4 NATURAL HISTORY 
rotten or rubble flone, which, when turned up to the froft and: 
rain, moulders to pieces, and becomes manure to itfelf ^ 
Still on to the north-eaft, and a ftep lower, is a kind of white 
land, neither chalk nor clay, neither fit for paflure nor for the 
plough, yet kindly for hops, which root deep into the freeftoncj, 
and have their poles and wood for charcoal growing juft at hand. 
This white foil produces the brighteft hops. 
As the parifh ftill inclines down towards Wolmer-foreft, at the 
junfture of the clays and fand the foil becomes a wet, fandy loam,, 
remarkable for timber, and mfamous for roads. The oaks of 
Temple and Blackmoor ftand high in the eftimation of purveyors, 
and have furnifhed much naval timber; while the trees on the 
freeftone grow large, but are what workmen call pakey, and fo 
brittle as often to fall to pieces in fawing. Beyond the fandy 
loam the foil becomes an hungry lean Gmd, till it mingles with 
the forefl; and will produce little without the affiftance of Hme 
and turnips. 
LETTER IL 
TO THE SAME. 
I N the court of Norton farm houfe, a manor farm to the north- 
weft of the village, on the white malms, flood within thefe 
twenty years a hroad-leaved elm, or zvych hazel, ulmits folio latiffitria 
fcahro of B,ay, which, though it had loft a confiderable leading 
^ This foil produces good wheat and clover. 
bough 
