Natural Divisions. 
353 
sea or to the central chalk range. Thus the road from East 
Cowes to Ryde is an alternation of steep hills and deep valleys. 
II. "The nature of the Soils and the character of the 
Farming in the different Districts or Natural Divi- 
sions, — Also Improvements still required." 
The natural divisions of the island for farming purposes are 
strongly marked by the geological differences which exist between 
north and south. The northern edge of the central chalk range 
is the line of demarcation, between the southern Chalk, and the 
northern Eocene. 
I will subdivide the southern division into three parts, make a 
few remarks on the characteristics of each, aird then some on the 
whole of the south. I will then pass on to the north. I will 
conclude Avith some matters which refer to the whole island rather 
than to any particular division of it, and some " improvements 
still required " here. 
(I.) The chalk range in the south is of a different character to the 
free chalk in the centre : it is hard, very little influenced by frost, 
which merely causes it to split into flakes, and does not pulverise 
it ; consequently it is useless as manure. 
The soil here across the island, from Shanklin to Shorwell, is 
of four kinds : — 1. The bare chalk down, with some furze on 
it. 2. A border of stiffish soil along the margin of the chalk. 
The surface of this after a severe frost so pulverises, that you 
would hardly think it would come together again. A little Avet, 
however, sets it like pudding, so that a plough will hardly touch 
it. 3. The freestone border, a lighter soil. 4. The lower 
land, wetter and closer than the freestone, but not so stiff as 
No. 2. It is more of a clayey nature, and weather has not the 
same effect on it. 
From Shanklin to Shorwell and southwards, the size of the farms 
varies from 100 acres to 500. There is very little pasture, except 
a meadow near the homestead for the dairy cows, and more or 
less down attached, according to the situation. The four-course 
system prevails. The lands are eight turn. Of seed-wheats old 
white-straw red (an island sort), Buonaparte's imperial, or Dantzic 
white, are the favourites. The barley is the Chevalier, old 
American, or Nottingham. On the best farms a portion of the 
wheat- stubbles (according to wants) may be put to vetches or 
green food of some early kind, as a catch-crop before the turnips. 
The turnips are fed off with the fold, and generally followed by 
barley, rather than by oats. When seeded to clover, 10 lbs. red, 
4 lbs. hop, and a little rye-grass ; or 4 lbs. white clover, 4 lbs. 
trefoil, and more rje-grass, are two favourite mixtures. The red 
