270 TYPE OF HOLDINGS 



other business, such as dealing or slaughtering, or 

 do occasional job work. They are worked much 

 the same as the smaller holdings, except that there 

 is a larger proportion of tillage land, on which 

 winter food for the cattle and horses is grown ; 

 and, in many cases, in addition to milking-cows, 

 bullocks are kept for fattening. 



I was informed that it was considered possible 

 to make an entire living on 40 to 60 acres of the 

 better land. I did not, however, find anyone doing 

 it, the holdings of that size having generally a pro- 

 portion of poor land, and the tenants farming them 

 employed labour and went in for dealing, etc. 



The possibility of turning out their cattle on the 

 adjoining moorlands at the rate of Is. a week con- 

 siderably influences the method of farming. It 

 makes it possible to shut up the whole of the grass 

 land for hay, and thus carry twice as much stock as 

 would otherwise be possible. The general practice 

 seems to be to have the cows calving for winter 

 profit, not only on account of the higher prices then 

 obtained for the cream and butter, but for the con- 

 venience of having them dry at the time of the 

 year when they will be turned out on the moorland. 



Rushes are largely used for thatch and litter. 

 Artificials are used to a certain extent, but the 

 general practice is to consume their own stuff and 

 get as much farmyard manure as possible in that 

 way. The small people derive most of their fuel 

 from the hedges (largely beech), which are allowed to 

 grow to a great size and are cut down at intervals. 



