26 WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE, 1800-1900 



In 18 15 John Moor, junior, in a paper before the Manchester 

 Literary and Philosophical Society, gives a description of the agriculture 

 as viewed from the road from Burton to Penrith and the Eden Valley, 

 as he passed through on a tour : " Adjoining the Burton Road so great 

 a proportion of the land is in tillage that we did not expect to see much 

 live stock. The ploughs were drawn by two horses abreast, led by a 

 single one, and, of course, requiring a driver. After leaving Burton 

 we had a rich view of an extensive tract of corn land, apparently under 

 very productive management. We met no other than single horse 

 carts, one driver had generally the care of two or three of them ; 

 those we met were mostly laden with lime, which appeared the chief 

 article used in dressing the summer fallows. The clover was very 

 good, and generally fed off by well-sized sheep. Gate posts were 

 here supplied by two stone pillars of similar dimensions. The approach 

 to Kendal is very pleasing ; but we could not help regretting there 

 should still remain any stone walls as fences in so rich a valley. From 

 Kendal on the high road to Penrith there was some spirited farming, 

 and we saw great crops of barley on very high ground ; but these 

 hills appeared naturally fertile, and lime is readily procured in the 

 neighbourhood. From Shap to Lcwther Castle we had an opportunity 

 of witnessing the decided superiority of the drill system, in the clean- 

 ness and excellence of the turnip and corn crops. Indeed, we have 

 seldom seen better corn ; but owing to its uncommon luxuriance, 

 it was much beaten down by the rains, which had recently fallen. 

 Some excellent crops of bullock turnips were shown to us. It is here 

 preferred to the Norfolk and Globe, the latter of which it resembles 

 in its conical roof. It has an advantage over the Norfolk in its con- 

 fined crown, and being less disposed to lodge snow or rain within it, 

 which occasions much injury to this useful root. The land in the 

 neighbourhood of Penrith is varied in its management, some of the 

 farmers pertinaciously adhering to the old system, and others with 

 spirit adopting the new. From the extent of the sheep-walk attached 

 to most of the farms in Cumberland and Westmorland, a greater pro- 

 portion of the low lands is in tillage than would otherwise be allowed. 

 There is seldom seen in any county more arable land in one view 

 than we often meet with on the banks of the Eden. The farming 

 near Ullswater was not equal to what we had just seen ; but the 



