Farming of Kent. 
253 
the Thames and the coast of Sheppy. It again appears near 
Whitstable, and passes beyond Reculver. The cHffs along tliis 
coast vary much in height, sometimes attaining ninety feet ; and 
the destructive effects of the sea are everywhere apparent. On 
the coast of Sheppy, indeed, and also at Reculver, the washing 
away of the land is alarmingly rapid, the sea having in some 
places obtained immense conquests within the historic period, 
and the work of destruction is incessantly going on. These cliffs 
abound in copperas and cement stones, which are picked up on 
the shore, antl afford a source of revenue to the owners of the 
adjacent lands, otherwise greater exertions would most probably 
be made to check the devastating influence of the waves. The 
London clay appears again near Stourmouth, stretching to the 
sea below Sandwich, varying from two to four miles in width. At 
Allhallows this formation occurs again, stretching towards Merston, 
from one to two miles wide. This occupies a part of the rich 
district lying between the Thames and Medway, below Chatham. 
There are likewise patches of London clay about Erith, Wickham, 
and Shooter's Hill, but not of anj' great extent. 
Those portions of the county that rest immediately on the 
London clay, are, with few exceptions, exceedingly heavy and 
tenacious, difficult and expensive to work, but when well managed, 
iu good seasons produce heavy crops of wheat, beans, and clover. 
A large proportion, however, is in pasture, some of it of excellent 
quality. A remarkable feature of some of these pastures is the 
great number of ant-liills, particularly m the marshes of Sheppy, 
on parts of which they almost cover the surface. The mounds 
formed by these little creatures consist of an adhesive clay, and 
appear very unsightly. When pared and taken ofif, they occur 
again as bad as ever in a few years. This soil is generally too 
wet and heavy for turnips and barley, and requires, under the 
ordinary system of management, fallowing every few years. Even 
here, however, the introduction of drill inof and the horse-hoe has 
m great measure superseded the necessity of a whole year's fallow, 
as formerly practised. The recent extension of the culture of 
tares has likewise contributed to this desirable end, the crop 
coming off in sufficient time to clean and prepare the ground for 
wheat. As most of this land lies conveniently situated for ob- 
taining London manure by water-carriage, its application, espe- 
cially when under-drained, has astonishingly improved the fertility 
and mechanical texture of the soil. 
In order to give a correct general view of the agriculture of this ■ 
very diversified portion of England, I can think of no better plan 
than to describe, as fully as is compatible with my restricted 
limits, the farming practices of certain districts which occur on 
each of the formations into which I have divided the .county. 
T 2 
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