38 



Farndng of Derhysldi e. 



is only 180 feet above sea level. Dronfield Churcli, by tbe Ord- 

 nance Survey, is 472 feet, and Norton Church, on the borders of 

 Yorkshire, 716 above the sea. This elevation, and the proximity 

 of these places to the mountains of the Peak, and their icy ex- 

 halations, with the great quantity of rain falling, are serious 

 impediments to successful cultivation. The altitude of Norton, 

 in the northern parts of Scotland, would be the limit of the 

 growth of corn : above that height the farmer trusts to pasturage 

 for his returns. The time of harvest is very much affected by 

 the elevation of the district. The county of Caithness, the most 

 northern part of Scotland, is near the sea level, and grows abund- 

 ance of wheat, and its harvests are little behind the Lothians and 

 the Midland Counties of England. 



Going north, the soil on the coal-series, excepting on the grit, 

 does not improve in usefulness, and the greater part of it requires 

 drainage. Its proximity to the great market of Sheffield, where 

 every kind of farm produce meets a ready sale, enables the far- 

 mer to exchange commodities with the citizens of that great and 

 flourishing town. Manure and brewers' grains are in abundance, 

 and by this means the fertility of the soil is maintained. To 

 these as fertilizers must be added horn-shavings, bone-dust, 

 refuse from the comb-makers, and other animal wastes from the 

 Sheffield manufacturers. 



Use of Lime. — Having received a valuable communication 

 from Mr. R. Booker, of Hazlebarrow Hall, near Sheffield, to 

 whom I had last year the honour of awarding the prize given by 

 the Norton Farmers' Club for the best-cultivated farm, I cannot 

 do better than make a few extracts :— " Lime," says Mr. Booker, 

 " as a manure is not so much thought of as formerly ; it contains 

 no ammonia or nitrogenous property ; but its application to cer- 

 tain soils liberates the mineral and inert vegetable matter, which 

 thorough draining materially assists. J am now applying lime to 

 some newly-ridded woodland with success. It is still used, but 

 with various results, on strong soils during the summer fallowing ; 

 it is also used with advantage on newly-broken-up land having a 

 peaty soil replete with vegetable matter; also to old grass land, 

 destroying the mosses and other sour plants, and producing a 

 white clover sward. The application of lime is certainly dimi- 

 nished by high arable farming, as frequent and deep stirring of the 

 s^>z7, aided by thorough drainage, the use of bones, and other 

 artificial manures, supersede its necessity." On Draining, Mr. 

 Booker says, " I made a journey to Tiptree Hall a few years ago 

 to make myself better acquainted with the mode of draining and 

 general system of farm management practised by Mr. Mechi, 

 and, following his example, commenced draining 4^ feet deep, 



