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Continental Farming. 
This would be an easy matter, as the subsoil is very porous, 
and the drains would be effectual placed forty or fifty yards 
apart ; after which improvement this would be the most fertile 
district of fifty miles extent in the country, and an honour as well 
as a mine of wealth to the owners. The soil gradually changed 
to a good loam, and, though not quite so wet, would be much 
improved by drainage. This district is as well farmed as is 
possible without enclosure and drainage, producing tolerably good 
crops of wheat, oats, peas, beans, clover, and fallow for green crops. 
It is distressing to see land of such capabilities enjoying an 
excellent climate, and occupied by a race of first-rate fanners, 
and yet remaining unimproved for want of a moderate outlay of 
capital. After passing Brunswick there is a district of beautiful 
undulating upland, soil dry light loam of great fertility ; there is 
a considerable tract of low fenny marsh by the river-side, which, 
if drained, would be extraordinary land either as grass or tillage, 
could the river be deepened so as to keep the water three or four 
feet below the surface : in fact, as it is, wherever the water lies two 
feet below the surface, it is in tillage producing excellent crops. 
This district is not enclosed, but the farming first rate. Large 
flocks of sheep are kept and folded upon green crops, also large 
herds of cattle grazing the marshes, which extend to about a tenth 
of the district. The crops grown are wheat, barley, a few oats, 
tares, peas, beans, clover, and sugai-beet : the management of 
this crop is truly excellent. We saw gangs of hoers from five to 
sixty-four in number ; I was informed that three represented a 
hundred acres English, therefore the farms are from one hundred 
and fifty acres to upwards of two thousand. The homesteads are 
large and substantial, and, with their steam-engines and tall 
chimneys, are an imposing sight to the lovers of agricultural 
improvement. 
1 think this (notwithstanding the want of enclosure and drain- 
age of the marshes) is perhaps the best-farmed district I have 
seen. The horses used are nearly thorough-bred, and their rapid 
movements, combined with the activity of their labourers, form 
a strong contrast with the sleepy smockfrocks of our southern 
counties. Nearly the whole of the crops are drilled and horse- 
hoed in this district, and a weed or a square yard of waste land is 
a rare thing to meet with. 
Farmers here are wealthy, as such men ought to be. There 
appears to be considerable improvement going on in the breed of 
cattle and sheep, from care and attention being paid to the selec- 
tion of breeding animals, and rearing and keeping them upon more 
nutritious food. The same description of land and farming 
continues for many miles after passing Magdeburg ; then the 
soil gradually changes from light loam to very light poor sand of 
