71 



rn 



AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 





dm. 





in auil* 



/Sup, ^..k a I ? *n «te «2 



prewf.tng at i v«rr torn delightful 



p.pge^i. Tuwvring high on jr«ur Mt, 



,t y W l.-u r Dartmoor, a wii J *«* » of 



- 00 fee* high, frowning on jou in the 



*• . -ft* ■«wal nv le*» like aome dark cloud. On 



SS^htriSTEsino. > r r»"otlier extensive warte >, lew 



^oe^oany on its bald surface the powdenng of 

 &^5laE«*"- In faet, for » mdes we see but 

 SJ S valKvs ; such is the country betw«n I.verton 

 =?Wi Molten. The first three mile, from Tiyert- ,n 

 k m the red jmdstone, and exhibit generally good sod 

 W careful cal ation, the watered and w. H-dmned 

 yfl sides presenting an intense and pleasant verdure ; 

 Jut tow we dm* to the cold and poverty-stricken clay 

 ikte, Rowing too painfully and plainly poverty and a 



tad state of cultivation and buildings. It is 



furrows at intervals of every 

 fte *.uti- dcmnea ^V^Z^^ rae its advantage, 



Ld Tthst our coEy of Essex is right in this respect 



My own prejudiced were originally strong against ; the 

 nysteni, but a nial of one acre on each field soon settled 



the question, and convinced me of my error, 

 however well drained heavy land may be, ite physical 

 and chemical character will not permit a percolation or 

 permeation of the winter rains bo fast as they sometimes 



The ooen furrows here come in aid as auxiliaries, 



acre, and 3 cwt. of superphosphate of lime. I should^, 

 that a cross piece on the dibbler serves to mark the 

 distance for the next dibble hole. The hand and horse 

 hoe may be at once employed, and I shall cer tai nly prac . 

 tise it, especially after Tares, in dry weather. If the land 

 is hi stetches it would be desirable to mark the lines with 

 the drill where no manure could be spared ; the mould 



cost 



per acre. /. /. Mechi 



continued 



^"SSSwHy "^"" eye fal n a verdant patch nd 

 eating combined irrigation and drainage, but this is the 



exception. . 



The most striking agricultural deformity is the 

 miserably •mall <i i mansion of the fields. From three- 

 quarters of an acre to 2 and 3 acres is a common size. 

 Ko doubt in a primitive pastoral county, without oth 

 abetter t stock, such enclosures were once found need- 

 Jul, but they n»*< Mw tfive way to the inn im-tiea < 

 a different system r their oceuDier* will succumb, and 

 the rental predated- In fact ..ae of the great 



wants of thin listnct is accommodation fur house- 

 feeding, eon <1 with drainage, brigti and Tuni; 

 grov : Thr lay idata, dirty white heavy unctuot 

 clay, with t jh and lamina t ' lavors cropping on 



the fndss 4 the nunv rous hills, keeps everything 

 tttieraMy wrt An linuite, as inav be supposed, from 

 the r.hvJaii . haraeter and c< .nform :tu«m of the soil, must 



hi m I an ! mi i —the Utaporation of the valleys an 1 



itan of the hill-tope acting oancurn ntly. In 

 %> »« a < Me eouatr>, ».> far ae the climate goes, but 



tbe abtonre of calcareous matter iu the soil produces 



neocky herbage Owing to the extreme 

 moisturr, it is vtry dlflirult to eradicate weeds, espe- 

 cially as the Soil is nndrainc so Couch Grass reigns 

 triumphant. £*«ess of moisture lenders tbe growth of 



Wheat precarious ; mid I was aisur<'d that 12 hushels 



Kraer© was a common average. Successive erope of 

 t* are often grown, whhfa I consider most injudicious, 

 and in fket ruinous. Of < \me roots are seldom taken, 

 as it woul I l>e impossible to fet4 or remove them with- 

 out drainage, Some few attempt* tliat met my eye 

 {joked **»ortHe« 



Tie beautifsl North 



fall. The open t . oo . 



and prevent the bursting of the seed by stagnated satu- 

 ration. This was forcibly evidenced by a griped fie d 

 at Earl FortescWs, from which the water was rapidly 

 passing awav on the grips, the sub-drams also acting 

 OTofusely. This field was infinitely drier than the ad- 

 joining ones. The cutting of these furrows does credit 

 to Mr. Graburn's sound judgment in the matter. 



I hope your correspondents will discuss this question 

 of open furrows, for it is a most important one on heavy 

 land I shall revert to it some day. His lordship has 

 enlarged the fields by the removal of useless fences. 

 The management of the farming operations, as well as 

 the planning and erection of the buildings, machinery, 

 Ace, have been intrusted to Mr. Robert S. Graburn, of 

 Butleigh, Glastonbury ; and, in my opinion, are per- 

 fectly sound and business-like, in almost every respect. 

 The most striking evidence of this was his first providing 

 accommodation for house feeding an immensely increased 

 head of stock,and concurrently and cheaply providing an 

 abundant supply of winter as well as summer food for 

 them at a very moderate cost. The result of this will 

 be a permanent increase of manure, cultivation, and pro- 

 duction. The administration of the food, when grown, 

 is equally judicious and economical— greater results 

 illicit have been pi luced by greater expenditure, but 

 his lordship most judiciously determined to trust most 

 to cultivation, and those economical means, the employ- 

 ment of manual labour within the immediate reach of 

 mall farmers, rather than to an extraordinary outlay for 



pur based manures. 



I consider tlie raising of 120 acres of good Swede 

 Turnips, Mangold, ice., on a heavy land, that had never 

 before produced them, quite a triumph ; and this with- 

 out much expensive cultivation on a previously ex- 

 hausted, and indeed partly deserted soil. 



Let us see how this was done : 



In some cases, where the surface, after drainage, was 

 one mass of accumulated weeds, Grass, Rushes, &c, a 



w from the surface, and the grassy side placed 

 on the surface of the undug ground next to it, thus 

 raising a terrace, as it were, or an embankment, 27 inches 

 wide, on which the Turnips were to be grown. Another 

 spit was then dug and turned over, not removed, so as 

 to aerate the soil and facilitate the descent of the water 



ENGLISH AGRICULTURE— 1851. 



As in all probability the approaching Exhibition will 

 brin* together a vast number of persons from nearly 

 all the civilised nations in the world, a great effort will 

 doubtless be made by each to excel the others in the 

 productions of manufacture, commerce, arts and 

 science, and also agriculture. Surely then, England, 

 the projector of the great design, will make a strenuous 

 effort to stand foremost in the ranks. 



It must be admitted that agriculture is to England 

 as well as to most nations a subject of unquestionable 

 importance, and one upon which their prosperity 

 greatly depends. For some years past ingenuity and 

 mechanical skill have been at work ; numerous valuable 

 and useful implements have been invented, science and 

 art have rendered their important assistance, great 

 theories and principles, the result of chemical investi- 

 gation, have been submitted, publications have issued 

 from the press of a most useful description, developing 

 various subjects and diffusing light and knowledge; 

 numerous meetings have been held, and many practical 

 suggestions made. But the great question naturally 

 arfses, Have the practical farmers of this country 

 properly availed themselves of these things ? Have not 

 a considerable majority only heard of this, and net 

 attempted to carry it out ! Such truly is the charac- 

 ter (in too many instances) of the English fanner, 

 that he appears to be bound by a certain set of fixed 

 notions to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors, 

 whether they are right or wrong ; and pursues an un- 

 deviating course of old customs, quite regardless of the 

 consequences, without even taking the trouble to 

 inquire into any new suggestions or ideas which might, 

 if adopted, essentially conduce to his prosperity At 

 man v of the Agricultural Associations, at Farmers' Clubs, 

 and also in able treatises, great and important princi- 

 ples have been propounded, their adoption urged, their 

 utility explained ; but in how few instances are they 

 practically carried into operation? There may be, 

 generally speaking, some want of enterprise and per- 

 severing skill in the English farmer, but in most 



c£ 



that 



iJeven cattle at* . < n to 



fediofl, and deserve a belter fate than eatt^ Turnip! 

 fnau exposed and wet pasture. 



liut there Ls ^reat hope for thin part of Devon&u . 

 She has an unfailing mine of g< i when » orbed. I 

 mean the eonstant i of irrigation. I J very hill 



sopptte* it* stream, and if ! land were drained, wou 

 fc* available on the cafteh -meadow principle for tliej 



ofth«fttie*t (rrasse^ which, immediately upon 



irrignti«-u -tine roe* he coarse mshyherbap Looking 

 •Wm irrigated !M th* « tense green evidences un- 



ibly As result, whilst any e i ei a ted portions that 



tore not been covered, retained their rusty and wortl 



!• ' 'or toother agriculturists who have 



never witnessed this operation, can easily appreciate the 

 advantage of an abundant early feed of excellent Graas, 



>n'i, sm then is m\ weeks a srop 



w m acre. I have no doubt if sheep 

 wwe folded after hay time and fed with Rape cake, as 

 is dome by Mr. Pusey, summer irrigntl n might be avail- 

 Ale the cost of the operation of catch-meadowing is 

 aeldom mwh more than 20*. per acre, with an annual 

 An of af*at &e. Who would not covet such an ad- 

 vantage « and y%t it is toe seldom availed of, for want 

 if drainage, whtcU is an imperative preliminary the 

 soil being heavy. 



I will now proceed to describe Earl Fortescue's im- 

 l>rovement«. His estate in _ 



M -onaiile of about 1 MQ acres* and "partook of 



the general character. There were fields on 126 

 acres of one farm ; now only 13 enclosures. His lord* 

 snip** * n or nation consists of about 700 acres, which 

 have! nail drained un r th Drainage! mmissior— - 



fitoiiitended by Mr, Jeetti Park... The pipes 



placW 4 ft deep, at intervals of about 30 feet, and the 



[™ m ^**r admirably generally; bn 1 am sure my 



xriena i « w,ll excuse me for saying there are seve- 



, . , >^ r© *he springs ought to have been 

 lapped by deepK^rain*, so as to intercept their risin, 

 nnd interfering wVj he ^^ water# The ^ ^ 



fuU of springs rism^ hrough ^ ^ chv and ^ 



• aoloured sod which r&^ from a dim dn* to in 



• Docaaional dark, boggy, or >C and ^^^ „ow 



J ippeaimnoe. I*»< *nte clear W ese springs, ri«incr 



• Jf to the level of the drains, sa A — ^ ° 



< tt two above them, by capillary ».«-**«i St | lua prevent 

 2 ii? the descent of the rain or surface watesl "f] n * s 

 i dearly indicated by the almost impassabt 

 c it many of the fields. The same remark 

 . 30 the clays of uniform character, having 



Those springs should certainly be tapped *at deeper 

 H avels. As a p >f of this the evil is not much felt in 

 | the spring or summer, when the springs are low. Ano- 

 great mistake is the recommendati- n to lay such 



_ Tarn aware that many of my 

 Scotch friends, and my friend Parkes, too, have con- 



through this adhesive clay. 



o 



o 



a 



Turnips 



remuneration 

 his want of 



"Deo Soil, 



I 



a 



a 



Turnips. 



Dug Soil. 



instances (especially now that a low 

 awaits him) it is his limited means, 

 ample capital, as well as inclination, which cause fas 

 apparent apathy, his tardy movements, in attending to 

 those matters which would be most desirable, and 

 conduce to his prosperity ; consequently the varioffl 

 theories and suggestions which have been made hare 

 only been partially carried into effect, and in com- 

 paratively few instances by the practical man, who 

 depends upon his business for his maintenance. 

 True it is, there are some persons of enterprise, 

 capital, and skill, who have availed themselves of some 

 of the circumstances alluded to, who have adopted ft 

 iiidieious svstem of cultivation, attending to the sag- 



ai 



mi 



earth 





I heavy land on the flat. 



of vegetable fibre. No one unacquainted with the moist 

 Devonshire climate, can imagine how soon a piece of 

 raised earth becomes clothed with vegetation. The 

 ridge is, after the removal of the Turnips, split or turned 

 over, nicely clean, on the dug furrow, ready for another 

 crop of Turnips, similarly treated, or for a Corn crop, 

 iccording to the state of the land. 



The cost of the double trenching above described is, 

 I think, 3/. per acre. But methinks I hear some of our 

 riends, who plough six or eight times for Turnips, in- 

 - [uire, Where is your fine seed bed I 



Now comes Mr. Graburn's strong point, borrowed 

 from Mr. Huxtable, and improved upon. It is certainly 

 a most admirable one, judging from the results. One 

 man having a dibbler of the ordinary form, about the 

 size of half a large Pine-apple, presses his foot on it, 

 and leaves a hole large enough to contain one pound or 

 pint of animal excrement (free from straw), a woman 

 iollows with a box of manure, and a half circular 

 trowel, which contains just a pint of manure, which 

 she deposits in the whole made by the dibbler. Ano- 

 ther woman, with a supply of superphosphate of 

 lime mixed with fine mould or ashes, uses a large 

 extinguisher, with a handle, which she presses into 

 the dung, and then empties its contents into the 

 opening made. This extinguisher contains three 

 drachms of superphosphate of lime mixed with fine 

 earth and ashes. A child then follows and deposits a 

 pinch of seed in the seed-bed of the extinguisher, press- 

 ing it gently in, and, if the adjoining earth is fine, push- 

 ing a little over it. 



The combined operations, though tedious in descrip- 

 tion, are rapid and easy, as I can testify. The result is 

 an unfailing plant of either Mangold Wurzel or Swedes, 



" regardto ^condition .of the surrounding soil , ue a ccuinpiisnea, ana now unelana can ^ r ~- ^ 

 manurfc i tT *W t . dm ? C8 , moisture from the , fair competition with the corn-growing nations of JJ 

 SSJSvJ 6 W ^Tf lt8 . fiK ? i at ^^diate world, for with all these she has now to eopgj 

 irS ]U ™T? tly - ThG *£ ° f I How *• Briti8h farraer > with his present rent, ** 



will be about 17 OOOlLl !° ^ C ' ^ T acre ' fhere ; P<>or-rates, tithes, &c, with numerous expenses, ces S 

 will be about ^° e ££^ p 0S i t i 0n to ^ corn with foreign nations^ 



oeiween-^d 8 tong of dung per gurrounded by ^ ^ difficuliie ^ con tinue to maa^ 



when the farmers of England are scarcely in a position 

 " to make both ends meet, 35 that they do not awake 

 from the seeming lethargy in which they are, and make 

 a strenuous effort, while so many plans and notions atf 

 before them, and which, they are told, will enable the© 

 to produce a much larger quantity of corn from tbs 

 same number of acres, and at about the same cost 

 The man of commerce, the manufacturer, and tb 

 tradesman are always alive to the circumstances «® 

 events of the day ; and are ready to avail themsehtf 

 of any new idea, or fresh suggestion, and at on* 

 endeavour to carry them out, when it is frequently 

 attended with the desired success. But in too DW»y 

 instances the farmer continues plodding on, in op 

 continuous course of uniform practice, just becau* 

 his grandfather did so before him, and his ancestors 8 

 hundred years ago. Probably some of the new system* 

 and plans which are suggested may be va 8 ue , a S 

 visionary, attended with much risk and improbat 

 success ultimately, expensive to carry out, and reqw* 

 a large amount of theoretical as well as practical kno * 

 ledge and experience, with an additional q^^jj 

 implements, and a much larger amount of ^P^V^ 

 these things may place it beyond the reach of *j 

 generality of farmers, but, on the contrary, some tlnW 

 are simple and easy of adoption, within the reaC ^ 

 most, and only require the inclination to comme ^ 

 and the perseverance of the farmer to carry taen J^£ 

 e cannot be a doubt that the soil of England (** 

 limate) is capable of producing a much Mr 

 tity of corn than has ever yet been the a5 ^L 



th ; and as this is a matter of vital iiW^f n< * u 



surely ij» 



ascertain/lf nbssible, how it can jf 



sense 



