52 Agriculture of Shropshire. 



without much additional outlay. I would, therefore, suggest the 

 increased use of artificial manures for root crops, as beings the 

 most effectual mode of increasing the produce (over and above 

 the usual yield), and thus well repaying the cost of this addi- 

 tional allowance. 



The Globe is the sort generally grown, being considered a 

 surer cropper than the Long variety : but where a good prepara- 

 tion is made the Long Red will be found to produce the heaviest 

 crops. The Globe no doubt answers best under a rougher mode 

 of management. They are gathered and stored in caves, as 

 already described for roots (p, 35). The cultivation of this 

 root is of unusual importance in this district, because of the 

 scarcity of grass-land on many of the farms. In such cases, if 

 the breadth in clover is increased, the produce of corn is neces- 

 sarily diminished ; or if the clover is fed, then there is a difficulty, 

 because of the hay being required. The mangold, therefore, 

 l)ecomes peculiarly valuable, as affording a supply of food up to 

 the end of June, or even July, and thus enabling us to keep ofF 

 the clovers, and secure our crop of hay. I have known temporary/ 

 vards to be made for carrying out the consumption of the man- 

 golds, so as to give the stock kept in yards during the early 

 summer months plenty of room for exercise and shelter. This 

 being pre-arranged, the mangolds are drawn so as to be in a 

 convenient situation for supplying the stock. 



Sicedes. — This is the standard root-crop of this part, and even 

 better suited to the climate than the mangolds. They are often 

 grown after a crop of early green food, such as rye, or rye and 

 vetches ; but far more generally without any such predecessor. 

 The cleaning, ridging, and manuring of the ground is the same as 

 that already described for mangolds. The width is not generally 

 as great between the rows. Few persons take sufficient trouble 

 in mixing the manures to be drilled. It is far from being a 

 loss of labour to have the manure, aslies, &c., thoroughly mixed 

 together, and sifted over ticice. Tliis favours its subdivision and 

 distribution, and consequently increases its utility. 



On the heavy portions of this district there is a general 

 clearance of the crop from the land ; and there are few farms 

 even in dry districts which have not one or more fields each 

 year requiring the crop to be drawn off. When this has to be 

 done, there is nothing like a concentration of strength, so as to 

 clear the land before any change of weather shall interrupt the 

 work, because this is generally followed by such a treading of 

 the land as completely to destroy the effect of all the summer 

 operations. It is scarcely necessary for me to say, that upon 

 such fields swedes are generally grown, because, as the crop has 

 to be drawn, these are most useful at the homestead. 



