284 



On the Farming of Suffolk. 



Bean and pea land, that lias been dunged for those crops, is not 

 dunged for wheat, though some farmers give half a coat for beans, 

 and the other half before ploughing the land for wheat. Clover 

 is considered the best preparation for wheat. The bean and pea 

 land is cleaned after harvest by scarifying and harrowing, and then 

 ploughed. Drilling is generally practised on bean and pea land, 

 and by some farmers after clover; the distance between the drills 

 varies from 5 to 9 inches, with spaces of about 1 foot in width for 

 striking out the furrows. The wide drilling, which Arthur Young 

 speaks so highly of, has been laid aside, as it has been found, 

 after an experience of many years, that it does not equal that 

 drilled at narrower intervals. The land is harrowed both before 

 and after the drill, a light gang of harrows being used last for 

 covering the seed. The furrows are now struck out with a 

 double-breasted plough, drawn by one horse, which leaves the 

 wheat well laid up for the winter. The quantity drilled is from 

 8 to 10 pecks. The red varieties chiefly grown are, the Spalding, 

 the Copdock or marygold, and the old Kent red. The Tunstall 

 white, grown from a single plant at Tunstall, Suffolk; the Hard- 

 castle, a white wheat, brought into notice by a farmer of that 

 name living near Ipswich, and a great favourite with the Suffolk 

 farmer ; some grow red and white wheat mixed, a sample which 

 commands a higher price in the market than red only. 



Horse-hoeing wheat is only partially practised, though hand- 

 hoeing and weeding are very general, but perhaps are productive 

 of some injury when done too late in the season. 



By far the greater portitm of the wheat is reaped, and for such 

 abundant crops as are generally grown this is preferable to mow- 

 ing ; however, mowing or bagging is to be recommended on land 

 intended for beet or tares, requiring to be ploughed up immedi- 

 ately after harvest. 



Harvestmen arc cither paid a certain sum per month, or receive 

 about 10.9. per acre for cutting, carrying, and stacking the grain, 

 from 10 to 12 acres being allotted to each man, the wives and 

 children assisting in the harvest when required by the men. 



A great quantity of wheat is still threshed by the flail, at a cost 

 of from is. 2d. to Is. 6d. per coomb; and 1 believe that there are 

 covenants in some leases binding the farmer to thresh by flail, and 

 that some farmers prefer it, because they are able to employ more 

 labourers, who otherwise would be obliged to fall on the parish. 

 I think that landowners and farmers of this opinion require a little 

 more schooling to convince them that money saved by machinery 

 can be employed in improved cultivation. 



Management of Light Land. 

 I have included the eastern and western light-land districts 



