408 Report on the Afjriculture of Cumberland, 



a blot on the fair face of the country ; and have either been let 

 solely as grazing farms, for a term of years, or are let by public 

 auction from year to year in the months of March or April, the 

 tenants retaining possession until the following Martinmas. In 

 this way, the farms are generally pretty well divided into parcels ; 

 the fields of a first-class character being usually taken by graziers, 

 on which to fatten their cattle, and the second-class land often 

 falling to the lot of some neighbouring farmer as a turn-out for 

 his young stock, as occupiers of arable farms are able to keep 

 more stock in winter than they can graze in summer. This 

 practice has almost given the death-blow to the system of agist- 

 ment which a few years ago was so universal. Farmers prefer to 

 keep the cattle under their own personal inspection, because they 

 can behave more liberally towards them than Avhen they are put 

 out to grass upon too-heavily stinted public agistments. With 

 respect to the rent of land let annually, I may state that it 

 varies very materially, according to situation, quality of land 

 (whether well watered and sheltered), and demand in the locality ; 

 as it ranges all the way from 15.*^. or 20*'. per acre for the poorest, 

 to hi. or G/. for the best quality. In the vicinity of towns as much 

 as 11. to 8Z. is sometimes paid for what is understood as accom- 

 modation lands, but these cannot be taken into account when the 

 question of value arises, as such parcels can scarcely pay their 

 way; only, horsekeepers, butchers, and dairymen must have a 

 little bit of land for a turn-out, let the rent be what it may. 

 Within the past three years there has been marked competition 

 at the annual lettings, and rents have gone up in a wonderful 

 degree, notably in the spring of 1873, when the uprise ranged 

 from 10 to 50 per cent, throughout the county. 



Cattle. 



As one of the principal features of this paper is to trace the 

 improvements in farming, chiefly with reference to the produc- 

 tion of meat, it may not be amiss to give a short account of the 

 raw material there is to work upon. Shorthorns being what are 

 usually termed the bovine " aristocracy," I naturally commence 

 with them. They were introduced into the county about sixty 

 years ago, and have gradually gained favour, until, at the present 

 time, many fashionable herds exist in different pai'ts of the 

 county. In the foremost rank we may place those belonging to 

 Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bart., Brayton Hall : Mr. Fawcett, Scaleby 

 Castle ; Mr. J. P. Foster, Killhow ; Mr. Robert Jefferson, Pres- 

 ton Hows ; Mr. John J. Hetherington, Middle Farm, Brampton ; 

 Messrs. Gaitskill, Hall Santon ; Mr. Todd, Mireside ; Mr. Henry 

 Caddy, Rougholm ; and Mr. John Blackstock, Hayton Castle. 

 A few herds have also recently been dispersed, and I have no 



