364 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



be very brief. Passing through Oxford, I spent some hours in 

 visiting the University, the Bodleian Library, and other olijects 

 of interest, and continued on to Stratford upon Avon in War- 

 wickshire. Tlic house of Shakespeare is still standing, now in a 

 good state of preservation, and so is the house where he went to 

 school, and where he paid his attentions to Ann Hathaway. 

 He lies buried with most of his family in the church of Strat- 

 ford. In company with a gentleman to whom I had letters, I 

 rode over the neighborhood, and saw something of the excel- 

 lent farming of that part of England, then visited Warwick 

 Castle, Guy's Cliff, and the ruins of Kenilworth. 



This is the country of the long-horns. I believe Bakewell 

 laid the foundation of his herd and dated his improvements from 

 cows bought in Warwickshire. This county is highly culti- 

 vated, picturesque and attractive. The improvements here 

 during the last quarter of a century have been very marked, 

 and the aggregate products very largely increased. The 

 improved implements of husbandry, the hay-tedder, the mow- 

 ing-machine and the horse-rake are generally introduced, and 

 drainage is regarded as of the highest importance. 



Stopping for the night in Birmingham, gave an opportunity 

 to see the town, which possesses no very great interest, and in 

 the morning I was on the way to Derby and Nottingham. The 

 farming of Nottinghamshire, like other parts of England, has 

 vastly improved by the introduction of drainage and the erec- 

 tion of good farm buildings, for the proper shelter and feeding 

 of stock. Liquid manure is saved and applied here in many 

 cases to great advantage. 



Boston in Lincolnshire I visited rather from curiosity, to see 

 where the founders of our metropolis came from, than from 

 any expectation of finding any improved agriculture in its 

 neighborhood. It is an old and not very interesting city, 

 though it gives evidence of great former prosperity. Introduc- 

 ing myself to the mayor, he accomj)anied me to the remarkable 

 old church, and introduced me to the clerk and the rector, who 

 very kindly gave me all the information in tiicir power with 

 regard to the history of the parish. The Cotton chapel, now 

 connected with the grand old church, was presented by some citi- 

 zens of Boston, Massachusetts. After dining with his Honor the 

 Mayor and several of the aldermen whom he had invited in, 



