46 



Farming of Derbyshire, 



horns, when exposed to the pelting storms of the Peak, or the 

 evils of poverty, show their unfitness and power to bear against 

 it. With the introduction of the short-horns was also introduced 

 better care in rearing and feeding, better houses, and better 

 drained lands. 



Highland Scots and galloways are usually purchased in the 

 autumn at Brough Hill fair, and pastured on the mountains 

 during the summer, and brought into the more sheltered quarters 

 of the lowlands in the winter. These animals are rarely stall-fed. 

 At 3 and 4 years' old they are fine beef, and command high 

 prices. The Scots are hardy, and not subject to the diseases 

 common to animals that have been driven and brought from a 

 distance. 



The course of cropping pursued by Mr. Swaffield are,— — 

 1st year, fallow for turnips, swedes, and mangolds ; 2nd, wheat 

 or oats ; 3rd, seeds mown ; 4th, pastured ; 5th, wheat ; 6th, 

 oats. On a portion of the farm, inclining to soil of a peaty 

 nature, rape is introduced after the fallow, and seeded down for 

 four or five years of pasture, and ploughed up for oats. Mr. 

 Jephson, of Chatsworth Inn, introduced last year, after turnip 

 fallow, a crop of April wheat, the produce of which was equal to 

 the ordinary Lammas wheat grown in the neighbourhood. 



In the neighbourhood of Chatsworth may be found some fine 

 animals of the short-horn blood, descendants of the stock bred at 

 Edensor farm, and annually disseminated by the sale. On the 

 Birchills farm, occupied by Messrs. L. and G. Furniss, and 

 belonging to the Duke of Devonshire, some good animals are 

 kept, and a dairy of cows. It contains 300 acres, and is well 

 cultivated. Lime is applied to the fallows at the rate of 

 5 or 6 one-horse cart-loads to the acre, each load containing 

 about 16 cwt., the cost at the Calver lime-kilns being 5^. per 

 ton. In the growth of turnips, 2 quarters of bone-dust is 

 drilled on the ridge, over 8 or 9 tons of manure per acre. 

 Previous to the closing of the ridges, 2 cwt. of guano are sown 

 broadcast over the manure. This will cost in artificial tillages 

 only about 3/. an acre, independent of farm-yard manure. 

 Lammas wheat follows the turnips so long as the weather is 

 favourable for sowing, and April wheat or oats completes the 

 sowing of the turnip land. A good flock of Leicester ewes are 

 kept, and a well-contrived sheep-shed is on the farm. These 

 sheep-houses are of such growing importance to upland farms 

 that I give the plan of the one at Birchills, which will accom- 

 modate 100 sheep. 



During the cold season the sheep are housed every night, but 

 not always fed : in the morning they are turned out on the grass, 

 or fed with turnips. The bulk of the turnips are eaten on the 



