290 
Farming of Buckinghamshire. 
clover a second time, and the practice is in no way condemned, 
as a supply of winter provender in the shape of hay is essential. 
An average crop of the artificial grasses may be 25 cwt. on the 
Chiltern Hills, and it increases from that quantity to 2 tons of 
clover hay per acre, which is produced on the very best lands. 
Ryegrass is grown on peaty and fresh broken grounds ; it is con- 
sidered bad for clay soils. Sainfoin will grow almost all over the 
chalk district, and on the stone-brash of the north. Its cultiva- 
tion is more common than it was in 1809, and yet not half so 
general as it might be ; and though some good farmers make it 
a part of their rotation, there are many poor farms with calcareous 
subsoils where not an acre is seen. On the Chiltern range many 
steep and chalky banks which, with expensive tillage, yield 
meagre crops, would under sainfoin produce lots of hay and sheep- 
keep at very little cost. Sainfoin was formerly kept down eight or 
ten years ; now the usual term seldom exceeds three or four years. 
The clover-ley is usually ploughed but once for wheat, tihough 
in some instances on heavy lands, directly the first cut is re- 
moved, it is broken up for a bastard fallow. This is a very 
good plan where land is foul or subject to the ravages of the slug. 
Some^ bean stubbles are prepared for wheat by being simply 
skimmed or pared. A good portion of the wheat on the hilly 
and retentive soils is still sown broad-cast, but in the north and 
south drilling is general. There are a few dibbling machines 
which do their work well and give great satisfaction. They 
generally dibble five or six pecks of wheat, and the parties who 
possess these implements also plant most of their spring corn 
with them. The quantity of seed wheat depends on the land, 
the season, and the mode of sowing. When land is in good 
heart, one bushel by some is considered sufficient in October, 
but on wet and poor land seldom less than two bushels is planted. 
On sandy and light gravelly soils it is found a good plan to fold 
the land after the wheat is planted, and before it is up ; and on 
moist soils solidity of the flag is obtained by clod-crushers and 
wheel-pressers. The season of wheat-sowing is much later than 
it was in 1809 ; then, on the elevated part of the chalk hills, wheat 
was sown before the old crop was reaped. Now, in the uphill 
country, they begin in September, and in other parts of the 
county the planting is extended to the middle of November. 
The south of the county is celebrated for producing some splendid 
samples of Chidham wheat ; but like all fine wheats it is a shy 
yielder, and much of the Barvvell-red and similar wheats are 
grown instead. On the light lands of the other parts of Bucks 
the Spalding and red Lammas are mostly grown, while on the clays 
the Hopetoun and old Suffolk appear favourite white varieties. 
The yield of wheat on good clays and mixed loams is considered 
