220 Agricultural Capabilities of the New Forest. 
VIII, — On the Agricultural Capabilities of the New Forest.. 
By W. C. SroONER, of Eling, Southampton. 
Contents. 
I. Introduction. 
II. Forest Rights. 
III. Legal Position of the Forest. 
IV. Animals of the Forest. 
V. Manors of the Forest. 
VI. Enclosures. 
VII. Geology. 
VIII. Streams. 
IX. Agricultural Features. 
X. Rainfall. 
XI. The Cultivation of the Forest. 
XII. Ojiinions of Residents and 
Practical Men. 
XIII. Military Purposes. 
XIV. Summary. 
I. Introduction. 
The New Forest is an extensive tract of land, consisting of 
some 63,000 to 66,000 acres, forming the south-west of Hamp- 
shire, and facing the south. The Solent separates it from the 
north-west coast of the Isle of Wight, which, no doubt, it origi- 
nally joined, whilst its south-western half faces the English 
Channel. Its aspect, therefore, is extremely favourable, and, if 
its soil were equally good, the most sanguine expectations as 
to its future productiveness would undoubtedly be realised. In 
support of the goodness of the climate, I may adduce the well- 
known fact that on its south-western borders the modern town of 
Bourne has been built, a place which owes its prosperity to its 
havinjT been selected as the winter abode of invalids sufferins: 
from chest complaints. This town was also, from its salubrity, 
selected as the site of the Sanatorium built in connexion with the 
Salisbury Infirmary, and in honour of the late Sidney Herbert. 
The geological system to which the Forest belongs is the 
Tertiary, and it is placed in the Upper and Middle Eocene 
divisions. Thus, whilst its subsoil ranges from a retentive clay 
to the most arid sand, its surface-soil — never very deep — varies 
Irom a few inches of the poorest of the poor to 6 or 8 inches of 
liazel loam. One striking peculiarity appertaining to this tract 
of land is, that throughout its longest extent, from Lyndhurst 
Road Station to Christchurch, it contains no river, properly so 
called, but lies between two of some length and importance : 
the Test on its eastern, and the Avon on its western, border. 
The former rises in North Hampshire and brings with it 
washings from the chalk hills, and the other, of still greater 
extent, rises in the neighbourhood of Bath, and annually en- 
riches the alluvial plains which it originally formed. The 
New Forest, lying between these rivers, neither participates in 
their advantages nor derives assistance from their aid ; whilst its 
own small streams rise in the locality itself and issue, in many 
