Farming of Bedfordshire. 17 



fields adjoining, are among the very best pasture grounds of the 

 county. 



The best portions of Lidlington are scarcely inferior to the 

 former. This farm, a few years since, was regarded as the first 

 grazing farm in the county, and was admirably situated, having 

 springs arising at the foot of the sand-hills, whence the water could, 

 be directed through nearly every pasture-ground of the farm. 



Within the last ten or twelve years the proprietor (the Duke 

 of Bedford) has allowed much of the second-rate quality to be 

 broken up ; a boon which could hardly fail to be appreciated by 

 his tenant. There are also some very useful pastures at Rock- 

 liffe, Battlesden, Toddington, and Potsgrove, with the enclosed 

 portions of Woburn Park. Silsoe Park also, under the manage- 

 ment of Mr. Mason (Earl de Grey's farm-bailiff), has within the 

 last few years been greatly improved. At Bromham also, and 

 the great bulk of the meadows beyond, up to Turvey, are pas- 

 tures of a very useful, not to say first-rate quality. 



The other meadows adjoining the O use, quite through Bedford, 

 and down to Eaton, are generally weak. A portion, however, 

 being laid pretiy well to all the adjacent farms, they supply a 

 quantity of useful meadow hay, without cost of manure to the 

 farmers, and are, therefore, very properly regarded as a valuable 

 adjunct to the farms. 



Through the whole of these parishes there are a few good 

 dairies kept, the butter being sent to London. In the remaining 

 parts of the county a few dairy cows are kept, principally to 

 supply the family. 



The meadows of the " Ivel " are very inconsiderable, both as 

 to quantity and quality, and those of the "Lea" are still more 

 so. This river takes its rise at the foot of the chalk hills, 

 between Dunstable and Luton is bounded by poor arable land, 

 and makes its exit very shortly at New-Mill End. 



Of artificially made water-meadows there are but very iew, 

 save those of the Duke of Bedford. At Woburn there are some 

 very good ones, which his Grace principally holds in hand ; 

 they appear to be nicely kept up, and of good quality. There 

 are others at Flitwich and Maulden, which were made at con- 

 siderable expense some years since, but, being on a peaty 

 soil, the produce is exceedingly coarse, and the hay is of 

 very middling quality ; they are held by his Grace's tenants, 

 Messrs. Overman and Piatt. 



In this county there is but a narrow strip of peat land lying south 

 of the Ampthill range of hills, and that of very moderate quality, 

 running from Tingreth through Westoning, Flitwich, Flitton, 

 Maulden, and Clophill. In its natural state it is full of water, 

 and, when drained, the soil is so sulphureous, that it is not worth 



VOL. XVIII. C 



