s almost surrounded by Buckinghamshire
and Bedfordshire, that of Hinxworth by Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire,
and that of Barnet by Middlesex. Its extreme points are:--
N. Lat. 52 deg. 5' (N.)
E. Long. 0 deg. 13' (E.)
W. Long. 0 deg. 45' (W.)
S. Lat. 51 deg. 36' (N.)
Its area is 404,523 acres or 632 square miles. It is one of the
smallest counties in England, the still smaller counties being Rutland,
Middlesex, Huntingdon, Bedford and Monmouth. Hertfordshire is one of the
six home counties.
[Illustration: LEAFLESS BEECHES IN NOVEMBER, ASHRIDGE WOODS]
II. PHYSICAL FEATURES
Hertfordshire, being an inland county, is naturally devoid of many
charms to be found in those counties which have a sea-coast. But it has
beauties of its own, being particularly varied and undulating. Its
scenery is pleasantly diversified by many woods, which however are
mostly of but small extent, by swelling cornfields, and by several small
and winding streams. There is much rich loam in the many little
valley-bottoms traversed by these streams, and other loams of inferior
quality are found in abundance on the higher levels of the arable
districts. The soil in many parts, owing to the preponderance of chalk,
is specially adapted to the cultivation of wheat. Its trees have
elicited the admiration of many, particularly its oaks and elms, of
which colossal specimens are found here and there throughout the county,
and its beeches, of which the beautiful woods on the Chiltern slopes and
elsewhere in the W. are largely composed. The hornbeam is almost
restricted to Essex and Hertfordshire. The woods of Hertfordshire form
indeed its sweetest attraction in the eyes of many. The districts of
Rickmansworth, Radlett, Wheathampstead and Breachwood Green, among
others, are dotted with coppices of ideal loveliness, and larger
woods such as Batch Wood near St. Albans and Bricket Wood near Watford
are carpeted with flowers in their season, interspersed with glades, and
haunted by jays and doves, by ringlets and brimstones. Hazel woods
abound, and parties of village children busily "a-nutting" in the autumn
are one of the commonest sights of the county. It abounds, too, in quiet
park-like spots which are the delight of artists, and contains many
villages and hamlets picturesquely situated upon slopes and embowered
among trees. A large proportion of the birds known to English observers
are found in the county either regularly or as
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