1844.] 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 



FARMERS' CLUBS. 

 Chepstow.— [The following is an abridgment of a 

 Report on the Farms competing in Monmouthshire for a 

 Premium offered by John Buckle, Esq.] We wish to 

 convince landlords that in no way can they do more 

 towards improving their estates than by giving premiums 

 for good cultivation. A tenant, occupying 200 or 300 

 acres of land, would be sure to lay out many times the 

 value of the prize in preparing his farm for exhibition, 

 with the hopes of obtaining such an honorary testimonial 

 of agricultural skill ; and, at the same time, this expense 

 would benefit the candidate himself, inasmuch as good 

 cultivation, provided the outlay be judicious, is always 

 mo/e profitable than slovenly farming. "We would also 

 wish to draw the attention of both landlords and tenants 

 to the mutual advantages of leases, though we are de- 

 cidedly of opinion that the only eligible form of lease 

 must be founded on a corn-rent, and then it should be of 

 such duration as would enable a good farmer to improve 

 his farm to the utmost. No tenant, without a lease, 

 can feel secure in investing capital in the permanent 

 improvement of his farm. To commence with the crop- 

 ping :— The quantity of Swedes and Turnips was more 

 than one-fourth of the arable land on all the farms we 

 visited, except two ; and in these exceptions very little 

 less than one-fourth was planted with these roots. In 

 the case of the successful candidate, the proportion was 

 much larger : he had nearly half his arable land under 

 Swedes and Turnips. We found the general plan was 

 to sow one-year-old Clover with Wheat at one ploughing. 

 We saw some fallows, but the quantity was comparatively 

 small. Where the Clover has been sown on foul land, 

 which should never be the case, the only remedy is to 

 fallow for Wheat. Part of the Turnip land is generally 

 sown with Wheat ; and the quantity of land under Barley 

 was, in consequence, small. We found the Swedes and 

 Turnips for the year very good, without exception, 

 though of course superior on some farms to others ; but 

 •we noticed a much greater difference in the cultivation 

 than the weight of crop. We were sorry to see some 

 good Swedes and Turnips that we could not consider 

 clean, many acres not properly horse or hand-hoed, and 

 nearly all those broadcast were far too thick ; and we 

 wish to lay particular stress upon the necessity of reme- 

 dying this defect, as, on the four-field system, the only 

 chance of cleaning the land is when under a root crop. 

 We have this year seen land intended for Swedes made 

 as clean as a garden by means of the Uley cultivator, 

 first using the broad shares to pare off all the stubble ; 

 then the grubbers, till all the weeds were brought to the 

 surface; and, lastly, all the rubbish was gathered toge- 

 ther with a horse-rake, and carted into a heap to rot. 

 The average proportion of land in Clover and Grass- 

 seeds is about one-fourth, part of which is sown with 

 the Wheat after a root crop. We were surprised and 

 delighted to see many fields with a capital plant of Clover ; 

 and, in other instances, we had the mortification to wit- 

 ness a complete failure, which is to be attributed to the 

 dryness of the spring and summer. We think that, by 

 some alteration in the rotation, the quantity of Clover 

 might be lessened, and the extent of root crops aug- 

 mented, without reducing the proportion of Corn ; thus 

 avoiding so frequent a repetition of Clover. We do not 

 at all mean to lay down an arbitrary course, to be fol- 

 lowed for years without any deviation. In fact, we have 

 known this done, and the plan materially altered in a 

 few years. Still, we would suggest, on the light lands 

 of this district, something like the following rotation : — 



? 



821 



List of Crops for 200 acres of arable land. 



First Year. 

 5 acres tankard Turnips 



Second Year. 



10 



10 



2 



3 



20 

 15 



65 



65 

 35 

 35 



it 

 »» 

 »» 

 »» 

 it 

 «» 



»» 



u 



M 

 »» 



Mangold Wurzel 

 Carrots . . . 

 Potatoes , . 

 Cabbages . . 



Swedes ■* 



Turnips, after vetches J 



green crops, all after 

 Wheat. 



Wheat 



Barley • . . . . 



Clover 



30 acres Wheat 



35 



i» 



Barley, seeded. 



65 



35 

 35 



»» 

 ft 



I» 



roots, &c. 

 Clover, 

 ley Wheat 



200 acres. 



200 acres. 



Without pursuing this course any further, it will be 

 evident to every farmer that the crops may be varied so 

 as not to repeat Clover, Swedes, and Turnips, so often 

 as in the usual rotation. As regards the implements, 

 with some few exceptions which we intend to mention, 

 we only observed those in general use: viz., ploughs, 

 old-fashioned drags, harrows, rollers, horse-hoes for 

 Turnips, &c. Some of the land we noticed was too 

 stony for scufflers or cultivators to be used profitably ; 

 but we saw much land where one of Lord Ducie's imple- 

 ments would be most valuable. Wherever the Uley cul- 

 tivator can be used, the manner in which it will pare off 

 the foul surface and bring all the couch-foots to the face 

 °f the ground is far superior to ploughing the weeds in. 

 We observed that admirable implement for reducing 

 rough land for Barley, Turnips, &c, Crosskill's clod- 

 crusher, at Mr. John Dowle's, of Claypit ; a horse grip- 

 Pmg-plough, a hand ditto, and a mole-plough, at Mr. 

 Thos. Perkins's of Matherne. We also noticed one of 

 ■^inlayson's harrows, and a horse-hoe of simple construc- 

 tion, for hoeing Turnips when drilled on the flat ; the 

 latter was made to fix on to a part of light cart-wheels, 

 and consisted of three shares, to take three rows at a 

 l n>e. The width between the. shares could be altered, 

 ana narrower shares might be substituted, to fit it for 

 hoeing Wheat. This hoe was made by a country black- 

 smith, at a very moderate price. These two last imple- 

 ments we saw at the house of Mr. S. Matthews, of Ifton 



Hill, who was not a candidate for Mr. Buckle's cup. 

 ine carts and waggons we saw were all of the heavier 

 description, which certainly require to be replaced by 

 others of a less cumbersome character; but, whenever 

 this takes place, we are aware that the change must be 

 gradual. The largest quantity of stock was rather less 

 than two sheep to an acre, and one head of cattle to 

 every five acres, taking the *ho!e farm for both. On 

 one farm we saw three sheep to each acre of arable land ; 

 but the proportion of meadow and pasture to the arable 

 was as three to four, which reduces their number to our 

 standard. In every instance the number of cart-horses 

 was greater than we considered requisite, in all cases 

 exceeding one pair to every 50 acres of arable land, which 

 we should say was quite sufficient. The breed of horse> 

 for farm purposes in this disrict is generally bad. 

 V\ e found great cause to complain of the management of 

 some of the hedges and headlands. In many places 

 a belt of two or three feet wide was left uncultivated 

 round the fields, full of Couch, Nettles, and other weeds. 

 In but one instance did we perceive any attention 

 paid to the land adjoining the fences, to prevent the weeds 

 from seeding over the farm. We should like to see 

 every inch of ground kept clean round the hedges, and 

 all the weeds in them cut out two or three times in the 

 course of the summer, to prevent them ripening their 

 seeds. Many farmers may complain of the expense of 

 this, but it would pay enormous interest in the s iving of 

 future labour. We recollect once seeing a fallow for 

 Wheat which was very clean except a few roots of knotted 

 Couch, all of which laid on the surface and were ploughed 

 in. For 6d. an acre they might all have been picked off ; 

 and surely by its not being dona a much larger expense 

 was incurred in cleaning the land for Turnips. We 

 sincerely wish the management of farm-yard manure 

 were better attended to. We did not see a single tank 

 to collect the drainings of the yards, stables, pigsties, &c. 

 In some places the liquid manure escaped into the road 

 and ditches : in others it was led into the nearest field, 

 and when there, suffered to soak into the ground, only 

 benefiting a very small spot ; and, worst of all, some of 

 the yards and buildings were allowed to drain into the 

 pool where all the horses and cattle were taken to drink. 

 The ammonia and other salts contained in this liquid 

 are strong stimulants, and therefore liable to cause violent 

 inflammatory disorders. We observed that lime is not 

 used at all as a manure on the light lands we inspected, 

 but we think a moderate quantity, applied once in a 

 rotation, would pay w\ll for the outlay. Chemic 

 analysis teaches us that lime is contained in both the 

 straw and grain of Wheat ; in short, that there is only 

 one plant yet discovered in which no trace of lime can 

 be detected. W r e recommend all those who are opposed 

 to the use of lime, to read some of the many scientific 

 and practical articles on the subject that have been 

 published lately in the agricultural periodicals, and can 

 be obtained at our library by every member. The only 

 complete set of farm buildings we met with was on the 

 farm of Mr. Thos. Dowle, of Ifton (who for the culti- 

 vation of his Turnip land deserves unqualified praise), 

 and they only require tanks to be everything a farmer 

 could wish. The drains are all laid in readiness, and the 

 tanks are to be added shortly. The buildings are mostly 

 new, but not being quite completed, we consider they 

 would be seen to much better advantage another year. 

 The roofs are all covered with reed (combed straw) 

 under the tiles, which keeps the buildings warmer in 

 winter and cooler in summer than tiles alone. In giving 

 our decision, we have no hesitation in Awarding the prize 

 to Mr. Thomas Perkins, of Matherne. He has a great 

 breadth of his arable land under Swedes and Turnips, all 

 clean, and the rest of his arable land in a better state of 

 cultivation than the other competitors, though we think 

 there is still room for improvement ; and we wish all 

 who read this paper to observe that we cannot consider 

 a farm to be well cultivated because the tillage of some 

 of the fields is good, but expect them to be all clean and 

 in a high state of cultivation. It is in the management 

 of his Grass land that Mr. Perkins so much excels, he 

 having been at great expense in cleaning his fields from 

 bushes, and laying down some miles of drains; besides 

 which, he has cleared away all the banks formed by 

 cleaning out the ditches. The soil he procures in this 

 manner he mixes with farmyard manure or lime, and 

 annually dresses a considerable portion of his Gras?' 

 land. We will merely hint that we should like to see 

 some cattle soiled all the year, with every>particle of 

 their manure preserved and taken out upon the land ; 

 and we think that any gentleman who wished to en- 

 courage improvement in farming, could not do better than 

 to offer a premium for the largest number of cattle kept 

 in houses and yards all the year round. R. W. Purcbas, 

 Hon. Sec. Mon. Farm. Club, and Arthur Hall, Hon. 

 Sec. Chep. Farm. Club — Judges. 



Debenham — The fifth Annual Meeting of this Club 

 was held on Friday last (Nov. 22, 1844), at the Cherry- 

 tree Inn, in Debenham. Much interest was excited by 

 the display of fruit and vegetables for the Cottagers* 

 Prizes. Upwards of 200 different productions were ex- 

 hibited by about 50 cottagers ; market or working gar- 

 deners, persons whose rent exceeded 6/. per annum 

 were excluded. The Prizes were awarded as follows :-— 



Three Silver Tea-spoons, ffiven by the Rev. James and the 

 Hon. Mrs. Bedingfeld, for the best cultivated Cottige-garden 

 or Allotment in Debenham, were awarded to Robert List, on 

 account of the great variety of his crops, proper rotation, and 

 the extreme cleanliness of his allotment; this is the second 

 prize of spoons obtained by List. Best De t Apples, 3s. to 

 T. Smith, of Debenham; second do., 2s. to J. Jacobs, hebenham. 

 Best Kitchen Apples, 3s. to W. Tydeman, Debenham ; second 

 do., 2s. to A. Brown, Debenham. Best Dessert rears, 3s. to 

 W. Rumsey, Debenham. Best Baking Pears, 3s. to J. Pallant, 



Debenham; second do., 2*. to J. Barritr, Debenham Best 12 



D a Z° ham *&???% DebeUham * S * Cond d0 " 2 ' to R. Lut 

 Second X' J?' t M J£« * to R " **-b. Deberham 



* peck of Potato "oZ'n^sh to rZI^^^' *"' 



Debenham B*i Brussels Sprouts, 2s. t ° G bfarke' F,H 

 Soham. Best 6 Roots of Celery 3* to I> Rln-Ti ' Ea * 1 



Sto„ham; second do., 2s. to . West StmW ? * ,' Hi 1 * 

 2 Pumpkin* 3s. to G. Skipp n^Debenham Zn i«' o*"' 

 A. Read. Thorudon. liJt A peck of Ka™ v ' / ,?i d ?l' *' J? 

 BlomfieU, Little Monham ;%? C nnd I do 2 toJ^&S' w ' 

 Bton : third do., 3* to J. Keeble. Debenham'- fourth V 'o £" 

 •'. Wa Debenham. Best \ peck o ?Lat?P ? ' /' **' 

 ii. *aw r, Debenham , ,econd lo,u to R L ii uZfi £ l ° 

 third jo, to A. Read. Th .radon;" fourth do* ^t/^ V 



B.omfu-ld, Little S'onham ; second do., 2 ,. 6rf. to R Lut n. 

 benhnn, Best * peck of Red Potato*., is. to R. List, Debln ham ■ 

 .econd do., u. orf. to G. Smith. Debenham. b m plul 



W w^nVV J ' FSft' Deb ™ham. Onions, * S"' 

 W . Smith, Debenham. Late Potatoes, 2s. to. to R. Aldou° nl 



benham. Karl,, Potatoes, 2s. 6d. to R. List, Pehenham ' J?S 

 ( >bbages, 2s. to. to J. West. Stonham Atpal.l Jf. q n on $£ 



lUbt'ctos. 



On Landed Property and the Economy of i;,tales : com- 

 prehendmy the relation of Landlord and Tenant, and 

 the Principles and Forms of Leases, Farm Build. 

 tnys, Enclosures, Drains, Embankments, Roads, and 

 other Hand Works, Minerals, and IFoods. Br 

 David Low, Esc,., I p.r S.E., Professor of Apiculture 

 in the University of Edinburgh, &c. Longman ft Co. 

 The last chapters of this valuable work are devoted to 

 the explanation and illustration of practical dttails 

 loose connected with the erection of farm buildings' 

 with drainage, roadmaking, plantations, &c, are all 

 fully entered into, and admirably illustrated by wood- 

 cuts. These chapters render the volume especially use- 

 ful to landlords, ageuts, and all who are engaged in the 

 permanent improve ment of estates. 



But it is to the first chapters of Professor Low's work 

 that we wish particularly to direct the attention of the 

 reader. They contain an excellent exposition of the 

 importance of the lease as an instrument of good or evil 

 The permanency which it gives to the tenants' interest 

 in his farm is of course as injurious to the estate and 

 community when it binds to the practice of bad farming 

 as it is beneficial to all parties when it is framed so as to 

 insure the introduction and establishment of good hus- 

 bandry. Much of the slowness of agricultural improve- 

 ment is justly attributed to the want of confidence on the 

 part of the farmer which is inseparable from the tenant- 

 at-will system, which prevails in England to so laree an 

 extent : — e 



"To what are we to attribute this tardiness to adopt 

 what is new and useful in an art which it would seem to 

 be the interest of every one to improve to the uttermost } 

 A part at least of the effect must be ascribed to the con- 

 ditions under which the capital of the farm as compared 

 with that invested in other branches of industry, can be 

 employed. The manufacturer of cotton, of wool, of 

 iron, has the assurance that the machine which he con- 

 structs and improves for the purposes of his trade is his 

 own, and that the more perfect he can render it the 

 more profitable will the use of it become to hrm^ 'The 

 farmer who lays out capital on the great machine on 

 which his all depends, the^earth which he tills, has often 

 no such assurance. It is the propertyof another, who 

 m the end will profit by all the improvements which the 

 skill of a temporary possessor can make unon it. The 

 manufacturer receives, directly, the profits of his stock in 

 trade ; the farmer must share those profits with another 

 who undergoes no part of the labour and risk ; his inl 

 dustry is fettered by conditions imposed upon no other 

 class of traders ; and the inconveniences of obtaining 

 returns for a present expenditure more slowly than in 

 any other profession, are frequently aggravated by the 

 uncertainty whether he will ever have the power of re- 

 covering the capital advanced." 



The following are the conditions required to establish 

 fitting relations between the owners and occupiers of 

 land : — 



" 1st, Security of possession ; 2d, Equitable rents ; 3d, 

 Suitable conditions with respect to the methods of cul- 

 ture and general management ; and 4th, au adequate 

 provision by the landlord for the fixed capital invested in 

 buildings, enclosures, and other necessary appendages of 

 the farm." 



On the second of these subjects Professor Low says : 



" The actual profit to be derived by the farmer should 

 in every case bear a ratio to the capital employed by him. 

 The lowest calculation that can be fairly made is 15 per 

 cent, on the cspital employed, out of which the farmer 

 must support himself and bear the risks of his trade. 

 The farmer, therefore, who takes land should calculate, 

 in the first place, the fixed capital which he must ad- 

 vance. Allowing 15 per cent, for interest, the profits of 

 stock, his own maintenance, and the risks of his trade, the 

 remainder of the produce is left for expenses and the 

 landlord's rent." 



Aft-r remarks in which the difficulty of finding em- 

 ployment for capital, and the limited number of farms 

 at any time in the market, are alluded to, in order to 

 show that the tendency of rents is always to rise above 

 the just level, the author observes : — 



" It is difficult for a proprietor of land to take a per- 

 fectly impartial view of the value of that which he has so 

 great an interest in rendering available as a source of 

 income ; but it should never be forgotten that every 

 tenant must have such a profit as will enable him to 

 maintain himself and cultivate his land, and insure him 



