38 Agriculture of Shropshire. 



are the same in both, and the comments apply with equal force 

 to both ; repetition is therefore unnecessary. 



Grass-Land. — This is tlie stronghold of the Corve Dale farmer ; 

 without his grass-land his occupation would be only of small 

 value, but with this he holds a sure source of remuneration. 

 In fact, the prosperity of the farmers of this district depends 

 lar more upon their grass than their tillage land. There are 

 probably 20,000 acres under grass in this district, and it is 

 throughout rich grazing land. I must here again refer the 

 reader to District No. I. (p. 20) for many remarks on this subject, 

 which are equally important for this part. I must however 

 draw attention to the importance of giving a preference to grass 

 rather than tillage. It is clear that many difficulties are con- 

 nected with the growth of corn. The average produce of corn 

 is small, whilst the growth of grass is abundant and of excellent 

 quality. Nature favours the one, but checks the other. Need 

 we then be surprised that the profits should come from the pro- 

 duce of grass-land ? It teaches one important lesson, viz., that 

 the decrease of the tillage and the increase of the grazing land 

 will be attended with more profit. A certain portion must 

 necessarily be kept under the plough for the supply of food and 

 litter for winter use; but if this were the only object in view, 

 there would be a considerable decrease in the extent of tillage 

 land. Let it be remembered which pays most profit, and much 

 will go under turf again, and pay far better than it does at the 

 present time under the plough. The expenditure of the farm is 

 mainly upon the tillage land, whilst the return is chiefly from 

 the grass. 



Live Stock. — Qitt/e. — The Hereford cattle are found here in 

 the highest perfection, and very few other breeds are met with 

 in the district. Occasionally a Welsh cow or two may be kept 

 for supplying the house with milk, but the calves are invariably 

 sold or fattened for the butcher as soon as possible. To mention 

 the herds of such men as Mr. Lloyd Roberts of Colton Hall, 

 Mr, Dawes of Elsidge, Mr. Evan Davis of Patten, Mr. Power 

 of Cofton, Mr. Blockley of Tugford, Mr. Parsons of Tugford, Mr. 

 Blockley of Broadstone, Mr. Instone of Bourton, Mr. Bac he of 

 New House, Cofton, is at once evidence of quality of the liighest 

 character to any one acquainted with this part of the country. 

 It may be said that the entire district stands unrivalled for the 

 number and quality of Herefords upon the same extent of land. 



The system generally adopted is quite in accordance with the 

 excellence of the breed, for the production of a fine bullock is 

 the point constantly aimed at. The cows calve during the 

 months of November, December, January, and February, and 

 the calves are suckled by their own dams. Milk is not the 



