Farming of the North Riding of Yorkshire. 499 
definite system of culture prevails. This is not difficult to 
account for. If we take the Vale of Pickerino: and the Ryedale 
Valley, we have the authority of Dr. Buckland for stating, that if 
it were not for the pass at Malton, the whole of the two valleys 
would be an extensive lake. A state of things like this will ne- 
cessarily induce a great variety of soils. In some cases the stag- 
nant water and decayed vegetables will form a deep stratum of 
peat, and cover the original rock for several feet ; in another, the 
calcareous matter will be washed over in irregular degrees by the 
streams flowing down the precipices, while in others the alumi- 
nous matter will, from the same cause, preponderate ; and thus we 
have every modification of cultivation, antl all attempts to classify 
here, would be attended only with confusion, because so many 
different plans of cultivation and so many such divisions would 
be discernible, that it would be best described by saying it is 
without any system at all. 
With a view to classify as far as possible, we will take, first, 
the four-course system of husbandry, as adopted on the red sand- 
stone series, and where near the surface, on the magnesian lime- 
stone and millstone grit ; secondly, the two-crop and fallow sys- 
tem, as pursued on the lias and a portion of the oolite; thirdly, 
the grass management on the hill-sides and valleys; and, fourthly, 
the medley of cultivation adopted in districts where, from varieties 
of soil, aspect, or the prevalence of stagnant water, scarcely any 
definite system can be said to apply to any one considerable tract 
of surface. 
1 . The Sand and Gravel District. 
This stands out prominently as the best cultivated part of 
the Riding. Whether taken as yielding the largest portion of 
produce — every year bearing its crop, and every crop being 
productive — or in its keeping its large quantities of stock, and 
feeding this stock, and withal maintaining itself in a state of 
fertility, we may s.ay that few instances more generally creditable 
can be said to occur. Some eighty years ago, or less, this soil 
was considered not only unfavourable to the growth of wheat, but 
it was scarcely ever attempted. Rye, or at most rye and a slight 
mixture of wheat called maslln after fallow, and oats followed, 
and then fallow again. Occasionally a crop of peas intervened 
instead of the oats, where the soil was in a state peculiarly favour- 
able. Now, however, there are no open fallows, but the rotation 
pursued is — turnips, first year ; barley, second year ; seeds, third 
year ; wheat, fourth year. 
Wheat. — Taking the last-named crop as being the one spe- 
cially introduced by agricultural improvement first — the wheat. 
It may be observed that the usual preparation for wheat is the 
