494 
Farming of Devonshire, 
fatten best in the colder districts of the county ; but in the south 
of Devonshire the South Hams cattle excel them in this respect. 
The conflicting opinions as to the superiority of different breeds 
of cattle and sheep arise very much from this adaptation to climate 
not being sufficiently considered. The almost exclusive attention 
paid to the rearing of cattle is probably the cause of the extremely 
injurious course of cropping so generally adopted. When the 
farmer is anxious to obtain a few crops of corn, he prepares his 
land as quickly as possible. A crop of roots having been raised 
and either partially or entirely consumed on the land, he sows his 
first corn-crop, which is generally wheat. This is followed in im- 
mediate succession by barley and oats ; the land, being then too 
much impoverished for another remunerating corn-crop, is laid 
down in grass, as the cheapest mode of recovering from the 
injuries such an injudicious mode of cropping has occasioned. 
Whilst the land is under tillasre it is his endeavour to obtain the 
largest returns of corn at the least possible expense, and he would 
be justified in the attempt did he also remember another prin- 
ciple of good farming — of doing it with the least injury to the 
land. This, however, is quite lost sight of, and the poor pastur- 
age which the land afterwards yields fails to convince him of its 
importance. 
Agricultural Improvements. — The remote position of this 
county and the pecuniary circumstances of a large proportion of 
the farmers prevent any extensive intercourse with the better 
farmed districts of England. Moreover, a large number of 
Devonshire agriculturists reside on their own estates, and being 
in easy circumstances have little spur for improvement. Another 
cause — the defective education of young farmers — is more radical 
and influential. If a youth is destined to be a tradesman, he 
receives a good foundation for his after attainments ere he leaves 
school; if for a farmer, the mere elements of knowledge are con- 
sidered sufficient. Happily that day is now passing away, and 
will in future be known only on the page of history. Agriculture 
is now to be looked upon not only as an art but also as a science, 
not separated by that boundary which has hitherto existed to the 
injury of both, but united in the practice of the same individual ; 
and thus their contending animosities will now be devoted to the 
subjugation of ignorance and their mutual promotion. Give the 
rising generation of farmers a better education, encourage them 
to avail themselves of the advantages which the labours of scientific 
men have placed within their reach, and you adopt the surest 
means of removing the prejudices now so predominant. Until 
verv recently, to gain a knowledge of the sciences connected with 
agriculture was a task encompassed with difficulties which few 
could surmount ; but the establishment of the Royal Agricultural 
