 the clay having deluded many persons into the belief that fuel may there be found. 



