On the Agricultural Geology of the Weald.^ 263' 
by the different colours, and thereby also differing in degrees of 
goodness one from the other : for there is a grey, a blew, a yellow, 
and red Marie, all which be profitable, if they be earthly and 
fat, or slippery as soap : and most times little worth, if they be 
mixed with sand, gravel, or stone. So the blew is reported the 
best, the yellow the next, the grey the next, and the red less 
durable than the other three ; and yet it is thought the red is 
the better, if it be found upon the blue, or others." 
It is probable that "marl" continued in constant use from 
Markham's time till about sixty years back. 
Maesh Land and Alluvium. 
There are two alluvial districts of considerable extent coming 
within the boundaries of the Weald : they are Pevensey Level, 
in Sussex ; and Romney Marsh, chiefly in Kent. Of these the 
latter is by far the larger. It is bounded on the north by the 
rising ground extending from Hythe on the east, by Appledore 
to Rye. Long arms of marsh land extend up the Wealden 
countr}-, bordering the river Rother and its tributaries. Romney 
Marsh is in appearance, though perhaps not in fact, the delta of 
the Rother. It is bounded on its seaward side by great tracts 
of shingle, and when not thus protected is faced with sea-walls. 
The term Romney Marsh is generally applied to the whole 
alluvial flat (not the valleys leading into it) but, in fact, the 
name really belongs only to that part of the marsh east of the 
road from Appledore to New Romney. The other districts are 
known as Walling Marsh, Dunge (or Denge) Marsh, and 
Guildford Level. 
Nearly the whole of this tract is below the high-water mark 
of spring tides. The lowest part lies just to the north-east of 
Appledore, and is called the Dowls. This is 13^^ feet below 
high-water mark. Romney Marsh proper is that part which 
was earliest reclaimed by the Romans. Some land towards the 
central part of this is arable, but by far the larger part is 
pasture. Some of the land which was' reclaimed later than 
Romney Marsh is arable ; this lies somewhat higher than the 
older land. 
The soil is peaty in part, but generally a rich alluvial clay or 
clayey loam ; and there are some patches of lighter soil. Clay 
generally occurs below the peat, but the underlying stratum all 
over the marsh is a loose sand. " Dunge Beach is the widest 
spread of shingle in this area, being three miles long and from 
one to three miles wide, in some parts absolutely bare of vege- 
tation for hundreds of acres, and in others sparingly dotted with 
