108 



Farming of Northamptonshire. 



around our rich pastures, and, notwithstanding all the prejudices 

 against timber-trees, might be inclined to say on some picturesque 

 spots, " Woodman, spare that tree ;" still, around all arable fields 

 they should be entirely swept away, root and branch. No one 

 can form an accurate estimate of the injury done by the roots of 

 large ash-trees standing contiguous to a corn-field ; and when united 

 with old and irregular fences they encourage mildew, foster 

 couch-grass^ and form a regular covert for birds at harvest and 

 seed time. Small enclosed fields, where the divisions are much 

 too numerous, might often be thrown together with advantage to 

 cultivation. Upon going over the parish of Blisworth, I found 

 on Mr. Campion's farm, of 240 acres, as many as 32 different 

 fields, many of them surrounded with spinnies or copses and 

 wood. The farm might be rendered more productive by cutting 

 down the timber and throwing the fields into a more convenient 

 size for occupation, and no outlay would be required by either 

 landlord or tenant in effecting such improvements. The timber 

 and thorns would more than compensate for the labour employed, 

 and which, during the winter months, might be executed at a 

 very low rate. On my own farm, at this season of the year, I 

 have two men stocking up " ash-butts " for the wood, upon con- 

 dition that I find them a horse and cart to convey the wood to a 

 neighbouring town, about two miles distant, for sale. They get 

 employment with moderate wages, and I get rid of some very 

 ''old offenders." 



The preservation of timber on many noblemen's estates has 

 been at a very serious loss. I have been informed that on the 

 Duke of Buccleuch's estate trees which were once worth 20Z. or 

 30/. are become so decayed that they would not now make many 

 more shillings. The same remarks would apply to many other 

 estates in the county ; and although it may be urged that timber 

 is preserved not for profit but for ornament, still it seems quite 

 as pleasant a sight for a landlord to see "good crops and a 

 thriving tenantry" as to have his estate overcrowded with 

 " decaying timber-trees." 



The converting of some parts of the inferior and second-rate 

 pasture-land into arable is much required in this county. 



Many proprietors of these descriptions of land have great 

 objections to their being ploughed up. Large tracts of poor, 

 unproductive grass land in the vicinity of Weston-cum-Weedon, 

 Canon's Ashby, Charwelton, Welford, Kelmaish, Cottesbrooke, 

 Wilbaiston, Brigstock, Rockingham, and in other parts of the 

 county, still remain, yielding little rental to the proprietor, and a 

 very small return of produce to the occupier, in many cases not 

 more than 40^. or 505. per acre of gross annual produce, employ- 

 ing very little labour, and, instead of improving in condition, are 



