314 
The Agriculture of Staffordshire. 
abundant springs rise from the "shake holes" in the rock: as 
at Grindon, where Ryebrook rises. Part of this parish, as well 
as Butterton, was famous seventy years ago for a strong soil, which 
rotted sheep by flukes in the liver. This character is retained 
where an undrained soil, generally rich and deep, rests on l)lack 
" shale," which moulders when exposed to the air. Sheep can 
only be kept one winter, and must be fattened in the spring. 
In conclusion I beg to express my thanks for the ready 
assistance I have invariably received during my various excur- 
sions. I am especially indebted for much general assistance and 
for many useful introductions to Mr. Tomkinson, of Newcastle, 
the Secretary of the Staffordshire Agricultural Society, and to 
Mr. Sydney Evershed, and Mr. R. W. Abbotts, of Burton-on- 
Trent. 
APPENDIX. 
The following statistics are taken from the Census Tables, 
and from the Agricultural Returns collected by the Statistical 
Department of the Boaid of Trade : — 
Area of Staffordshire in statute acres, 728,468. 
rop^ilation. 
1851. 
608,716 
1861. I 1868. 
Town.. .. 402,644 463,000 
Country .. 344,299 3'.(4,871 
746,943 I 857,871 
Increase between 1851 and 1861 .. 138,227 - 23 per cent. 
Numher of Inlutliited Houses. 
1851. 1869. 
116,273 .. .. 147,244 
Gross value of property rateable to the county rate, 3,104,090Z. 
Excluding; the Metropolitan Counties, the percentage of increase between 
1851 and iS(il was greater than in any other county in England except 
Durham, which increased 32 per cent. The numerical increase was greater 
than in any other counties except Lancasliire, Yorkshire, Middlesex, and 
Surrey. In the agricultural counties of Cambridge, Rutland, and Hunting- 
don, the j-opulation diminished in the same period 5 per cent., 3 per cent., 
and 2 per cent, respectively. Lancashire increased 19 per cent. 
The proportion of the town population of Staffordshire at the last census was 
.OS'O per cent., that of the country population 4G'l per cent. In Lancashire 
tlie proportions were G9'7 and 30''6 per cent. ; in Warwickshire 72'5 and 
27"u per cent. In the agricultural county of Huntingdon the proportions 
were reversed : they were 25"3 per cent, in towns, and 74-7 per cent, in the 
country. Almost the same figures would apply to Eutland and Herefordshire. 
