230 



Farming of Ciimherland. 



and treat with them for their crops. Large bodies meet annually 

 on these occasions, much business is done, and the prices there 

 agreed on regulate the rates at which sheep are kept on turnip 

 over a large district. It is usual for the sheep-owners to send 

 their own shepherds to attend to the sheep, the owner of the 

 turnips finding nets or hurdles and hay as may be agreed on. 



Around Penrith large quantities of turnips are grown for 

 sheep-feeding ; and, indeed, in every parish over the whole 

 county, more or less are grown for that purpose. 



Small quantities of mangold-wurzel are grown on many farms, 

 for spring use, as this root keeps well to a late period of summer, 

 if carefully stored without injury by frost or rain. 



Few field cabbages are grown, and for no good reason, as 

 there is plenty of soil adapted for this crop ; and Robert Brisco, 

 Esq., has proved, in 1851, that sheep throve well on a few acres 

 of his excellent crop, part of which were of the red kind. 



Carrots are grown to a small extent on dvy soils, or on peat, 

 and large crops obtained on the latter ; but neither these nor 

 any roots keep well if grown on peat or other light soils. 



For some time after potatoes were first grov/n in Cumberland, 

 they were cultivated entirely by the spade, in beds ; and the 

 crop remained in the ground to be taken up as wanted. As the 

 growth extended, the plough was used.* The manure, having 

 been brought to the field in " hots " or " creels," | was laid 

 down on the stubble. A furrow was drawn by the plough, and 

 women attended with swills (baskets), from which they put in 

 the manure by hand, and planted the potatoes. The plough 

 waited till this was performed, and then covered the seed by 

 another furrow, a third was laid against it, and the process re- 

 peated till enough were planted. No weeds were taken out, 

 and it may easily be imagined in what state the land would be 

 for receiving the next crop ! 



In 1805 Bailey and Culley state that "potatoes are cultivated 

 in one-bout ridges by almost every farmer, not only for the use 

 of their own families, but for sale, where the situation is not too 

 distant from a market. It is only upon the estate of Sir James 

 Graham,:]: at Netherby, that they are applied to feeding cattle 

 and swine ; and by Lord Muncaster to feeding cattle, who also 

 gives them to his horses." Since that date the cultivation had 



* About seventy years apo people went from far and near to view the large crop 

 of potatoes annually planted by Laird Dodgson, father of the present Mr. Dodgson, 

 of Koanstrees, in Bewcastle, he being the only one who planted more than he could 

 plough in a day ! 



+ Wooden or basket-work panniers slung over horses' backs. These Avere 

 emptied by pulling out wooden pins, which secured the bottoms of the panniers. 

 The person stood close to the horse's heels, and, reaching forward both hands, pulled 

 the pins out and let the contents fall. If both pins were not pulled out at the same 

 time the full side was sure to pull the empty side off. 



X The late Baronet. 



