• 



306 



On the Farming of Suffolk. 



this is folded off in the springs with ewes and lambs, the lambs 

 being allowed access to the fresh grass at the head of the fold. 

 Tares afford feed during the early part of summer to some 

 flocks. 



A considerable portion of pasture-land has of late been converted 

 into arable, the manner of breaking up is by paring (breast-plough- 

 ing) and burning in the spring at a cost of from 25^. to 30^. 

 per acre. The flags are burnt in small heaps and the ashes are 

 spread on the land ; some, to save fuel, burn in one or two large 

 heaps. Coleworts, white turnips, or swedes are taken the first 

 year, then oats, and (by some) wheat the third year, which can- 

 not be good management, though some take peas the third year 

 and then wheat, and then the usual rotation. The land is drained 

 the first or second year after breaking up if it requires it. Clay 

 or heavy stuff is laid on new land, but this will be described 

 under the head of marling. 



Nothing of any moment has been said concerning pasture, nor 

 do I think that the subject demands that much should be said. 

 Under our present system of managing grass-land and the in- 

 creasing labouring population, I question whether there is any 

 great quantity (with the exception of marsh) that would not be 

 better broken up. A certain proportion of grass-land is un- 

 doubtedly required on every farm where stock is kept, but 

 speaking generally of Suffolk it ought to be a small pro- 

 portion. 



Among the notes which were taken in my journey round the 

 county the following are the only ones relating to grass-land 

 worth mentioning. With respect to low-lying meadows one 

 farmer says he has made great improvement in the quality of the 

 grass by carting on road -scrapings, after the application of which 

 the rushes and sedges disappeared. Thistles abound on a good 

 deal of the grass-land, and attempts are made to extirpate them 

 by mowing off when grown to some height. Mr. Bond, of Haches- 

 ton, says they may be destroyed in three or four years by spudding 

 up when young. 



3. The Improvements effected in the Farming of Suffolk since 

 the Report of Arthur Young in 1804. 



I am indebted for the following description of the improve- 

 ments since the time of Arthur Young, to Mr. Rod well, of Al- 

 derton Hall, — a gentleman whose well-known experience gives the 

 greater weight to the excellent remarks he has made on the 

 subject : — 



a Improvements in the Farming of Suffolk since the Report of 

 Arthur Young. 



" To our greatly revered countryman we must give the well-deserved 



