32 



Farming of Derbyshire. 



Dr. OldliavfCs course. 



1st Year. Fallow, turnips, mangold, 



and cabbage. 

 2nd Wheat or oats. 

 3rd Clover seeds mixed, pastured 

 with a small portion of 

 Italian grass. 

 4th Wheat. 



5th Winter beans, peas, or tares. 

 6th ,, Wheat or oats. 

 7th Fallow, turnips, cabbages, 



roots, &c. 

 8th Oats or wheat. 

 9th ,, Seeds, a full crop of Italian 

 rye grass for mowing, 

 1 bushel sown to the acre. 



In these courses two white crops in succession are avoided — the 

 legumes and roots come between ; turnips are grown with super- 

 phosphate and farm-yard manure, and the straw is consumed bj 

 feeding-cows eating cake and turnips. The estate of Morton is 



the property of Sitwell, Esq., of Stainsby, and under the 



agency of Mr. Chambers. The farms are small, being generally 

 less than 150 acres. The general management is improved, 

 root-crops have increased, the climate is improved by drainage, 

 and the snipe driven away to find a home and soil more genial 

 to its nature. Bat this is not all done at Morton. What has 

 been done can be done again. The political economist who 

 accused the proprietors of Derbyshire of neglect and indifference 

 to agricultural progress might at one time have cited Morton to 

 prove the charge ; or, if he travelled by rail, he might, after 

 crossing the Amber, and journeying towards Chesterfield, find 

 abundant evidence to substantiate the unenviable reputation. 



The Hardwick estates of the Duke of Devonshire are chiefly 

 on the coal series. Tiie soil is variable and mixed : in the 

 same field may be found wet and dry patches, but the greater 

 part is a heavy and tenacious clay. The improvements in pro- 

 gress are very extensive, both in draining and building. A staff 

 of builders and drainers are continually employed in reclaiming 

 the clays and restoring the decay of many years ; the farmsteads 

 are improved ; and, to do the noble owner and his excellent agent 

 justice, what is done is well and substantially done. If there 

 be any advantage in the delay of bygone years, it is that these 

 important works remained in abeyance to a period of time 

 when they are better understood. The drainage is the most im- 

 portant feature. Since the establishment of the Staveley Tile- 

 Yard, in 1837, there has been manufactured to the present time 

 — including the yards at Oscroft, Holmwood, and Harstoft — 

 8,000,879 drain-tiles and pipes. Taking 2000 tiles as the 

 average quantity to drain an acre of land, 4000 acres have been 



Dr. Cooper s course. 



1st Year. Fallow, turnips, cabbage. 







or kale. 



2nd 





Wheat or barley. 



3rd 





Winter beans. 



4th 





Wheat. 



5th 





Fallow for roots as before. 



6th 



?? 



Barley or oats. 



7th 



5 J 



Seeds, mixed clovers, and 

 Italian, mown. 



8th 



5? 



Pasture. 



9th 





Wheat. 



