612 = .346 
Practical Agriculture. 
5oj]5 called the " Wolds," stretching at an angle with the oolite range 
from the Humber in the south-eastern direction, almost to th( 
shore of the Wash. The Heath and Cliff uplands are chieflj 
upon the great oolite rock, and partly on the cornbrash, witl 
inferior oolite skirting the western or steepest declivity. Th( 
soil varies from thin sandy loam to deep red loam, while then 
are tracts of rich red land and more extensive areas of claye' 
loam with fragments of stone, locally termed " creech " land 
West of the hills lies the Trent valley, principally of stron< 
X lias clay, with some sands and gravels ; the New Red Sandstori' 
appears at the north-western extremity of the count}", with re 
markably fertile sand-loam soils, and some barren sands ; whil 
a peat district known as the " Carrs," and natural and artificia 
warp or alluvial lands border the Trent and other rivers 
The central valley consists of Oxford Clay largely covered witl 
drift deposits, sinking southward into the Fen level of pea 
and alluvium, and having on its eastern side, bordering tli 
Wolds, siliceous, calcareous soils, red land, and soils upon whit 
drift-marl. The Wolds, consisting of the upper and lowe 
chalk, are covered for the most part with a sandy loam, con 
taining flints and fragments of chalk ; in some places a thii 
staple of light sand, in others a deep, fertile, flinty loam. On thi 
eastern slope of the Wolds lie thick deposits of drift-clay an( 
gravel, constituting a district of low undulations named tb 
" Middle Marsh," between which and the coast is a broad belt o 
alluvial marsh land. 
Heath and The Heath and Cliff less than a hundred years ago was, fo 
Cliff. the most part, a region of waste and of rabbit-warrens, coverei 
with heaths, fern, and gorse, the only fences being the furze-capp& 
walls of sand which inclosed the warrens ; and in the centre c 
the wild tract south of Lincoln a tall column named " Dunsto 
Pillar," erected in 17,51, was nightly illuminated as a beacon t 
travellers. A large portion was reclaimed during the last twent 
years of last century ; Mr. Chaplin's large estate, however, bein 
inclosed as late as the year 1823. It is now a district of larg 
farms, large flocks, fine farmsteads, and stately rickyards. Nearl 
the whole of the surface is under the plough, and very high! 
farmed, yielding an average of fully 30 bushels of wheat and 4 
bushels of barley per acre ; the fertility being maintained by th 
oilcake-feeding of large flocks of sheep upon turnips and seed: 
by making great quantities of rich bullock -manure in yards .m 
stalls, and by the application of artificial manures ftn* the rool 
crops. The four-course rotation prevails, but the five-cours 
is also in favour. The turnips are sown chiefly on the fla 
though on ridges or drills where there is depth enough of so 
for the purpose ; the Lincolnshire red round, white stone, grc 
II 
