Farming of Northamptonshire. 



87 



the produce home, and again carting the manure back, is very 

 great. This position is partially remedied, in some instances, by 

 the erection of a field-barn and yard, with a cottage for a la- 

 bourer, but they are often very deficient in suitable accommo- 

 dation for cattle; the only provision, in many cases, being 

 limited to arrangements for the thrashing of the corn and stabling 

 for a team of horses, with a yard and shelter-hovels. Where no 

 field-barns are erected, the cattle are permitted to remain on the 

 grass-land during the winter, receiving a daily supply of straw or 

 hay, and seeking shelter under the highest hedge ; a very con- 

 siderable quantity of manure is thereby comparatively lost, for the 

 cattle generally come to the warmest and driest spot to be foddered, 

 at which point in the field the manure accumulates, and the ground 

 becomes much trodden. Very few farms have suitable buildings 

 for the lambing of the ewes, but are obliged annually to erect a 

 sheep-fold, or, as it is provincially called, a " sheep hirk," with 

 stubble, or hurdles stuffed with straw, for an outer wall ; these 

 are often very exposed and badly sheltered places for a flock of 

 ewes and lambs during the bleak and cutting storms of March 

 and April. 



It would be invidious to mention names, but it must be ad- 

 mitted that in some grazing districts requiring but little manual 

 labour, a system of depopulation has been very systematically 

 carried on by the proprietors for several years. Cottages and 

 farm premises have been pulled down, and no new buildings 

 erected ; the land has been let out in large quantities to non- 

 resident occupiers, and the only buildings are a few cow-houses 

 or shelter-hovels, scattered over the different farms. This system 

 has not been strictly confined to grazing districts, for many arable 

 farmers in small parishes have to seek a supply of labourers from 

 adjacent villages. The desire to relieve the estate from parochial 

 rates has been the principal cause for this line of conduct, and it 

 has been successful on that point ; but it has left the estate 

 without a supply of labourers, and thereby lessened its value to 

 the occupier. I was much struck with the following very sensible 

 remarks on this subject made by a north-country farmer, at the 

 discussion on the law of settlement, at the " London Farmers' 

 Club." He stated, " that a north-country farmer would as little 

 think of hiring a farm without comfortable and contiguous 

 cottage accommodation as if it was devoid of stabling or shed- 

 room for his animals. We know better," said he, "than to buy 

 labour in an exhausted condition, which must necessarily be the 

 case where the man has four or five miles to walk night and 

 morning ; besides, if they were located on my farm, I can attend 

 to their little wants, and we are, by being so situated, almost 

 one family, and I find myself trebly repaid by their attention to 



