258 
On the Agricultural Geology of the Weald. 
being but little of any value in the Weald. Now, chalk-flints 
and flint-gravel are largely used ; whilst near the coast, and in 
districts near the Rother, shingle is taken from the shore in large 
quantities. The old slag heaps of the ironworks afford excellent 
road material, but the quantity is small. Wherever limestone- 
beds occur they are sought after and dug for roadstone, but when 
used alone the roads are dusty in summer and soft in winter 
Flints, either alone or mixed with other material, form the best 
roads. It is important that the flints should never be used fresh 
from the chalk-pits ; they are then brittle and far less serviceable 
than when suffered to lie and weather for a few years, by which 
means they acquire " toughness." The very best flints are those 
picked off the fields. Very many cross-roads in the Weald, and 
still more of the farm-roads, are simply mended with soft sand 
stone — the hardest that the neighbourhood affords, no doubt, but 
quite useless for the purpose. 
To return to the Weald Clay. While stiffness and flatness are 
its prevailing characters, there are parts that are fairly hilly and 
others which afford lighter soils. Both chiefly occur where the 
clay is overspread with gravel. Some land north of Tunbridge is 
undulating, the higher ground being capped by gravel. East of 
Tunbridge occurs the great spread of loam, which produces the 
hop-soil for which the district is celebrated. Sometimes there 
are beds of fine gravel, but the greater part is a rich loam, yielding 
a soil of great depth.* 
Of superficial beds covering the Weald Clay, those of th 
Medway are the most important, whilst the Mole and Wey have 
considerable areas thus covered. Of old alluvia of the Rive 
Stour, only small and unimportant patches remain on the Weald 
Clay. Those' of the southern rivers seem to be less importan 
than similar deposits in the north of the Weald. 
Over many parts of the Weald Clay the gravel occurs in hard 
masses, cemented by iron. These are locally known as " rag- 
stone ;" and one occasionally hears of " ragstone soil." It is im 
portant to bear in mind that this in no way resembles the ragstone 
soil of the Maidstone district. 
Hastings Beds. 
Most people who are personally unacquainted with the Weak 
iiave an idea that it is all, or chiefly, a stiff soil. This is true o 
the Weald Clay flat, but not of the inner and upland country, o 
* The hop gardens of Ilacllow are commonly described as on Weald Clay, an 
so they are according to most geological maps ; but, in fact, the majority huv 
nothing to do Trith Weald Clay, being separated therefrom by many feet of gravi 
and brick e^rth. 
