'Norfolk Farming. 295 



had hardly any bulb, but plenty of roots, neck, and top. The 

 mans^olds were excellent, and a much larger breadth than ever 

 have been sown in 1858. Some little idea may be formed of the 

 annual increase of this root by referring to the statistics of 1853 

 and 1854. In the former year the breadth grown in Norfolk was 

 13,618 acres ; in the next season 16,274, which is an increase 

 in a single year of one-fifth. Since then the cultivation of man- 

 gold wurtzel has extended itself in a still greater degree, and in 

 many parts of the county ten acres are grown where there was 

 not more than one fifteen years ago. 



When box-feeding came up the culture of flax was also brought 

 into notice ; the extent grown does not increase, and the linseed 

 compound for cattle, which was to form part of the box system, 

 was speedily given up. Of the other little crops which are 

 occasionally grown, perhaps cabbages are more general than 

 formerly ; they are cultivated chiefly for ewes and lambs in the 

 spring, and for this purpose the thousand-headed variety is the 

 favourite. 



Many of the existing farm-buildings have been much im- 

 proved, and several new homesteads erected during the last 

 fifteen years. Covered yards are not numerous in this county : 

 there are some capital ones at Thetford Abbey, at Wretliam 

 Hall, and on the Hillborough estate. A spacious and most 

 complete set of farm-buildings has been recently built at Eg- 

 mere ; then there is the compact steading at Cranmer, and the 

 very useful new farm-premises at Barton Brudish, all of them 

 capital specimens of improved agricultural buildings. All over 

 the county there are excellent new premises to be seen, and the 

 general aspect of the old ones is decidedly better than it was 

 fifteen years ago. Besides the few covered yards, there are for 

 cattle-feeding stalls, loose boxes, and open yards. Sheds for 

 tying up cattle were common in this county during the last 

 century, but box-feeding is of recent date ; yards, with open 

 sheds, are still the most general for fattening cattle in Norfolk. 

 After trying all the other methods, farmers appear to be well 

 content with yards : not the large enclosures which are called 

 farmyards in some counties, but small yards for 10 or 12 beasts, 

 on two sides of which are warm and wide open sheds. Cer- 

 tainly, cattle thrive amazingly well in such small yards ; but, even 

 in a little community of a dozen, a iev/ will be tyrants, so the rest 

 must be slaves. As the sheds are all spouted round, no great 

 amount of water falls into the yard, and no liquid manure escapes. 

 Where straw is scarce, or can be advantageously sold, an argu- 

 ment is furnished against open yards ; but on large arable 

 farms, cattle being regarded as expensive machines for manu- 



