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ampton inlet at Redbridge. The Itchen, also called the Abre, has its source at Chilton Candover, near Alresford, whence it pursues a southwardly course through the city of Winchester, thence again southwardly, to its junction with the Southampton water."

Wells and Drinking Pools.-P. 47. "The want of a regular supply of water during the continuance of dry weather, in the chalk districts, is an inconvenience generally experienced, although the little which may be occasionally procured is of the best and most reviving quality. To remedy this evil, ponds are constructed at great labour and expense, for the purpose of retaining the downfall waters, as a supply for both sheep and cattle. These are bedded with the most retentive clay or loam that can be conveniently procured, and paved within and above their upper sides with large smooth flints, as well to prevent poaching in wet weather, as to secure it as much as possible from the action of the frost, which once penetrating the made ground, it becomes porous, and incapable of retaining water until it is again renewed.

"In such situations as are out of the reach of a constant supply of water from brooks, rivulets, or streams, tanks and reservoirs are also constructed to receive the rain water from the dwelling-house and buildings; and here wells are sunk from one to three and four hundred feet in depth, through the solid chalk rock, and which in a dry season affords a supply for domestic use, as well as for the sheep and all the farming stock of the occupation. Whole vilJages are thus frequently supplied with water, drawn up in large buckets by a tread wheel; but even this supply in the month of October will sometimes fail, when all the inconvenience and distress of such a situation may very easily be imagined. In some instances it has been known, that a continuation of dry weather during the autumnal months, and even after the great demand of harvest, will have left more strong beer than water within the boundaries of a parish: in such situations, the labour and expense reqnired to supply the family and a part of the stock with water-carts, is absolutely incalculable; every endeavour, however, is constantly employed to mitigate the evil attendant on the failure of so important a necessary of life; but which all the high downy parts of the chalk district are to a greater or less extent subjected, that are not visited by water-courses, or lie within the reach of permanently living streams."

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SOILS. This, too, is a conjoint subject of districts." It is, first, passed through seven, with climate; and is, then, travelled over the whole eight, alone thus becoming the occupant of more than two sheets of paper.

It is, however, too valuable a part of the volume, to be passed by, without due consideration.-I will first copy the whole of the brief sketches which accompany "Climate," and then extract, from the detailed account, in the section, "Soil," some interesting particulars, relating to the two principal divisions of the County.

"District 1. "(namely, the northern margin of the County, bordering on and uniting with, the lands of Berkshire and Surrey.) P. 8. "Woodlands and the wastes of Bagshot, clay, sand, gravel, and peat; the last found upon the wastes and in some of the enclosed low grounds."

"District 2."-(the Chalk Hills.) P. 8. "Strong flinty loams and hazel-coloured mould on chalk, occasionally veined with gravel: more or less peat in most of the vallies."

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"District 3."-(the eastern margin of the Chalk Hills, uniting with the light barren lands of Surrey and Sussex.)— P. 9. Malm, sand, and gravelly loam, clay and peat: the latter found chiefly upon the wastes; also in Woolmer and in Alice Holt forests."

"District 4."-(the New Forests and its environs.) P. 9. "Light sand and gravelly loams, intermixed with clay and brick-earth on substrata of argillaceous and calcareous marl. Much peat and turf moor prevailing on the heath and low grounds, particularly in the forest of Bere, Waltham Chase, and New Forest."

"District 5."-(the Portsmouth quarter of the County.) -P. 9. "Chalk of Portsdown, and the islands of Portsea and Haling, a strong flinty, and a tender hazel-coloured loam, prevailing in the islands and low grounds."

"District 6."-(certain marginal lands of the Isle of Wight, lying principally on its northern shores, but partly along its southern coast.)-P. 10." North and south borders of the Isle of Wight, rough strong clay, argillaceous and calcareous marl."

"Districts 7 and 8."-(the interior or main area of the Isle of Wight, which comprizes soils of almost every description.)-P. 10. "Tender, red sand, and gravelly loam, with argillaceous and calcareous marl, chalk, and its usual accompaniments, red loam and flints."-We now enter upon the

Soils of the Chalk Hills of Hampshire.-P. 15. " Notwithstanding the uniformity prevailing in the internal composition or structure of this district, which chiefly consists of a firm unbroken bed of rock chalk, its soil or surface covering is so much varied and blended with each other, as to require much attention to the describing of it in such a manner as to make all its varieties clearly and distinctly understood.

ampton inlet at Redbridge. The Itchen, also called the Abre, has its source at Chilton Candover, near Alresford, whence it pursues a southwardly course through the city of Winchester, thence again southwardly, to its junction with the Southampton water."

Wells and Drinking Pools.-P. 47. "The want of a regular supply of water during the continuance of dry weather, in the chalk districts, is an inconvenience generally experienced, although the little which may be occasionally procured is of the best and most reviving quality, To remedy this evil, ponds are constructed at great labour band expense, for the purpose of retaining the downfall waters, as a supply for both sheep and cattle. These are bedded with the most retentive clay or loam that can be conveniently procured, and paved within and above their upper sides with large smooth flints, as well to prevent poaching in wet weather, as to secure it as much as possible from the action of the frost, which once penetrating the made ground, it becomes porous, and incapable of retaining water until it is again renewed.

"In such situations as are out of the reach of a constant supply of water from brooks, rivulets, or streams, tanks and reservoirs are also constructed to receive the rain water from the dwelling-house and buildings; and here wells are sunk from one to three and four hundred feet in depth, through the solid chalk rock, and which in a dry season affords a supply for domestic use, as well as for the sheep and all the farming stock of the occupation. Whole vilJages are thus frequently supplied with water, drawn up in large buckets by a tread wheel; but even this supply in the month of October will sometimes fail, when all the inconvenience and distress of such a situation may very easily be imagined. In some instances it has been known, that a continuation of dry weather during the autumnal months, and even after the great demand of harvest, will have left more strong beer than water within the boundaries of a parish: in such situations, the labour and expense reqnired to supply the family and a part of the stock with water-carts, is absolutely incalculable; every endeavour, however, is constantly employed to mitigate the evil attendant on the failure of so important a necessary of life; but which all the high downy parts of the chalk district are to a greater or less extent subjected, that are not visited by water-courses, or lie within the reach of permanently living streams.”

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SOILS.-This, too, is a conjoint subject of districts." It is, first, passed through seven, with climate; and is, then, travelled over the whole eight, alone thus becoming the occupant of more than two sheets of paper.

It is, however, too valuable a part of the volume, to be passed by, without due consideration.-I will first copy the whole of the brief sketches which accompany " Climate," and then extract, from the detailed account, in the section, "Soil," some interesting particulars, relating to the two principal divisions of the County.

"District 1. "(namely, the northern margin of the County, bordering on and uniting with, the lands of Berkshire and Surrey.) P. 8. "Woodlands and the wastes of Bagshot, clay, sand, gravel, and peat; the last found upon the wastes and in some of the enclosed low grounds."

"District 2."-(the Chalk Hills.) P. 8. "Strong flinty loams and hazel-coloured mould on chalk, occasionally veined with gravel: more or less peat in most of the vallies."

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"District 3."-(the eastern margin of the Chalk Hills, uniting with the light barren lands of Surrey and Sussex.)-P. 9. Malm, sand, and gravelly loam, clay and peat: the latter found chiefly upon the wastes; also in Woolmer and in Alice Holt forests."

"District 4."-(the New Forests and its environs.) P. 9. "Light sand and gravelly loams, intermixed with clay and brick-earth on substrata of argillaceous and calcareous marl. Much peat and turf moor prevailing on the heath and low grounds, particularly in the forest of Bere, Waltham Chase, and New Forest."

"District 5."-(the Portsmouth quarter of the County.) -P. 9." Chalk of Portsdown, and the islands of Portsea and Haling, a strong flinty, and a tender hazel-coloured loam, prevailing in the islands and low grounds."

"District 6."-(certain marginal lands of the Isle of Wight, lying principally on its northern shores, but partly along its southern coast.)-P. 10. "North and south borders of the Isle of Wight, rough strong clay, argillaceous and calcareous marl."

"Districts 7 and 8."-(the interior or main area of the Isle of Wight, which comprizes soils of almost every description.)-P. 10. "Tender, red sand, and gravelly loam, with argillaceous and calcareous marl, chalk, and its usual accompaniments, red loam and flints."--We now enter upon the

Soils of the Chalk Hills of Hampshire.-P. 15. "Notwithstanding the uniformity prevailing in the internal composition or structure of this district, which chiefly consists of a firm unbroken bed of rock chalk, its soil or surface covering is so much varied and blended with each other, as to require much attention to the describing of it in such a manner as to make all its varieties clearly and distinctly understood.

"The first of these soils, covering some of the highest parts of the district, is provincially called hazel mould, a light, dry, friable, sandy soil, of a moderate staple, and resting upon a chalk rubble (that is, partially dissolved chalk mixed with small broken flints), and which in its native state, affords a short but very good sheep pasture; and which, from its superior elevation, is not early affected by a spell of warm dry weather; but when reduced to a state of tillage, becomes of very little value indeed. This land, after being opened to aration is very liable to wash : upon many of the brows and side hills of the principal eminences, the light materials have been carried off by the heavy rains, when the remaining surface exhibits a collection of what its subsoil was originally composed of, and which altogether appears unfit for any other purpose than of conversion to a rabbit-warren.

"The second description of down soil which we shall here have occasion to notice, consists of a black vegetable mould, generally of a moderate depth, and lying directly on a bed of flints and rubble, and by which it seems interrupted at some distance from the chalk rock below. This soil is evidently produced from an ancient vegetation produced at such times as this species of down was in a forest state a conjecture much strengthened by the number of thorn bushes, ewe, furze, and juniper which are still found scattered upon it. This sort of down, when properly (that is, hard) stocked with sheep, produces a remarkably sweet herbage, and is still less liable to be affected with a continuance of drought than the soil above described. When appropriated as cow common, or not stocked sufficiently 'close with sheep, it is apt to produce a dwarf species of ling and furze, but which may always be kept down and in an improving state, by stocking with that sort of sheep which are best calculated to browse in such situations and upon such an herbage.

"The third class of down land we find occupying a large portion of this district. It consists of a thin grey loam, Iving almost immediately on a firm bed of chalk. Here the sheep pasture is generally short, but of a most excellent quality it is, however, more suddenly affected in a dry season than the preceding classes, but, in like manner, requires to be kept pared close down, to preserve the natural 'sweetness of its herbage.

"A fourth class of land at present occurring upon the Down, and also forming a large portion of the tillage land in the country, consists of a deep, strong, red, flinty loam, lying at various depths, of from one to eight or ten feet, upon, and partially dipping into the rock chalk 'below.

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