44 AffricuUure of Shropshue. 



quality. The ewes driven over this autumn (1857) sold at 2 As. 

 to 345. each. 



Horses. — The same system is adopted here which I have de- 

 scribed as being practised in District No. I., but the horses bred 

 here are larger and better, probably arising from the better pas- 

 turage. These horses are very hardy, and the breeders arc 

 always desirous of giving them a strong constitution. Horses 

 which are in regular work are kept out at night as long as pos- 

 sible, generally up to December, whilst the younger horses are 

 not taken up until January. A dry piece of grass-land is selected 

 ior them, and some hay is given them in racks in the field. 

 When taken into the yards, they scarcely feel the change to dry 

 food. Some do not take them up at all, especially if there is a 

 sheltering-place in the field. 



OrcJiards. — There is but a small extent under orchard, for, 

 although the blossom may promise very luxuriant crops, yet the 

 white frosts injure the productiveness of the trees so much as to 

 check any extensive growth of apples. Most of the apples are 

 crushed by portable steam-machines, which travel tlie district ; 

 and these, with small power, gi-ind !20 hogsheads a-day. This is 

 afterwards pressed by hand. There is much opportunity for im- 

 proving the cider made here: it has the general fault of being 

 over-worked. Its body is destroyed by long fermentation, and 

 hence it is not half as good as if the fermentation had been 

 properly held under control, as I have already pointed out. 

 The orchards are generally broken and regularly cropped with 

 roots and corn, followed by seeds for one or two years, after 

 which they are broken again for wheat. It is found much better 

 to cultivate orchards in this district, though in l^istrict No. I. it 

 is just the reverse. 



Draininf/ has been very generally done where it has been found 

 necessary : but there still remains much land which would be 

 greatly improved by it, especially in rendering it more healthy for 

 sheep and cattle. Much has been done with stone drains in the 

 neighbourhood of the gravel drifts before referred to. The 

 working of these soils always brings a large quantity of stone to. 

 tlie surface, which is used for drains, roads, &c. They must not 

 be taken to any great distance, or the expense of carriage 

 exceeds the cost of pipes. By far the greater proportion is done 

 with jnpes, without any stones, and they are generally laid three 

 or four feet deep. The northern parts of the Dale have a soil 

 which requires the aid of some artificial drainage, but it gradually 

 gets drier as we proceed southwards. As we ascend the sides of 

 tlie Dale we find alternating beds of clay and gravel, and here the 

 drains are more wanted than in any other parts. In the majority 

 of cases, by running a deep drain transversely to the slope of the 



