0)1 Bicakin(j-vp Doun Lciul. 
81 
years I certainly had the worst crops iinaginabic : wheat and 
barley, little more than the seed again; oats, about 4 quarters per 
acre, under 30 lbs. per bushel; grass seeds would not grow, the 
land was so light — indeed, such clouds of dust frequently blew 
from the land, that sheep could not pasture near it. The im- 
proving state of the farm, from the turnip system and artificial 
grasses, fed green, is now apparent : 7 quarters per acre of oats 
are easily attained, and of good quality. The present rent and 
tithe (though too high for the times) is IS^-. per acre — at least 
lour times its original value. 
I beg to give you another instance of down-land, of a stronger 
and better description, being brought into the Northern system 
of cultivation by Mr. Brough, of Shaw Farm, near Marlborough. 
He has boned his land to a very considerable extent ; and his 
turnips, thus managed, have invariably been a great crop. It is 
his oj)inion, that were the system of two corn-crops in succession, 
and ol mowing the seeds for hay instead of pasturing with sheep, 
done away with, the land would become more certain for turnips, 
particularly swedes, than in the north. He has also grown lin- 
seed with success ; for which he considers the lightest of the Downs 
particularly adapted. He thus obtains a substitute for oil-cake, 
the carriage on which from London renders it very dear. Linseed 
is sown, instead of barley or oats, in the Spring. He has brought 
into cultivation the whole of his down-pasture, and is enabled, by 
artificial grasses, to keep more sheep in summer, and much better 
than in its original state. But his greatest advantage is in the 
winter : a good turnip system, in lieu of hay, enabling him to pro- 
vide food for many more sheep at a far less cost, as well as keep- 
ing them in a much higher state of condition.* In short, the 
farm will bear comparison with the rich land of the neighbour- 
hood, considered of twice the value. 
I am fully aware that there are many obstacles to be sur- 
mounted before the inestimable plan of cultivating the doAvns can 
become general. The farmer who has had a sufficient tract of 
pasture-land to manure other land, not only without cost, but at a 
considerable profit, will not consider his position benefited by 
losing the sheep- dung from the down; and that, as a substitute, 
he must expend many hundreds per annum in artificial manures, 
* Tlie reason why those who have been accustomed to feed their sheep 
chielly on hay consider that food indispensable is, that on turnips alone 
sheep cannot fast nor travel, but must have a constant supply day and 
niglu : a shepherd accustomed to dry food would of course be ignorant of the 
manatjcment of sheep fed on turnips only; without plenty, at all times, they 
would do much worse than on hay, and in all probability the loss would be 
great : but if the art of keeping sheep well on tui nips without dry food cannot 
be acquired, let corn in the straw be cut into chaft", and not sacrifice the best 
grass of the farm.— Th. Walkden. 
VOL. TV. G 
