On the Agricultural Geology of the Weald. 249' 
Surrey, although the formation is largely developed, its divisions 
are less sharply marked ; and in East Sussex the whole formation 
is thin and more uniform in character. 
The lowest division, or Atlierjield Clay., may be briefly 
dismissed. Lithologically it should be classed with the Weald 
Clay on which it immediately rests, but its fossil contents have 
caused it to be separated therefrom by geologists. It is a stiff 
clay, generally brown, and sometimes containing limestone beds. 
Its thickness is variable, and cannot always be determined, but 
it never occupies much ground. It crops out everywhere^ 
towards the lower part of the Lower Greensand escarpment 
excepting in East Sussex, where, as already mentioned, the 
whole formation is thin. It is sometimes reached in valleys 
within the Lower Greensand area, and then always throws out 
strong springs — as at Loose and Leeds Abbey in Kent — and in 
many valleys of the Leith Hill district. 
The land described in the following extract from Mr. G. 
Buckland's Report is that occupied by Atherfield Clay. " There 
is a very narrow belt of land running along the escarpment of 
the rag-stone, provincially called Coomb (the debris of the 
Greensand, connecting it with the Weald Clay below), which, 
although of a very heavy and adhesive texture, is astonishingly 
productive in hops, fruit, and grain. This land is sometimes so 
wet and stiff as to set the operations of ploughing at defiance ; 
draining it, however, will materially alter its character, and this 
method of improvement is being extensively practised. The 
natural fertility of this soil is owing to its happy mineral 
composition and the large amount of calcareous matter it 
contains."* 
In the map accompanying this paper the Atherfield Clay is 
classed with the Weald Clay ; its soil differing totally from the 
Lower Greensand divisions above it. 
It has just been remarked, that the Lower Greensand varies 
much in its character ; this is especially true of the second and 
third subdivisions, or rather of the third (Hythe Beds) ; the 
Sandgate Beds, though somewhat variable, give generally a wet 
soil compared with the divisions adjoining ; but for several 
miles they do not occur, or are so thin as to make but little 
show at the surface. The top and bottom divisions of the Lower 
Greensand exhibit the least variation in character, but the 
bottom bed (Atherfield Clay) is perhaps not always present. 
The top division [Folkestone Beds) is tolerably constant in 
character, and always gives a very light soil. It consists of 
* " Farming of Kent." Journal of the Royal Agricultural Societj', -vol. vi., 
p. 279. 1846. 
