The plastic clay is the foundation of the flat maritime district south of the Downs, which extends from near Worthing to Brackle sham Bay, and thence into Hampshire, forming part of tho Isle of Wight basin; and is seen elsewhere in insulated patches. The London clay, which in some localities includes beds of gray limestone and sandstone, is also found ; the clay constitutes the fiat maritime district of the south-west part of the county, and the limestone com poses groups of rocks on the coast. The valleys of all the rivers, and the large levels of Lewes, Pevensey, and Brede, the soil of which is extremely fertile, being formed of alluvial deposits, furnish rich marsh pastures almost equal to Romney Marsh.
elgrieulture.—The rich marshlands, of which there are about 30,000 acres in the county, make an excellent pasture-ground, on which many oxen and sheep are reared and fatted for market. There are also about 50,000 acres of down-land, which are left in down, and produce excellent pasture for the small sheep known 49 South Down sheep. After the hay is cut and carried in the marsh-land the pastures are usually occupied by cattle and sheep. Stall-feeding is also much and successfully practised in Sussex. The arable land on the Downs consists of thin light layers of earth, not exceeding eight inches in depth, intermixed with flint pebbles, and is very favourable for tho growth of barley. In some of the hollows the soil is deeper and more loamy, and so dry as to allow of its being ploughed quito flat without any ridges or water-furrows. Along the slopes of some of the hills the soil is of a tough tenacious nature, being a mixture of chalk washed down from the hills by the rains and stiff clay, and is very difficult to cultivate. In the spring it is extremely heavy, and retains moisture for a long time ; but when dried it becomes very hard. The rich arable laud in the county is about 120,000 acres. Hops are cultivated to a considerable extent in the eastern part of tho county : they have been introduced from Kent, and have gradually extended themselves westward. There are still many exteusivo woods in Sussex, amounting altogether to about 150,000 acres. Tho county is noted for its brood of oxen and of sheep. The Sussex ox bears a strong resemblance to the Devon, between which and the Hereford it holds an intermediate place, possessing the activity of tho first and the strength of the second, with the propensity to fatten and the fine-grained flesh of both. The South Down sheep are among the
best for all hill countries where the grass is short ; and their kindly properties have caused them to penetrate into almost all parts of the country. The number of these sheep on the Downs has been esti mated at 300,000 in summer and 250,000 in winter. On the richer and wet hind iu Wed Sussex a heavier sort of sheep, a cross between the Somerset and the Down, is much more used than the pure Down. The breed of horses Is not famous.
Divines's, Towns, has been for centuries divided into siz Rapes, a term peculiar to We county, the derivation of which is not satisfactorily settled. Each rape contains several hundreds and other smaller divisions. The county has also been for many years subdivided for all civil purposes into two divisions, the Eastern and the Western ; the Eastern comprising the rapes of Lewes, I'evensey, and Hastings; and the Western the rapes of Chichester, Arundel, and Brember. The rapes are as follows : I. Lowes rape occupies the centre of the county, and includes the hundreds of Bareotabe, Bottiughill, Dean, Fishergate, Holmetrow, Lewes borough, Poyuings, Preston, Street, Swanborough, Whaleshone, and Youuamere.
IL Peveusey rape extends from the borders of Surrey and Kent on the north to the sea, end contains the hundreds of Alcuiton, Bishop stone, Danehill-llorsted, Dill, Eastbourne, East Orinatead borough, Flezborough, Hartfleld, Lindfield-Borleigh-Archee, Longbridge, Lox field Camden, Loxfield, Dorset, Lowey of Pevensey, Ringmer, Bother field. Itushmonden, Shiplake, Totnore, and Willingdon.
III. Hastings rape forms the eastern portion of the county ; it in eludes the following hundreds :—Baldslow, Battle, Bexhill, Foxearle, Goldapur, Gostrow, ()nestling, borough and cinque-port of Hastings, Ifawlesborough, Henhurst, Netherfield, Ninfield, einque-port of Rye, Shoyawell, Staple, and the town and parish of Winchelsea.
IV. Chichester rape is situated at the western side of the county, and consists of the hundreds of Aldwick, Bosham, Box and Stock bridge, city of Chichester, Dumpford, Eastbourne, Manhood, borough of Midhurat, and Westbourue and Singleton.
V. Arundel rape forme the centre of the western division of the county, and incindes the following hundreds :—Arundel borough, Avlsford, Bury, Poling, Rothcrbridge, and West Eaeewrith.