Agriculture of Northumberland. 



435 



In concluding this brief notice of the stock-farming in North- 

 umberland, the writer has found himself at a loss how to express 

 himself sufficiently concisely, as scarcely two farmers can be found 

 to agree in their plans and mode of procedure. The foregoing 

 remarks will not, however, be found far from the truth as applied 

 to any part of the county, though most applicable to the northern, 

 as the most important cattle-feeding district. 



Horses are not reared to the same extent in the county as for- 

 merly, in consequence of their decline in value for several years. 

 Several of the wealthy proprietors have, however, their racing and 

 hunting studs. Perhaps the most celebrated was that of the late 

 Mr. Ord of Nunnykirk, the owner and breeder of the famous 

 Beeswing. The farm-horses are generally light, clean legged, 

 and active, at present worth about 35/. each, although a few years 

 ago the same horse would scarcely have brought 20/. The old- 

 fashioned plan of feeding farm-horses on hay is fast creeping into 

 disuse, and the less expensive one of giving them straw, and boiled 

 or crushed corn, during winter, and tares or other green food 

 during summer, is fast gaining ground. Bean straw is the best 

 of this description of food, the only precaution necessary during 

 the time the horses are fed with it, is to supply them very regularly 

 with turnips and boiled corn, as they are liable to inflammation 

 and colic, if neglected. Along with the steam thrashing-machines 

 already mentioned, it has become usual to attach a corn- crushing 

 mill, which is said to save about one-fifth of the corn. Hay-cutters, 

 although in use in gentlemen's stables, have not yet become 

 general in the county. 



A few years ago the writer had an opportunity of comparing 

 the condition of the farm-labourers of Northumberland with 

 those of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon, and never can the difference 

 be forgotten. At that time, the labourers here were receiving at 

 least 50 per cent, more wages than in the southern counties, and, 

 as already named, relief to able-bodied paupers is entirely un- 

 known in Northumberland, the demoralizing, degrading effect of 

 which practice upon the people is too Vv'ell known to need any 

 comment here. Although not so ambitious as our neighbours in 

 Scotland to secure a classical education for the poor, there are 

 very few of our farm-servants who do not manage to procure for 

 their children the common rudiments of an English education. 

 This combination of circumstances has produced in Northumber- 

 land a decidedly superior class of servants to those in many of the 

 southern counties. In the populous districts, it is now customary 

 for a great majority of the men to enrol themselves in " Self- 

 supporting Sick and Burial Clubs ;" and though they may not 

 be on the best possible plan, they are a pleasing sign of a wish 

 amongst the poor to place themselves above (what they consi- 



