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The stalks of beans are said, by chemists^ to be equal to 

 hay ; if so, they are superior to the straw of peas, and may be 

 used instead. On some soils beans will flourish where neither 

 peas nor turnips can repay ; but I have never yet seen the 

 land upon which either grew, that would not produce lin- 

 seed. 



In this neighbourhood abundant crops are grown on the 

 worst of soils ; for instance, two acres of newly broken-up 

 heath land were sown upon the estate of Robert Marsham, Esq., 

 of Stratton Strawless, and produced about thirty-eight bushels 

 of excellent seed, 75 stone 12 lbs. of good flax, 5 stone of 

 ordinary, and 4 stone of tow, with a considerable quantity of 

 refuse, fit for coarse sacks, ropes, &c. The steward, Mr. Bow- 

 man, gave chief part of the linseed to cattle, and sold the 

 remainder at 7s. 6d. per bushel. 



Recently, all the best flax has been disposed of at 55. per 

 stone, and re-sold to Mr. Fisk, twine-spinner, Siderstrand, 

 near Cromer, at 5s. 6d., or at the rate of 44/. per ton ; valuing, 

 therefore, the ordinary flax and tow at half price, and the seed 

 only at 6.s. Sd. per bushel, the crop exceeds 16Z. per acre. The 

 full account of expenses I have not received, but estimating 

 them at six or seven pounds per acre, a greater amount of 

 profit, clear of rent, &c., was realized, than can now be obtained 

 from wheat upon the finest land. 



As flax, therefore, will flourish upon any soils favourable to 

 beans and peas, and as the seed of the former, incorporated 

 with the stalks and straw of the latter, will sustain and fatten 

 cattle, independent of turnips and oil-cake, the policy of sowing 

 such land with flax, beans, and peas, instead of allowing it to 

 be fallow, must be evident. The straw of grain may possibly 

 answer the same purpose. 



I am now using a proportion of barley-straw with that of 

 peas, according to the following plan : — To nine or ten pails of 

 water a bushel of Swede turnips, sliced very small, is added ; 

 after having boiled a few minutes, about two pecks of linseed 

 meal are actively stirred in : the mucilage is formed in about 

 five minutes. A hogshead is then placed by the copper, and 

 one or two skeps of chaff thrown in. Three or four hand-cups 

 full of jelly and turnips are next poured upon it, which being 



