HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [29 



It has been proposed, as an economical scheme, to plant willows 

 of the proper kind for making gates, rails, and hurdles, they being 

 of quick growth, and, when cut, soon shooting out again. They will 

 succeed well in moist corners, or by the side of a stream. 



Iron gates for common use have been lately introduced, and are 

 purchased at reasonable prices. 



Arable Lane?, Cropping, and Cultivation. The arable land of the 

 county, as stated before, consists of, 1. clay or marly loam ; 2. 

 gravelly mixed loam, including lime-stone bottoms, and thin black 

 soils on gravel; and, 3. lighter sandy soils, adapted to the growth of 

 turnips. The whole of the cultivated land of the county is now in- 

 closed, or at least so little remains in common fields as not to deserve 

 any particular notice. All the common sorts of grain, pulse, roots, 

 and other plants and vegetables, are cultivated on the different soils. 



On the deeper and stronger soils a good many beans are grown, 

 generally in the rotation of, 1. fallow; 2. wheat; 3. beans ; 4. 

 barley or oats, with clover and other grass-seeds : the clover is often 

 mown for horse-hay, and the land afterwards kept in pasture one or 

 more years. Tracts of excellent land of this description are to be 

 found near Stafford castle, in the neighbourhood of Eccleshall, and 

 in the parishes of Gnosall, Bradley, Church Eaton, and elsewhere. 

 Many fanners here fallow for wheat, and get good crops without ma- 

 nure, then dung the wheat-stubble for beans, which insures the crop, 

 as well as one of barley afterwards, and of clover and grass : on this 

 sort of soil wheat is sown in October, beans the beginning, and oats 

 the latter end, of March, and barley in April. When laid to grass 

 for more than one year, white clover and trefoil are generally sown 

 with red clover and rye grass : if such land has been clean and well 

 fallowed in one tillage, it may certainly pass through a second 

 tillage without fallow. Thus : plough up the ley in a good thick 

 furrow, and set beans in rows by hand, as is the common practice 

 in Worcestershire ; keep the beans clean as a garden by the hoe, 

 and a double crop may be expected, and the land will be in as good 

 order for wheat as it can be made by fallow : this is the best 

 system of management for such land. This strong soil will form 

 good permanent pasture, as is proved by here and there a piece of 

 excellent old turf; but the occupiers say it requires many years to 

 turf over, in which it will be much forwarded by top-dressings of 

 good manure. 



2. The mixed soils, composed of gravel, sand, and clay. These 

 are often springy ; but when well under-drained, some may become 



