18881 



F A R M K RS ' R K Ci I ST E R . 



681 



incleniPiiry of weailuT prRven's this praciice on 

 the spconfi and third qiialilies ol" lanii, niid it is 

 thoM biMioficini hy the tivadmi:: and consequent 

 condensinjr ol' tlie soil: on the firr^t quality of 

 land in a verv wet season ol' lon<j c.onlinnance, 

 and when the ijmnnd it; soaked with moisture, tiiis 

 practice may be injurious. In sueh cases, llie 

 land is rendered too tenacious by liie pressure ol 

 the slock, and the heahh of the siteep tnii>ht be 

 impaired by Ivintr on uround so saturated wiih wa- 

 ter. They are then removed to a drier spot. IJul 

 puch instances rarely occur. Tiie wiiole of the 

 farm slopes to diU'erent aspects, and a continued 

 drainaire is thus effected, which assists mnlerially 

 the absorption hy the earth, which is, in some de- 

 gree, always takins; place- 



The whole I'trm may iherefore be considered as 

 a jjood turnif) soil — a valuable qualify in irround 

 of medium worth. Upon such soils tlu; turnip is 

 the great instrument of improvement. No crop 

 upon .a given surface of such ground aHbrds so 

 abundant a bulk of Ibod for sheep, and none con- 

 tributes to produce more manure. The liirhter 

 lands are condensed by the treading of the slock, 

 the stronger are, in moderate weather, kneaded 

 into a consistence very favorable to wheat, and 

 the irround is cleaned by the frequent hoeings 

 which are indispensably necessary to promote the 

 growth of the plant. Since the introduction of 

 the turnip, in considerable quantities, in agricul- 

 ture above a century ajjo, its use has been pro- 

 gressively extending, and has laid the foundation, 

 on the liixhter soils, of the excellent cultivation 

 which now prevails. Fifty years ago this plant 

 was liitle known in the district where the farm 

 now described is situated. Within that period 

 the crops are doutiled. The stock of sheep on the 

 same quantity of land is doubled, and their health 

 is less precarious. Turnips aflord a change of 

 food; and l()r such change ail animals have a 

 strong desire; they are a resource of great impor- 

 tance when the hay is injured by wet seasons; and 

 as wet seasons are liivorable to turnips, it is a re- 

 source which rarely fails. 



The conuiion turnip continues to be a whole- 

 some and nutritious food until the very cold 

 weather commences, towards the end o! Novem- 

 ber, by which time either the nature of the turnip 

 or the powers of digestion in the sheep appear to 

 be afl'ected; and so prejudicial upon this farm are 

 they esteemed to be, at this season, to ewes heavy 

 in lamb, by creating wind and inlialiiig the stom- 

 ach and bowels, ihat the quantity given is very 

 cautiously allotted. The best correciive is an al- 

 lowance of hay, which is often too lon<r delayed, 

 from mistaken motives of economy. The ewes 

 suffer freqiientlj' tnaierially from this neglect, and 

 the strength and health of the whole stock are 

 impaired. Ft lias been thought, that by an allow- 

 lowance of a portion of Swedes, together wiih the 

 common turnip, the hay might be omitted with 

 less dantier. The Swedes, tliough ranked usually 

 under the common term of turnip, are a distinct 

 F[)ecies of plants, in which the elements which 

 constitute nutriment exist in much greater abun- 

 dance. Upon this farm, from these motives, the 

 use of Swedes often commences early in the au- 

 tumn. Tiiej' are scarcely ripe until the middle of 

 November, and continue to ijrow and swell until 

 that period. But in their imperfect state, they 

 Buppiv tar more nourishment than the common 

 Vol. V— 86 



turnip, and prepare the stock for sale at the fairs 

 in Oclober and Novemi)er in a manner not^easily 

 accomplished wiihoiit their assistance. 



III. Barky. — The barley-crop is sown after 

 the turnips. The land requires more or less 

 plouirhing, according to the quality of the soil, and 

 the state in which it is found, after the season lor 

 the woikinfT of it commences. The compact, 

 gravelly clay, if the turnips have been led off 

 during wet weaher, breaks up in large clods, and 

 requires to be reduced by the roller; and at least a 

 second plontrbing iriven before the barley can be 

 safely sown; and'if clover be sown with it, it ren- 

 ders this process indispensable. On the second 

 and third qualities of land, one ploughing is quite 

 sufficient, 'i'he sowing commences early in March, 

 and continues until May, by which period the 

 Swedes iiave been removed from the turnip land, 

 if any remain, to some grass-lay.^The time of 

 sowing, when on compact, gravelly clay, must, in 

 some measure, depend on the season. It cannot 

 be worked in very rainy weather. If any very 

 hard storms of rain succeed the sowing, the sur- 

 face runs together so| closely, that the air is pre- 

 vented having access to the seed, and its vegeta- 

 tion is obstructed. 



Tlie two other qualities of soil are^Jnot exposed 

 to this advantage. 



It is customaVy in many counties, on light soils, 

 to sow barley in the month ^of February. This 

 [jractice is tbllowed by many ^farmers in this 

 district. 



In barley sowing, as in sowing all other crops, 

 it is always to be considered what system succeeds 

 the best, upon an average of several years; and 

 beyond a dispute, upon an average of years, the 

 early sown barley produces the largest crops, and 

 the finest grain. Until the end of March, the 

 sowing may be considered to be early; and it is 

 li-om the sowing made during that month, that the 

 best bailey on this farm has been obtained. 



The plant which springs from the February 

 sowing is apt to be injured by the frosty nights in 

 March. Upon the compact clay, it turns yellow 

 from this cause, and rarely afterwards grows with 

 the same luxuriance and vigor, as the plant which 

 has escaped this danger. 



The barley grown on the compact clay is of a 

 coarser quality than that which is produced from 

 the soils of the second and third qualities, but the 

 crop is more abundant, and thus in some measure 

 compensates for the inferiority. That which is 

 produced on the light chalk soils of this district is 

 well calculated for malting; the skin is thin, and 

 its color rich, but light; but it never equals, in ful- 

 ness of meal and plumpness of appearance, the 

 barleys grown in Stafioidshire, and on loamy 

 lands. 



The barley of this district is of one sort; it is 

 pretended there are some vareties to be found, 

 vvliich are more productive than that in common 

 use, but the difference between (hem is not easily 

 delected. It is not unusual to apply some new 

 name to a sample brought into the market, and to 

 represent it as being favored by some especial 

 quality. Such expedients raise its price for the 

 sea.«on, and the imposition is sometimes successful 

 to that extent. 



IV^. G'rass. — The grass crop succeeds the bar- 

 ley, ;ind consists, generally, of the common red- 

 clover and rye-grass mixed, or of saiiili)in. 



