278 
Farming of Monmouthshire. 
actual acreage, as the deposits of the valleys in all the districts 
are not known and noted. 
{g) Devonian Soils. — The rocks, when fragmentary, as on the 
escarpments of the hills, and when not denuded to a very great 
extent, crumble down to a deep rich loam, which is generally 
fertile and favourable to the growth of trees, especially the oak 
and the apple. 
The siliceous gravel, where it abounds, gives the soil a friable 
character, well suited for roots and barley ; whilst on the clay 
a strong wheat-soil is formed, and is found to be especially pro- 
ductive where a porous and rubbly soil accompanies it. 
In the neighbourhood of Chepstow and round the boundaries 
of the Coal-basin, lime is found in considerable quantities, and 
great advantages are reaped from its liberal application to the 
land upon the sandstone soils. When, however, the character of 
the soil becomes slaty or shaly, as in the neighbourhood of Went- 
wood and other places in the vicinity, it appears to be best 
adapted for woodland or depasturing. Here indeed we see, as 
in so many districts of England, that the application of clays and 
marls, when easily transferable, produces remarkable and bene- 
ficial results. 
The red lands in the valley, more especially south-east of 
Went wood and New Cliurch, protected as they are by the hills 
and woods, are generally of a highly ferruginous warm character, 
of superior fertility, excellent in mineral character, and for the 
most part of good texture. 
{f) Mountain-limestone. — This formation, when occurring at 
high elevations, is admirably adapted (producing as it does sweet 
and good pasture) for carrying the native sheep and cattle. In 
lower localities it is favourable for roots and barley. Its escarp- 
ments, ravines, and ridges, are well adapted for the growth of 
woods, whilst the easily made lime from the upper beds affords a 
cheap and excellent manure. 
(e) Millstone-grit. — This formation appears adapted for sheep- 
walks only. 
(f/) Coal-measures. — The various seams of coal and iron in 
Monmouthshire crop out along the northern boundary of the 
county, turning round by Pontypool, Risca, Caerphilly, Llan- 
trissant, and on towards Swansea. They repose upon the lime- 
stone, under which is the red sandstone ; the minerals on the 
northern part of the basin crop out at a less angle than they 
do on the south, hence the reason why Iron Works have been 
established at the head of every valley running north, as the 
minerals are from this fact worked at a less cost than on the 
southern edge of the basin, where they crop out at a greater in- 
clination. 
