AGRICULTURE 



When the new tenant came into possession he was required to pay only 

 the amount which the roots were worth for feeding purposes ; in other 

 words the outgoing tenant was awarded the amount to which he was entitled 

 under the Suffolk conditions ; the incoming tenant paid on what is known 

 as Norfolk covenants. In adopting the latter, in this case the landlord made 

 a considerable sacrifice. It is this sacrifice that in a great measure stands in 

 the way of reform. 



Under the Suffolk system the incoming tenant pays for the cultivation 

 of the root-crop, irrespective of whether the labour and cost expended 

 tended to the increase of value of the crop. Under the Norfolk covenants, 

 the worth of the roots for feeding purposes is the sum the incoming tenant 

 has to pay. The prices for maximum crops are fixed at a meeting of the 

 valuers held mostly in July. The value is determined by how much, more 

 or less, the crop on the land approaches the maximum of the best yield. 

 Under the Suffolk system no amount of experience, no examination of 

 evidence by valuers can in all cases protect the incoming tenant from, if not 

 deliberate fraud, at any rate incompetent management, unnecessary horse 

 labour, delayed seeding, &c. Should the neglect of the outgoing tenant 

 result in a half crop, it is his successor who pays for the mismanagement. 



Transit by railway has long effected a revolution in the cattle trade, as 

 much in store stock as in the animal ready for the butcher. The fairs in 

 Suffolk years ago were magnificent displays of the best black cattle, fine 

 north country shorthorns, and large Welsh runts. They covered acres of 

 the Melton and Woolpit autumn fair fields. The former is close to 

 Woodbridge in East Suffolk, the latter seven miles east of Bury St. Edmunds. 

 To these marts the graziers from all quarters of the country assembled in 

 hundreds to make their choice for winter grazing. For the Scotch breeders 

 it was far better to walk their cattle to the south in store condition than to 

 fatten them at home only to lose flesh again in tramping all the way by 

 road or by being taken perhaps by sea to London. But when the rail 

 brought the metropolitan market within easy access of the Scotch graziers 

 these mighty droves were fattened north of the Tweed, and the Suffolk 

 fairs for store cattle gradually declined. Days before these fairs commenced 

 roads from the north converging on the place of sale were crammed with 

 endless droves of these hardy denizens of Scotland ; long streaks of black in 

 narrow lanes with here and there a paddock for a night rest reminded the 

 farmer of the coming marts. 



But there are fine Scotch cattle grazed in Suffolk now. The best are 

 procured by trustworthy commissioners attending Carlisle and other Scotch 

 markets ; and some are consigned by their breeders to the auctioneers at 

 Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds. These are sold in half-dozens or tens at a 

 time, and afford an excellent opportunity for those not heavily in the trade to 

 get at the fair market prices of the day. The north country Shorthorns are 

 to be obtained in the same way. Many of the Suffolk farmers get the best 

 of Irish cattle through dependable dealers, who attend Bristol markets or buy 

 from the ship direct from Ireland. When these Irish beasts were walked from 

 Bristol right through to the eastern counties the best were disposed of before 

 they arrived in Suffolk ; but owing to the importation into Ireland of pure- 

 bred Durham bulls and direct communication by rail from one side of the 



