218 REV. W. THOKP, B.A. — AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY, ETC. 
such as he had the honour of addressing. He also addressed some 
opinions to the meeting on the advantages of scientific draining, and 
the advantage of a knowledge of geology in making artesian wells to 
obtain water. As an illustration he mentioned very extensive sinkings 
which liad been made on the Bedford level in search of water which 
had all failed. Any practical geologist would have predicted this 
result because the sub-stratum of all that district is Oxford Clay, and 
is of such enormous thickness that it lias never been pierced through 
by any sinking. On the other hand, the wells in Essex, which pierced 
the London Clay and reached the permeable beds below were exactly 
in accordance with scientific knowledge, and of inestimable value. 
In the district first referred to, the geological map had taught the 
farmer, years before the knowledge was turned to any good account, 
that his light, dry, turf fenlands was underlaid by an inexhaustible 
supply of clay, which might at a small expense be got to the surface 
and mixed with the turf. By this treatment, adopted only a few 
years ago, thousands of acres of dry turf soil gained at once tenacity 
and fertility, and were loaded year by year with the richest crops of 
corn. As an example of this kind the Professor cj^uoted an estate 
near Downham, which, not long since might have been purchased for 
£1300, and was now let for £1300 a year. 
The meeting after adjourning for dinner was resumed in the 
evening, and the subject was further discussed. 
At the following meeting held in December, E. B. Beaumont, 
Esq. occupied the chair, and referi ed to the paper read by Mr. Thorp 
at its last meeting, and enlarged on tlie advantage of every farmer 
being made acquainted with the scientific basis of his farming, and 
knowing the geological character and the chemical constituents of his 
soil. A second contribution was made by Mr. Thorp at this meeting 
on the agricultural geology of the West Hiding. The subject of his 
paper was the Magnesian Limestone District ; it occupied the whole 
of the morning sitting, and exhibited in a clear and most practical 
manner the geological features of the district ; all the informa- 
tion which the author had been able to accumulate from the 
experience of such chemists as Sir. H. Davy, Prof. Liebig, and his 
own observations is duly chi'onicled. The analysis of soils, the 
