Farming of NorthamptonsJdre. 



11 



1. Meadow Land, flooded hy Streams. — Tlie valleys of the 

 rivers Nene and Welland, and the smaller rivers and brooks run- 

 ning throughout the county, supply a very considerable tract of 

 fertile meadow land, which receives very little attention from the 

 occupier. During the winter months no stock is permitted to 

 tread or poach the land, owing to its wet state, and it is not very 

 often stocked in the spring, excepting for a few weeks in the 

 months of March or April, after which it is shut up for mowing. 

 After the hay is carried, the aftermath affords good pasturage 

 during the latter part of the summer, and in dry seasons up to 

 November or December. 



Meadows that are regularly flooded do not require any manure, 

 but those that are only partially irrigated often have a slight 

 dressing in the autumn or early in the spring, or they are occa- 

 sionally grazed, or mown and grazed alternately. 



The irrigation of the land is very arbitrary and accidental, owing 

 to the water-mills possessing the entire control over the stream, 

 and in the summer months great loss is often incurred by the 

 land being flooded and the hay injured. Considerable damage is 

 also done by the water stagnating on the surface, and not getting 

 back into the river, owing to the land being lower than the bank 

 of the river, and there being no back drainage to take it away ; 

 meadows so situated grow a coarse and inferior description of 

 grass. Water-trenching and keeping the ditches open form the 

 chief part of the work done on the land. Mr. Underwood, of 

 Hardingstone, has improved a large meadow in his occupation 

 by underground drainage. 



The meadow land is generally divided in every parish be- 

 tween the several farms, and supplies the principal part of 

 the hay crop. In the vicinity of the market-towns meadows 

 are let separately to innkeepers and others, with liberty to sell 

 or take off the hay ; and they command a rental from 3/. to 4Z. 

 per acre. 



2. Rich Pasture or Feeding Land. — Scattered throughout the 

 several parts of the county will be found small plots and fields of 

 first-rate feeding land ; but the districts leading from Fawsley 

 (the seat of Sir Charles Knightley) and Daventry to Northamp- 

 ton, and from Northampton in the direction of Maid well, Hasel- 

 beach, Clipstone, and Market Harborough, form the greater part 

 of this land ; but considerable portions will be found in a line of 

 country extending from Daventry in the direction of Watford, 

 East and West Haddon, Winwick, Thornby, Elkington, and Wel- 

 ford, on the several estates of Lord Henley, H. B. Sawbridge, 

 Esq., Sir J. Langham, and Earl Spencer ; also in the northern 

 part of the county, on the estates of the Duke of Buccleuch, 

 Lord Overstone, W. B. Stop ford, Esq., and Lord Lilford ; in 



