Pitchill, Tilesford, and the Grove. 
485 
vetches and otlier green crops during summer, getting also 
a little cake. In the winter they are put on roots at I'itchill, as 
just described, and are worked off by about the end of February, 
being clipped and either sent to fairs or sold at home. 
From 800 to lOOO sheep are kept at Tilesford and the Grove 
during the summer, 200 being ewes and lambs, and the remainder 
older feeding sheep. They go there as soon as the vetches are 
ready, and remain there until the green food is exhausted, when 
they are taken to their winter quarters at Pitchill. 
It will thus be seen that the system of farming pursued by 
Mr. Bomford is almost entirely regulated by the necessity of pro- 
viding a large quantity of sheep-food on his light land during the 
winter. He is enabled to do this without losing any corn crop 
by the almost exclusive and very prompt use of steam-cultivating 
machinery ; and he makes it a rule to increase the quantity of 
artificial food given to his sheep while these " catch-crops " 
are being fed off as the season advances, so that the less time 
he allows to the succeeding crop the more artificial stimulus he 
gives to it. 
Pigs. 
About 60 pigs, of the Yorkshire breed, are annually fed on 
pulped and boiled mangolds, mixed with flour in a hot state. 
They are usually sold at 12 months old, weighing from 12 to 
16 score. 
Horses. 
Mr. Bomford's farms being cultivated almost entirely by 
steam-power, the number of horses has been reduced to a 
minimum, and only a sufficient staff is kept to do the harvesting 
work, cart the dung, and so forth. The consequence is that a 
large proportion of the stables have been converted into boxes 
for feeding beasts. 
The number now kept to do the work on 1360 acres, mostly 
consisting of the strongest clay land, is thirty, being exactly two- 
thirds of what would be required without steam-cultivation. 
Mr, Bomford considers, however, that it would be impossible 
for any number of horses to do the same work and produce the 
same results as the steam-ploughing machinery. In summer the 
horses are fed on vetches and clover ; and in winter they have 
an allowance each of 200 lbs. of corn per month, with 3 cwt. of 
hay, and an unlimited supply of chaff, «Scc. They are worked 
indifferently in line or abreast as circumstances require. 
Manures. 
The manure made in the feeding stalls is spread over that in 
the foldyards, so that when drawn the two may be thoroughly 
