306 Farming of Leicestcrsliire. 



There are 155 acres of allotment gardens on the estate for the 

 poor of the several parishes, each occupant having from one-sixth 

 to one-fourth of an acre, exclusive of the garden attached to the 

 cottage. 



The rent charged to the labourers for the best houses, in- 

 cluding about half a rood of land, is GO5. per annum. 



The labourers' wages vary from 12s. to 15^. per week, ordinary 

 men getting from 12 s. to 135. weekly. 



In every parish there are a number of " cow cottages." In 1858 

 there were on the estate — 



136 cottagers occupying 5 acres and under. 



141 „ „ above 5 acres and under 10 acres. 



88 „ „ „ 10 „ „ 20 „ 



_49 „ „ „ 20 „ „ DO „ 



414 



There ^Yere under a rental of £8 per annum 759 occupiers. 



above 8 „ and under £10 52 „ 



„ 10 „ „ 12 40 „ 



„ 12 „ „ 15 49 „ 



„ 15 „ „ 20 62 „ 



„ 20 „ „ 50 115 „ 



„ 50 198 



1275 



The Keythoepe Estate 



is also situated in this division of the county, and for many years 

 its noble owner. Lord Berners, has devoted much of his time to 

 practical agriculture and to the general improvement of this 

 estate. He has always been regarded as a pioneer, and not 

 unfrequently as the originator, of many valuable improvements. 



Geologically, a considerable portion of the Keythorpe Estate 

 is situated on the marlstone, a stratum separating the lower from 

 the upper lias. On this, as on the bulk of the land in this 

 locality, thorough drainage is the keystone to all other improve- 

 ments. 



Lord Berners states that his first attempts at improving his 

 estate by drainage were made on the prevalent system, viz., he 

 gave his tenants the tiles, which they at their own discretion 

 put in the soil, his sole stipulation being that the drains should 

 not be less than 3 feet deep. But, after going on so for some 

 years, and spending several thousand pounds, he found the result 

 so totally inadequate to the expense, that he determined to take 

 the management of the drainage into his own hands. 



The result of this determination was the inauguration of what 

 is now known as the " Keythorpe System of Drainage," an elabo- 

 rate account of which was given by the late Mr. Trimmer in the 



