32 
Ayrimlture of Berkshire. 
It will be seen by ihe subjoined plan that the buildings are 
extremely convenient ; they do not perhaps present to the eye 
so compact and uniform an appearance as some others, but 
in their selection great practical judgment has been displayed 
without any useless expenditure of money. They afford good 
accommodation for a considerable quantity of stock, and facilities 
for making a great deal of manure ; consequently they are pecu- 
liarly adapted for large arable-land farms. There is stable-room 
for 16 hoi-ses, with water turned on in each stall from a pond at 
a considerable elevation above, which supplies the whole farm- 
stead. The manure is taken from the stables into an adjoining 
yard, which is open, but provided with a shed ; it is here mixed 
and trodden down by the young cow-stock. There are also loose 
boxes for 42 beasts ; a commodious cowhouse, with open and 
spacious yard ; piggeries, well arranged, with breeding-styes 
opening into a yard with shed. Here are to l)e seen the much- 
wanted rick-sheds, which I shall refer to elsewhere. 
The machinery, which is by Messrs. Clayton and Shuttleworth, 
is very superior, and the arrangement for thrashing, grinding, pulp- 
ing, bruising, chaffcutting, &c., on the upper floor is very con- 
venient. The farm horses are good, they are bred on the pro- 
perty, and are slightly crossed with the Flemish blood. About 
200 head of superior short-horn cattle are kept for dairy and 
grazing purposes ; a dry flock of 600 sheep, to fold on the land, and 
pigs of the improved Berkshire breed. The implements are of the 
best description ; Scotch carts are used instead of waggons, and 
Smith's steam-plough has worked on the property for some time 
with most satisfactory results. The attention which is being 
paid to the dwellings of the poor on the estate and to many other 
improvements connected with them, which the short residence 
of Mr. Benyon on his property has only enabled him partially to 
caiTy out, characterises him as one among that body of English 
landlords of whom the farmers of this country are justly proud. 
I have to thank Mr. Benyon for the plan with which he has 
kindly furnished me, and for the information he has allowed me 
to obtain. 
Homesteads and Manure. 
To say that the homesteads of Berkshire are good and in 
most respects well maintained is no more than correct, but the 
site of many of them is far from well chosen, nor do they 
in all cases meet the requirements of the several occupations. 
In such instances the misfortune is that they are too good to pull 
down and of little value as they stand ; for, under the present 
system of farming, it is impossiljle to cultivate the land to the 
best advantage with a misplaced or badly-ananged farmstead. 
