1164 



STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part IV. 



consist of a cow-house (30), double cow-house (31), double 

 cow-house (32), fodder-bin (33), cow-house (34), corn-bag (35), 

 Ihreshing-noor (36), corn-bag (37), corn-bag (3S), corn-bag 

 (39), threshing floor (40), corn-bag (41), cart-hovel, with 

 p-anary above it (42), stable (43), stable or calf-cot (44), calf- 

 oot(45). " 



1112 



3oR-r.t 



CotfagM much the same as in other counties; improving 

 with the age. All the intelligent persons whom Dr. Holland 

 conversed with have invariably found, that the attachment of 

 a small portion of land to the cottage of the labourer has been 

 the direct means of rendering his situation in life more comfort- 

 able and easy, and of inducing those habits of honest independ- 

 ence, of temperance, and of industry, which are most effica- 

 cious in promoting the happiness of individuals, and, conse- 

 quently, the general interests of society. 



Lord Penrhyn's poultrv-hotuea, at Winnington, are supposed 

 the most magnificent that have ever been built. They are 

 united in a building, which consists of a handsome regular 

 front, extending about 140 feet : at each extremity is a neat 

 pavilion, with a large arched window. These pavilions are 

 united to the centre of the design by a colonnade of small cast- 

 iron pillars, painted white, which support a cornice and a 

 slate roof, covering a paved walk and a variety of different con- 

 veniences for the poultry, for keeping eggs, corn, &c. The 

 doors into tljese are all of lattice-work, also painted white, and 

 the framing green. In the middle of the iront are four hand- 

 some stone columns, and four pilasters, supporting likewise a 

 cornice and a slate roof, under which and between the columns 

 is a beautiful mosaic iron gate ; on one side of this gate is an 

 elegant little parlour, beautifully papered and furnished; 

 and at the other end of the colonnade a very neat kitchen, so 

 excessively clean, and in such high order, that it is delightful to 

 view it. This front is the diameter or chord of a large semi- 

 circular court behind, round which there is also a colonnade, 

 and a great variety of conveniences for the poultry : this court 

 is neatly paved, and has a circular pond and pump in the middle 

 of it. The whole fronts towards a rich little field or paddock, 

 called the poultry paddock, in which the poultry have liberty 

 to walk about between meals. It happened while the reporter 

 was there to be their dinner-time, at one o'clock. At this hour 

 a bell rings, and the beautiful gate in the centre is opened. 

 The poultry being then mostly walking in the paddock, and 

 knowing by the sound of the bell that their repast is ready for 

 them, fly and run from all comers, and rush in at the gate, 

 ever,- one striving who can get the first share in the scramble. 

 At that time there were about 600 poultry of diiferent kinds in 

 the place, and although so large a number, the semicircular 

 court is kept so very neat and clean, that not a si)eck of dung is 

 to be seen. This poultry jilaee is built of brick, excepting the 

 |)illars and cornices, and the lintels and Jambs of the doors and 

 windows, but the bricks are not seen, being al! covered with a 

 remarkably fine kind of slate from bis lordship's estate in 

 IV'r.K'S. Tle5e slates are closely jointed and fastened with screw 



nails, on small spars fixed to the brick ; they are afterwards 

 painted, and fine white sand thrown on while the paint is wet, 

 which gives the whole an appearance of the most beautiful 

 freestone. 



4. Occupation. 



Farms very small ; a great many under ten acres ; only one 

 or two at 350 or 400 acres ; excluding all those under ten acres, 

 the average of the county may be seventy acres. Large and 

 small farmers completely different characters ; different in 

 their habits, and, by consequence, in their ideas. Industry and 

 excellent management of the dairy -women of this county much 

 to I;e commended ; leases generally for seven vears. 



.'>. Implements. 



Kotherham plough and other good implements. A short 

 strong scythe, with a blade twenty inches in length, and con- 

 cave in the middle, is used for scooping out the crowns of rush 

 stools. 



6. Arable Lands. 

 In small proportion to the pastures. Cabbages a good deal 



cultivated for <attle. Carrots near Altringham for the Man- 

 chester maiket, and also seed for the London seedsmen. 

 Onions also for the Lancashire markets. The soil about 

 Altringham dry and loamy ; the carrots large, coarse, and fit 

 only for horses and cattle. 



7. Grass. 

 Natural meadows numerous, rich, and fertile. They are 



situated on rivers, which, from the frequency of heavy rains, 

 overflow and enrich them. Extent of^ upland pasture very 

 considerable ; that on a tolerably stiff clay soil, especially with 

 a substratum of marl, is reckoned the best for the dairy ; more 

 milk may be had from cows pastured on a rich loamy soil, but 

 It is esteemed inferior in point of qualitv. Many farmers com- 

 plain that their land is too rich for the dairy, by which the ad- 

 hesive properties of the cheese is diminished : feeding of cattle 

 little practised. 



8. Gardens and Orchards. 

 Good gardens to most of the farm-houses. " All the varieties 



of raspberries, currants, strawberries, and gooseberries are 

 to be met with in the farm and cottage gardens in Cheshire. 

 The culture of the latter fruit has been particularly attended 

 to of late years ; and there are several meetings in different 

 parts of the county, where small premiums are adjudged to 

 those who produce, out of their own gardens, gooseberries of 

 the greatest weight. The common fruit trees, such as the 

 apple, pear, cherry, and plum, are likewise grown in almost 

 every garden. Of the latter kind, the damascene plum is by 

 much the most common ; and is an article of considerable 

 protit to the cottager. 

 Orchards not numerous, and rather on the decline. 



9. Woods and Plantations. 

 Few of large extent, yet the quantity of timber very greatly 



exceeds what would be a fair average for the kingdom at 

 larye. In the northern and middle parts the number of trees 

 in the hedge-rows and coppices is so considerable, that, from 

 some points of view, the whole county has the appearance of 

 an extensive forest. The most considerable ancient woods in 

 the Earl of Stamford's park at Durham Massey. Few spots 

 can boast such an assemblage of stately oaks, elms, and beeches. 

 During a storm of wind, on the 21st of January, 1802, several 

 hundred trees were torn up by the roots. One of these, when 

 barked, contained 403 feet of timber, and was sold at six 

 shillinss and sixpence per foot, to the extent of 373i feet. An 

 elm blown down at the same time measured 146 feet. A colo- 

 ny of herons had for ages fixed then- residence on the summits 

 of these trees ; but on one of them being torn up, they retreated 

 to a neighbouring grove of beeches, where they have ever since 

 enjoyed a secure abode. 



A jdantation of 1000 acres at Taxall, F. Jodrell, Esq. ; it was 

 planted by White, the landscape gardener of Woodlands, 

 Durham, at five jiouiids per acre, half the trees to be (irs. Ex- 

 tensive plantations by .'ishton, on Delamore forest. 



Whiteiy, an ingenious tanner, at Ashley, near Knutsford, 

 made some experiments a few years ago with the twigs and 

 ends of the boughs of oak, as a substitute for the bark. These 

 ground down, and used m the same way as the bark, mani- 

 festetl strongly astringent properties: but the necessity there 

 was found to be for their immediate application took away 

 very greatly from their value ; and their use is noAv almost en- 

 tirely discontinued, though the plan at that time was adopted 

 by several other tanners. 



10. Improvements. 



Draining a good deal practised, especially with bricks and 

 stones. Paring and burning, marling, sanding, claying, and 

 liming, also practised to different degrees of extent. Sand of 

 advantage, chiefly by altering the texture of the soil, as that 

 used contains no calcareous matter. 



11. Live Stock. 



Present stock of dairy cows a mixture of the long and short 

 homed, the Derbyshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Welsh, 

 Irish, Scotch, and New Leicestershire cattle. Those cows 

 reckoned best which are bred on the farm. Calves reared from 

 the best milkers, and at two years old put to the bull. Cows 

 housed about the middle of Novemlwr ; permitted to go dry ten 

 weeks before their time of calving : usual drv foods, wheat, 

 barley, and oat straw, hay, and crushed oats. I'he two former 

 kinds of straw are found to make cows go dry much sooner 

 than the latter; and another generally allowed eflTect attri- 

 buted to such straw is, that more than the usual time will lie 

 required to chum the cream of cows when so fed ; but wheat 

 straw is esteemed much more wholesome than barley straw, 

 as having less of those effects attending it. Three or four 

 weeks before calving, hay given ; and from calving to turning 

 to grass, some ground or cnished oats twice a dav. The cows 

 are turned into an outlet (a bare pasture field near the build- 

 ings), about ten o'clock in the morning, and housed again about 

 four in the afternoon the winter through, or earlier if they 

 showed an inclination to return; but have no fodder in the 

 outlet. Turning the cows out to grass in good condition is a 

 matter much attended to, in order that they may, as the term 

 is, " start well ;" for if a cow- is not in good condition when 

 turned out to grass, or has been too much drietl with barley 

 straw, it is a long time before she gets into full milk. 



The ox-cabbage and Swedish turnip are the kinds of green 

 food most esteemed and cultivated in Cheshire. The former is 



