Farming of Lincolnsliire. 



341 



plouijhed Is first well harrowed, the seed is drilled, then covered 

 in by harrows, and the ground then rolled and harrowed again 

 after the roller. 



The subsoil plough has been found beneficial upon the Heath ; 

 as it brings up the broken calcareous rock, at once deepening and 

 manuring the soil. 



The fences consist of neat thriving quicks, kept trimmed about 

 4i feet in height ; those next to the roads are generally lofty 

 and substantial stone walls. 



On the Cliff, which extends from Lincoln to beyond Kirton, 

 the best and most common rotation is the 4-field ; with some 

 farmers the four and five courses alternately, — both plans being 

 subject to many deviations. Ridge culture is practised where the 

 soil is sufhciently deep ; and great quantities of bones and bone- 

 dust, guano, ashes, nightsoil^ and various composts are used with 

 the turnip crop. The chief sorts grown are the tankard^ or 

 sugar-loaf, for early feeding ; the white stone, for about Candle- 

 mas ; and the green top yellow for spring. Swedes are but little 

 grown^ although many farmers are beginning to cultivate them^ 

 and with great success. The sheep are of a large breed — similar to 

 those on the Heath, and are all bred in this district. The hoggets 

 eat the turnips^ heders " first and "' sheders " next,) followed by- 

 older sheep, drape ewes, &c., to clean up the "hulls" or shells. 

 In sum.mer the ewes and lambs are on the grass land, and the 

 wether lambs are weaned on the clover, the heder" hosfs beins: 

 grazed on the seeds, and the "sheders" on grass. The grass is 

 not feeding-land, and there is very little on the Cliff-hill, from 

 Brigg to Lincoln. One consequence of this absence of all 

 pasture or good grass is, that in this district less horned cattle are 

 bred than in almost any other. The beasts kept are but few ; 

 generally a few 2 years and 2^ years old steers, bought in to 

 graze on the pasture land during the summer ; and then these, 

 together with as m.any more bought in as are needful^ are caked 

 with straw in the yards and sold out in the spring, Thev are 

 usually a cross between the old Lincoln and Luproved Short-horn 

 breeds. 



It is customary to lay down only half of the seed land for graz- 

 ing, generally consisting of white clover and rvegrass mixed ; and 

 the rest is sown with red clover for mowing. The seeds are com- 

 monly grazed two years ; thus making a 5-field course on part 

 of the farm. The average yield per acre of the corn crops, con- 

 sidering the proportion which the good and useful land bears to 

 the inferior, is about 28 bushels of wheat, and 40 bushels of 

 barley. This district has been reclaimed from its condition of 

 moor and warren in a similar manner, and at a correspondino: 

 period, to the Heath : and the rent may now be stated at 30^. an 



