Farming of the North Riding of Yorkshire. 
517 
4. The Mixed District. 
We liave now the difficulty of describing the farming of a 
variety of soils, altitudes, and situations, scattered over the moor- 
lands of the oolitic series, and the valleys traversing them, some, 
in a degree greater or lesser, covered with diluvium of a mixed 
character, and each division and subdivision being modified so as 
to present no great distinclive outline. In general, we may say, 
that the oolite of the East and the magnesian limestone of the 
South-West are under the four-course or convertible system, 
with more or less modifications ; the valleys of the lias partake of 
the strong Cleveland soil, while the vale of the Derwent from its 
source, the vales of the Rye and the Esk are more or less of a 
peaty character, and grow hardly any grain but oats, while the 
high elevation of the eastern moorlands leaves their valleys of the 
same character. The general course pursued is 1, turnips ; 2, 
oats ; 3, 4, seeds (kept two years in pasture) ; 5, oats. Some of 
these regions are so very exposed, and the climate above and the 
nearness of the water below render, in some years, the securing 
of the crops very difficult. The eastern moorlands lie a con- 
siderable height above the level of the sea : Black Hamilton 1246 
feet; Brotton Head, near Stokesley, 1485; Roseberry Top- 
ping, 1022; and the quantity of uncultivated hills and moors 
rising from 1000 to 2000 feet is said to amount to some 400,000 
acres. The turnips are chiefly consumed by sheep on the land, 
and the seeds eaten often by ewes from the lowlands in summer 
when the lambs are taken from them. The coolness and pastur- 
age are favourable, and they usually return in September or 
October in very excellent condition to be ready to put to the 
ram. 
Mr. Mauleverer has shown a specimen of what may be done in 
rendering productive even this moorland district, with all the dis- 
advantages of soil and climate, in his little model ' Ladye Chapel 
Farm,' where the sheep are being fed on what used to be the 
haunt of the wild mouse and the mole, and the luxuriant oats are 
waving before the wind that used to whistle through the whins 
and the heather. 
There are many spots, however, where science and skill have 
rendered various portions of this miscellaneous district near 
Kirby Moorside and Helmsley highly productive ; the estates of 
the Lord Feversham are well cultivated, on a strict alternate 
rotation, and, if it has a fault, it is in adhering somewhat per- 
tinaciously to the sowing of clover, and to one uniform adherence 
to the Norfolk system In the lowland portion, embracing the 
south-eastern part of the Riding, there are not a few instances 
of excellent farming: the farms of Mr. Wiley, of Brandsby, Mr. 
