Farming of Derby shire. 



61 



It is now a more common practice to allow the seeds to lie 

 down two years, to throw the clover crops to a greater distance, 

 and is considered a means of securing the clover. Autumn- 

 dressing the stubbles is always aimed at, whenever the weather 

 or time will allow. Skim-ploughs and scufflers are employed 

 for these purposes, and the surface well pulverized. The weeds 

 are either burnt, or, if dead and not bulky, they are ploughed 

 down at the winter ploughing, and the land is soon prepared for 

 turnips in the spring. On the stifFer loams mangold is a great 

 favourite, and the cabbage grows to a large size. The largest plant 

 of mangold, shown at the Melbourne exhibition, was 321bs. with 

 the top ; the heaviest cabbage 461bs. 



Experiment with Flax. — A communication from Mr. John J. 

 Briggs : — 



" I sowed the linseed April 3, 1850, in drills 6 inches apart: the ground 

 rich and good : space 10 square yards. Pulled up the plants September 8th, 

 dried them against a wall for about a fortnight, and thrashed out the seed. 

 Besides the fibre, which was excellent, I had 2 quarts of good seed. At the 

 same rate an acre would produce 30 bushels, worth, at the present price, 

 9/. 15s. per acre. The ground was hoed and kept clean. Linnets and small 

 birds are great enemies to the seed, and if sown in the field would take a great 

 part of it. The seed was shown at the Melbourne vegetable show, and pro- 

 nounced very good and fine. Several patches have been shown in this parish 

 for experiment, but the idea of cultivating flax as a field crop is abandoned." 



About 240 acres of land in Melbourne is under spade cultiva- 

 tion, and is employed in growing vegetables for the Derby 

 markets or sent into the potteries for sale. The labourers are 

 well employed at good wages, and have generally garden allot- 

 ments near their dwellings. 



The whole of Appletree hundred is good land for every agri- 

 cultural purpose. Its name implies its fruitfulness. Near 

 Derby the gravels are of a lighter character ; the northern parts 

 of the hundred, extending from Derby to Ashbourne, are of this 

 kind. The cropping is very much the same as that practised on 

 the dry turnip-soils, and may be placed as follows : — 



1st Year — Fallow, mangolds, swedes, and cabbages. 



2nd do. Wheat and barley. 



ord do. White clover and rye-grass. 



4th do. Wheat. 



5th do. Roots, (Sec. 



6th do. Barley or oats. 



7th do. Red clover. 



8th do. Wheat. 



The farm on which this course is followed is in high culti- 

 vation, and under the active management of Mr. Bryer. The 

 turnips are grown on ridge with farm-yard manure and super- 

 phosphate from Messrs. Butel, of Derby, and large quantities of 

 Burton grains find their way to Vicar Wood. It would be well 



