360 



Farming of Lincolnshire. 



able, would not possess that confidence in ultimate profit which is 

 necessary to a great outlay, and is present to the minds of those 

 occupying- more certain kinds of land. 



The produce of wheat varies from 2t quarters on the moist 

 cold soils and those sands upon which wheat is ventured, to 5 or 

 5^ quarters on the best land. Instances are not wanting where 

 6, 6J, or even 7 quarters are attained, but they are rare^ and 

 caused by a combination of favourable circumstances having little 

 connexion with the district at large. Barley yields from 3 to 8 

 quarters ; on the cold land 4 or 4lI quarters would be a full aver- 

 age, whilst on the limestone the produce ranges from 5 to 8 quar- 

 ters. Oats are not extensively grown except on the sands, where 

 from 4 to 10 quarters are obtained. Where beans are cultivated 

 the yield is from 2^ to 4, and occasionally 5 quarters ; but they 

 are mostly confined to the cold lands, for though the other soils 

 would grow them they do not make a part of the course, and are 

 most favourable to the growth of weeds, notwithstanding repeated 

 hoeings. Hed clover is becoming very uncertain upon the dry 

 lands : it appears thick enough during the autumn and until the 

 February frosts, when whole fields of it will often be three-fourths 

 destroyed at once, the hitherto healthy-looking green plants ap- 

 pearing like black tea, and may be taken up without effort by the 

 finger and thumb. Nothing has yet been discovered as a pre- 

 ventive of this occurrence. Turnips are also more difficult to raise 

 in full plant than formerly ; and it is found that to put in a crop 

 of potatoes in their stead, where they are peculiarly liable to fail, 

 is an excellent plan, the turnip-crop at the four years end being 

 doubled in weight. This remedy has not been extensively tried 

 as yet ; for on the one hand, the upland potatoes are affected 

 with the mysterious epidemic, and on the other, it is required by 

 the landowners that, when this method is resorted to, extra manure 

 should be purchased. 



The sheep are principally of the Leicester breed, and the 

 wool on the average of breeding flocks, composed of one-third 

 " she hogs," may weigh at the rate of 4 fleeces to the tod of 

 28 lbs. The greater portion of the " he hogs " are sold at Cais- 

 tor fair and Kirton market when a year old, though many are fed 

 at home. At Roxby the farmers do not breed their sheep, but 

 buy hoggets, and feed them during the ensuing winter, selling 

 them at the end of a twelvemonth from buying in, thus securing 

 2 fleeces of wool from each sheep. But this method is excep- 

 tional to the custom of the district. The cattle are of the old 

 Lincolnshire breed, crossed for the last fifteen years with good 

 short-horn bulls, the produce comprising many excellent beasts. 

 Very few of these are stall-fed, but a considerable number of 



