On the Formation of Hill-side Catch- Meadoics. 139 



It will thus be seen that, on this plan, with wheat at 406"., the net 

 profits to the proprietor are 8Z. an acre; to the renting farmer, of 

 course, according to his rent. And it is a plan, I firmly believe, 

 more especially applicable to thousands and thousands of the 

 broad acres spread over England, of hitherto impracticable and 

 unremunerating clay. 



One word to those who have entered on the plan, or who pur- 

 pose doing so. I would guard them against the expectation of 

 receiving the benefit of the scheme without an accurate fulfilment 

 of its conditions. It may be that the directions hitherto have not 

 been precise enough to be an unmistakeable guide to their pro- 

 ceedings. A clear set of instructions will therefore be drawn up 

 for insertion in the forthcoming edition of the " Word in Season ; 

 or. How the Corn-grower may yet grow rich." 



S. Smith. 



Vicarage, Lois Weedon, Towcester, 

 July 28, 1851. 



VII. — Some Account of the Formation of Hill-side Catch-Meadows 

 on Exmoor. From Kobert Smith, late of Burley. 



To Mr, Fusey. 



Dear Sir, — Agreeable with your wish I forward you an outline 

 of the past and future plans laid down for the management of my 

 recently-formed Catch-Meadows " upon our Exmoor hill sides, 

 alluded to by Mr. Acland, in his Report on the farming of 

 Somerset. 



Catch-Meadows form an exceedingly interesting branch of gene- 

 ral irrigation, and, from their easy and cheap formation, their ex- 

 tension is now creating a lively interest ; still our attachment to 

 early habits and local practices is very great, and can alone be 

 removed by actual experience, or repeated statements of better 

 results. 



In changing my residence from the East to the West of Eng- 

 land, my attention was naturally directed to the agricultural prac- 

 tices of the neighbourhood, which I found so directly opposed to 

 those of my native county (Lincolnshire), that it became a serious 

 question, which were the better ; but on mature reflection I found 

 that it was climate alone which dictated these opposite methods : 

 thus, while our dry districts had their foundation in the growth of 

 corn, the humid districts of the West had their merit in the pro- 

 duction of roots and grass, and consequently of stock. Nothing 

 could exceed my admiration of the " water-meadows " in early 

 spring, a period (in the East) when I had been wont to value a 

 blade of green grass as a rare production. To see the Exmoor 



