292 
Farming of Hampshire. 
new foui-course, introduced from tte Wiltsliire downs, and now 
extensively prevalent among the best farmers in Hants for a 
portion (say one-third) of their arable : 1. Swedes ; 2. Turnips ; 
3. Wheat ; 4. Barley. Where, however, there are no water- 
meadows to provide hay, this system is not applicable ; and 
generally, in this case, a combination of the three four-courses 
mentioned above — the old rotation on better soils, the new, and 
the Wiltshire — is found very advantageous ; or the Wiltshire 
four may be made a five-course, by the addition of grass. On 
the pooref soils, rented at 15s. or 16s. an acre, free of tithes, 
another five-course is followed by liberal farmers: 1, Turnips; 
2. Wheat ; 3. Swedes ; 4. Barley ; 5. Grass. Where there is 
good strong land, and no restrictions by landlords, there is a 
three-year course : 1. Wheat ; 2. Swedes ; 3. Turnips, or turnips 
and rape, and then wheat again. This liberal system, which, of 
course, is available for a portion only of the farm, gives much 
wheat without the dung-cart, and also provides food for many 
sheep. 
But the changes which have been rung on rotations in the 
chalk district of Hampshire are infinite, and are only to be 
compared to the algebraic method of " variations and permuta- 
tions." All, however, have in view the same result — many 
sheep and much corn — and proceed on the same general principle 
of not having more than half the arable in corn, at any one time. 
The Wiltshire system requires, at starting, a considerable 
capital. A needy man cannot afford to begin with two green 
crops; he wants, before the third year, a corn-crop wherewith 
to pay his way. Still, at the end of eight or t\velve years this 
system is not more expensive than any other four-course system. 
The succession of barley after wheat is, of course, the pecu- 
liarity (common, however, to the old Hampshire method, and 
once probably prevalent on the downs in both counties), and 
with 'many would be the fatal objection, attaching to the Wilt- 
shire system. The answer, given by the most successful farmers 
in this county, attributes many advantages to this rotation ; no 
other, they say, provides better-distributed sheep-food, kinder 
barley, stronger wheat, more economical manuring, or morc» 
convenient cultivation. 
If barley follow swedes, the latter are in the way of the 
former ; the consumption of the roots must be quickened, or the 
barley-sowing season will be past. But time waits for no man ; 
so the fold is hurried, and the more haste the less speed. The 
farmer may be too late, after all his exertions. Besides, if the 
roots l)e gone early, and the spring be a little backward, what is 
to carry the flock on ? On the other hand, if another green crop 
follow the swedes, these may be fed off at leisure up to the 
