Hydrography and Communications.—Tho Waveney and the Little Ouse, border rivers, which separate this county from Norfolk, and receive the drainage of the northern part, are described under Non FOLK ; where also the navigable cut from the sea, through Lake Lothing, is described, though it belongs to Suffolk. The Suffolk tributaries of the Waveney are all small. In that part of the county which is adjacent to the lower part of the course of the Waveney are several small sheets of water, as Oulton Broad and Lake Lothiog, Breydon Water, Fritton Decoy, and Flixton Decoy. Neither of these pieces of water has much breadth, except Breydon, and that, in its widest part, is not a mile across. The Lark, a tributary of the Greater Ouse, rises at Lawehall, 7 miles S. from Bury St. Edmunds, flows north to that town, and then flows north-west by Mildenhall, to the border of the county, which it skirts for a few miles, and then enters Cambridgeshire, where it joins the Greater Ouse. Its whole length is about thirty miles. It is navigable from Bury, and serves to convey produce from that town and neighbourhood to the river Ouse and the port of Lynn. Of the streams which drain the southern part of the county the Stour is the most important. It is described under Essex, which it divides from Suffolk. The Stour receives many tributaries, none of which are navigable.
The Orwell, or Gipping, as it is called iu the upper part of its course, is formed by the juoction of several streams, which unite just by Stowmarket, and flows south-east by Needham-Market to Ipswich. Below that town it expands into an [estuary of considerable width, which unites et Harwich with the [estuary of the Stour. It is the restuary alone which bears the name of Orwell. The course of this river to Ipswich is above 20 miles, for more than half of which (namely, from Stowmarket) it is navigable : the [estuary is 10 or 12 miles long, and for the greater part of that distance more than half a mile wide at high-water. Sea-borne vessels of considerable burden get up to Ipswich. The lichen risea near Dchenham, and flown about 20 miles in a winding course to Woodbridge, below which It becomes an (estuary 9 or 10 miles long, and from a quarter to half a mile wide, navigable for sea-borne vessels of considerable burden. The Alde rises near the village of Brundish, and runs 11 miles south-east to its junction with the Ore, which rises near Framlingham, and has an eastward course of about 12 miles. From the junction the united stream, which is sometimes called Ore, sometimes Alde, flows about 15 miles Into the sea. The course of this part of the river (which is, for the greater part of its length, an [estuary) is remarkable : about eight miles below the junction of the Aide and the Ore, near the town of Aldeburgh, it approaches within 200 yards of the sea; and then turning suddenly, has the rest of its course nearly parallel to the shore, from which it is separated by a long, narrow, marshy peninsula. The principal feeder of the Aide Is the Be/icy, a small river, the lower part of which becomes a tolerably wide [estuary, opening into the (estuary of the Aldo just before it joins the sea. The Aldo is navigable to Snaps Bridge, near the head of the tideway. The part below the junction of the Butley is sometimes called Batley. The Myth rises near Laxfield, and flows eastward 16 miles by the neigh bourhood of Uslesworth, near which it receives a small feeder, into the sea near Southwold : it is navigable sip to Haleaworth, 8 or 9 miles. There are no meals within the county, but some of the smaller riven baya luen made navigable.
The Norwich and Ipswieh road enters the county at Stratford Bride over the Stour, between Colchester and Ipswich, and runs to Ipswich, and thence northward by Stoke and Soule Bridge over the Waveney into the county of Norfolk. The Yarmouth road branches
from the Norwich road at Ipswich, and nine through Woodbridge, Sumundhans, and Lowestoft. A second Yarmouth road branching from this at Blythburgh. between Sannundham and Lowestoft, passes through Ikeelea, and rejoins the road just before entering Yarmouth. The Norwich and Newmarket read enters the county at Newmarket, runs eastward to Bury St. Edmunds, and then northward to Thetford In Norfolk. Another road to Norwich enters the county at Sudbury, and runs by Long inlelford to Ilury, and thence by Ixworth and Botesdale to the Norwich and Ipswich road at Soak*. A road from Miry leads by Stowmarket and Needham-31arket to !lowish. Tho roads in all parts of tho county are excellent.
The Eastern Counties and Eastern Union railway enters the county from Mae: near Manningtree, and proceeds north by east to Ipswich, and thence north-west to Stowmarket, where it divides, one branch continuing north-west to Bury St. I.:amm* the other running north by east to Norwich, and quitting Suffolk near Dias. A abort branch quits the main line at Bentley, and proceeds to Iladleigli. The Sudbury and the Newmarket branches of the Eastern Counties line joist touch the bonier of the county ; and the Norfolk line skirts the border for a short distance from Lakcnheath and Brandon to Thetford. A short portion of the Lowestoft branch of the Norfolk line is within the county.
Climate, Soil, and Asericulture.—The climate is much drier than that of the more western counties of England ; hut also colder in spring, when the north-easterly winds prevail. The soil, although varying extremely, may be divided into three or four distinct kinds. A very rich loam, chiefly alluvial, is found in a small portion of the southern part of the county, between the Orwell and the Stour. The next class consists of heavier lemma, varying in every degree, but in general resting on an impervious soil of marl cr clay, and in most situations requiring the assistance of drains to carry off superfluous water. This soil is found in the whole of the centre of the county, from the Stour to the borders of Norfolk. Between the strong loam and the sea is a strip running from the north bank of the river Orwell to Yarmouth, diminishing in breadth as it stretches northward, and consisting chiefly of sand of various qualities, incumbent on a subsoil of crag, which is a loose rocky substance, composed of sand, gravel, and broken shells, partly consolidated into a kind of stone. Some of this sand is enriched by organic matter intimately mixed with it : this is excellent for roots, especially carrots, and hears very fine barley. In the portions which lie low, and which have at some time or other been covered with water, a very rich mud has been deposited, and has produced as rich a :soil as may be desired. There is another tract of sand of a much inferior quality on the western extremity of the county, extend ing from Bury St. Edmunds to Thetford, with some better lands interspersed. The last class consists of the fen-lands, which, when properly drained, become valuable; but in their natural state, soaked In water, are of little value. The greater part of the land is under the plough. Improved systems of husbandry are generally intro duced, and most of the usual crops are raised. There is no part of England where the implements of husbandry are more perfect than in Suffolk, or where new implemeots are tried with more readiness. This is owing In a great measure to the very excellent manufacturers of agri cultural implements who live in the county. Of these manufacturers Messrs. Hansom of Ipswich, are the chief. The works of Messrs. at Lciaton, are of little less importance. Many farm-buildings of a superior class have been erected of late years.