Sir R. iSimeon — Mr. Uuykcs. 
365 
It is too early clays yet to speak of successful results. But 
endeavours after success, such as tliese, deserve all honourable 
mention, and the hearty good wishes of the entire community, 
whether consumers or producers. 
The late Sir Richard Simeon, in the north-western division, 
was a most enlightened benefactor to his neighljours and to the 
whole of the north of the island. Animated by a generous 
public spirit, he made experiments, probably most costly to 
himself, certainly most instructive to those who had the wisdom 
to profit by them. To no proprietor do the agriculturists of this 
island owe a deeper debt of gratitude. He drained at various 
depths — 2J, 3J, and 4 feet — and found the deepest drains draw 
best even in the stifFest clays. He next introduced an im- 
proved rotation on the Swainston estate : 1, turnips ; 2, green 
crop ; 3, Avheat ; 4, seeds ; 5, oats or beans, with a winter fallow. 
The turnips are, part of them, hauled home, the rest just un- 
rooted with the picker, to prevent their drawing the land, and 
consumed by sheep. Spring tares, or some green crop, follow, and 
being folded off, the land is left in good heart for wheat. The 
seeds are rolled in at spring. The superiority of this system is 
evident. There is a break between the tw*o white straw crops ; 
there is no expensive open fallow ; and, the land being in good 
heart through the sheep, less farmyard-dung is required. The 
expense is one quarter less, and the produce half as much again. 
And yet the example does not spread among the old residents ; 
there is hardly a farm now so managed off the Swainston 
property. 
The " characteristic " farmers hitherto mentioned are their own 
landlords ; but there some good tenant farmers in the north-west : 
such are Mr. Barrington, of Thorley, who has brought with him 
from Devonshire, two herds of Devons, dairy cows and steers ; 
Messrs. Shepherd, of New Barn ; and Mr. Cheverton, of Shal- 
fleet ; but for an improving farmer, where improvement is most 
wanted on indifferent land, general reputation points to Mr. 
Alfred Hughes, of Thorness. His used to be one of the most 
neglected and despised farms in the Island ; it was actually let, 
four years since, at 7s. per acre, and, in its unimproved state, 
with its poor buildings, was not cheap at that rate. The then 
occupier of 460 acres fared and lived like a labourer. It has since 
been drained, partly by the tenant, and buildings have been 
erected, of which a candid critic would say, that their imposing 
appearance is at least equal to their practical utility. 
The characteristic of Mr. Hughes's management may be said 
to be, the skill with which he rapidly slips into the ordinary 
four course rotation, by means of stolen crops. Climate helps 
him much, but not more than his neighbours, whereas his soil is 
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