49G Statistics of Live Stock for 



per pair of horses for cultivation. The annual cost of food con- 

 sumed per annum is stated to be 82/. 155., or 11/. I65. apiece — 

 very nearly the same as in the former instance — and the wages to 

 ploughmen are put at 49/. 2.9. Gc/. The horses are stated to be 

 worth about 10 guineas each. The ploughing is done for the 

 most part by two horses to a team, excepting in fallowing and 

 during autumn, when three liorses are sometimes used per plough. 

 The depth of cultivation is 4 to 6 inches for 2-horse ploughing, 

 8 to 10 for 3-horse ploughing. The quantity ploughed per day 

 with 2 horses, for light ploughing (less than 4 inches deep), is 

 2 acres ; and for common ploughing at least li acres. The 

 ploughing (ribbing) in ridges for turnips, potatoes, and madder, 

 is got over at the rate of 3 acres daily per pair-horse plough. 

 The soil of the polder is described as being one-eighth part nearly 

 pure sand, the remainder a clayey loam, varying from vei'y stiff 

 heavy soil to light loam. The soil on the small farm is a good 

 clay loam. It is added, in reference to the rotation named as 

 being adopted on the polder, that fallow (1st year) is taken after 

 breaking up of the 3-year old pasture (20th year), partly for the 

 rape which follows it, and which ought to be dunged even in rich 

 soils, and partly because it affords opportunity to bring manure 

 upon the land in June, when there is a great deal less to do than 

 in spring. "However," says Mr. Van den Bosch, "since 1856, 

 we are gradually changing in our polder this rotation for the 

 other one adopted on the small farm, giving up rape after 

 fallow, and trying to bring the manure on the land early in 

 spring for beans." 



XXII. — Statistics of Live Stock for Consumption in the 3IetropoIis. 

 By Robert Herbert. 



It has long been a matter of surprise, not only in this country, 

 but more especially on the Continent, with what apparent ease 

 the vast consuming powers of the great metropolis are met by 

 the agricultural body. Year after year our markets are amply 

 supplied, without producing much influence upon price — in other 

 words, without depressing the quotations beneath what may be 

 termed a paying point. Our ports are open to the admission 

 of foreign stock free of duty, yet the effect is but little felt: 

 a powerful competition has existed between the live and dead 

 markets ; nevertheless, ]irices rule high, when compared with 

 some former years. The first question which we propose to 

 consider is, What are the breeds of beasts and sheep wliich form 

 the supplies exhibited in London? From a careful analysis of 



