Geological Description. 
271 
inghamshire, and though the autumn was too dry for roots to 
llourish, it was just such a season as they required after the pre- 
ceding; (h-encliing summer. The yiehl of corn was very abun- 
dant, and — when the average crops of the county are mentioned 
no spocial reference is made to the yield of the present season — 
5 and G quarters of wheat, ahnost as many of beans, and a larger 
quantity of barley, were common instances of the yield. The 
good crops and good prices are making amends for the wretched 
yield antl low prices of former years. But while the arable land 
rejoiced, the drought was much too severe for the pastures, and 
there has hardly ever been a season when the grass was so 
scanty. The spring was dry and very cold, and the late frosts, 
especially that of the 24th of April, retarded vegetation and 
destroyed the produce of every early blossom. In consequence 
of the continued dryness of the summer the hay crops were very 
light, and though most were well secured, there was a fortnight 
in July when a great deal of hay was damaged with a very 
insignificant amount of rain. The harvest weather, particularly 
during the latter part, was splendid, and as little or no rain fell 
in September the autumnal grass of the pastures was never abun- 
dant. In fact, since the fall of snow in January the ground 
never had a soaking, and the showers which fell freshened and 
revived the herbage without producing any great amount of 
keep. 
The geological and agricultural divisions of the county of 
Buckingham may be treated of under one head, for, though they 
do not always harmonise in all particulars, yet the diffei'ent for- 
mations plainly indicate a change of soil, and consequently a 
change of husbandry. Chemical analyses may, by numberless 
repetitions, assist in forming a correct idea of the nature of the 
soil, but at the same time they must be multiplied to an incon- 
venient extent, to exhibit anything like a satisfactory classifica- 
tion of the different soils throughout a county. Not only would 
the soils from different portions of the same field vary — not only 
would its depth, its position, and its dryness alter the proportions 
of its constituents — but whether the land is pasture or arable, in 
good condition or bad, drained or undrained, foul or clean, sup- 
plied with mineral manures or not, in crop or in fallow, in winter 
or summer, — these and similar modifications ought to be taken 
into consideration before chemical analyses can present fair com- 
parisons. Such analyses may be very valuable to individual 
farmei's, but they can be of no use in the general description of a 
county, and the Society very wisely does not consider them 
essential. Even the Society's learned chemical Professor says, 
" that the general analysis of a soil would not enable me to point 
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