.l8oo. during a Tour through Englmtd. 149 



The errors of the Yorkfliire lime hujbandryy may juft- 

 ly be attributed to the reftriftive covenants impoled by 

 the proprietors, and not to any fault of the tenantry, who 

 are ifeldom allowed the exercife of their own judgement 

 in fuch matters. It is impoflible that thefe covenants can 

 be regulated with fuch propriety as to meet every cafe j 

 therefore, it may fafely be admitted, that when the te- 

 nant is taken bound to fallow every third or fourth year, . 

 and to drefs that fallow each time with a certain quantity 

 of lime, that the fallow is often repeated, when the con- 

 dition of the ground does not require it ; and that lime is 

 often beftowed, when circuniftances prevent it from prov- 

 ing in the leaft degree beneficial. The proprietors feem 

 to confider the tenant as very ignorant of pra(£tical know- 

 ledge, otherwife they would not hedge up their manage- 

 ment with numerous rides, moftly inapplicable to the pre- 

 fent (late of Britifli hulbandry, and confequently deferv- 

 ing to be profcribed as obfolete, and improper to be exe- 

 cuted. I have heard many excufes for fuch inftances of 

 arbitrary interference ; but few are of a nature calculated 

 to produce convicSlion. If a farmer does not know wlien 

 his land is to be benefited by U^e application of lime, he 

 is not fit for the poft he occupies. 



PontefraBi which lies a few miles weflward of the 

 great road, is furrounded by fine fields of deep loam, 

 wherein liquorice and nurfery articles are raifed to a con- 

 fiderable extent. A large corn mai'ket is held here, which 

 is attended by a number of refpecSlable farmers, and the 

 grain prefented for fale was generally of excellent qua- 

 Uty. 



This part of Yorkfhire makes a refpe£l:able figure in 

 hufbandi-y ; and very few of the fields appeared to be un- 

 produ6live, unlefs it be thofe called common, or not held 

 in feveralty ; of which more afterwards. Not much plain 

 fallow is to be feen, and turnips are cultivated upon the 

 great fcale. The broad-cafl method is ufually adopted, 

 which I mull confider as m.uch inferior to the northern 

 cuftom of raifing them in drills, both in refpecl of ex- 

 pence, and in the degree of cleaning given to the ground., 

 which are points of the utmofl importance. 



Doncafler was our next ftage, which is a ftirring buft- 

 ling place, and has large common fields in its vicinity. 

 Some of thefe fields contaiia as fine foil as ever I examined-, 



b?;t 



