Farming of Lincolnshire. 



while the men who raised it to its present value have prospered 

 in the process. There is a proverb that " slovens succeed once 

 in about seven years :" and it is quite true that many farmers have 

 been able to earn a living on the Wolds who deserve no better 

 appellation ; but the general district shows a pattern of i^ood 

 farmino^, and is adorned with numberless examples of clever ma- 

 nagement, clean cultivation^ and the persevering application of 

 manure. 



There is no peculiar difficulty in cleaning the land. Couch 

 {" twitch ") is the greatest plague, and is worked out by dragging 

 and harrowing, as on other light land. Poppies grow in wet 

 seasons, and are injurious amongst the corn, being worst on the 

 weakest land. The only sure method of eradication is to hoe the 

 corn in the spring, and hand-weed it afterwards. The Wold farmers 

 are not much troubled with wireworm. When the land has just 

 been chalked, it is occasionally injurious to wheat, and sometimes 

 to turnips ; and a top-dressing of salt, mixed Vv'ith quicklime, is 

 then used to advantage. 



The implements in general use may be denominated the best 

 of their kind, the farmers having been liberal purchasers of re- 

 cent inventions and improvements, — Crosskill's clodcrusher, 

 Hornsby's drills, Garrett's horsehoe, the iron ploughs and har- 

 rows of Messrs. Ransome, Howard, Barrett, and Ashton ; and 

 other implements equally well known, are common throughout 

 the district. 



Some of the most celebrated farming is upon the estates of the 

 Earl of Yarborough, where the land has been brought to the 

 highest pitch of fertility, and every operation in tillage is com- 

 pletely and perfectly done ; where whole fortunes are annually 

 expended in the purchase of artificial food and manures ; where 

 the flocks and herds are not only large in number, but every ani- 

 mal is of superior breed and proportions; and where the farm- 

 yards_, buildings, and stacks are generally of suitable dimensions 

 and neatness. All the improvements have been made, and fresh 

 capital is being continually laid out, simply upon the guarantee 

 of a good understanding between landlord and tenant. Very few 

 leases are found on the Wolds ; but the mutual confidence be- 

 tween the owners and occupiers has answered the purpose of 

 leases, as far as the security of tenure is concerned, the names of 

 the principal farmers being nearly the same now as in Arthur 

 Young's time. There are many restrictions ; but the agents have 

 an increasing tendency to let the tenants do as thev please with 

 respect to cropping, generally allowing them to break their agree- 

 ments. The soil possessing little fertility in itself, no farmer can 

 exhaust and beggar it ; he can only obtain crops in return for 

 manure and management. Proprietors are beginning to under- 



VOL. XII. Z 



