264 



On the Farming of Suffolk, 



ample evidence of a sterility which the existence of so extensive 

 a tract of waste land as Boy ton, I ken, Chillesford, Sutton, and 

 Hollesley Heaths sufficiently corroborated. The heath land from 

 Sutton to the bridge over the Deben,* near Woodbridge, appears, 

 from the luxuriant growth of the ferns and whins, to be of a better 

 quality. 



There is so great a difference in the quality of the land in the 

 eastern sand district, that I have the authority of a gentleman, 

 who is one of the largest tenant-farmers in Suffolk, in stating that 

 land may be found on nearly every farm, the value of which to rent 

 will vary from bs. to 286", per acre. In some parts of this district 

 the sand lies to a considerable depth ; and when this is the case it 

 precludes any improvement by the admixture of soils, unless at a 

 very great cost. In other parts the subsoil is chalk, marl, or 

 crag, and here the great means of the improvement of the texture 

 of the sandy soils is to be found. The admixture of the subsoil 

 with the surface has more than anything else contributed to place 

 the cultivation of the light lands of Norfolk and Suffolk in the 

 first rank in the scale of farming. 



On the whole line of sea-coast there are tracts of salt marshes, 

 varying in value from 55. to 25^. per acre, as they are more or 

 less subject to the influence of the tides, A great portion of the 

 marsh land is subject to inundation when the tides happen to be 

 unusually high. This may not occur for several years ; but when 

 it does, it is productive of great injury to the marshes for many 

 years. 



Western Sand District. — This tract of country takes in some 

 of the worst description of soil, much of it being a blowing sand 

 on a subsoil of chalk or chalky clay (in some placest the chalk 

 appears at the surface) and is never at a great depth. In the 

 report of Arthur Young, it is mentioned as abounding in rabbit- 

 warrens and sheep-walks ; a great proportion of these have been 

 broken up, and the district is altogether much improved, though 

 some of the land is so sterile, as to almost defy all attempts to 

 bring it into a productive state. The worst description of soil 

 occurs at Thelford, Brandon, Wangford, Lakenheath, Ickling- 

 ham, Cavenham, and West Stow. The S.E. portion of this 

 division, in the neighbourhood of Bury, is of rather a better 

 staple, the soil being a gravelly loam, and in some places the 

 characters of heavy and light land become intermingled. 



Rich Loam. — This comprehends the greater part of Colneis 

 and Samford Hundreds, the lands of which may be considered 

 the best in the county ; and it cannot be better described than in 



* Wilford Bridge. 



t The chalk appears at the surface at Barnham, Thetford, Brandon, 

 Eriswell, Newmarket, and to a less extent at many other places. 



