NORFOLK. This agricultural county con . tains little of what may be designated mineral wealth. Chalk is dug for lime in many places ; excellent sand for glass-making is procured ' between Snettisham and Castle Rising ; some potter's earth is found and excellent brick earth ; marl is dug in the valley of the Bure; and the Fen districts of the west furnish peat for fuel and manure. The district in which the true Norfolk system of cultivation was first adopted, and where turnips and clover were introduced in the regular rotations, was that on the north-west, where the better kinds of sand prevail ; from this district it has gradually spread; and there are now few soils in Nor folk which are considered too heavy to bear turnips, especially after having been well un derdrained. The crop which is raised in the greatest perfection in Norfolk is barley.
Among the towns of Norfolk there are but few which present a manufacturing character. At Lynn, rope and sailcloth are almost the only articles of manufacture in the town ; but the trade of the place is considerable, owing to the harbour. The exports principally corn and agricultural produce, sent coast wise, and a fine white sand ground near the town, and used for making glass. A vast
quantity of shrimps, caught on the shores of the Wash, are sent to London. The imports are corn and coal ; timber from America , timber, deals, hemp, and tallow from the Baltic ; wine from France, Spain, Portugal, &c. There are about 180 vessels belonging to the port. Thetford has few manufactures ; but there is a good deal of malting, and the trade of the place is favoured by the river Ouse being navigable up to the town ; by means of which an export of agricultural pro _ duce and an import of coal are carried on.
At North Walsham the silk manufacture is prosecuted to some extent. In Norwich the most important trade consists of the manu facture of silk and worsted into shawls, crapes, bombazines, damasks, camlets, and imitations of the Irish and French stuffs. A School of Design has been established to aid iu the pro duction of elegant woven goods ; but the tex tile manufactures are in a declining state at Norwich ; and there is a want of enterprise and spirit observable in the manufacturing operations.
In 1850 the county of Norfolk contained 2 cotton factories, and 11 worsted factories, em ploying altogether about 1700 persons.