Farming of Waricichshire. 485 



in autumn. The seeds are a mixture of clover and Italian or 

 Pacey's rye- grass. The following is a favourite mixture, sown 

 for two years' pasture ; — 8 or 10 lbs. cow-grass, 2 lbs. Alsike 

 clover, 2 lbs. trefoil, 1 lb. rib-grass, 1 peck Pacey's rye-grass, 

 1 gallon Timothy grass. The bane of Warwickshire farmers 

 is the failure of the clover plant, from its too frequent repetition : 

 it looks well and flourishing after harvest, and in the winter 

 months gradually disappears, until sometimes not a single plant 

 is to be seen. This " clover sickness " seriously affects the pros- 

 pects of succeeding crops, since it not only robs the land of the 

 clover root, but lessens the amount of stock which can be pas- 

 tured. The remedy lies in less frequent sowing — not oftener 

 than once in eight years. In the mixture given above, cow-grass 

 is used as a relief from clover ; but probably a complete rest 

 from tlie clover family is the only way to insure success. The 

 bone-manure of Messrs. Proctor and Ryland, of Birmingham, is 

 applied on clover with great success : the cattle greedily feed 

 upon the land so manured, leaving untouched any part of the 

 field not dressed. Its effects are said to be greater on heavy 

 land than on light loam. This manure, which is prepared for 

 turnips and other crops, has obtained an extensive sale in this 

 and surrounding counties. 



In Mr. Murray's time, sowing turnips broadcast was the gene- 

 ral practice, and we find him combating the arguments that 

 drilled turnips grow too large, are spongy, and have not that 

 sweet flavour the others have. Drilling was, however, gaining 

 ^ound. He says, " The leaving the drills of too great elevation 

 above the level of the field is a mistaken idea ; it is not requisite, 

 and when the turnips are ready for folding with sheep they 

 should be nearly level :" this is now the case ; and by the time 

 the hoeing is done the ridges can scarcely be distingviished, A 

 plan, which is recommended on heavy clays, is to dung and ridge 

 in autumn, cultivate between tlie rows in spring, destroy with the 

 hoe any weeds which arise on the ridge, and drill on the stale 

 furrow. Mowing wheat, instead of reaping, is greatly on the 

 increase, and light iron ploughs are rapidly taking the place of 

 the old-fashioned implements ; double-ploughs are, however, 

 frequently used in the fallows, even by many of the best farmers. 

 The buildings are perhaps l:)etter, because not so numerous as we 

 have remarked tliem elsewhere. 



Sheep, either Leicesters or Cotswolds, or crosses with the Shrop- 

 shire or Sussex downs, are bred and fattened at two years old. 

 The flock runs, through the summer, on the seeds and grass, and 

 the following winter the tegs an? fattened. The ewes are «lrafted 

 off fat after tlieir third lamb. On farms where there is no dairy, 

 oxen are fattened in the yards on cake at 3 years old ; there are 



