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 O X F X F 93 to France and Holland to secure the aid of these countries against the emperor. On his return he found the Pro testants in a very desponding mood. The battle of Nb rdlingen had been lost ; the allies distrusted one another ; the troops were dissatisfied and resented any attempt to subject them to strict discipline. Oxenstierna laboured indefatigably to restore the confidence of his party, and to a large extent he succeeded. He then returned, in 1636, to Sweden, where he resigned his exceptional powers and resumed his place in the senate as chancellor of the kingdom. He acted also as one of five guardians of Queen Christina, whom he carefully instructed in what seemed to him the true methods of administra tion. Oxenstierna had the reputation of being one of the wisest statesmen of his age, and during his absence from his country lie had drawn up the scheme of a system of government which had been accepted in 1634 by the Swedish estates. Abroad he upheld vigorously the honour of Sweden, and at home lie maintained strict economy in public expenditure, while encouraging, according to the ideas of his time, the development of industry and the arts. In 1645, when he went back to Sweden after taking part in the negotiations with Denmark at Bro msebro, he was raised to the rank of count by the queen. He died on the 28th of August 1654. See Lundblad, Srensk Plutarch, 1824. OXFORD, or OXON, an inland county of England, is bounded N.E. by Northamptonshire, N.W. by Warwick shire, W. by Gloucestershire, S.S.W. and S.E. by Berks, and E. by Bucks. In shape it is very irregular, its breadth varying from about 7 to 27 i- miles, and its greatest length being about 52 miles. The total area is 483,621 acres, or about 756 square miles. The character of the scenery varies greatly in different districts. The Chiltern Hills cross the south-western extremity of the county from north east to south-west. On the west side of the ridge Nettle- bed Hill expands into Nettlebed Common, an extensive table-land, reaching at some points nearly 700 feet above sea-level. The Chiltern district is supposed to have been at one time covered by forest, and there are still many fine beeches, as well as oak and ash trees, although for the most part the district is now utilized as a sheep- walk or as arable land. Camden mentions the woods of Oxfordshire as a special feature of the county. The forest of Wychwood extended to 3735 acres of forest proper. In the district of Staunton St John there are considerable traces of natural woodland. The most extensive of the recent plantations is the great belt at Blenheim. Imme diately to the east of the city of Oxford a range of hills .stretches between the valleys of the Thames and Cherwell, the highest point being Shotover Hill, 560 feet. In the central district the surface is less varied, and along the rivers there are extensive tracts of flat land, but the finely cultivated fields and the abundance of wood lend an aspect of richness to the landscape. The northern part of the county is flat and bare, its bleakness and monotony being increased in some districts by the stone fences. Wych wood has been recently disafforested by statute. Oxfordshire abounds in streams and watercourses, the majority of which belong to the basin of the Thames, which skirts the whole southern border of the county, forming for the most part of its course the boundary with Berks. In the earlier part of its course it is called the Isis. Before reaching the city of Oxford it receives the Windrush, and the united waters of the Evenlode and Glyme. It then divides into various channels, but these soon unite, and the river flowing round the city receives the united streams of the Cherwell and the Kay, and passes south-east to Dorchester, where it is joined by the Thame. From this point it is called the Thames. The Windrush and Evenlode both flow south-east from Gloucestershire ; the Cherwell traverses the whole length of the county south from Northamptonshire ; and the Thame crosses its south-east corner from Bucks. The Thames is navigable for small craft to Gloucestershire, and for vessels of considerable burden to Oxford. The Oxford Canal, 91 miles long, begun in 1769 and finished in 1790, enters the north-eastern extremity of the county near Claydon, and following the course of the Cherwell passes south to the city of Oxford. Geology. The low ground in the north-west, along the vale of Moreton, on the banks of the Cherwell as far as Steeple Aston, and along the banks of the Evenlode, is occupied by the blue clays of the Lower Lias, the higher regions being occupied by the Middle Lias. The Lower Lias contains beds of hard shelly limestone called Banbury marble, which is worked into chimneypieces ; and associ ated with the blue limestone of the Middle Lias there is a valuable deposit of brown haematite iron which is largely worked at Adderbury near Banbury, the total quantity obtained in 1882 being 8614 tons, valued at 1507. At one time the marlstone was covered by the U/pper Lias clays, but these are now found only in isolated strips and patches. Beds of Oolite, called Northampton Sands, rest on the higher ridges above the Upper Lias, and the Great Oolite is exposed on both sides of the Evenlode and extensively quarried for building purposes, the upper beds forming also a white limestone containing numerous fossils. Forest marble occupies the greater part of Wychwood Forest, Blenheim Park, and adjoining regions. A wide extent of flat uninteresting country in the south-west, stretching as far east as the city of Oxford, belongs to the Oxford clay. Coral rag, Kimmeridge clay, and white limestone occur at different places in the neighbourhood of the Thames. There are also various outliers of Upper and Lower Green- sand. At the junction of the Chalk with the Greensand there is a line of springs which have determined the sites of numerous villages. Chalk forms the ridges of the Chil tern Hills, and Upper Chalk with flint extends eastward a considerable distance beyond them. In the northern and eastern districts there are large accumulations of drift along all the old river valleys ; and a considerable breadth of flat country on the banks of the Thames and Cherwell is occupied by alluvial deposits. Ochre of remarkably fine quality is obtained from Shotover Hill. Climate, Soil, and Agriculture. The climate is salubrious and dry, but generally colder than the other southern districts of Eng land, especially in the bleak and exposed regions of the Chilterns. Crops are later in the uplands than in more northerly situations at a lower elevation. Agriculture is in a fairly advanced condition, but the possibilities of improvement are not by any means ex hausted, as the soil is on the whole above the average in fertility. In the northern districts there is a strong yet friable loam, well adapted for all kinds of crops. The centre of the county is occupied for the most part by a good friable but not so rich soil, formed of decomposed sandstone, chalk, and limestone. A large district in the south-east is occupied by the chalk of the Chiltern Hills, at one time covered by a forest of beech, but now partly arable and partly used as sheep-walks. The remainder of the county is occupied by a variety of miscellaneous soils ranging from coarse sand to heavy tenacious clay, and occasionally very fertile. According to the agricultural returns of 1883, as many as 417,509 acres, or about eight-ninths of the total of the county, were under cultivation, corn crops occupying 152,437 acres, green crops 52,451, rotation grasses 44,472, and permanent pasture 153,898. AVheat and barley, with 51,796 acres and 47,611 acres respectively, occupy the largest areas among corn crops, and oats and beans come next with 31,771 and 14,389. Potatoes are not much grown, but turnips occupy as many as 34,618 acres. The most common course of crops on lighter soils is a four years rotation, sometimes lengthened to six years with pease, oats, or similar crops. On heavier soils the course is first turnips or other roots, second barley or oats, third three or more years of clover and grass seed, fourth wheat, and finally beans. Along the smaller streams there are very rich meadows for grazing, but those on the Thames and Cherwell are subject to floods. On tho