286 
Farminrp^of Hampshire. 
months old. For three years past Mr. Bone has purchased these 
at Britford Fair, of Mr. James Eawlence, of Wilton. There 
used to be a practice for the great flockmasters in the down 
districts to send their chilver tegs for six winter months' keep 
(from the beginning of October to the beginning of April) to the 
vale country, paying from 7.s'. to 10s. per head. The practice 
was nearly universal thus to take in sheep for keep, but of late 
years the vale farmers have preferred purchasing their own stock 
and fatting it out. The greater increase also, on the downs, of 
winter food, by means of increased turnip cultivation, may have 
induced the flockmasters there simultaneously to acquiesce in 
keeping their sheep at home. 
There is no difference observable between the farming on the 
Avon below Fordingbridge, and that on the Stour. 
Much of the high ground about the Stour valley, and thence 
to the western boundaries of the county, and along the sea-coast, 
is covered with gravel, and extensively planted with fir. The 
trees do not grow large, but are stout enough for props in coal- 
mines, and such like purposes. They are sold on the ground, 
and shipped at Christchurch for their destination. The excel- 
lent judgment of the late Lord Malmesbury originated these 
plantations. 
On the Avon, the water-meadows above Fordingbridge, and 
the flood-meadows below, and on the Stour the flood-meadows 
(though, in their present unimproved state, the flood-meadows 
on both rivers are less serviceable than they might be), alike 
encourage dairying, which was once almost universal. The cow 
is the usual nondescript animal, naturalized to the soil, hardy in 
constitution, and good for milk, but bad for the butcher. The 
shorthorns, it is said, would be too heavy, and would " poach " 
the meadows ; the pure Channel Islands are not hardy enough. 
Butter and cheese are made ; the night's milk is skimmed for 
butter the following morning, and then mixed with the morning's 
milk for the cheese-tub. This is called half-skim cheese, and 
sells for %d., or this year 8rf., per lb. ; but wJiole-sk\m cheese is 
more usually made. Dairies are sometimes let at from 8/. to 97. 
per annum per cow ; but deductions have often to be made at 
quarter-day, which upset all calculations. Whether let or in 
hand, dairying is not profitable, except to the small occupier who 
is his own labourer. The breed is improved, the condition of 
the land raised, and more profit derived, from a combined system 
of rearing, dairying, and fatting, than from either system taken 
separately. Inferior meadow-land, deficient in the properties 
necessary for dairy " goods," is yet useful for rearing, and will 
even lay on fat as well as flesh. 
