Farming of Dorsetsliirc. 
403 
and last year the crop of mangold was about 42 tons per acre ; 
swedes are sown on the flat. A flock of 350 ewes are kept, the 
whole of the slieep sold being in a fat condition. The tups are 
put out about 12tli Sept. The ewes seasoned in the first week 
are marked No. 1 ; those of the second week, No. 2, and so on. 
At the time of lambing they are taken into the yard in numerical 
order, to be under the eye of the sliepherd ; and it has happened 
invariably that since this plan has been followed — 12 or 16 years 
— at shearing time, a greater number of lambs were living than 
there had been ewes put to tlie ram. As many as from 400 to 
500 pigs are kept on the farm. 
In the five-field course a portion of the ley ground is some- 
times broken up and sown to rape and turnips. Mr. J. A. 
Damen, who occupies a chalk farm near to the Bagshot sands at 
Winfrith, says it is not unusual to let the sheep run over the 
clover after the barley is off ; but it pulls up the plant, and 
the clover is not half so good in the ear. Some sow it after the 
barley, and give it a tine with the harrows ; but he thinks it best 
to sow it with the barley, give it one tine and a rolling. Italian 
rye is sometimes grown in this neighbourhood, instead of clover : 
it comes very early in the spring, and the young lambs can be 
put upon it a month before the clovers are ready for them. " We 
very often," says Mr. Damen, " have lambs upon it in January 
and February. I have fed it twice ; then cut it for hay ; then 
seeded it, and had 40 bushels of seed per acre." A good deal 
of fat beef and many sheep are grazed in this district, and it is 
computed that where one bullock was grazed twenty years ago 
there are now a score fattened. The consumption of oil-cake, is 
very large ; and artificial manures are extensively applied. 
Mr. Thomas Homer Saunders, of Watercombe, who gained 
the 30/. cup this year for the largest number of stock and the 
greatest quantity of corn of tlie best quality shown on the farm 
before harv^est, pursues a system peculiar to himself, by which 
he is enabled to keep a very large quantity of stock, and to take 
three corn crops in six years. The foundation of his system is 
keeping the ground constantly in action, and growing amazing 
quantities of good food, whilst bringing the land into the best 
possible condition for wheat. Mr. Saunders occupies about 900 
acres of light land, 700 of which are chiefly on the chalk, and 
the remainder are very poor heath. 
Upon \V atercombe Farm the following course is observed : 
J. Wheat. 
2. Barley (stubble sown v/ith vetches). 
3. Turnips or swedes. 
4. Barley with 
5. Clover. 
6. Clover. 
