Tlie Agriculture of Worcetser shire. 453 



along under the range of the Malvern Hills on this side of the 

 county, and that he bought one sample in 1864, and one in 1865, 

 that weighed 61 lbs. per bushel. 



Beans, peas, &c., are largely grown, much of the heavy land 

 being peculiarly suited for the former crop. Vetches are gene- 

 rally grown for the horses, whilst some heavy-land farmers 

 grow them also for soiling purposes. Clover is the most valuable 

 crop the stock farmer can grow, and a large quantity is sown, 

 but of late years it has lost stock to such an extent that it is beinp^ 

 replaced by Italian rye-grass. 



Our cleverest men are apparently undecided whether this is 

 due to want of potash or not. This I know, that where crop- 

 pings of hedges have been burnt, the clover generally grows verv 

 luxuriantly. Italian rye-grass is a very valuable crop on light 

 land and on medium soils which are drained ; I have met Avith 

 some splendid fields in the neighbourhood of Kidderminster, 

 Bishampton, Pershore, and Rouse Lench ; also near Stourport. 

 It is very important to secure imported seed. 



Root crops have made wonderful progress during the past 

 twenty years, and this is attributable in great measure to the 

 introduction of artificial manures. Many of the crops of mangolds 

 grown in the county are very heavy ; indeed it is in places the 

 most profitable crop grown. Root culture is the basis of all good 

 farming, more especially if they are grown on the ridge, and the 

 grubber horse-hoe used all through the summer, I have myself 

 used it until the middle of September, and it is a first-rate 

 preventive of mildew, which, like all blight,' does not attack a 

 healthy plant, but those which come to a stand-still in growth, as 

 is often the case with swedes when the land gets set firm between 

 the rows, thus preventing the passage of air and moisture to the 

 roots of the plants. 



Fakm Buildings. 



These are below the general average of other counties ; they 

 are principally covered with Brosley-tiles, but too often with 

 thatch or stone tiles ; many of the old buildings are very badly 

 arranged, often having the house on the north or east side, and 

 the buildings so placed for the cattle to be in sight from the 

 windows, that the yards, sheds, &c., are exposed to all the cold 

 winds. This arrangement may to some extent be accounted for by 

 the outfall of the county being on the south side ; therefore much 

 of the land faces the south too ; and in erecting buildings without 

 studying the requirements of stock, the house gets placed on the 

 upper side — the north — with the buildings below it. This want 

 of convenient and warm buildings — not necessarily fine-looking 



VOL. III.— S. S. 2 H 



