102 



Farming of Nortlicunptonshire. 



Geo. Rol3mson, Bart., J. H. Stop ford, Esq., Colonel Cartwright, 

 and many other large breeders of cattle and slieep. It holds an 

 annual meeting alternately at Northampton and Kettering for the 

 distribution of prizes for stock ; it also holds ploughing, sheep- 

 shearing, draining, and hedge-cutting meetings, for competition 

 for prizes. There is an Agricultural Society for the encourage- 

 ment of good ploughing, shepherding, length of servitude, &c. &c., 

 at Wellingborough and at Thrapstone ; also another at Peter- 

 borough, which has an annual show of cattle and sheep. Earl 

 Fitzwilliam liberally contributes to the Peterborough Society. 



About twelve years ago an Agricultural Book Club was formed 

 at Northampton, for the purpose of holding monthly meetings for 

 discussions on agricultural subjects, and for the institution of a 

 library. It numbers about 100 members, some of whom sub- 

 scribe to sweepstakes for the best crops of mangold, turnips^ 

 and other root-crops. 



The excessive preservation of game has of late years in some parts 

 of the county been much mitigated, and this must be considered 

 a great improvement. Rabbits have been kept down, and the 

 quantity of hares considerably reduced ; a better feeling has existed 

 between landlord and tenant on the subject — the former not 

 wishing to keep game to the injury of his tenant, and the latter 

 not wishing to interfere with the amusements and recreations of 

 his landlord. In some districts there still exists room for further 

 improvement in this respect. 



There is but little taste in this county for experimental farming. 

 I am not aware that we have any "model farm" in the county^ 

 yet we have many tenant-farmers cultivating their occupations in 

 first-rate style. Several large landed proprietors have land in 

 their own occupation, managed by farm bailiffs ; they are too 

 numerous to refer to them all, but I may mention the Duke of 

 Buccleuch, at Boughton House ; Marquis of Northampton, at 

 Castle Ashby ; Earl Spencer, at Chapel Brampton ; Lord South- 

 ampton, at VVhittlebury ; Earl Cardigan, at Dean ; Lord Car- 

 berry, at Laxton ; Rev. Sir Geo. Robinson, at Cranford ; Sir 

 A. Brooke, at Geddington ; Sir John Palmer, at Carlton; Sir 

 Charles Wake, at Courtenhall ; Sir Charles Knightley, at Faws- 

 ley ; J. Neville, Esq., at Walcutt ; and Stafford O'Brien, Esq., at 

 Blatherwycke, as occupying farms on which no expense is spared 

 in their cultivation. 



The farms throughout the county are not very large, seldom 

 exceeding 400 acres, the greater number varying from 100 to 

 250 acres. When persons have larger holdings, they consist 

 chiefly of 2 or 3 farms lying contiguous, or situated in different 

 parishes. Mr. James Hobson, of Barton Seagrave, is one of the 

 largest tenant-farmers, occupying farms in the several parishes of 



