Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 15.djvu/475

MAN 451 Castletown, Langness, and other points along the coast. A large mass of granite, containing silvery mica, red and white felspar, and gray quartz, rests on the eastern slope of South Barrule mountain, and valuable masses of the same rock appear at the Dhoon river to the north-east of the Laxey lead-mines. Upper Old Red Sandstone and conglomerate occur at Peel on the west coast, and on the south coast, in the neighbourhood of Castletown Bay, chiefly at the peninsula of Langness. It rests on the upturned edges of the slates, and passes imperceptibly into the beds of limestone. The Carboniferous or Moun tain Limestone is the only representative of the Carboni ferous strata in the island. The limestone contains numerous fossils. At Poolvash it assumes the character of black marble, which is much used for chimneypieces. At Scarlet Point, and thence to Poolvash, interesting evi dence exists of volcanic eruptions during the accumulation of the Carboniferous rocks. A great blank in the geolo gical record occurs at the top of the limestone series, for the next strata that appear are the clays and gravels of the Glacial period. These strata occupy the greater portion of the low ground of the island, and consist of boulder clay, drift gravel, and sands. They occasionally reach as far up the mountains as 500 feet, and in the southern dis tricts erratic boulders are sometimes to be observed on the very highest summits. Boulders of granite, for example, have been carried across South Barrule Hill (1585 feet) and dropped on the top of Crook-ny-Irree-Lhaa (1449 feet). The whole of the plain in the north of the island is occupied by Drift deposits, which occasionally form hills above 300 feet in height. Numerous depressions in the plain at one time occupied by lakes are now filled by beds of peat. Minerals. The most important minerals are lead, copper, and zinc. The principal mines are those of Laxey, near the Laxey river, which produce lead, copper, and especially sulphide of zinc, which forms more than two-thirds of the total quantity of ore raised from those mines. The galena obtained is very rich in silver. The Foxdale mines, between Castletown and St John s, are also very largely wrought. The amount of copper ore is comparatively small. The mines are rented from the queen as lady of the manor, the lessees paying one-tenth of the produce. In 1852 the total quantity of lead ore obtained was 2415 tons, of lead 1834^ tons, and of silver 36,700 oz., the value of which was 7646. In 1871 the total quantity of lead ore obtained was 4645 tons, producing 3335 tons of lead and 176,631 oz. of silver ; 5768 tons of zinc were also obtained, valued at 19,015, and 267 tons of copper ore, producing 18 tons of copper, valued at 1074. In 1881 Brada Head copper- mine yielded 78 tons of ore, producing 6 tons 5 cwts. of fine copper, valued at 562, 13s. ; and at Great Laxey 7567 tons of zinc were raised, giving 3480 tons of the metal, valued at 28,701. The fol lowing table gives the produce of the lead-mines in 1881. Mine. Lead Ore. Lead. Silver. Value of Ore. Tons. 3,419 Tons. Cwts. 2,500 Oz. 9,080 s. d. 39,145 10 1,700 1,275 5.250 30,487 400 292 9,600 5,3G2 101 75 7 810 1.050 15 Kirk Michael 40 30 125 338 15 11 5 129 15 Total 5,675 4,183 12 84,865 76,513 Rotten-stone and ochre are obtained in the south at Malew and Arbory, the total amount raised in 1881 being 207 tons, valued at 636. Iron is found in small quantities at Foxdale, but the total quantity obtained in 1881 was only 120 tons, valued at 60. Lime stone is extensively quarried in the southern districts, both for building purposes and for agriculture. Dolomite occurs in large quantities in the mines at Laxey. There is a valuable granite quarry at Foxdale. Gold in minute particles lies in the bed of a small stream near Barrule. A considerable number of other minerals are found, but the quantity of each is unimportant. The total number of persons employed in the mines in 1881 was 1258. Climate. The mean annual temperature is higher than that of any other district occupying the same parallel of latitude, and the variation according to the seasons is remarkably small. The mean annual temperature is a little less than 49 Fahr,, the mean temperature of summer less than 59, and that of winter nearly 42, giving a difference of only 17. Rain is frequent but seldom heavy, the annual fall being 41 71 inches, about the same as in the adjacent parts of England and Scotland, but less than in those of Ireland. Thunderstorms are very rare. Many plants, even palms, which in England require artificial heat, grow in some parts of the island throughout winter in the open air, while fuchsias under the same con ditions attain to great size and perfection. The air is unusually clear and pure. Agriculture. Owing originally to the enterprise of Scotch and English farmers, the land where arable has been brought into a state of high cultivation. Through the use of seaweed in large quantities in the northern districts of the island the sandy and gravelly soil has been greatly enriched, and it now possesses remarkable fertility, its productiveness being increased by the fine climate. The lime obtained in the neighbourhood of Castletown in the south has also been found highly beneficial for the soil in that vicinity. The best land is in these two districts, but even in the mountainous regions in the centre of the island great improvements have taken place. The farms are principally held on lease, and of late years many small holdingshave been combined into large farms cultivated on modern principles. According to the agricultural returns of 1882, the cultivated area comprehended 97,494 acres, 67 percent, of the whole. The commons and uncultivated lands on the mountains are, moreover, utilized for the pasturage of horses, cattle, and sheep, the evergreen furze forming the principal food of these animals during the winter season. The area under corn crops was 25,211 acres, under green crops 12,046, rotation grasses 37,094, permanent pasture (exclusive of heath or mountain land), 22,836, and fallow 307. Oats occupy about one-half of the total area under corn crops, barley about one- third, and wheat about one-sixth. The wheat, which is of a very fine quality, is cultivated chiefly in the north of the island. The white and red clover and the common grasses grow in great luxuri ance, and on account of the good pasturage in winter the supply much exceeds the needs of the island, large quantities being shipped to the neighbouring districts of England. Turnips, which in 1882 occupied 8432 acres, are also largely exported. The dry sandy soil of the island is very favourable for the growth of potatoes, the area planted in 1882 being 3373 acres. The most common rotation of crops is corn, green crop, corn, clover and hay, and pasture. The total number of horses in 1882 was 5249, of which 3551 were used solely for purposes of agriculture. The native breed of horses is similar to that of North Wales. They are small, but hardy, active, and patient of labour. In 1882 cattle numbered as many as 19,780, an average of nearly 21 to every 100 acres under culti vation, considerably above that of Great Britain, which was 18 - 4. Of the cattle, 6862, or more than one-third, were cows and heifers in milk or in calf. On account of the large number of summer visitors, dairy farming is specially profitable. The native breed of cattle has very much degenerated, but an improved stock is now general through the importation chiefly of Ayrshires and shorthorns. Sheep in 1882 numbered 55,690, not a very large number consider ing the mountainous nature of the country, but cattle feeding is generally more profitable than sheep rearing, partly owing to the fine climate. The principal sheep runs are those which have been enclosed by the crown from the common lands. The native breed of sheep, small hardy animals, is gradually being superseded by crosses, and by the introduction of English sheep in the low grounds. The fleece of the native sheep is not valuable, but the mutton is of very fine quality. Pigs are largely kept, the number in 1882 being 4685. The old breed called "purrs" is now nearly extinct. In 1882 there were 237 acres under orchards, 142 under market gardens, and 6 under nursery grounds. The acreage under woods in not given, but it is very small. Apples, for which the island was at one time famed, are still grown in considerable quantities, and gooseberries, currants, strawberries, and other smaller fruits are largely cultivated. The botany of the island is not specially in teresting. The variety of species is not great, although there are a few rare plants. Fauna. Like Ireland, the Isle of Man is exempt from venomous reptiles and toads, a circumstance traditionally attributed to the agency of St Patrick, the patron saint of both islands. Frogs are, however, found, and both the sand lizard and the common lizard are met with. Moles are absent, badgers are unknown, and

foxes are now extinct. Fossil bones are frequently found of the