246 RURAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND. 



down the pens are shifted; before putting the sheep on 

 the water is stopped off, and let on again when they are 

 removed. Mr Pusey asserts that, fed in this way, and 

 finished off upon corn and oilcake in sheds, they are 

 fattened at a year old, and sold at a high price for the 

 butcher. Notwithstanding these great results, and those 

 which he obtains in other branches of his farming, the 

 general opinion is that Mr Pusey does not realise any 

 profit ; however, he not the less does good service to agri- 

 culture. It is acknowledged by all that he has succeeded 

 in fattening four times the number of sheep, and dou- 

 bling the produce of cereals upon his farm : this will lead 

 others to attempt like results by more economical means, 

 and probably with success. 



The average rent of Oxfordshire is the same as in 

 Bucks and Berks, and it presents similar fluctuations, ac- 

 cording to the nature of the district. Perhaps in no other 

 part of Great Britain is. such diversity of soil to be found. 

 The rent of light soils is, on an average, as high as 30s. 

 per acre ; but the Oxford clay being quite as stiff as the 

 London basin, clay soils scarcely reach 8s. The old three- 

 year course is still followed up on these clay lands 

 namely, wheat, oats, fallow. Upon the light soils it is 

 the Norfolk rotation, which is, as usual, successful. 



The worst part of the county is the west. Here, 

 among other large properties, is Blenheim, belonging to 

 the Duke of Marlborough. This estate, presented by the 

 nation to the conqueror of Louis XIV., is justly reckoned 

 one of the finest places in England. The park alone con- 

 tains upwards of twenty-five hundred acres, and the re- 

 mainder of the property is considerably more. During the 

 last crisis, almost all the tenants threw up their farms, 

 because the Duke refused to make any concessions, and 

 he was therefore obliged to employ agents to carry on the 



