It has already been mentioned that Yorkshire is divided into three districts, the North, East, and West Ridings. There are also inferior divisions, the most important of which are denominated ITapeidakes, a word synonymous with the term hundred in some other counties. As from the size of the county, the Ridings are distinguished by several peculiarities, we shall consider each sepa rately. The West Riding, being the most import ant, first claims our attention.
This division contains a little more than two thirds of the whole population of Yorkshire, and nearly one half of the superficial extent. It is di vided into nine wapentakes, and is 95 miles in length, from east to west, and above 48 at its greatest breadth, from north to south. Its physical appearance is considerably varied. Towards the east, on the banks of the Ouse, which forms its boundary in that direction, it presents a level and marshy aspect, very fertile, but very uninteresting from its great uniformity. Towards the west it gradually rises, and is beautifully varied, till at length. on the borders of Lancashire and West moreland, it becomes rugged, bleak, and moun tainous. Indeed some of the highest mountains in England are situated in this corner of Yorkshire, namely, those of Ingleborough, Pennigant, and Whernsidr; which are, respectively, 2361, 2270, and 2263 feet, above the level of the sea. Amid these lofty mountains there are various fertile and romantic valleys, affording many striking instances of abrupt transitions, and the boldest contrasts. Of this Riding the climate, as might he supposed, is various. being warm and humid on the east, and gradually becoming colder, till it reaches the moun tainous tract referred to, at which place the weather has been characterized as the coldest, the most rainy and stormy in England.
In this Riding agriculture has been brought to considerable perfection. The soil embraces every variety, from the most fertile species to the most bleak and barren: indeed the latter is supposed to extend to nearly a fourth part of the whole super ficial extent. of which, however, about a half is ca pable of improvement, and is rapidly undergoing it. The arable lands are, in general, neatly in closed either with hedges or stone-walls, called dykes in Scotland. In various places a species of irrigation, denominated warping, has been much practised, and been productive of the most bene ficial effects. It consists in overflowing the lands by the water of the river at the highest of the tide, by which means depositions arc gradually made on the surface, till a considerahle depth of alluvial soil has been obtained, sometimes to the extent of ten or fourteen feet. Lands that have undergone this process not unfrequently yield various successive crops of great value without any application of manure. Wheat is produced in great abundance, more so indeed than any other grain. Oats are also very extensively cultivated; indeed oat-meal, as in Scotland, forms the chief part of the food of the inhabitants throughout all this division, but particularly towards the west of it. Turnips and
potatoes are also reared; and of the latter great quantities are sent by water carriage to the London market. Flax is grown in considerable abundance. Rye, peas and beans, are but partially cultivated. Liquorice is produced in great perfection on some deep loamy soils. Teazles, a production used for the purpose of raising the nap on cloth before it is submitted to the operation of the shears, are grown to a considerable extent, and are almost peculiar to this part of the county. A great portion of this Riding is devoted to pasture, and dairies are pretty common. The horned cattle, sheep, and horses have nothing peculiar; the horses for which Yorkshire has become celebrated, are reared mostly in the other two divisions.
The mineral wealth of the West Riding must not be overlooked. There are mines of iron, lead, and coal; which last seems almost inexhaustible, but it abounds most between Leeds and Wakefield, and in the vicinity of Barnsley, Bradford and Shef field. Iron is often found in the same mine %%ith coal; indeed the best strata of coal are found under seams of iron, sometimes of a depth of about 200 feet below the surface.
But whatever be its agriculture and mineral wealth, or its distinction in other respects, the di vision under review is chiefly eminent for the great extent of its manufactures; in truth it may be pronounced one of the greatest manufacturing dis tricts, not only in Englan I, but in the world. The truth of this assertion will be allowed when we mention Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Halifax, Bradford; indeed the greater part of the whole division, studded with villages as large as most towns, forms one continued succession of manufacturing establishments. The aggregate number of families amounts to 161,466. of whom 108,841 or two-thirds of the whole population, are employed in trade, manufactures or handicraft. The ample supply of coal; the extent of water carriage, and the command over the most power ful machinery afforded them by the numerous streams with which the Riding abounds, have had no trivial effect in giving that eminence in manu factures to which we are referring. Their manu factures embrace broad and narrow cloths of all kinds, flannels, with every species of woollen goods, shalloons, calimancoes. Sheffield exports cutlery and plated goodi to every quarter of the globe. The soil of the manufacturing districts is not na turally good, but owing to the great increase of manufactures, it has been cultivated, so that it is equal, if not superior, to the most fertile districts. During the ten years previously to 1821, while the population of the East Riding increased 14 per cent and that of the North Riding 20 per cent, the increase of the West Riding was no less than 23.