44 



Farming of Derbyshire. 



for its meadows and pastures by " the Darren sideP The farm at 

 Chatsworth under the care of Mr. B. Swaffield, having exerted a 

 beneficial influence by its annual sale in disseminating a higher 

 breed of animals, must receive in a Report of the Farming of 

 Derbyshire a proper attention. The farm is described by Mr. 

 Swaffield as " consisting of 760 acres, one-fifth being arable, and 

 the remainder meadow and pasture land. Of this farm 235 

 acres are on the East Moor, having a peaty soil, occasionally inter- 

 mixed with clay. The entire farm is widely scattered, and the 

 soil various, the elevation from 400 to 700 feet. The greater 

 part is on the millstone-grit, and with 170 acres of rich grazing 

 land on the mountain lime at Crakendale completes the farm. 

 About 250 acres of grass are mown for hay every year, com- 

 mencing on or about the 28th June. The hay harvest employs 

 many Irishmen, who go southward when it is completed to find 

 employment, and afterwards return to assist in cutting the corn. 

 The only artificial manures I am in the habit of using are 

 guano and bones. I have tried superphosphate, but to no 

 extent. I always grow my turnips with burnt heath sods, 

 mixed with the bones at the rate of 3 qrs. to the acre, and a 

 slight dressing of guano, sown broadcast after the land is opened 

 for ridge : the whole is closed in the ordinary way, and then fol- 

 lows the drill. The climate is not favourable to the growth 

 of wheat except in the valleys, where excellent crops are obtained, 

 and in dry and fine seasons of good quality. Barley is sel- 

 dom grown here : the last year an experiment was tried with the 

 skinless Peruvian, and the produce exceeded 10 qrs. to the acre. 

 Sheep are kept of various breeds. A great number of wood- 

 land and Scotch wethers are grazed annually : their mutton is of 

 the finest flavour. Independent of the land before named, there 

 are 300 acres of pasture (Calton Leys) appropriated in the sum- 

 mer to ley cattle ; and in the winter from 200 to 300 horned 

 sheep are kept there, and sold off the following autumn. A 

 flock of about 200 breeding Leicester ewes are kept. There 

 is a small herd of short-horns on the farm. The grazing 

 cattle are principally bought ; and 200 head of short-horns and 

 Scots are grazed and sold, chiefly at the annual sale." These im- 

 portant and well-conducted sales are now over ; and it may be 

 well more particularly to describe them over a period of fourteen 

 years, during which time they have realised more money than 

 the annual sales at Woburn or Wentworth. 



