Agricidtiire of Shropshire. 33 



mode of clearings the land from this, whicli is one of tlie most 

 troublesome of weeds. 



This being done, the broadshave or paring ploughs will have 

 free and uninterrupted work, and by their aid, with the harrows, 

 the surface should be cleared and the rubbish burnt. This work 

 should be done very shallow, as giving less labour in the 

 dragging. When the surface is clear, and such dung as can be 

 spared applied, the land is ready for the winter's ploughing. 

 VVith such a preparation as this, little will remain to be done in 

 spring, except to give the land a second ploughing, and then it 

 will be ready for being sown with vetches. These are sown 

 from March to May inclusive, and about three bushels of seed 

 used per acre. The crop is almost always consumed on the land 

 by sheep which are fattening. The land is then in excellent 

 condition for being prepared for wheat, for after it has been 

 ploughed and cleaned so far as may be necessary, it will be 

 ready for receiving the seed wheat. 



Rape is cultivated, but not to any great extent, not so much as 

 its merits would justify ; and the remarks already made on this 

 subject (page 12) are equally applicable to this district. 



Roots. — Mangold- wurtzel and carrots are grown to a small 

 extent only. Their cultivation may be advantageously increased, 

 as they are very valuable for a change of food. Certainly 

 large stores of these roots are not as much required as when 

 the grass-land is deficient, for, with carefully-cultivated and 

 well-stored sv/edes, there is an ample supply of food up to the 

 time of turning out to grass. As a pleasant change of food, 

 or for cows and ewes after calving and lambing, a moderate 

 supply of the mangold may be desirable, or some carrots for the 

 horses and fatting stock may be very useful, but they must not 

 be looked upon as a standard food. The climate, from being so 

 moist, is decidedly unfavourable to the mangold, and thus the 

 crops are much smaller than those of swedes. This makes them 

 more expensive, and tliey must be used in moderation. 



Swedes. — ^This is a crop which can be cultivated here with 

 much success. Some good crops are grown, but there is much 

 room for improvement, and they are capable of being very 

 much increased. Autumn cultivation is of much importance 

 for this crop, and affords the best opportunity for cleaning 

 the land at the least expense. The dung is applied in the au- 

 tumn, and ploughed in when the land is laid up for the winter. 

 About twelve cubic yards per acre is the usual quantity. After 

 the ground has been worked in the spring, the guano is sown 

 broadcast on the land, and then it is thrown into ridges ready 

 for the seed. The use of salt with guano is not so general as 

 in District No. I., and might be practised more extensively 



VOL. XIX. D 



