10:21.] 



A Modern Hertfordshire Farm. 



921 



A MODERN HERTFORDSHIRE FARM : 



AX EXAMPLE OF UP-TO-DATE METFIODS. 



The farm of Birchneld lies about a mile north of Hatfield E ail- 

 way Station, and is intersected on the eastern side by the Great 

 Xorthern Eailway. It occupies an area of nearly 600 acres, of 

 which less than 100 acres are permanent pasture and about 480 

 acres are under the plough in regular course of cropping. Lying 

 at an altitude of some 300 feet, the area consists of a fiat table- 

 land forming the watershed of the Eiver Lee and the Eiver Colne. 

 Part of the drainage water is drawn to the one stream, and part 

 to the other. 



The soils on the east side of the farm are of poor quality, thin 

 and gravelly, and in a dry season show a great tendency to dry 

 out, with the result that the crops burn readily. The west side, 

 on the other hand, is a mild brick earth of a depth of 4 feet in 

 parts f and considerably closer in texture and much more retentive 

 of water than the eastern side. The top formations overlie a 

 thin bed of gravel, below which there is a deposit of blue clay 

 that holds up and prevents the removal of the soil water. 



The farm has had a somewhat chequered history, and even 

 through the very favourable period before the more recent years 

 of agricultural depression antecedent to the War, it was reported 

 to be an unsound undertaking from a financial point of view'. 

 Much of the better land was in an undrained state, the ditches 

 through long neglect were earthed up. the hedges overgro^sii and 

 the land overtimbered. 



The present farmer began his tenancy in 1893, and at once 

 approached the agent of the late Marquis of Salisbury wdth plans 

 for the removal of hedges and for the laying of tile-drains. The 

 proposals were approved, and the work w^as started in October, 

 1893. The forestry department of the Hatfield Estate removed 

 the trees, and 4 J miles of hedges were taken out by the tenant, 

 who also laid 160.000 tile-drain pipes. All ditches were cleared 

 and laid with pipes. Main or master drains were laid 3 ft. deep, 

 and the laterals 18 ft. apart, at a depth of 2 ft. 6 in. Owing^ 

 to the flatness of the land the whole of the operations had to 

 be carried out with the use of a spirit level. By Christmas, 1893, 

 the work was completed. 



Further improvements were efi^ected by making farm roads, 

 in w^hich the holding was very deficient. Good roads were 

 constnicted running practically through the centre from north 



