JERSEY, is an island in the English Channel, subject to the Dominion of Great Britain, lying off the coast of Normandy in France. Its form is an irregular parallelo gram, the extreme length of which is 12 miles, the ex treme breadth 7, and the superficial area 623 square miles, or 40,000 acres. The climate is so mild, that frost is rare ly of any duration, and snow seldom lies above two or three days in Shrubs requiring shelter in the southern parts of England, sustain no injury here from exposure, and spring flowers blow in the open air of the colder sea son. Fogs are not uncommon, and there are frequent gales, together with keen and penetrating winds from the east, which arc severe on delicate constitutions. Pulmonary affections arc often fatal, and there arc numerous cases of scrophula, which some have ascribed to the habitual use of of salted provisions.
The surface of Jersey is an inclined plane, rising ab ruptly from the sea on the north, where its lofty cliffs are in general 100, or frequently 200 feet high, and declining gradually to the southern coast. Its shore is deeply indent ed by many fine bays, of which St Aubin, 13relade, de Lecq, and Boulay, arc the most important. But they are not well sheltered from storms, and the ports of St I felier and St Aubin are both dry at low water. A chain of rocks runs out from the north and north-east, dangerous to mariners, as are the shallows in other parts ; and the tides, which rise from 40 to 50 feet, exhibit some singular phenomena.
island sland is watered by numerous streams, and so co piously, that it has been observed, there is scarcely a house which has not a spring or a brook near it. All the mineral waters hitherto discovered are chalybeate ; but only two have attracted any notice on account of their medicinal properties—one in the parish of St Mary, the other in that of St Saviour.
A lage portion of Jersey, consists of sienite, especially y the northern coast, where there are rocks of various eleva tion, generally exhibiting broad and perpendicular faces to the sea, and every where intersected by veins also perpen dicular, running north and south. Many remarkable ca verns have been formed in them by the action of the waves What approaches nearest to granite is quarried at Mont Mado, of which ample use is made for architectural pur poses. Varieties equally hard and compact are obtained
at St. Brelade's Bay and Plemont. These of seinite appear in some places to pass into porphyry, in others into a kind of green stone in a state of partial or entire decomposition. No metallic traces, except of iron and manganese, are seen in any part of Jersey. It has been said that copper ore is found. Ochre of different colours is obtained in various places, and there are some specimens of tripoli.
The surface of the island is extremely irregular, consist ing of numerous small vallies running across the island ; and the soil, which is principally a light and fertile earth, has been compared to that of Guernsey. Considerable va riety of vegetables is produced here. Madder grows wild, also the luteola, single camomile, and a number of aroma tic herbs. Laver and samphire grow on the coast, and chiefly to the north. Fine fruits of the highest flavour come to maturity in the orchards. A kind of pear called chaumentelle is particularly celebrated, some attaining a pound in weight. It sells for a high price at all times, and is sent in presents to England. From the profusion of ap ples a great. quantity of cider is obtained yearly. There are no woods of forest trees throughout the island ; but one of the most important vegetables is sea weed, or vraic, which grows all around the rocky shore, and is used, either in a recent state for manuring the land, or when dried, as fuel. Only two seasons in the year, which are proclaimed by order of the magistrates, being appointed for cutting it, whole families watch the period when it is torn off the rocks by tempests, to rake it together. The ordinary farinaceous grain of England is cultivated ; also bearded wheat, called froment treumis in Jersey, which is reaped in three months, and the various edible roots. Lucern and clover are in general cultivation, but hops have not succeeded. iInstead of reserving a field for each kind of grain, it is common to sow several in patches in those of very small size. The vegetable produce of the island is considerably less than its consumption ; and there is sometimes a temporary scarcity in the town of St. Helier, extending both to bread and meat.