290 
On the Farming of the 
of much pleasing undulation of surface, nevertheless does not 
present any very marked prominency. Speaking of this forma- 
tion, Morton, in his work on soils, says, " From statements which 
have been i-ej)eate(lly copied, that magnesian lime is pernicious to 
the growth of vegetables, we would naturally expect the soil of 
this formation, if it partakes in the smallest degree of the nature 
of the substance of the rock, to be sterile and barren; this how- 
ever is not the case, for although the soil is in general thin on 
the magnesian lime, yet it is a good light soil for arable culture, 
and with manure produces good crops. From Nottingham to 
Boroughbridge this soil is profitably cultivated as arable land, 
and produces good turnips, potatoes, barley, and wheat." And 
no one who has travelled down the great North Road, which 
from Bawtry to Boroughbridge traverses almost the central line 
of this formation, but will be satisfied, from his own observation, 
that this account, if anything, tends rather to an under than an 
over estimate of the ready and economical productiveness of a 
very great portion of this land under fitting management. 
We next come to notice the district comprised between the 
magnesian limestone and the riveis Ure and Ouse, which, from 
their confluence v.ith the old river Don, form the eastern 
boundary of the Riding from that point to the city of Ripon. 
Although this portion is geologically considered as a continuation 
of the New Red-sandstone formation, there are parts which may, 
perhaps, be better distinguished as alluvial. Of these, that 
triangular area of low country formed by the old river Don, the 
Ouse, and the Thorne and Snailh Road, is one locality ; and the 
other extends up the Ouse from the junction of the river Aire, 
past Selby, to that of the Wharfe at Cawood ; the whole of which 
is flat, and of an alluvial character, and extending in breadth to 
the limestone formation. 
The New Red-sandstone itself, with its distinguishing features, 
enters the county from Lincolnshire in a comparatively narrow 
stripe between Bawtry and Thorne, running, with little variation 
in that width, to the east of Doncaster. Thence it increases some- 
what in breadth, and passes by Hensall and Heck to Haddlesey, 
where the alluvial flat intervenes as before mentioned, until it 
approaches Tadcaster, when it again shows itself and continues its 
course northward by Wetherby, Goldsborough, Whixley, Green 
Hammerton, to Boroughbridge and Ripon, with a breadth to the 
eastern boundary of the Riding. The soil at its southern 
extremity up to Doncaster partakes, for the most part, of that 
sandy-loam character which, without very much colour, sufficiently 
indicates the substrata. From Doncaster, by Hensall, and in 
parts of Haddlesey, it is of a still more sandy description ; so 
much so as at Hensall and Heck to drift into the hedges and 
