88 
Account of Shepherd's Corner Farm. 
ploughing- and harrowing", 12s.; the produce early in April will 
probably not exceed a ton per acre, al ter which period seeds are 
preferable. 
An additional 27s. expended in bone manure for swedes would 
produce far more weight of better food, and at much less cost. 
Vetches, too, are a very dear green crop, and often throw the 
land out of condition. Rape may be obtained early enough to 
feed before the seeds begin to fail : thus the land gets the advan- 
tage of the winter fallow, which all light land requires to make it 
retain moisture in the summer; and it gives plenty of time in the 
spring to clean the land. Whatever rape is fed oft" in July may 
be sown again with Scotch yellow turnips, and will produce a 
good crop for the spring. This is the only extra crop tliat I have 
ever found beneficial. 
In conclusion, I would observe that the welfare of the popula- 
tion at large must rise or fall with the adoption or rejection of the 
best system of cultivation. 
liushall Down Farm, Sa/ishtiri/ Plain, Devizes, 
February 22nd, 1843. 
VIII. — Account of ShephercV s Corner Farm, in Dorsetshire. 
By Lord Portman. 
In compliance with the wish which has been expressed to me, 
I send a statement in detail of my operations on a portion of 
land which I have brought into cultivation. I hope that it may 
afford some useful information to landlords and tenants ; for 
although it may alarm some tenants, it may show some landlords 
the expense of improving land and the length of time requisite 
to remunerate the tenant who wishes to deal fairly by the land. 
The history of the undertaking is shortly as follows : — The 
pressure on the farmers and labourers in this neighbourhood 
consequent on the panic of 1826, induced me to endeavour to 
lessen the suffering of the labourers and to check the increase 
of the poor-rates by devising a scheme for cultivating by spade- 
husbandry a portion of land of about 200 acres, known by the 
name of Durweston Common, the habitation of foxes and rab- 
bits, which was producing furze, fern, and a scanty portion of 
sheep-feed, giving a rent of 2s. Gd. per acre. The tenant having 
declined to perform the work on the terms proposed by me, I took 
the land into my own hands; I divided field No. 1 into a number 
