Farming of Derhysliire. 



59 



Analysis of alluvial subsoil from the above : — 

 Organic matter, containing a trace of nitrogen in a 



decomposing state ...... 4*200 



Water ... 9*600 



Silicates, containing '720 of potash and *240 of soda 73-200 



Alumina — Oxide of iron and manganese . . . 12-300 



Carbonate of lime and magnesia .... '400 



Phosphoric acid (combined) ..... "095 



Soluble potash and soda (do.) .... '005 



Soluble potash and soda . . . . . . '005 



Soluble silica -006 



Chlorine (combined) '003 



Loss -186 



100-000 



Note by Mr. Haywood. — " This soil is similar to the surface soil, and 

 .capable of producing any crop." 



The valley of the Dove, from which these soils were taken, is 

 from half a mile to two miles wide, the adjoining heights being 

 composed of red marl. In the meadows no drainage can be 

 effected except that of open sluices, which carries away the 

 retiring flood. The land is chiefly on grass, but it is rich in 

 cereals and roots. The cropping is — 



1st Year. — Fallow wheat. 



2nd do. Oats. 



3rd do. Fallow for turnips. 



4th do. Barley. 



5th do. Seeds — mown. 



6th do. Wheat. 



A greaf quantity of cheese is made in the valley, besides its 

 production of beef and mutton. No lime is required, nor any 

 kind of tillages ; and should the arable land show any symptom 

 of exhaustion, plough deep and deeper still is the way of 

 restoring its fertility. Like an exhausting fire, it only requires 

 stirring up to make it again active. From 70 to 90 and 100 

 cows are employed cheese making on the farms, and many 

 calves are reared ; the first month they have new milk, afterwards 

 linseed compound with skim-milk. The stock reared on the 

 farms and naturalized to the soil are better grazers, better 

 milkers, and more healthy than those which are purchased, and 

 the butchers prefer them for slaughter, and frequently ask the 

 question, " Was this beast bred at home ?" The farmsteads on 

 this portion of the Devonshire estates are very good, comfort- 

 able, and convenient places for stock. 



On the clays and gravels above the rivers Trent and Derwent 

 the land is more arable, and easily converted into tillage, pro- 

 ducing all the agricultural roots and cereals in abundance, and 



