The main line of the Great Western railway crosses this county in a direction nearly parallel to that of the Wilts and Berke Canal. It enters Wiltshire between the Shrivenham and Swindon stations, the latter of which is 77 miles from the Loudon terminus, and runs in a south-western direction by Swindon, Chippenham, Corsham, and Box.
The Cheltenham branch quits the main line at Swindon station, and runs in a generally north-western direction towards Stroud, a few miles short of which it quits Wiltshire. Just before it leaves Wiltshire the Cirencester branch rune off from it, but only two miles of this branch is in this county. The Wilts and Somerset branch quits the main line near the Chippenham station, south-by-west by Melksham, Trowbridge, and Westbury to Warminster. At the Westbury station a short branch diverges south-west to Frome, of which about three miles are in this county. The Salisbury branch of the South-Western railway enters the county at West Dean, and runs thence west-by north for seven miles to Salisbury, where it terminates.
Climate, Soil, an agricultural point of view the county of Wilts may be divided into two districts—the first or southern district comprehending all the Wiltshire Downs, with their intersecting valleys, and separated from the northern district by an irregular line running round the foot of the chalk-hills from their entrance into the north-east part of Berkshire to their south-west termination at Maiden Bradley.
South, or more properly, South-East Wiltshire, contains in round numbers about 500,000 acres of land. The Downs are an elevated table-land intersected by valleys, which give the surface a broken appearance. These valleys contain rivers and small streams. The soil being generally more fertile there, and the climate milder, culti vation was originally confined to them, and there most of the villages are situated: the higher and more exposed situations remain as natural pastures for sheep and cattle, The air on the Downs is keen, and healthy to robust constitutions. The valleys, although more sheltered from the sweeping winds from the Atlantic, partake of this keen air, which is drawn along their course in currents. The soil on the Downs varies little, being thin, and uniformly resting on the chalk.
It produces excellent short herbage very well suited for sheep-pasture. It is comparatively a small proportion which has been converted into arable laud, and chiefly on the borders of the valleys. As we descend from the Downs into the valleys the soil generally becomes less mixed with flints and of a more loamy nature, in consequence of the waters washing down portions of the upper soil, of which the finer particles are deposited on the sides of the hills, and form what is called white land. The level part of the valleys nearest the rivulets consists of
flints washed down lower and mixed with fine earth.
Some remarkable veins of sand intersect this district : one of these, of a fertile nature, enters the county at Mere on the borders of Dorset shire, and takes a north and north-east direction round the outer edge of the Downs, keeping nearly close to their foot, by way of Maiden Bradley, 'Warminster, Westbury, and Lavington, towards Devizes, where it meets with a much wider and still more fertile vein coming down the Pewsey vale from Burbage. Another vein also enters the county from Doreetshire, being a continuation of the sand-hills on which Shaftesbury stands, and passes through Donhead, Ansty, Swal lowclift, Fovant, under the foot of the Downs, till it is stopped by the high ground in Burcombfield. This vein is also met at or near Fovant by another branch, or rather a ridge of sand-hills, coming from West Knoyle by Stop-Beacon and Ridge.
The system of cultivation was originally such as the situation of the more fertile soils and their connection with the extensive pastures on the Downs naturally suggested. Wool was no doubt the principal produce, and no more corn was grown than the necessity of the inhabitants required. In no part of Eugland was the system of water meadows introduced so early or carried to such perfection. A farm consisted of certain buildings and homesteads, with meadows, irri gated if possible, or kept in heart by folding; with some fields to raise corn for tho family, and a run on the Downs for a certain number of sheep, which were the chief source of rent and profit. Since the common fields have mostly been inclosed and divided among the pro prietors, more land has been cultivated and better systems have been adopted; but this has been done slowly. A great and gradual improve ment however has taken place, and new methods of cropping, new manures, and improved instrnments, as well as more compact and better-arranged farm-buildings, are continually being introduced. Sheep are still a principal object of the Wiltshire farmer, but his ettcution is not confined to them, and he makes them subservient to a greater production of corn. All the usual crops are raised.