438 Indications of the Fertility or Barrenness of Soils. 
minates it is mostly wet, in consequence of the gravel bringing the 
water from the higher ground. Here, also, the plants, which 
indicate poverty, will appear brought there entirely by the stagnant 
water ; for when these pasture-fields are drained many of such 
weeds are not to be seen. There are some clav-soils in this dis- 
trict, both pasture and arable ; but they differ very little from what 
I have before described in other parts of the country. 
The most predominant soil in this district is gravel, and that of 
almost every shade of colour, as well as consistence, and I may 
say of every degree of fertility. I will first speak of the arable : 
that which has a mixture of loam, and has a dark brown cast or 
colour, is the most fertile ; its texture or staple is firm, and has a 
rich apjiearance. This soil will bear heavy crops of any kind, 
except beans ; excellent for turnips and barley. The only casualty 
I know of belonging to this land, is its being affected by extremely 
dry summers, in consequence of the subsoil consisting of gravel 
alone to a considerable depth. As this gravel approaches the 
oolite strata on which it lies, it invariably and gradually becomes 
of a lighter colour, and weaker in its nature, and consequently 
more barren. 
There is also a moory gravel, and that to some extent, in this 
tract of country, but of a much less fertile quality than the one 
just mentioned: still some of it is useful arable land, if pro- 
perly treated. Here also, as on the other gravel, the darkest 
in colour is the best. The pasture on this description of soil 
is of the worst character, and lies for the most part very wet, 
for want of draining : but even where it is drained, the turf 
wears a very dry, stingy appearance, nearly white for six months 
in the year. The subsoil under this moory gravel is mostly » 
weak, pale gravel, with veins of clay intermixed ; and in places 
there appears hardly any top-soil at all ; that which is, is in a 
great degree decayed vegetable matter. 
The pasture on the best description of gravel first treated of 
— that is, the loamy gravel — is very good ; particularly fertile as 
dairy-land, and makes goods of the best quality ; ljut as you 
approach the oolite formation the turf becomes gradually worse. 
I will now take a view of the Cotswold Hills, which include 
a great part of the oolite formation : but it must be a brief 
sketch for a work of this nature ; for a full description of these 
hills would fill a large volume in treating of this subject alone. 
Here are to be found soils of many sorts and colours. These 
hills are mostly occupied as arable land ; and much of that 
which is pasture, wliere it can be ploughed, would be more pro- 
fitable as arable. Tlie most prominent signs of the best soils 
here are a reddy-brown or j^artridge-colourcd loam (most of this 
formation has a loamy top-soil), upon a loose rubbly subsoil ; 
