Norfolk Farming. 303 



with great care from every part of the county ; and tliougli 

 names have been studiously avoided, each fact recorded can be 

 truthfully substantiated. Some Norfolk farmer, in overlooking 

 these pages, may say, "That is not how I farm, nor is it the 

 practice of my neighbourhood," Probably not ; but if every 

 peculiarity of each district had been noticed, these remarks 

 would have extended to a most unreadable length. Enough, it 

 is hoped, has been described to give a brief outline of recent 

 progress in Norfolk agriculture. To those gentlemen who 

 obligizigly furnished the materials of this Report the writer 

 offers his warmest thanks, not only for the information which 

 they so readily afforded, but also for the courtesy with which it 

 was rendered, and for their free and generous hospitality. 



Plumstead, Noridch, 1858. 



APPENDIX. 



The following experiments ou top-dressing wheat with different doses of 

 nitrate of soda and salt, which were made on the Holkham I'arlv Farm 

 in the years 18oO-l8o7, are interesting and instructive. For variety 

 and extent, and for the care and ability with which they were conducted, 

 these experiments liave seldom been equalled. Tliey show tlie capricious 

 influence of our climate on the wheat crop, and illustrate very forcibly 

 the folly of supposing that any new agricultural fact is proved by one 

 set of experiments. Notwithstanding the varied result of these dress- 

 ings, all are satisfactorv, for there is liardly one of moderate cost that has 

 not answered. The results of tliese trials must nevertheless be received 

 with some degreeof caution, and nitrate of soda must not be expected to 

 produce an equal effect on all lands. Tiie soil of Holkham Park is par- 

 ticulatly adapted for lliis system of high farming. The surface soil is a 

 light sandy loam, which requires much stimulant, and the subsoil is a 

 chalk sufficiently dry, cool, and grateful to prevent the forced straw from 

 lodging. Some soils do not want such assistance, and other barren 

 lands lie on such poor and weak substrata that tliey cannot bear any 

 extra forcing. The experiments show tliat Holkham is not the natural 

 soil for icheat. In those wet seasons when there was so poor a wheat 

 crop througliout the kingdom, the nitrate of soda produced the greatest 

 results. Last year was too hot and dry for West Norfolk ; and although 

 the general crop of wheat in England was abundant, at Holkham it was 

 poor, and the soda did tlie least good. Tiie practical result of these 

 experiments is, that on the Holkham Park Farm from 6 to 8 stone 

 (1 cwt.) of nitrate of soda, mixed with double the quantity of salt, 

 is applied to all the wheats ; tlie quantity used being varied according 

 to the strength of the plant, or condition of the land. Tiie soda and 

 salt are best applied in two dressings : the first half wlien the wheat 

 takes its early start in February or Marcli, the rest some time in April, 



