Farming of LincohisJdre. 



3S5 



is sfiven to the beasts in winter, and underdrainins' has been 

 commenced. Between this tract and the fen is a line of meadow 

 land, called The Ings a considerable portion is mown, and 

 the hay partly consumed on the land, the remainder carried to 

 the yards in the district just noticed. The drainage so improved 

 this low ground that much has been brought under the plough, 

 and it now produces good oats, wheat, turnips, and coleseed. 

 The superior grazing land extends southward of Boston, through 

 Kirton, Algarkirk, Sutterton, Wigtoft, Gosberton, 6cc. The 

 beasts fed are generally of the Lincoln breed, though both Scotch 

 and Hereford cattle are sometimes purchased. They are bought 

 in spring, usually at Boston May Fair, and sold fat in autumn ; the 

 best land feeding a bullock an acre without any supply of linseed 

 cake. The sheep pastures will often carry 8 or 9 sheep per 

 acre, and they fatten the animals without the assistance of other 

 green or dry food to finish them off. In the parishes of &rton, 

 Fosdike, 6cc., a considerable amount has been underdrained both 

 with tiles, sod-wedges, and the mole plough, and with advan- 

 tageous results ; the removal of the moisture improving the 

 quality of the herbage, and rendering the ground much more 

 healthy for the stock. One individual, an extensive grazier and 

 excellent manager, has used large quantities of lime upon his 

 pastures, and its effects in sweetening and increasing the herbage 

 were most satisfactory. Great care, however, was required in 

 the application, as a strong dose of quick-lime would destroy 

 instead of stimulating the herbage. The arable land is very 

 productive in corn, pulse, and root crops, and large breadths 

 have been broken up for woad, mustard, and chicory. 



Red mustard is very extensively cultivated in the south-eastern 

 alluvial district, and the seed sold to be manufactured for do- 

 mestic uses. There are several woad establishments in this 

 country, though only upon the very richest land (as woad re r urns 

 nothing to the soil), broken up from grass on purpose for growing 

 this plant. The principal points in the culture are — drilling the 

 seed in March in rows 8 or 9 inches apart; hoeing-out when the 

 plants are about 4 inches high, so as to leave them 6 inches 

 distant from each other; thinning and hand- weeding twice ^ 



cropping" or gathering by hand when 8 inches high, i. e., a 

 little before Michaelmas, and hoeing directly after. The leaves 

 may be thus plucked 2 or 3 times in succession, and are crushed 

 by the mill (in their green state) into a pulp. This is allowed 

 to drain, then made up into balls, and dried for several days in 

 open sheds built for the purpose. During the winter the fermen- 

 tative process is carried on : the mill grinds the hardened balls 

 into powder, and couching" then begins, the powder being 

 watered daily for several weeks, ferments ; and when this is com- 



VOL. XIT. 2 c 



