The Agriculture of Worcestersliire. 455 



Fakm Implements. 



In Worcestershire less improvement has been made in farm 

 implements than in many other counties. We still find the old 

 wooden plough, harrows, &c., in use, whilst many farmers have 

 not even risen to the horse-rake. Still, these are exceptional cases, 

 for scarcity of labour affects this, in common with other parts of 

 the kingdom, and many of the Worcestershire agriculturists 

 have their mowing and reaping machines, hoi'se-rakes, Avheel- 

 ploughs, &c., to say nothing of steam-cultivators. But we must 

 not be too censorious with the farmer for not adopting every new 

 implement brought into notice, when we see so many inven- 

 tions only made public to be proved failures ; and it is not to be 

 wondered at if a farmer, having burnt his fingers once or twice, 

 be very careful not to purchase expensive articles until their 

 value has been fully proved. 



One of the most important improvements that have taken place 

 on light land is the wheel-plough. By it the land is more 

 evenly ploughed and to a greater depth, the sod better turned in 

 at the edge of the furrow, and consequently less couch-grass 

 grown. The drill has almost entirely superseded the seed-lip. 



Chaff and turnip cutters and root-pulpers are in common use. 

 The system of trials and prizes adopted by the Royal Society 

 has done much to promote such improvement. What inde- 

 pendent person has seen the interest shown at the Society's 

 implement-trials but must confess that few farmers can return 

 home from them without being better enabled to form a sound 

 opinion for themselves as to the implements best suited to their 

 own requirements, even if they may differ from the appointed 

 judges in their decision. 



At the very least the farmer has this important advantage, 

 that if the prize implement is not always that which will suit 

 him best, the worthless ones are either at once rejected or their 

 owners do not dare to compete publicly. 



Perhaps the most absurd custom that retains its hold in Wor- 

 cestershire in the eyes of a stranger is the putting of four and 

 often five horses with a man and a boy to plough with a wooden 

 plough, having a wooden board ; but this plough has not yet been 

 superseded by a better. Some of the soil (Lias) is of so tenacious 

 a character that the furrow will not slip freely from iron ; still 

 the practice of putting five horses in wet weather to plough some 

 five inches deep must be condemned. 



Steam Cultivation. 



Steam cultivation does not appear to increase in favour with 

 our farmers ; one cause of this is that the holdings are small, and 



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