344 History of the English Landed Interest. 



former coarse aspect, and wliat was not the glade and open of 

 park scenery had been converted into two model farms. That 

 on the extreme north of the demesnes, consisting of 200 acres 

 of arable and 100 of old meadow land, was cropped exactly as 

 the land was in Flanders, and w^as known as the Flemish farm. 

 That on the opjDOsite side, towards the great Western Road, 

 was the Norfolk farm, consisting of 400 acres of lighter arable 

 soil, 100 acres of those coarse meadow fields known at the 

 time as leasows, 500 acres of sheep walk, and 200 acres of old 

 meadow land. 



On the heavy, strong land of the first farm a four course 

 rotation, consisting of an alternate crop for man and beast, was 

 practised. On the light land of the second farm, (1) wheat, 



(2) green vetches, potatoes, cabbages, buckwheat, or turnips, 



(3) barley with seeds, and (4) clover succeeded each other. 

 The buildings on both farms were excellent, the labourer's 

 cottages are described as having been model, and chiefly 

 noticeable was a moveable barn with a yard attached, which, 

 standing on wheels, was adapted for drawing over a long rick 

 of corn. The Norfolk plough was used on the Flemish farm, 

 and the lighter Suffolk implement on the Norfolk holding. A 

 flock of 200 Cots wold sheep was kept on the first farm, and a 

 flock of 400 Ryland wethers on the second. 



We now come to conflicting evidences as to the number and 

 species of draught beasts and the details of stall-feeding. Mr. 

 Pearce, from whom we have hitherto derived our information, ^ 

 states that on the Flemish farm the working establishment 

 was 4 horses and 6 oxen, and on the Norfolk farm 18 horses 

 and 6 oxen. A writer to the Gentleman'' s Magazine of Decem- 

 ber, 1799, bears out Young's statement of twenty years earlier, 

 and affords us not only an insight into King George's strong 

 preference for oxen as draught-beasts, but full details of 

 their management. According to this anonymous writer, 

 his Majesty in 1799 kept no horses, but 200 oxen (the same 

 number as by Young's evidence he appears to have kept some 

 twenty-five years before). Of these as many as 120 were or 



^ Report to the Boavd of Agriculture, sub roc. " Bcrksliire."' 



