] Is either clay, or gravel, or sand; the clays produce excellent wheat and beans; the gravel and sand, rye, barley, peas, and oats; and of late years the light lands have been improved, and rendered as valuable as the clays, by sowing them with turnips, clover, saintfoin, &c. but more particularly in wet years; a wet season, however, by no means agrees with the clay. In such years, for the most part, there is a great scarcity of wheat; but then, to compensate for that deficiency, there is a plenty of pasture and other grain.
Its Trees.
] The timber that grows in England is oak, ash, elm, beech, and hornbeam. The walnut-tree is particularly used in cabinets, and other curiosities of the like nature. But besides these, there are a great number of other trees, which, though they do not fall, indeed, under the denomination of timber, serve for shade, ornament, and inferior uses.
In Kent there are extensive orchards, the trees whereof produce abundance of cherries. In Devonshire and Herefordshire likewise are vast quantities of apple-trees, the produce whereof makes far better cider than any other county whatever can boast of.
Its Plantations.
] In Kent, as well as Worcestershire, Surrey, &c. are large plantations of hops; and in divers other counties, of flax and hemp.
In Essex and Cambridgeshire are large plantations of saffron; and in Bedfordshire there are large fields of woad or wad
, for the use of dyers.
Its Rivers.
] Its principal rivers are, 1. The Thames, 2. The Medway. 3. The Trent. And, 4. The Severn.