Farming of Herefordshire. 



455 



constantly under tlie culture of wheat, and that third, during its 

 preparation for the seed, is termed the odd marUr 



Mr. Buncombe further observes, "It will not be supposed 

 that the routine above described is still invaria!)ly adhered to, it 

 is given merely as the old-fashioned course, from which many 

 farmers are deviating daily with success." 



It will be evident to any one acquainted with modern farming, 

 that there existed abundant room for improvement ; the farmer 

 that would till his land for a produce of 12 to 14 bushels per 

 acre of peas or beans on a stiff but otherwise favourable soil, 

 would be considered in the year 1853 a fit inmate for a lunatic 

 asylum ; which if he escaped by any chance, it is quite certain 

 that he would find his way to the workhouse. The use of green 

 crops in the fold-yard has greatly increased since the commence- 

 ment of the present century, as well as their cultivation for 

 soiling with sheep ; barley, clover, and wheat following in rota- 

 tion : in this way a fall average of 24 bushels of wheat is secured 

 per acre, followed by excellent crops of barley and clover, the 

 soil in Herefordshire being, generally speaking, exceedingly well 

 adapted for the barley crop. Arable husbandry would not only 

 increase but improve most rapidly in Herefordshire, if only a 

 sufficiency of manures could be obtained. The Herefordshire 

 farmer has few resources for manure beyond that which can be 

 supplied on his own farm ; for bones are scarce and expensive, 

 whilst though superphosphates, guano, &c., W'hen procured 

 genuine, have proved abundantly productive, the cost and 

 expenses of carriage, but still more the fraudulent adulterations, 

 have caused them to be less used than they otherwise Avould be. 

 The Herefordshire farmers would consume artificial fertilisers to 

 a much greater extent than they now do if they could be supplied 

 at a reasonable rate and secured from fraud ; it is not, therefore, 

 from a want of knowledge or due appreciation of their utility, 

 that they are now so sparingly used, but owing to the causes 

 assigned they are comparatively neglected. 



The great demand that exists for Hereford cattle for supplying 

 the graziers of the midland counties with store stock, has a 

 tendency to make breeding the most prominent feature of Here- 

 fordshire farming ; if, however, an adequate supply of good 

 portable fertilisers could be procured, it would enable the farmer 

 to keep a large amount of store-stock over until the spring, and 

 thus secure a fair amount of farmyard manure. Under present 

 circumstances it is generally found most economical to feed off 

 turnips with sheep in the mode already indicated. 



The system of soiling turnips with sheep, combined wdth the 

 difference in the values of British fine wool at the present period, 

 as compared with those M'hich ruled at the commencement of the 



