FARMERS' REGISTER 



151 



and in continued drought, the ground ia rent open 

 to the depth of the soil. Tills disirict, in most 

 parts, is bleak and bare ; but in others affords a 

 short fine grass for pasture, and is generally well 

 calculated for producing the crops which the arable 

 farmer cultivates. The same formation with its 

 soil and sub-soil extends from Crewkerne through 

 the counties of Somerset, Gloucester, Oxford, 

 Northampton, Rutland and Lincoln, to Rarlon on 

 the Humber, with but very little variation in jis 

 nature and quality. 



The genera! elevation of the Cotsvvold hills is 

 from 500 to 800 feet: some of them rise to the 

 height of 1100 feet. The climate is remarkably 

 mild considering the elevation and nakedness of 

 the district, there being very (ew hedges with hedge- 

 row timber, the inclosures being chiefly formed by 

 stone walls. 



Tillage. 



Tillage is an operation by which the soil is 

 intended to be pulverized, to have a new surface 

 exposed to the influence of the atmosphere, to be 

 cleaned from weeds, and manured, and thus to be 

 prepared lor receiving the seed? of the plants culti- 

 vated by the husbandman. The land becomes 

 foul and unproductive, when this operation is not 

 properly performed. Tillage, therefore, holds a 

 prominent place in the business of the arable farm- 

 er; and the character of the crops will depend on 

 the manner in which it is executed. 



The plough, the drag, the harrow, and the roller 

 are the instruments universally employed by farm- 

 ers in executing this work; which ought to be 

 ediected in spring and summer, when the ground 

 is dry, when the influence of the sun and air will 

 assist the farmer in accomplishing his object, and 

 the earlier in spring ir is accomjilished the better. 

 The principal object is to keep the land perfectly 

 clean, that none ol'the virtue ofthe soil may go to 

 the production of weeds ; for if weeds are allowed 

 to grow, all the labor, as well as the manure 

 bestowed on the land will only tend to produce a 

 greater quantity of them, and to reduce the land 

 to a worse state than it was in before. 



Land should never be ploughed in a wet state, 

 for this not only gives encour^agement to the growth 

 of weeds, but also gives sourness and adhesiveness 

 to the ground. Some soils will admit of being 

 much wrought or pulverized by the plough, &c., 

 in eradicating the weeds, and preparing them for 

 the seed ; while on others this would have the 

 efl'ecl of nearly producing sterility, at least for one 

 season. The intelligent farmer will adopt that 

 mode of tillage which is best adapted to the pecu- 

 liar nature ofthe sail he has to do with. 



Cropping, 

 The course of cropping is regulated by various 

 circumstances. The kind and quality of the soil, 

 and its peculiar properties ; the seasons, the most 

 profitable application of manure ; and the fact that 

 no white or corn crop should be repeated in too 

 rapid succession, are circumstances that always 

 govern the prudent farmer in the adoption of a 

 system. But the value of every rotation depends 

 chiefly, if not entirely, on the quantity of food that 

 is produced, during the course, (or sheep and cattle, 

 but particularly for sheep; and on its consumption 

 on the (arm, either in the fold or the stall. "No 

 food, no cattle ; no cattle, no dung ; no dung, no 



corn," is a maxim that ought to be fixed in every 

 farmer's mind. Turnips, vetches, clover, and 

 saintfbin are indispensable in every good course, 

 as winter, spring, and sunmier food; and the greater 

 the crops ofthese are, the greater and more produc- 

 tive will be those of corn. These crops, of which 

 the turnip crop is the principal, may, therefore, be 

 considered as the foundation of all good husbandry. 

 In every system it is absolutely necessary to 

 attend to the equal distribution of labor throughout 

 the year; so that the work, which the system 

 requires to be performed in each month, may be 

 easily accomplished by the means you are provided 

 with. The different operations should never be 

 allowed to encroach on each other. If these are 

 properly adjusted, the business of each week will 

 be confined to the time in which it is required to 

 heT performed : regularity and economy in labor 

 will be the consequences, followed by reciprocal 

 improvement of soil and stock. 



Description of the farm. 



We have selected the farm of Beverstone, not 

 only because there are most ofthe varieties of soil 

 on it that are to be Ibund on the whole range of 

 the oolitic formation ; but because wc think that 

 the mode adopted in the cultivation of this farm is 

 well calculated for any farm on this formation ; 

 and because the diligence and economy which is 

 practised in every department of the management 

 are well worthy ofthe attention of every fiirmerin 

 the kingdom. 



Beverstone Farm, consisting of- upwards of 

 1300 acres, is situated two miles west of Tetbury, 

 Gloucestershire, on the Cotswold hills. The 

 general aspect ofthe farm inclines to the south-east, 

 h is all inclosed, and (he fences, which consist, 

 principally of stone walls, are always in good 

 order. The buildings, too, are kept in the best 

 slate of repair. A degree of neatness reigns over 

 the whole farm ; and, in every departmerit of the 

 es'ablishmeni, order and regularity are maintained. 



The system of farming, adopted by Mr. Jacob 

 Hayward, the farmer, has grown out of the expe- 

 rience and observation of past years. It is not 

 the offspring of liir.ciful theory ; but of actual, con- 

 tinued, and successful practice for many years ; 

 and the result has been to the advantage both of 

 tenant and landlord. 



The following are the sorts of soil on this 

 farm : — 



1st. A thin wet clay, of a most adhesive nature, 

 covering the thin fissile till-stone. Of this sort 

 there are about 220 acres, the greater part of which 

 is very worthless. The whole used to be under 

 the plough ; but has been laid down to grass — the 

 greater part since 1S20. It has proved so unsound 

 for sheep, and so apt to rot them at certain seasons 

 ofthe year, that they are seldom, if ever, permitted 

 to enter upon it. It is, on this account, of little 

 value, and is pastured by young beasts. 



2d. A light stony soil, above the oolitic rock. In 

 some places this soil is about four inches from the 

 calcareous rubble; in others it is not more than 

 two or three; but so irregu-Iar is its depth, and so 

 variable its quality, that in a field of twenty acres, 

 three or four acres of the same kind and quality are 

 not to be fjund together. When the soil is deep, it 

 is frequently of a dead or 'fainty' sandy nature, of 

 very little value. The best sort of this stony soil 

 is that in which the stones that are turned up with 



