On the Faiining of lluntinffdon. 
265 
that as the fens bocome relieved of their stagnant water, and 
the surface of the ;soil is reduced to a lower level, the drainage 
is gradually assisted. Here the land is more productive and is 
generally laid out in large fields, surrounded by well-kept 
hedges, with sufficient trees to give to the landscape a pleasant 
appearance, without being injurious to the interests of the hus- 
bandman. The grass land, though in general of second-rate 
quality only, is' rapidly becoming improved in value, and the 
benefit to be derived from a thorough system of drainage is 
everywhere apparent ; the improvement being still more striking 
where drained and undrained lands are brought in contrast side 
by side. 
The same mode of farming is here practised as that mostly 
pursued on the strong lands of the county, viz., three-crops and 
a fallow. 
II. The Oxford Clay District. 
The second division comprises the Oxford clays, and extends 
from Diddington on the south, to Sawtry on the north, and from 
Pidley on the east, to Keyston on the west, embracing an area 
of about 120,000 acres in extent. The whole of this district is 
composed of a retentive clay, varying in adhesiveness as the 
oolitic rocks crop to the surface. The land, though not 
attaining to a high elevation, partakes of an undulating character 
which imparts a pleasant appearance to the landscape. The 
fields are generally large, with only a few stunted trees in the 
hedgerows ; and the hedges, though bad in many places, are kept 
well cut. By far the greater part is under arable culture, and 
in general well farmed ; in some places the grass lands have 
been drained, and where this has been thoroughly performed, and 
cake freely given for a series of years to the stock grazing on the 
land, a great improvement in value has been effected. 
There are now few farms where summer grazing is not 
more or less practised. The system of breeding and weaning a 
certain number of calves each year is becoming general through- 
out the district ; these at from two and a half to three years are 
either fattened off" on grass or finished in the stalls ; there are, 
however, still hundreds of acres of grass land in the county of 
very little value in procuring food for the million, unless the 
numerous colonies of ants which inhabit them be turned to good , 
account by the game. 
The only unenclosed land now left in the county is Gidding 
Field. This, however, it is believed will shortly be enclosed, 
as the necessary steps to accomplish it have already been taken. 
In this neighbourhood, and proceeding in a south-westerly direc- 
tion through the parishes of Thurning, Winwick, Hammerton, 
VOL. IV. — S. S. T 
