Norfolk Farming. 289 



best sheep, which, under favourable circumstances, will be 25. ^d. 

 a head for each lamb they rear. 



A better style of pig is now seen in this county. They are 

 thicker and more disposed to fatten, and at the same time large 

 and hardy enough for the straw-yard. A good many Berkshires 

 have lately found their way to West Norfolk ; but as all pork 

 is scalded, there is a prejudice among some of the butchers 

 against black or spotted pigs. Not so many pigs are kept in 

 the fat-bullock yard as formerly. When the flail was used the 

 corn was not thrashed so clean as it is by machinery, and there 

 was sure to be some feed near the barn-door. Now that there 

 are not so many stray kernels for them to find, a great many 

 restless pigs rooting about a yard are sure to disturb the periodi- 

 cal dozes of the quiet sleepy oxen. 



From what has been said about the live stock, it will be 

 readily imagined that Norfolk takes a more conspicuous place 

 at the shows of the Smithfield Club than at those of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society. ^\ hoever has visited Baker-street, or 

 Bingley Hall, will find that the county which produces the 

 greatest amount of beef is not behindhand in furnishing choice 

 specimens of the best fattened oxen in the world. Some of the 

 much coveted prize-cards at these shows are sure to contain the 

 words " Ludham," or " Holkham ;" and more premiums for 

 cross-bred sheep have come into Norfolk than to any other 

 county ; it has also had more than its proportion for South 

 Downs. In this class Norfolk takes a very high standing 

 at the exhibitions of the Royal Agricultural Society ; and our 

 county may be well proud of the splendid animals which 

 are annually exhibited from the flocks of Weasenham and 

 Merton. At Salisbury, Norfolk was well represented ; while at 

 Chelmsford, five out of the six South Down prizes came into our 

 county. 



The Norfolk cart-horses are hardy and useful animals, without 

 being at all perfect in shape, or uniform in breed. It is the 

 custom to say, that the horse stock in this county is the worst 

 feature in its agriculture. It may be so, but there are few 

 districts where cart-horses do more hard work. Sir John Wal- 

 sham's statistics show that about four horses are kept on each 100 

 aci'es of arable land, but this includes all the colts on the farm, 

 and, in fact, every head of horse stock which the farmer keeps. 

 It is usual to make a comparison between the number of 

 horses kept in the north and south of the kingdom ; but the 

 justice of this comparison depends on the nature of the soil, the 

 quantity of permanent pasture, and the proportion of the arable 

 land which is devoted to roots and grain. Considering the large 

 portion of land in Norfolk devoted to the growth of corn and 



