The London and North-Western railway enters the county near laton. and runs throughout in a north-north-west direction, quittiog it a few miles south of Crowe. The Shrewsbury and Birmingham and toe or two other short connecting lines peas from it in its progress through the county. The Trent Valley branch of the North-11 astern railway eaters the county near Tamworth, and posses in a north-west direction to Stafford. It is continued from Colwich through the Pottery district to Congleton, by the North Staffordshire line. There are also several branch railways.
The principal coach-road in the county is the parliamentary road from London to Holyhead, which enters Staffordshire at Soho, near Birmingham. and runs through Wednesbury, Bilaton, and Wolver hampton, a few mile. beyond which it enters Shropshire. The Cheater and Holyhead rend enters the county at Tamworth, and roue by Lech field, Stafford, Eecleshall, and Knighton, into Shropshire. The London and Liverpool road, branching from this at Wolseley Bridge, runs through Stone and Newesatle-under-Lyme into Cheshire. The road from London by Derby to Mancheater crosses the northern part of the county through Leek. The road from Birmingham to Derby passes through Lichfield and Burton-upon-Treat There aro numerous minor roads.
Climes, Soil, Agricellere.—The air of this county is sharp in com parison with that of the counties situated to the south of it ; while Staffordshire is more subject to continued rains, which make the crop. later and the harvest more precarious. The average quantity of rain which falls in Staffordshire in the year is about 36 inches, while in the neighbourhood of London the average fall ie only about 21 inches'. The heavy soils consequently reqnire thorough draining. The middle and southern portions of the county are comparatively flat, and have only gently undulating hills. This portion also contains the most fertile lands, and is in the best state of cultivation.
Of the entire area of the county about 150,000 acres are in roads, wastes, and woods. The remainder ie productive either as arable land or pasture, the proportion of arable to pasture land being nearly as five to one. Along the banks of the rivers are rioh and productive meadows, which aro continually renovated by the depositions of fine mud in floods ; but sometimes they are flooded at a time when the grans is Et for the scythe or already cut, In which cases much loss Is swrtained.
There is not much land in this county devoted to the grating of cattle, or to extensive dairies, but many fine beasts are fatted in stalls on turnips, hay, and olleake, chiefly for the sake of the manure. The tweed most esteemed is that of the abort-horns. Of sheep, every breed in to be met with which is in any repute. The farm-horses in Staffordshire are active and strong, and in general well kept. The Staffordshire hog of the old breed Is coarser than the Berkshire or Essex, but better pigs have been introduced.
Divisions, Towns, ii-c.—Staffordshlre is divided into five bundred.s, as follows:—Cuttleatone or Cuddleston, central and west ; Offelow or Offlow, cast and southeast; Pyrchill or Pirehill, north-west and central; Seisdon, and Totmonalow, 'oath, south-west, north, and north-east ; with the city of Lichfield and the boroughs of New enatlemeder-Lyme and Stafford. It contains the county town and borough of Starroan; the city of Ltenetetn; the old boroughs of Nzweasna-uxtre-Lrarg, and Taxwmern, and the now parliamentary borough. of Stoic a, NN'a ua LT, and Wol.ventramoroe; and the market towns of Brierly Hill, BIT/TON, BVIVILEX (Included in the borough of Stoke), CEEADLE, Focleahall, Hanky It included In Stoke), LEER, Longnor, Longton, ugeley, STONE, TIO. stall (included In Stoke), Urroxrrra, and WEDNICIIBURT. The towns printed in small capitals are described under their respective titles ; the others we notice here, with the decayed market-towns and prin cipal villages ; the population is that of 1851 :— //rlerly Hill, population of the ecclesiastical district 8770, about 3 miles KW. from Dudley, is a market-town, consisting chiefly of one long street, which is lighted with gas. The parochial chapel occupies an elevated site ; there are chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive Method ists, Independente, and Baptist, ; National and Infant schools • • literary society, and a branch savings bank. The inhabitants employed in coal-minee, iron-works, gbies-works brick-kilna, iron boilerworke, nail, chain, and spoke-making establish ments, and malt-kilns. The market, which is important, is held on Saturday.