19-21.] 



A Modern Hertfordshire Farm. 



925 



Grasses and Clover. — The " seeds " mixture used ^Yas as 

 follows : — 



1 bushel I'alian Ryegrass, 

 8 lb. English Red Clover, 



2 „ Alsike, 

 2 „ Trefoil. 



The mixture is sown by barrow in April, harrowed in and 

 rolled down. As mentioned above, 10 cwt. of ground lime is 

 applied to the seeds break in early winter. The general custom 

 in Hertfordshire is to grow pure crops of clovers only, or sainfoin 

 only — the latter is popular on the chalks in the northern part of 

 the county. By this means the same leguminous crop occupies 

 the ground once in 8 years, and the danger of loss by clover 

 sickness is greatly lessened. The addition of grasses to the mix- 

 ture, however, which is a feature of " seeds " cultivation at 

 Birchfield. does not find favour generally, as grasses encou- 

 rage the wire worm. The tenant of Birchfield points out that 

 this danger is only present when the crop is allowed to gi'ow 

 through the season with the object of a second cut of hay being 

 taken. When only one cut is taken the land can be ploughed 

 immediately — in July — and in this way the wireworm danger 

 may be very largely overcome. The land may also be bastard- 

 fallowed, and thus a further opportunity of cleaning is offered 

 during the rotation. 



Wheat and Winter Oats. — Half the break is sown with wheat, 

 and half with winter oats. The dressing given is the same as 

 for the wheat crop. In the case of the oats. 3 bushels of seed 

 are drilled in. (Spring oats are very uncertain here, but when 

 grown a seeding of 4 bushels is the rule.) Regenerated Grey 

 Winter ' ' is the variety used at present ; it ripens later by 8 to 

 10 days than the ordinary variety. The yield in 1920 is expected 

 to be about 6 J quarters. The proximity of London, with its 

 enormous market for all kinds of produce and the availability of 

 dung, has. as already mentioned, larsiely determined the system 

 of farming adopted, but owing to the reduced supplies of this 

 manure available it has been found more economical to so\r 

 leguminous plants with the white crop to provide the necessary 

 fertility in readiness for the potato crop. White clover is ordi- 

 narily used, but of late years, in consequence of the high cost of 

 that seed. Alsike and Trefoil have been substituted. The amount 

 sown is 4-5 lb. per acre, and at the time of writing one field in 

 particular is showing a close crop which will in due course be 

 ploughed down as green manure. A serious diffirulty in the 



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