232 RURAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND. 



because it allows more time for weeds to root themselves 

 in the land. That part of the county called Lincoln 

 Heath was at one time perhaps even more barren than 

 the wolds, but now the change there also is not less 

 great. 



Lincolnshire, like Norfolk, Bedford, and Northampton, 

 owes the important changes which have taken place there 

 to a wealthy proprietor Lord Yarborough. Lord Yar- 

 borough's property extends to about "thirty thousand 

 acres, yielding a rental of 30,000, which, a century ago, 

 brought in probably not a tenth of that sum. To give 

 an idea of the state of this part of the country, now so 

 populous and cultivated, it is said that near to Lincoln 

 a tower or lighthouse was erected not more than a hun- 

 dred years ago, for the purpose of guiding travellers who 

 might lose their way at night in these desert moors. 



Large farming, as well as large property, flourishes in 

 the wolds of Lincolnshire. We find there farms of a 

 thousand, fifteen hundred, and even two thousand five 

 hundred acres. Such farms grow from two to five hun- 

 dred acres of turnips, a like extent of barley or oats, as 

 much clover, and an equal quantity of wheat. The farm 

 buildings are kept in excellent order ; and the farmers, 

 who are almost all wealthy, live in a liberal style. Some 

 of them have fine houses, numerous servants, and keep 

 their hunters and superb harness-horses. Like Norfolk, 

 it is the perfection of large property and large farming. 

 I do not speak of one farm only, but of all. In the 

 more naturally fertile parts of the county, again, one 

 meets with middling -sized, and even small farming, 

 which is rather remarkable, so close to the more brilliant 

 model of the large. 



