Land capability studies in parts of the valleys of the Browney and Deerness rivers in County Durham

Abstract

The survey seeks to show the present actual land capability of part of the Browney-Deernesss region. It does this by a review; of the land use through historical time, with a description and analysis of present land use,, for agriculture, forestry, settlement, mining and industry. This investigation, into actual land use, is followed by a study of the capability attributes of climate, geomorphology and soil which are the major influences on the actual utilisation of the land. Climate is shown to have a major influence on cropping and land use practice, and geomorphology on soil formation. The soils are divided into the types^ which were discovered in the field and analysed in the laboratory. The characteristics of each soil type are diagrammatically represented with a verbal description of each type. A final chapter on land capability seeks to analyse farm practice, according to soil series, in response to all the above attributes. It also shows the deleterious effects of mining and settlement on the farming pattern. The land is then classified according to the U.S.D.A. grades, and final conclusions are made.