Continental Farmhifj. 
147 
Weser side, winding our way through the pass worn by the 
inightv waters through the mountain-chain ; the rock, which is 
mountain limestone overhvying tlie Silurian, is tilted up almost 
vertically, dipping south-west. Leaving this mountain, which 
is but a narrow ridge, behind us, we entered a beautiful district 
of good light loamy soil, all under cultivation, except the moun- 
tain forests, and a succession of meadows tliat are greatly 
damaged by the too frequent and lengthened flooding of the river. 
This district is enclosed, and sheep extensively kept folding 
upon green crops, also grazing the meadows, where they are 
followed by the shepherd, who makes them all eat abreast, clear- 
ing the ground as they advance ; thus they are not allowed to 
trample their food into the ground. The breed of sheep, as far 
as I could judge, are Merinos. The crops are good, and the land 
as clean as a garden. After passing Minden the soil improves 
to a good sandy loam, producing good crops of wheat, barley, 
oats, a little rye, beans, tares, clover, with about a sixth fallow 
for beet and turnips. The country is here enclosed, and the 
farming exceedingly good. 
Next came a flat of strong clay, surrounded by hills, which 
are light land ; about one-third of this district is forest and 
pasture ; the pastuie is generally enclosed, and the cultivated 
land open field. The farming is not good on this land ; indeed 
the want of enclosure and drainage renders it impossible to farm 
it to advantage. The crops grown are wheat, wheat and rye 
mixed, oats, beans, rapesced, clover, and about one-eighth fallow. 
The only thing required to make this district one of great fertility 
is enclosure and thorough drainage, after which it would be 
extraordinary wheat and bean land. The pastures are grazed 
by rather a useful sort of cattle and sheep, which, if properly 
selected for breeding, would soon become good stock. 
From Wunstrof we crossed a district of poor light soil, about 
one-third of which is forest, above a third poor pasture, and the 
rest cultivated, producing rye, oats, peas, rapeseed, clover, fallow, 
and a few potatoes ; the farming is bad, tliough the people ap - 
pear industrious and anxious to get on, but they are sunk too 
deep in the mire of poverty to raise themselves. I stopped at 
Hanover for the night, and next morning we entered a district of 
black peaty silicious soil, upon either chalk or soft white lime- 
stone subsoil, standing full of water to the surface. In general, 
about one-sixth is forest, two-thirds wretched pasture, the rest 
tillage, producing rye, oats, barley, beans, peas, clover, and a 
small quantity of fallow : the farming very inferior, and the 
farmers poor as the crops they grow. Wherever the water is 
drained off two feet below the surface, the crops are good, thus 
showing what would be the result of deep and efTectual draining. 
L 2 
