354 
Isle of Wight. 
clover is first cut for liay, and then foci ; the white fed only. Sain- 
foin is grown on the down land. Farm-yard dung is applied to 
the clover leys, and artificials to turnips. It is said, that it remains 
yet to be discovered v/hat artificial manure suits No. 2 soil. 
Superphosphate hardly affects it.* The soil ought to be analysed. 
The average produce is of wheat 20 bushels, barley 30, oats 35, 
swedes 15 tons, clover and sainfoin 1 ton. 
The late Lord Yarborough was an agricultural benefactor to 
the whole of this district, much of which belonged to him, and 
in which his mansion of Appuldurcombe was situated. The 
steward of the present Lord Yarborough, too, is most highly 
spoken of, as ready to suggest and to promote any improvement. 
There is said to have been a very perceptible change for the better 
within the last few years. Ploughing with two horses, which is 
still very partially adopted, Avas unknown ten years' since, and 
turnip-cultivation has largely increased of late, 
(IL) We will now advance a little further north, and take a 
district having within its boundary line Godshill, Pagham, Black- 
water, Arreton, Hazeley, Newchurch, and Alverston, and includ- 
ing Rodway, Bangboume, and Hale. This is locally called " the. 
Bowl of the Island" and contains the best barley and turnip soil in 
it. The soils above and in " the Bowl " are : 1. Chalk on gravel, 
on the downs. 2. " Freestone " on the sides. 3. Red sand and 
brick earth loam, mixed, in the valley. Within the last twenty- 
five years peat used to be dug for fuel in a line from Pagham, 
through Merston to Blackwater, being the lowest part of the 
country ; but it has since been drained, and the peat has for the 
most part disappeared. The pipes used were necessarily of at 
least a 4-inch bore, or they got choked with " red water." Gravel 
so continuously caps St. George's Down, and all the downs about 
here, that they are called gravel, as distinguished from chalk 
downs. When you get over St. George's Down the soil is poorer, 
as, for instance, at a place called Sallons. 
Farms here are of all sizes, from 50 to 500 acres, chiefly ai-able, 
with pasture as before. The 4-field system prevails: the lands 
are 16 turn. A few tares on perhaps one-fifth of the wheat- 
stubbles may be taken as a catch-crop. The white straw and 
golden drop are the favourite Avhcats ; among turnips the green 
round is preferred, and for barley the Nottingham. There is no 
difference in the mode of consuming the two sorts of clover. 
The turnips are said to have degenerated within the last three 
years, and mangold are coming in. Autumn cultivation is little 
practised, except by such good farmers as Mr. Jacob and his son 
* I met -with instances of the same kind in the neighbourhood of Petersfield, 
Selboui-ne, and Alton. Superphosphate is said to do little or no good. I would 
observe that this soil, both ou the mainland and in the island, is on the grecnsaud. 
