Natural Divisions. 
355 
of Hazely. Some prefer to g;row couch on their wheat-stubbles for 
the ewes to run over. But ahogether the farming here is the best 
in the ishmd. The produce is at least ten per cent, above that in 
the south. 
(III.) In the soutli-icest about Brook, and thence towards Shor- 
well, there is a good wheat soil above the weald clay ; but the 
district is much exposed to the south-westerly gales. The lands 
here are 8 turn. The clay is red, and there is a sufficient surface 
soil. About Kingston the soil is shallower ; but it has been 
nearly doubled in value of late years by the use of artificial 
manures, and the consequent growth of turnips and increase in 
the number of sheep. Mr. Morris is the chief improver here. 
He has brought into cultivation land not originally worth 5s. an 
acre, and laid it out in fields of forty and fifty acres each. He 
has drained extensively, chalked and sheeped his land largely. 
.He was the first farmer who used a steam threshing-machine in 
the island, and now he has all the approved implements. A man 
of foresight, enterprise, and courage, he is spoken of as the father 
of agricultural improvement in the island. 
(IV.) Throughout the south, the sheep are for the most part of 
the old island breed, horned, and lambing early like the Dorsets. 
About 50 ewes are lambed on 100 acres. Their constitutions are 
supposed to be hardier than those of the Hampshire Downs. 
When the ewes are put to Down rams, the lambs come to maturity 
earlier. For sending fat lambs to the London market, Good 
Friday is thought a lucky starting day. The ewes when done 
with are sold out to the lower-land farmers in the middle of the 
island for grazing purposes. The smaller occupiers and those 
off the chalk do not keep a breeding flock, but buy in, either 
from breeders on the island or at Weyhili and other fairs on the 
mainland, Bridgewater or Dorset ewes. The horned lamb is 
worth 2s. a head less than the black-faced, when they appear 
together in competition ; but the chance of the former lies in his 
priority. In the spring and summer there may be one sheep to 
an acre ; but as the lambs are fatted off, or old ewes sold, the 
number is reduced by one-half towards the end of September. 
For dairy purposes Alderneys are kept on the best farms, but 
generally half-breds of some kind, such as the island cow (a sort 
of " Forester "), crossed slightly with Shorthorns. Captain Pel- 
ham had at Yard Farm a fine herd of Shorthorn cows ; but they 
were not continued. For grazing purposes Devons and Short- 
horns are preferred ; but only the best farmers graze, and they 
say it pays now better than formerly. Nearly all grazing cattle 
are imported. Devon oxen are often worked and grazed after- 
wards. Cheese is made in the south — whole skim, ( Vectice) " Isle 
of Wight rock." There is a fable, that a ship being freighted 
