On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
711 
sea-banks  above  the  level  of  the  moor,  are  lands  which  bear 
wheat,  barley,  and  beans  or  potatoes  in  constant  succession ; 
sometimes  vetches,  followed  by  turnips;  but  this  is  a modern  in- 
novation which  has  made  little  way.  The  farmers  on  these  lands 
trust  chiefly  for  manure  to  the  hay  which  they  draw  up  from  the 
Marsh,  and  consume  in  their  yards.  The  cultivation  of  mangold 
is  creeping  in,  and  the  enormous  quantity  of  that  root  which  the 
soil  will  bear  must  ere  long  give  it  a prominent  place  in  Marsh 
farming.  It  is  far  from  improbable  that  the  course  of  agriculture 
in  the  Marsh  may  be  in  favour  of  breaking  up  grass  land  instead 
of  laying  down  corn  land ; when  it  is  considered  that  the  gross 
produce  of  an  acre  of  second-rate  dairy  land  does  not  much 
exceed  three  or  four  pounds  ; and  that  certainly  35  bushels  of 
wheat  and  as  many  tons  of  mangold-wurzel  may  be  expected 
from  skilful  arable  cultivation,  it  is  quite  within  the  mark  to  say 
that  even  with  low  prices  the  produce  of  the  land  may  be  more 
than  double  what  it  now  is,  and  although  the  rent  might  not  be 
greater,  the  funds  available  for  payment  of  wages  would  be  greatly 
increased. 
Lias  Formation. 
Stonebrasli  and  Clay. — On  the  south-east  of  King’s  Sedgemoor 
is  a district  of  table-land  on  the  lias  formation. 
It  presents  a steep  escarpment  to  the  moor,  of  which  it  forms  the 
boundary.  This  boundary  has  all  the  appearance  of  a cliff  on  the  sea- 
shore for  the  greater  part  of  its  length  from  Compton  Dunden  round 
Somerton  Hill  and  High  Ham  Hill  to  Langport,  and  thence  under  Curry 
Rivell  to  Hatch  Beauchamp,  from  which  point  it  rises  with  a less  distinct 
line  to  the  Blaekdown  Hills. 
The  table-land  falls  away  to  the  southward,  in  which  direction  the 
lias  dips  under  the  marlstone  and  oolite,  or  under  the  alluvial  borders  of 
the  rivers  which  drain  the  basin  above  Langport.  To  the  north-west  it 
forms  the  heavy  clays  about  Lydford  and  Alford.  There  are  several  nar- 
row strips  of  lias  stretching  in  a north-west  direction  towards  the  sea.  The 
longest  is  Polden  Hill,  parallel  to  which  may  be  traced  in  detached  hills  a 
line  from  the  Pennards  to  Meare  and  VVesthay,  and  another  line  from 
Pilton  on  the  south  of  Shepton  Mallet  to  Wedmore,  Mark,  and  Badgworth. 
There  is  also  a detached  patch  of  lias  on  the  coast  of  the  Bristol  Channel 
forming  the  line  of  cliff  from  Blue  Anchor  to  the  mouth  of  the  Parret, 
under  which  river  it  no  doubt  dips  till  it  joins  Polden  Hills. 
A<  ~ ' >TT 
The  soils  on  the  lias  fall  under  two  general  heads — a thirsty 
stonebrash,  and  a stiff  clay.  The  stonebrash,  as  might  be  ex- 
pected, is  generally  to  be  found  on  the  tops  of  the  hills — the  clay 
in  the  valleys  beneath,  and  especially  in  little  hollows  on  the  gentle 
