Book I. 



AGRICULTURE OF LANCASHIRE. 



1119 



1025. CUMBERLAND. 970,240 acres of mountainous district, remarkable for its picturestque beauty, 

 and also of late greatly imjjroved in its agriculture. The exertions of the late Bishop of Llandaff in plant, 

 ing, and of J. C. Curwen, Esq. in field culture, have contributed much to the improvement of this county, 

 which, as far as its soil and climate permit, may be considered as on a par with Northumberland. (Ge- 

 Tieral View, by J. Bailey, and G. Calley, 1804. Marshal's Review, 1808. S7niih's Geological Map, 1824.) 



1. Introductory Observations. 



Pringle informs us that " trees and plants, heing altogether 

 pa.ssive, accommodate themselves very slowly to a change of 

 climate; but the idea heis been already thrown out, that even 

 those of the torrid zone mny be made to flourish in the northern 

 regions ; may be even gradually inured to the climate ; that (he 

 climate itself may be changed for the better ; and that some 

 thousands of years hence, reposing under their own olive trees, 

 future Britons may quart' their own wine, or sip their own tea, 

 iweetened with the juice of their own sugar-cane." 



Prinple " found it impossible" not to mention to the Board 

 that he was remarkably well treatedwhen hesurveyed the county , 

 which " filled him with peculiar feelings of pleasure and 

 respect." Some of those feplings he voids on Sir John Sinclair, 

 in the following terms, " What gratitude is due to him (!) who 

 first called the attention of the nation to its most important 

 interests, and whose unremitted efforts are directed to promote 

 the good of his country ! How well does he deserve, ana what a 

 sure road has he chosen to immortal fame, that will survive the 

 ravages of time, and smile at the fleeting celebrity of martial 

 achievements!" " Thi," Marshal " observes, most assuredly 

 ineans,not him, but me." 



In some vrelimviary nhserraiions to.this report by the Bishop 

 of Llandaff, are suggestions for settling poor people in cottages 

 on the wastes, jis has been done in Spain, and on tne advantages 

 which would result from planting them, especially with the 

 larch and oak. 



2. Geographical State and Circumstances. 

 Climate. Healthy, though subject to great and frequent falls 



of rain, especially in autumn, which renders harvest late and 

 precarious : snow on the mountains for six or eight months. 

 Average rain at Keswick seventy inches. 



Soil. Clays and loams on the better parts of the vallies and 

 hill sides, and peat earth on the mountainous districts. 



Surface. Beautifully aixl greatly diversified, chiefly moun- 

 tainous, and incapable of being improved by the plough ; but 

 part of <he valley and plains are cultivatable soils. 



Minerals. Chiefly coal, lime, and lead ore; there are also 

 black lead, copper, gypsum, lapis calaminaris, and excellent 

 slate and freestone. 



Waiert. Sixty-seven miles of sea-roast, several large and 

 small rivers, an"d the lakes well knovNn for their beauty, and 

 the excellent char, trout, and other fish which some of them 

 produce. 



3. Property. 



Few counties where land is in such small parcels, and these 

 occupied by their owners. The annual value of these tene- 

 ments vary from 51. to 50/. a year ; generally from 1 6Z. to 30/., 

 some few lOOl. Largest estate in the county 13,000/. a year. 

 Tenure of by far th-^ greater part of the county " customary 

 tenure," a species of vassalage, by which the holder is subject to 

 fines, heriots, and various services to the lords of manors. A 

 good deal has been enfranchized. Copvhold and leasehold are 

 rarely met with ; what is not customary is f)<?ehold. 



4. Buildings, Implements, Arable Land, Sfc. 

 Approaching to that of Northumberland. A great many 



young plantations rising on the sides of the mountains. 



B. Live Stock. 



Cattle of various kinds ; breed of the county a small leng 

 homed kind : but the most improved varieties are now intro- 

 dftred. 



Sheep bred in the county the Herdwicks, a hardy mountain 

 sheep. Some horses bred by the farmer, and bees very com- 

 mon. In every parish the taking of moles is let at a certdin 

 sum, and defrayed by a parochial rate per acre; a plan which 

 will soon eradicate this animal from the county. 



6. Improvements. 



Various kinds, as draining, watering, planting, &c. made 

 by Watson, Bishop of Llandaff, at Colgarth Park. Those 

 of J. C. Curwen, E^., of Workington, especially in feed- 

 ing and fatting stock, have made a distinguished figure 

 in the f agricultural world since the publication of this re- 

 port. Curwen, in fact, mav be considered as the father of 

 the soiling and steamed food reeding in England. In spite of a 

 most ungrateful soil, and cold rainy climate, he {nanages to 

 keep an extensive farm in the very best order, and what is rare 

 amongst gentlemen who are cultivators, to cultivate with pro- 

 fit. He is a warm friend to agricultural merit in every shape, 

 and one of the best hearted ot men. 



7026. WESTMORELAND. 450,722 acres, chiefly of mountain and moor, but with some few tracts of 

 vale lands, cultivated or;capable of cultivation. On the whole it is naturallv the most unfavorable county to 

 agriculture or comfortable living in England, owing to its wet and cold climate, ungrateful soil and 

 rugged surface. {Pringle's General View, 1794. MarshaPs Rev. 1808. Smith's Geological Map, 1824.) 



1. Geographical State and Circumstances. 

 Climate. S.W. winds and rains prevail for eight months in the 



year: in 1792 eighty-three inches, medium forty-five or fifty 

 inches, which Ls twenty inches above the medium quantity 

 that falls in Europe. A"ir pure and healthy ; winters long and 

 severe. In 1791-2 thirty-six pounds were paid for cutting in 

 the snow ten miles of horse tract between Shap and Kendal. 



The soil most prevalent on the low lands is a dry gravelly 

 mould, and peat on the mountains. 



Surface. Mountainous and hilly, and in most places incapable 

 of cultivation by the plough. 



Minerals. Some trifling veins of lead ; limestone in abund- 

 ance in most parts of the county ; excellent blue slates ; gyp- 

 sum used for laying floors; freestone; and marble near 

 Kendal. 



Water. Several rivers and some lakes, corresponding in 

 beauty and products with those of Cumberland. 



2. Property. 



As in Cumberland; land-owners called statesmen, (for 

 estatesmen) as in Ireland. 



3. Buildings. 



Very indifTerent; few mere cottages; the laborer and 

 mechanic generally reside in a small farm-house, and occupy 

 more or less land. 



4. Occupation. 



Farms small, and farmers, who are generally proprietors, 

 " live poorly and labor hard," in the fields in summer, and 

 weaving in winter ; wear clogs, the upper part of leather, and 

 the soles of birch, alder, or sycamore. The culture of arable land 

 is very limited, and, like that of grassland, was in a very back- 

 ward state at the time the reporter wrote, but gradually improv- 

 ing. Dairying in a small way is generally practised, but little 

 attention to the sort of cowf>r breeding. The Earl of Lons- 

 dale and Bishop of Llandaff have set the example. as to 

 planting. 



5. Manufactures. 



Woollen cloth or Kendal coatings, stockings, silk, gunr 

 powder, &c. A private carpet manufectory at Lowther, by th 

 Earl of Lonsdale: 



7027. LANCASHIRE. 1,150,000 acres, included in a very irregular outline, extending above a de - 

 gree, or about seventy-four miles from north to south, containing mountainous and moory surface, and a 

 large portion of low, "flat, or moderately varied lands, of good quality. The soil in great part sandy, and 

 chiefly in pasture. The early introduction and successful culture of the potatoe, distinguishes this county, 

 and also the immense extent of its cotton manufactures, and verv considerable foreign commerce from Li- 

 verpool- It is also the country of Brindley, the engineer. {Holt's General View, 1795. Dickson's General 

 View, prepared by Stevenson, 1815. Marshal's Review, 1808.) 



1. Geographical State and Circumstances. 



Climate. Air every where pure and salubrious, but on the 

 elevated parts cold 'and sharp; protected, however, by the 

 northern and eastern ranges of mountains from the N. and E. 

 winds ; not much snow or long continued severe frosts. In 

 1819-20, when the thermometer in gardens near London had 

 fallen ten degrees below Zero, that in the botanic garden at 

 Liverpool never fell to Zero. Average of rain in the county, 

 probably about forty -two inches; in 1792, sixty -five ; and in 

 some years fifty. From a register of the times during a series 

 of 5 ears, at wftich potatoes, asparagus, and gooseberries were 

 first brought to the Liverpool market, it appears that the difTer- 

 ence between an early and late spring is not less than six 

 weeks. 



Sinl. On the mountains and moors rocky and peaty ; on the 

 northern part of the lowlands moist, cold, and rushy silt; on 

 the rest chiefly sandy loam. 



Minerals. Principally coal, copi>er, lead, and iron ; the first 

 and last very abundant; there is also slate, grey-slate, and 

 flagstones, freestone, and limestone. 



Waters. Seventy-five miles and upwards of sea-coast, and 

 several rivers and meres. 



2. Property. 



Very variously divided; a considerable number of yeomanry 

 from 10/. to 700/. per annum ; a general spirit for (Mssessing 

 land and agricultural improvement ; tenures, as usual, chiefly 

 freehold. 



3. Buildings. 



Old farmeries the work of chance and random ; houses often 

 there, formerly occupied by proprietors, and offices without 

 order or design, but various iiew erections on the most approved 

 plans ; cottages in many places comfortable, with good gardens, 

 especially those occupied by operative manufacturers and me- 

 chanics. Those in the less improved jiarts of wattled studd 

 work, pla.stered or wrought in with tempered clay and straw ; 

 provincially " cat and clay." 



4. Occupation. 



Farms in general small ; education and knowledge of most 

 of the small occupiers very circumscribed ; larger fanners more 

 enlightened, and having more command of capital, are improv- 

 ing the culture of their farms. 



5. Implements. 



Little improvement, but the Northumberland plough and 

 Meikle's threshing machine introduced ; horse pattens are 

 almost peculiar to this county, and are used in cultivating light 

 peaty soils. 



7. Arable Land. 



Less prevalent than grass ; but great attention paid to th 

 cultureofpotatoes, both by farmers and cottagers; the former 

 generally cultivate in drills, and horse hoed ; the latter in bed* 

 or dibbled in rows, and hand hoed. The method of growing 

 early potatoes, and several crops on the same soil in one season 

 has already been given. (4851.) Onions are cultivated ete^ 



