42

16 Oct 1880

1)

was the brick rubbish from a new building, or from an old building whist being pulled down?

[Farrer:] From the old house at Abinger

{Newer gneiss all relate to the first lot of castings from road}

2) How many years ago was the rubbish laid down on the road?

[Farrer:] About seven years ago

3) Is the subsoil of a red colour? For if not the colour of the castings must be due to brick-dust.

[Farrer:] No the subsoil is sand or sandy coloured not red

4) Was care taken that the castings alone were picked up, and not particles lying loose in the road?

[Farrer:] yes carefully picked up by Horace Darwin in my presence

5) Were there many castings on the road?

[Farrer:] Yes a good many especially at the Edges & not in the middle

6) Could you ascertain (as I much wish to know) how thick the layer of brick rubbish is on the road?

[Farrer:] Originally 4 to 6 inches. Now worm in the centre to 2 or 3: but the castings were taken from the sides & when it is still 4 to 6 inches

Please see over

42v

I do not think the particles of brick could have been rolled about by the wind. The rubbish was laid seven years ago on a much used farm road: on a sandy bottom: about 6 inches thick. It soon became a compact moss; the centre of the road being much used by carts. But did the cart wheels break up and round the particles? I think not: they would squeeze but scarcely rub them. The former castings were taken from the side of the road. Today 16 October I have collected some more from the grass on the margin 18 inches or more from where the cart wheels now go: & where the brick rubbish is covered with grass & a little mould. The brick rubbish here is 5 or 6 inches deep with turf at the top.

I send by parcel four specimens of castings.

1. Those from the margin of the brick road above mentioned. These are full of brick particles.

2. A large quantity collected from the walks near the house in a great no of places. In all these walks there is about 6 inches of brick rubbish -sometimes less under 4 to 6 inches of gravel -partly chalk gravel -partly sandstone gravel from Wotton. I can see no brick particles in this. The bricks were put down as they came from the old house in large bits & so I think they lie now

3. A small quantity from the top of a heap of brick rubbish slid into a hole in this field. It is now covered at the top with grass

4 A small quantity from the concrete -Room no 1. of the Roman villa. The concrete is much broken by frost & covered with vegetation, & the worm workings are not so easy to see as they were

T H Farrer

16 Oct/ 80