A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



labourers are engaged at an average of about is. ^d. a day. The wages of 

 dairymaids and of domestic servants have greatly increased. Farmhouses 

 and homesteads are, as a rule, commodious, substantially built, and suitable 

 for the farms, and labourers' cottages show a marked improvement on what 

 they were fifty years ago. Many of the farmers are now allowed to sell hay 

 and straw on condition that equivalent manure is returned, and more free- 

 dom of cropping is allowed, always providing that the condition of the 

 holding is maintained. Generally speaking rents are lower by over twenty 

 per cent, than they were in the seventies, but farms have always been in 

 demand, and conditions have again slightly improved within the last few 

 years, especially in those districts where dairy-farming is rapidly developing. 

 Large amounts of manure produced in the county are available, and artificial 

 manures are largely used, especially for roots, while basic slag is invaluable 

 for pasture and meadow hay on the heavier soils. Lime is less extensively 

 used than formerly, and care has to be taken to avoid the limes which con- 

 tain much magnesia. The Magnesian Limestone quarries of East Durham 

 usually produce lime containing too much magnesia for agricultural purposes. 

 Oil-cakes of all kinds, mostly manufactured at Hull, are largely used for 

 fattening animals and dairy cows, and add greatly to the manurial value of the 

 dung produced. 



Full advantage has been taken of the improvements in farm implements 

 of all kinds. From thirty to forty years ago 'prize ploughs' which cut a 

 narrow and deep furrow, and with which a good ploughman could do well- 

 executed work, were in use, but have now given place to digging ploughs 

 with wheels. The latter are much easier in draught, they invert the furrow 

 more thoroughly, bury the stubble better, and to a large extent break up the 

 furrow as they turn it over. 1 The American chilled plough was the pioneer 

 of these, but English-made ploughs of this kind are now generally used. 

 Corn drills are also in common use, although till about twenty years ago 

 grain crops were generally sown broadcast. 



Till about fifty years ago corn crops were ' shorn ' with hooks, but then 

 the scythe came into more common use, and the reaping machine became 

 general early in the ' seventies' as did the ' binders ' about twelve years ago, 

 there being a great rush for them about 1898. Haymaking of so great 

 importance in this county is more assisted by better implements than any 

 other farm operation. The mowing machine, the horse rake, 8 the swathe- 

 turner, the ' pike ' lifter, and the horse fork, have all become invaluable for 

 use in hay-harvest. 3 



Potato-diggers and manure distributors are also in common use, the 

 latter being largely used for distributing basic slag on old pasture. 



The lighter classes of American forks, shovels, etc., introduced over 

 thirty years ago, became very popular. The English makes of these, as well 

 as of many light implements are now, however, excellent, last longer than the 

 former, and are at the present time in most common use. 



1 The ' irons ' of the old swing-plough were made of malleable iron and had to be laid,' or renewed, 

 frequently by the country blacksmith. These are now faced with cast steel, and are replaced by duplicates 

 when worn out. 



when worn out. 



* Introduced about 1860. 



' The northern system of haymaking is practised in the county. The hay is cut, put into ' kyles ' 

 (small heaps), then into 'pikes' (small ricks), which are finally carried to the haystack. 



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