rotten or rubble ftone, which, when turned up to the froft and-
rain, moulders to pieces, and becomes manure to itfelfb.
Still on to the north-eaft, and a ftep lower, is a kind of white
land, neither chalk nor day, neither fit for pafture nor for the
plough, yet kindly for hops, which root deep into tire frecftone,
and have their poles and wood for charcoal growing juft at hand,.
This white foil produces the brighteft hops.
As the parilh ftill inclines down towards Wolmer-fbrejt, at the
junfture of the clays and fand the foil becomes a wet, Tandy loam,
remarkable for timber, and infamous for roads. The oaks of
!Temple and Blackmoor Hand high in the eftimation of purveyors,
and have furnilhed much naval timber; while the trees on the-
freeftone grow large, but are what workmen call Jhakey, and fo-
brittle as often to fall to pieces in fawing. Beyond' the Tandy
loam the foil becomes an hungry lean land, till it mingles with
the forell; and will produce little without -the. aififtance. of limp and'turnips.
L E T T E R IL.
TO T H E S AM E ..
I n the court of Norton farm houfe, a manor farm to the north*
weft of the village, on the white malms, Hood within thelp
twenty years a broad-leaved elm, or voych battel, ulmus folio latijfmo
fcabro of Ray, which, though it had loft a conliderable, leading
b This foil produces good wheat and clover».
bough
A L
bough in the great ftorm in the year 1703, equal to a moderate
tree, yet, when felled, contained eight loads of timber; and, being
too bulky for a carriage, was fawn off at feven feet above the
butt, where it meafured near eight feet in the diameter. This elm
I mention to Ihew to what a bulk planted elms may attain;. as this
tree muft certainly have been fuch from it’s fituation-.
In the centre of the village, and near the church, is a fquare
piece of ground furrounded by houfes, and vulgarly called The
Plejlor c. In the midft of this fpot flood, in old times, a vail oak,
with a (hart fquat body, and huge horizontal arms extending
almoft to the extremity of the area.. This venerable tree, fur-
rounded with ftone fteps, and feats above them, was the delight
of old and young, and a place of much refort in fummer evenings;
where the former fat in grave debate, while the latter .frolicked
and danced before them. Long might it have flood, had
not the- amazing tempeft. in 1703. overturned it at. once, to the
infinite regret of the inhabitants, and the vicar, who bellowed
feveral pounds in fetting it in it’s place again : but all his care
could not avail; the tree fprouted for a time, then withered and
died. This oak I mention to Ihew to what a bulk planted oaks
alfo may arrive,; .and planted this tree muft certainly have been, as.
will appear from what-will be laid farther concerning this area,
when we enter on the antiquities of Selborne.
On the Blackmoor eftate. there is a final! wood called LofeUs, of a
few acres, that was lately furnilhed with a- fet of oaks of a peculiar
growth and great:value;; they were tall and .taper like firs,
but Handing near together had very fmall heads, only ■ a little
brulh without any large limbs. About twenty years ago the
c vide the plate in the antiquities.
bridge