490 Farming of Warwickshire. 



and flows afterwards into the Tame ; and it is said that the effect 

 of the rich fertilizers which are washed down the stream, is felt 

 for a distance of 15 miles. The water is employed in many 

 other instances, but there is by no means a systematic plan of 

 irrigation ; still the value of town sewage is sufficiently evident, 

 though it is used most wastefully. The poor gravels are, 

 however, likely to be robbed of their liquid treasures in the 

 event of the success of a scheme now organized for deodorizing 

 the whole of the sewage matter and preparing it for sale ; a 

 culvert has been formed in order to conduct it to a spot out of 

 the town for that purpose. 



Timber and coppice, still abundant, were formerly much more 

 so ; the forest of Arden extended through the middle of the county, 

 and to describe how thick the timber stood, it was said that a 

 squirrel might leap from tree to tree nearly the whole length of the 

 county. The finest oak Avoods are on the estate of Lord Leigh, 

 but oak is abundant throughout the whole of the district called 

 the Woodland, north of the Avon ; the elm is, however, plentiful 

 in most parts, and particularly in Camden's Feldon, or " Cham- 

 pian " country south of the Avon, Their noble growth marks 

 the fertility of the soil ; scarcely any stunted trees being visible 

 in this district. On descending Frizhill above AVellesbourn, 

 Hastings, we see nothing but elm on the loams and oak on the 

 clay ridge above, indicating the distinctions of soil. The elm, 

 however, grows freely on the clays at Kineton and Southam. 

 Quite a feature in the county, is the avenue on the highroad from 

 D unchurch to Knightlow Cross ; it stretches along 6 miles of 

 level country, overarching the road the whole distance. Between 

 each row of trees and the hedge is a wide strip of turf, forming 

 a beautiful background, adding much to the effect. There are 

 three miles of fir trees, many of them of 7 or 8 feet circum- 

 ference ; the rest are elm. 



A decided change has taken place for the better in farm- 

 houses. An inferior house — whatever may be the merits of the 

 farm — is a serious obstacle to the letting to good tenants. The 

 wisest landowners, aware of this, take care to build substantial 

 and comfortable residences ; better cottages follow in the wake 

 of other improvements, but there are many remaining which are 

 mere hovels, where a single bedroom has to suffice for a whole 

 family. The cottages let at Is. to Is. 6rf. a week, except near 

 Birmingham, where few can be got under 2s. Qd. Wages in the 

 north, and within the influence of manufacturing towns, are 

 always at least Is. a week more than in the rest of the county. 

 In the vale of the Tame, where the poor depend more on trade 

 than agriculture, and where the most industrious reap consider- 

 able gain, by growing flowers and flower-roots, for sale in Bir- 



