Farming of Surrey. 



423 



use of gorse. At present it is in no instance extensively used by 

 any of the practical farmers ; and yet supposing it to answer in 

 any case, it might be advantageously grown upon many of the 

 poor sands which are now occupied to very little advantage. 

 This will not in all probability happen until the use of machinery 

 is more appreciated in Surrey than at present. 



One of the changes which must be mentioned is the growth 

 of green crops before season turnips. But this is an improve- 

 ment which must not be recorded as such without mentioning 

 the objections as well as the advantages of its practice : it is no 

 doubt a step in the right direction, but at the same time it is 

 attended with evils which have prevented many of the best 

 farmers in the county from adopting it. Upon the early soils 

 there is no doubt that it frequently answers to plough up the 

 wheat stubbles and plant some kind of green crop ; and supposing 

 the crop to be drilled it can be hoed, and the land kept clean 

 without lying idle ; and if the crop be folded sufficiently early in 

 spring, there is yet time to fallow the land (which seems indis- 

 pensable to its being kept clean), and to sow the season turnips 

 in good time. Under the most favourable circumstances there- 

 fore this practice may be followed without detriment to the suc- 

 -ceeding crop of roots ; but these favourable circumstances cannot 

 always be secured. After a late harvest, for instance, the sowing 

 of the green crop is thrown back, the whole process is retarded, 

 and consequently complaints are loud the following autumn that 

 the root crop has sulfered, and that the feed which was gained 

 in the spring does not compensate for the loss of several tons per 

 -acre of the succeeding crop. It is from the injudicious applica- 

 tion of this system that many farms have been thrown out of 

 condition, their occupiers disgusted with the practice, and in- 

 credulous neighbours made more prejudiced than ever. The writer 

 has known of instances where more capital has been required to 

 restore a farm to good " heart " than could possibly be gained by 

 the extra crop. It is impossible to lay down any fixed rule upon 

 the subject, since a farmer must always be guided in his opera- 

 tions by the times and seasons. It will be seen by referring to 

 the description of the farming of the light-land districts that the 

 cultivation of a certain portion of the fallow for the purpose of 

 winter and spring feed for cattle and sheep is universal. The re- 

 .sult of experience seems to prove that many of the early soils are 

 peculiarly adapted for the system just alluded to, and that in a 

 favourable season it can be followed to advantage, but that 

 under unfavourable circumstances the loss to the succeeding crop 

 will be greater than the benefit apparently gained. 



When we observe the great change which has taken place in 

 the increased quantity of stock which is fattened now, compared 

 to that which was sent to market 40 years ago, it is difficult to 



