42 



Farming of Derbyshire. 



Note by Mr. Haywood. — " This soil is deficient in all those ingredients 

 which are most essential to the growth of plants. It does not contain the 

 usual potash minerals in any quantity, so that it is impossible to grow good 

 crops with any tillage which does not contain all the ingredients which plants 

 require, not even excepting potash and silica." 



The soil on the millstone-grit is as variable as its climate ; and 

 it is nearly impossible to define the husbandry followed. Every 

 occupier is influenced more or less by the climate and locality, 

 and follows a plan laid ^down by himself. On the south of this 

 formation there is fine grazing and pasture land ; higher up the 

 hill the land is more exposed, yet produces excellent crops of 

 turnips, barley, and wheat. The rock is near the surface, and 

 the land is naturally dry. The following is the course of crop- 

 ping usually followed on the southern side : — First year, fallow, 

 turnips ; second year, barley ; third, fourth, and fifth years, seeds 

 mown first year ; sixth year, wheat ; seventh year, oats. The 

 turnips are grown annually with 2 qrs. of bone-dust and 2 cwt. of 

 guano, drilled on the ridge, at a cost of about 3/. per acre. Lime 

 is used on all the fallows, both wheat and turnips, at the rate of 

 from 3 to 4 tons, and greatly benefits the land, particularly the 

 clovers, and thus in practice confirming the theory of the 

 chemist. 



The principal proprietors on the grit are the Dukes of 

 Rutland and Devonshire, each having extensive estates. On the 

 cultivatable land the work of drainage is going on, and a heavy 

 amount of tiles annually deposited at a maximum depth of 3 feet. 

 The drainage of the Rutland estates is very extensive, and some 

 years ago was under the superintendence of Mr. Smith of Dean- 

 ston. His plan was not successful in effecting a thorough 

 drainage of the land, and it was ultimately abandoned — a deeper 

 system introduced — and a tile-yard established at Rowsley. 

 About 3000 tiles per week are made and sent out from the tile- 

 yard to the works of drainage going on in different parts of the 

 Haddon estates. The drains are cut at the common prices 

 before described for the coal-series, and there is nothing of 

 novelty to notice in the modus operandi farther than I may state, 

 from personal observation, that tlte loork is well done. Small 

 pipes are very properly condemned, and nothing less than 2-inch 

 bore used. The cost of draining, including the cost of tiles, 

 cartage, &c., will be about 5/. per acre : this outlay, with the 

 drains averaging 3 feet deep, will give a width of drain from 

 30 to 40 feet. 



The farm and estate of W. P. Thornhill, Esq. of Stanton, are 

 thoroughly drained, and, considering the altitude, the climate, 

 soil, &c., and other physical difficulties, must receive a passing 



