1120 



STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE. 



IV. 



slvely near Warrington, and rhubarb and madder have been 

 tried, and grown to very great ;perfection, but not so easily 

 dried and prepared for sale, as to induce a continuance of the 

 practice. 



7. Grass Lands. 



Extensive, but chiefly coarse upland pastures : some good 

 meadows and productive marsh lands. Application chiefly 

 the dairy for home consumption of milk and butter; not much 

 cheese made, excepting on the Cheshire side of the county. 



8. Gardens and Orchards. 



Excellent market gardens near most of the large towns. 

 Liverpool remarkably well supplied : great quantities of cab- 

 bages and onions used'by the shipping, and of dried herbs and 

 onions exported; the dried herbs sent to Africa. "There is a cer- 

 tain farm in Kirkby, about ei<^ht miles north-east from Liver- 

 pool, the soil of a small part of which is a black loamy sand, 

 and which produces great quantities of early and strong aspa- 

 ragus, and another farm, a part of which is of the same nature 

 at a place called Orrel, about four miles north-west of Liver- 

 pool : both which produce this plant with less attention and 

 less dung than requisite in the rich vale of KirkdaSe, about 

 two miles from Liveri)ool, where the greatest quantity of land 

 in any place of this neighborhood is appropriated solely to 

 horticulture." 



Gardens oj Mechanics. "A small patch of ground appended to his 

 cottage, furnishes the weaver, smith, or carpenter with health 

 and pleasure, and contributes to his sobriety ; mtemperance not 

 unfrequently proceeding from want of recreation to hll up a va- 

 cant hour. This small space is devoted to nurturing his young 

 seedlings, trimming his more matured plants, contemplating 

 new varieties, in expectation of honors through the medium of 

 promised premiums. Thus, starting at intervals from his more 

 toilsome labors, the mechanic finds his stagnating fluids put 

 in motion, and his lungs refreshtd with the fragrant breeze, 

 whilst he has been thus raising new flowers of the auricula, 

 carnation, polyanthus, or pink, of the most approved qualities 

 in their several kinds; and which, after being raised here, 

 have been dispersed over the whole kingdom. But not only 

 flowers, but fhiit, have been objects of their attention. The 

 best gooseberries now under cultivation had their origin in the 

 county of Lancaster; and, to promote this spirit, meetings are 

 annually appointed at different places, at which are public 

 exhibitions of different kinds of flowers and fruits, and pre- 

 miums adjudged. These meetings are encouraged by master 

 trjidesmeii and gentlemen of the county as tending to promote 

 a spirit which may occasionally be diverted into a rfiore import- 

 ant channel. Those little societies for promoting the improved 

 culture of the gooseberry prevail most in the southern parts of 

 the county. 'J'hey have unquestionably had much influence in 

 bringing the different sorts of this fruit, and the currant, as 

 well as some others, to their present state of improvement. 

 The gooseberry both of the red and white kind, is now in most 

 places grown to a very considerable size, in some situations as 

 large as a pigeon's egg. This is chiefly effected by keeping the 

 plants much cut in their branches, and having well rotted rich 

 manure applied frequently about their roots, the land being 

 kept perfectly clear about them. The annual publications, 

 called Tlie Manchester Gooaeherr-ij-hook, and The Manchester 

 Florver-book, contain the names of the principal societies, and 

 of the prizes awarded each year, and a variety of other inform- 

 ation." Dickson, p. 428. 



An orchard of sixty-four acres on the banks of the Irwell, 

 near Manchester, and some others in sheltered places near the 

 principal towns; but the prevailing west winds is much 

 against their increase. 



9. Woods and Plantations. 



A good deal of planting going forward in most parts of the 

 county, but not much old timber or copse. 



10. hnprovements. 



Of moss bogs and marshes there is great extent, and we have 

 already noticed the principal modes of improving them. (4 183.) 



A good deal of drining, paring and burning, and liming has 

 been done, and also irrigation i several places. A good deal 

 of low sod embhiikment along the northern part of the coast, 

 especially at Rosshall, by Hesketh. It was proposed some years 

 ago to embank Lancaster and Ulverstone sands, by which nearly 

 40,000 acres of sandy soil would have been gained at an ex- 

 pense of 150,000/. or according to some much less ; but owing 

 to the difficulty of getting the small proprietors of hsheries, 

 and other trifling interests to agree, the idea was dropped at 

 the time, and not resumed. The proposed modes of procedure 

 for this and other intended embankments, are given in the re- 

 port. Boglands have been extensively cultivated by the cele- 

 brated Koscoe, of which seme account has been already given. 

 (4191.) 



11. Live stock. 



Cattle, the Lancashire or long homed, made the basis of 

 Bakewell's improvements; a good many short homed also 

 bred, when the dairy is the object. Larger grass farms near 

 the popular towns, furnish milk ;' the smaller ones butter, and 

 the remote farms cheese. 100 cows kept in Wakefield's 

 dairy near Liverpool. Cheese made resembles that of Che- 

 shire, and chiefly from the long homed, or native breed. 



Sheep not very common in this district. 



Hones very generally bred of the strong team kind, stout 

 compact saddle horses, and middling size and bone for the 

 stage and mail coaches. 



12. Political Economy. 



Roads bad in most places, owing to the want of good mate- 

 rials, and the moist climate. In the coal tracts about Man- 

 chester, Bolton, and Wigan, the roads are all paved, as it was 

 thought no other would stand the heavy traffic on them. 

 These paved roads ar? said to be the most expensive, and most 

 disagreeable of any ; but they have here no other kind of ma- 

 terial that will stand heavy cartage. 



An ingenious road- maker in the neighborhood of Warring- 

 ton, has of late exploded the common convex form, and adoi-t- 

 ed that of one inclined plane; the inclination just sufficient to 

 throw off occasional water. The road between Worsley and 

 Chowbeat, was made in this form, but it was found not to an- 

 swer, as, though it threw off the water, high and heavy 

 laden waggons were exposed to much danger of being over- 

 turned. 



Various canals and iron railways; those of the Earl of Bridg- 

 water, the most celebrated ; but others of recent date mora 

 extensive. Many difierent manufactures ; cotton in its differ- 

 ent branches the most important; also, woollen, flax, iron, 

 and, in short, almost as great a variety as in Derbyshire. Seve- 

 ral agricultuial societits; that of Manchester established in 

 1767. 



7028. CHESHIRE. 665,600 acres of verdant surface, exclusive of upwards of 10,000 acres of naked 

 sands in the estuary of the river Dee. It is one of the most productive grass land districts in the kingdom, 

 the grass retaining its growth and verdure, in a great degree, during the whole year, owing.to tiie moisture 

 and mildness of the climate. The department of husbandry in which it excels is cheese making, and it 

 is also noted for its salt works from brine springs and rock. {Hedges' General View, 1794. Holland's Gene- 

 ral View, 1806. MarshaVs Review, 1809.) 



1. Geographical State and Circumstances. 



Climate sup])osed the most rainy in the kingdom. 



General surface an extended plane, apparently thickly cover- 

 ed with wood. Barren hills on the eastern margin ot the 

 county. 



Soils chiefly c'ayev or sandy ; clay prevails, but very general- 

 ly the two earths blended together, producing clayey loam, 

 and sandv loam. 



Suhsiril chiefly clay, ojmarl ; but also rammel, foxbench, gra- 

 vel, or red rock. Rammel is a composition of clay, sand, gravel, 

 and oxide of iron; it is in strata of from eighteen to thirty 

 inches, on white colored sand, or clay marl. Foxbench is iron 

 ore or oxide, which crumbles to pieces when exposed to the 

 air ; but is hard and rocky when under the soil, and is more 

 injurious to trees than rammel, as it cannot be penetrated by 

 tHeir roots. 



Minerals. Fossil salt and coal both extensively worked 

 There is also copper, lead, and freestone, but very little lime- 

 stone. Salt is made from brine springs, as at Droitwich (7007.), 

 and from beds of fossil salt. The former have been worked 

 from time immemorial, and the latter from about 1670. By 

 the operation of blasting, and the mechanical instruments 

 usually employed in mining, the rock is obtained in masses of 

 considerable size, differing in form and purity. The purer 

 rock is pounded and us(d without other preparation; but the 

 less pure is dissolved and refined in the same manner as brine. 



Water. Several rivers and meres; the former are very 

 muddy after rains, and not remarkable for their fish ; but the 

 latter abound in pike, bream, perch, dace, and eels. 



2. Property. 



Few counties of equal extent with so many wealthy land- 

 owners. Fifiy proprietors resident in the county, with estates 

 of fVom three to 10,000/. a year, and asrnany from one to 3000/. 

 " From the advantages which have been derived from trade, 

 and from the effects of the increase of taxes, which have pre- 

 vented a man living with the same degree of comfoit on the 

 same portion of land he could formerly, many of the o'd owners 

 have been induced to sell their estates, and new proprietors 

 have spread themselves over the country, very different in 

 their habits and prejudices. It may be doubtful whe'her the 

 change on the whole has been disadvantageous. Land, when 

 transferred, is generally improved by its new possessor. With 

 a view, and often a more enlightened view, of its advantages 

 end resources, he brings with him the means and the disposition 

 to try experiments, and give to his new acquisition its greatest 



value. He feels the want of comforts and conveniences, which 

 custom had rendered familiar to a former occupier ; he builds, 

 drains, and plants ; and, by his spirit and example, stimulates 

 all around him to increased exertions. 



3. Buildings. 



Many noble mansions, especially that of the Earl Grosvenor, 

 at Eton. 



Farm buildings, on the large dairy farms, in the middle of 

 the county, extensive and convenient ; in other places the 

 reverse ; and crowded in villages ; old buildings of shed work, ] 

 wattled work, and clay, and covered with thatch; new of 

 brick and slate. An excellent set of buildings {,fig- 798.) has 

 been erected at Bromfield, near Warrington, on the estate of 

 Sir P. Warburton. " A gentle descent from the ground at 

 the iront of the house has afforded Beckett, the occupier of 

 this farm, the opportunity of conveying from a pond (a) a 

 small stream through the farm-vard, with which he irrigates 

 the meadows below the buildings. The superior richness of 

 vegetation in these meadows furnishes abundant proof of the 

 advantage which Beckett derives from availing himself of this 

 assistance." 



Beginning with the drrelling-hmue of this farmerj-, it contains 

 an entrance and passage (1), house place (2), servants' dining, 

 room (3), back parlor (4), dairy, with whey pans and sink 

 stone (.5), room for the cheese after it is taken out of the salt (6), 

 milking-house and salting-room (7), stairs to cheese-room (Sj, 

 parlor,' with cellar under (9), pantry (10). The immediate 

 appendages of the house chiefly connected with the dairy are 

 ranged on three sides of the inner yard (11), and consist of a 

 coal house (12), wash-house, with pigeon-house over it (13), 

 pump (14), pipe to boiling pans (15), hoilerfor pig-meat (16), 

 privy (17), placeforashes (IS), privy (19), inner pig-cot (20), 

 outer pig-cot (21), passage (22), inner pig-cot (25), outer pig- 

 cot (24), inner pig cot (25), outer pig-cot (26), passage (27), 

 inner pi '.{-cot (28), outer-pig cot (29). 



The farm-yard consists of a court, containing a large duck- 

 pond and dunghill, surrounded by a broad passage, and en- 

 closed on the west, east, and south sides by buildings, the 

 north side being the wall of the inner yard. These buildings 

 consist of a cow-house (30), double cow-house (31), double 

 cowhouse (32), fodder-bin (33), cow-house (34), com-bag (35), 

 threshing floor (36), corn-bag (37), corn-bag (38), corn-bag 

 (39), threshing-floor (40), corn-bag (41), cart-hovel, with 

 granary above it (42), stable (45), stable, or calf-cot (44), calf- 

 cot (45). 



