Book I. 



AGRICULTURE OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 



1105 



This dUtrict ha& been subsequently divided into regular en- 

 eloiures, by great ditches, wtiich fali into the main drains ; 

 ond, wlierever it has been possible, these ditclies have been 

 made- to serve this purpose, as well as that of a fence to the 

 new roads which iiave been constructetl across these moors. 

 In one instance, one of these roads has been carried in a 

 straight line for about two miles. On each side of tliis road 

 trees have been planted, at refjulir distances, which will soon 

 form one of the finest avenues in Kngland. These moors have 

 besides been all regularly under-drained by turf drains, which 

 stand remarkably well. In the different ditches are placed 

 flood-gates, to pound back the water during the summer, 

 preserving the meadows in a state of perpetual verdure. 

 The water is let off at least once in every fourteen days, and 

 being drawn off with as much velocity as |>ossible, it scours 

 and keeps clear both the ditches and the underground drains ; 

 the mouths of these latter ate all defended with tiles. The 

 moorlands have bsen greatly improved by very heavy and re- 

 peited rollings and top-dressing ; and their value as let to a 

 farmev, in many jnst<inre>-, is fully doubled. This improve- 

 ment has cost a very large sum of money ; which was encreas- 

 ed beyond what was necessary, owing to the inefficiency of th 

 late surveyor belonging to the commission, which is not yet 

 closed. The drainage, however, has lately been put under a 

 surveyor (Lewis), approved of by Lord StaHbrd in terms of 

 tiie .\ct, and the expence is diminished, and the whole put in 

 better order. A very rapid improvement his taken place on 

 these lands. In place of being the very worst part or the es- 

 tate, they are rapidly becoming equal to the best and finest 

 meadows on it. In order to shelter them from the blasts 

 which come round the Wrekin, from the Welsh mountains, 

 they have been intersected with various plantations. A plan 

 of the Wildmoors previous to, (Jig. 7.S(j.) and another subse- 

 '^uent to this improvement, {Jii;. 787.) will serve to give an 



accurate notion of what has been done. The whole beini: well 

 worthy the examination and inspection of an intelligent aeri 

 culturist and improver. (Loch, p. 22C.) 



12. Live Stock. 



Cattle of mixed breeds : some dairying, chiefly for butter to 

 the manufacturing towns; some cheese, but not very good. 

 Calves raised as stock, and sometimes suckled for veal. Sheep* 

 in breeding flocks of various kinds. Stock in gfneral neg. 

 lected as to improvement; all sorts of crosses permitted, so 

 that the original breeds of sheep and hogs are now lost. I'orV 

 and bacon are much used among the poorer people, v.rhcn tlipy 

 can procure them ; therefore the sort which is to be fed with 

 the least trouble is to be preferred. A mixture of the Shrop. 

 shire and Chines;! has, in this respect, been found to answer 

 for bacon, and a cross of the wild breed for pork. 



Geese, reared on the commons, and sold to farmers, who fat- 

 ten them on theii< stubbles. 



Turket/s, reared in large quantities by some farmers, and 

 sold to hialers, who drive them to Birmingham and other larg 

 towns. Markets in general well supplied with fowls. It is to 

 lie lamented that they are generally carried alive to market. 

 Death is no misfortune to an animal that has no previous ap- 

 prehension of it. Hut poultry, carried in bags or baskets to 

 market, have several hours of previous suffering, and the bur- 

 then and trouble of carrying them thither seem much in- 

 creased thereby. 



13. Political Economy. 



Roads generally bad; various canals ; trade of Shrewsbury, 

 flannel and Welsh webs, used for clothing for the slaves in the 

 West Indies and South America. Manufactures in the 

 county numerous; iron, pottery, jwrcelain, glass, dying clotli, 

 woollens, flannels, linen, gloves, &c. An agricultural society 

 at Drayjton. 



7011. STAFFORD.SHIRE. 780,800 acres of hill and dale, some parts rugged and others smooth, but 

 on the whole more a miiimg and manufacturing than an agricultural county. The Marquess of Stafibrd, 

 Lord Anson, and Marquess of Anglesea, are the chief improvers. Kxcellent markets for produce within 

 the county ui consequence of the numerous manufacturing towns and villages. {PitVs Report, 1808 

 MarshuVs Review, 1813. Loch's Improvements, 1819.) 



1. Geographical State and Circumstances. chine, and various new implements introducingby proprietor!. 

 Climate. Air sharp and cold, and inclining to wet ; annual and especially by the Marquess of Statibtd. 



rains thirtv-six inches ; those of I^ondon twenty or twenty-one 

 inches ; of Upminster, in Essex, nineteen inches and a quarter ; 

 Lancashire forty -two; of Ireland forty-two to fifty. Annual 

 rain on the west side of the kingdom double that on the east 

 side. 



Surface. In the north side of the county hills arise, forming 

 the commencement of a ridge, rising gradually higher and 

 higher into Scotland, under different names : here called 

 M&orlands, then Peak, then Blackstone Edge, then Craven, 

 then Stanmore ; and then, peirting into two horns, called 

 OhevioU. 



Soil. Very various; about one-third of the county strong 

 loam or clay ; one-third mixed soils of almost all sorts, and the 

 remainder light, calcareous or alluvial. 



Minerals. Valuable and extensive ; 50,000 acres or upwards 

 of coal. Iron ore and lime of unknown extent. 



2. Property. 

 Largest estates 10,000/. a year, and many of all sizes, from 



that amount down to 40*. a year. Attomies generally the ma- 

 nagers, but some excellent examples of gentlemen of from 

 50W. to 3000/. a year managing their estates themselves; re- 

 siding on them, and cultivating a part, and giving every en- 

 couragement to their tenants. 



3. Buildings. 

 Some noble mansions, as Trentham, Beaudesart, Inges- 



tree, &c. Excellent farm-houses constructed on some estates, as 

 Trentham, Lord Startbrd*s,but|the majority, as in other counties, 

 bad, and badly situated. A farm yard has been constructed at 

 tlie femily seat of the Ansons, for a <lemesne farm of 2000 

 acres. It was built by S. Wyatt, of London, and consists of the 

 farming steward's house at one end ; arange of building along 

 one side contains a brewhouse upon <i large scale, a water corn- 

 mill for the family and farm use, and in which com is ground 

 for the neighboring poor gratis, and a malt-house : the oppo- 

 site side and end are occupied by stalls for feeiiing cattle, store- 

 rooms, stables, and other appendages ; and in the middle of the 

 yard is a very complete hoggery, built of large stones set edge- 

 ways, and covered with slate, with a boiler for heating hog- 

 foocl, a cold bath supplied by the mill stream, for giving an oc- 

 c;asional swill to the young pigs. In this building a number of 

 hogs are fatte<l on dairy refuse, boiled roots or vegetables, 

 puUe, ground barley or bran, supplied by the mill near at 

 nand. At some distance above is the stack-yard and barns, 

 where a jxjwerful threshing machine is worked by the same 

 stream that afterwards supplies the garden, and turns the com 

 mill in the farm-yard. 



4. Occupation. 



Farms of all sizes, from twenty-five to 500 acres; many con- 

 solidated since 1795. Some very good cottages with gardens, 

 and containing comfortable and commodious accommodation 

 for agricultural or manufacturing operatives. A specimen of 

 one is given ( /ijif .788.), which contains a living room (),working 

 or lodging room (/>), pantry, dairy, cellar, &c. (c), cow-house (</), 

 with a water closet, and three bedrooms over. l/Cases generally 

 granted for twenty-onevears.Litlle made by farming unless with 

 a combination of all,of most of the following circumstances: 

 First, an easy rent ; second, a pretty gviod <ind extensive farm': 

 third, economy and industry ; and fourth, length of time. In 

 the present system of farming, at a moderate rent, the writer of 



this knows from experience, that it requires not only the most 

 diligent industry, but also the most prudential economy, to 

 keep the balance on the right side. To which Marshal adds 



i have rarely found a farmer making a fortune by his profes- 

 sion alone, unless on fresh land, on virgin marsh, oldjp^azing 

 ? round, ancient sheep walk, or well soiled common ; a fortune, 

 mean, any way resembling that which, with the same ability 

 and industry, and with a small share of the outset capital, 

 he would have been making by trade, manufacture, or com- 

 merce." 



5. Implements. 



Very vju-ious ; double fiirrow ploughs drawn by four horses, 

 Sood deal m use in the light lands. xcUnt threshing ma- 



4 



6. Arable Land. 

 Most annual field crops cultivated, including hemp and tlaz. 



7. Grass. 

 Meadow on the rivers and brooks, and artificial 



sown ; feeding in general preferred to dairying. 



8. Gardens and Orchards. 

 Common to many farm-houses; but few or no sale< 



and scarcely any fniit crushed for liquor. 



9. Timber and Woodlands. 

 Best ti>n herd estate Blithfield Park, LordBagot; the park 



contains many hundred trees of extraordinarj- bulk, containing 

 from 200 to 400 feet of timber each ; much of it is mentioned by 

 Dr. Plott as full grown in 168C. Chillington and Beaudesart 

 also remarkably well timlitred. The remains of Needwood 

 forest, chiefly remarkable tor its lieautjful hollies. On the 

 whole the county abundantly wooded. Sneid's coppices cut 

 once in six years to make crates and large hamiiers for the 

 potteries. 



10. Improvements. 

 Irrigation and draining practised, the former only to a mo- 



derate extent. .Fessop, the engineer, suggests that nine parts 

 in ten of the waters of the kingdom at present run away in 

 waste, a great part of which might be usefiilly employed ; nay, 

 further (putting expence out of the question), that every stream 

 in the kingdom may be made to run equally through the whole 

 year. This position, how ever extniordinarv, is easily demon- 

 strable ; for if, upon any given stream, one or more reservoirs 

 be made, capable of containing its flood water, and through tho 

 dam or dams be laid a pipe or pi|>es, whose a|>ertiires will just 

 discharge the average product*, the business is done: and 

 though thsre may be no probability of this business lieing ever 

 brought to so great a nicety, yet, from hence some idea may be 

 formed of the pro<ligious extent to which improvements by 

 water may be cairlrd. 



Gteai and radical imprnretnenit have been effected on the 

 Trentham estates. The first obiect was the laying the land* 

 together, in farms of considerable extent, varying in size ac- 

 cording to the nature of the soil, and other circumstances. In 

 effecting these necessary changes, wherever the old tenant was 

 removed, which was doiie as seldom as possible, he was, unless 

 he took a farm elsewheijl, accommodated with his house and 

 his best grass crofu for his life, at a low and inadequate rent ; 

 and in every case where it wa.s possible to treat with the person 

 heneticiallyinterested in the lease, and whose continuance in 

 the farm was incompatible with the new arrangement f ttw 

 land, bU interest was purchai^d ritber bi an annuity, or 



B 



