272 Norfolk Farming. 



and autumn ; now some few are reserved and fatted as ho;2:gets or 

 shearlings. This of course increases the number of winter sheep, 

 and therefore fewer ewes must be kept; but the fat sheep are dis- 

 posed of from turnips, thus leaving a better chance for the flocks 

 in the spring. Bj feeding these young sheep more corn is grown, 

 and it is a pretty general custom with good farmers to give their 

 lambs (at least the twins), some oil-cake as soon as they can eat it. 

 This is one of the chief reasons why stock lambs from this district 

 come out so much better in size and condition than they did in 

 years gone by. A large quantity of rye is sown for sheep feed, 

 and the turnips which follow generally succeed well. But 

 after vetches they seldom thrive. A heavy crop of vetches seems 

 to extract every drop of moisture from this thirsty land, and 

 the turnip plant is invariably a failure. After the rye is finished 

 the sainfoin and other layers, with a run on some of the sheep- 

 walks, furnish food for the flock. These heaths serve for the 

 stowage of the flock after the lambs are weaned, and the ewes 

 do very well in the autumn when feeding on the heather or 

 ling. They are then folded at night, generally on ley ground 

 for wheat. It is not found necessary to give the ewes many 

 turnips before lambing ; their condition is maintained as well as 

 it can be by other means, and some dry provender is always 

 given when they are kept entirely on the turnip land. Sainfoin 

 is an invaluable plant in this locality. It does not suffer from 

 drought like clover and other seeds, neither does the plant fail. 

 Mostly it remains but one year, but in some instances it is kept 

 down for four seasons, until the field comes for wheat again. 

 A few years ago this district grew hardly any corn but rye and 

 light oats. Now by sheep-feeding very fair crops of barley are 

 obtained, and by better management that pest of the wheat 

 plant, the poppy or red-weed, is more easily destroyed. The 

 plan now often adopted is to plough the ley early, roll it lightly, 

 and so let it remain for some time. The winter annuals soon 

 show themselves, and when well up harrowing, heavy rolling, 

 and drilling the seed, take place. During the winter it is the 

 custom on many farms to use the lever harrow, or rake, which 

 scratches the land and pulls up much of the red-weed. This is 

 particularly the case in frosty weather, for the poppy, though so 

 hardy when old, is particularly tender in an infant state, and 

 cannot bear this rough usage, or being buried, however lightly, 

 with mould. Then early in the spring, the earlier the better — 

 say in February — the wheats are well hand or horse hoed. It is 

 of no consequence burying the wheat, for that soon grows 

 through, and by this means the red-weed, which is in the rows 

 of wheat, is destroyed. Thus, by eradicating the poppy, con- 

 solidating the land, and well manuring it, fair crops of wheat are 



