252 
On the Farmiiuj of liuntinr/don. 
In several churches the remains of Norman buildings are still to 
be traced. 
Apart from the fen-lands and the gravel of the Ouse valley, 
the geological formation of the shire belongs to the Oolitic series, 
and embraces calcareous grit, Oxford clay, cornbrash, blue lime- 
stone, and great oolite. 
The agricultural divisions are the gravels of the Ouse valley 
on the south-east ; the fens on the north-east ; and the Oxford 
clay, which extends over a wide area of the middle and western 
parts of the shire. The other geological formations are of small 
extent and possess no agricultural interest. 
The air in the higher parts of the county is pui'e and bracing ; 
in the fens mists are prevalent, and the atmosphere is generally 
charged with moisture, yet the inhabitants are particularly 
healthy, drainage having quite banished the attacks of ague, so 
prevalent at one time amongst fenmen. Few trades are carried 
on, the population being principally employed in the cultivation 
of the soil and the handicrafts therewith connected, such as 
brickmaking, malting, milling, brewing, lime-burning, &c. 
The Government returns of 1866* give the following as the 
extent in acres of the different kinds of crops : — 
Acres. 
Wheat 43,406 
Barley 21,083 
Oats 10,889 
Eye 635 
Beans 13,483 
Peas 4,935 
Total average under com 94,431 
Green Crops. 
Acres. 
Potatoes 2,517 
Turnip.? mid .swedes • 3,445 
Mangolds 3,746 
Carrots 558 
Cabbages, kolil-rabi and rape 4,485 
A'^etches, Lucerne 5, COO 
Total in green crops 20,751 
Acres. 
Bare fallow or uncropped arable land 13,403 
Clovers and other artificial grasses under a regular rotation .. 11,775 
Permanent pasture 52,057 
Total number of acres under all kinds of crops, bare fallow) jgo 417 
and gra.s.s ) 
Woods, waters, roads and waste lands 37,127 
* The returns for the year 1867, published since this Essay vas -written, -will 
be found at pp. 214-247, supra. 
