Agriculture of Nottinghamshire. 
23 
graziers of the Trent side district, where the permanent grass 
land offers a more suitable pasturage than the sheep-walks of 
their own. 
Premiums are given also for blood horses by the Agricultural 
Societies ; but they do not receive much attention from the ma- 
jority of farmers. With the late increased demand for good 
horses, both in the home market and on the continent, the pro- 
spect of remuneration in that department has been certainly equal 
to any other. The farmer looks, and not unwisely we presume, 
at the long period of five years, which must elapse before the 
animal is marketable, and also at a certain risk during that length 
of time, with perhaps an uncertain profit at the end of it. Any 
speculation which requires such a length of time to decide it, 
does not, we confess, present a very encouraging field to enter 
upon ; nevertheless, if the first principle of breeding be looked to, 
which is that " like produces like," and we were to expect good 
ones only from good ones, we believe that the uncertainty would 
be much lessened. 
The Yorkshire Wolds have been long regarded as the nursery 
for our best blood-horses, the breeding of which has there been 
considered lucrative, from its being confined to such horses only. 
The degree of success will depend much on the stallions intro- 
duced into the district being of first-rate character ; but as these 
are a class which can only be had for high prices, and which it 
does not suit the generality of breeders to supply, they must be 
introduced, if at all, by the wealthy and influential. 
Limestone District. 
The Western Division includes a district of limestone soil 
forming a narrow slip of land adjoining the county of Derby, to 
which it more properly belongs from the greater resemblance it 
bears to the soil of that county. It is described by Mr. Lowe as 
a "hungry limestone ;" and although some parts of it have been 
much improved by drainage and by the use of bone-manure, it is 
still wanting in that natural productiveness which distinguishes 
some limestone soils. The limestone contains a large amount of 
magnesia, which is alone sufficient to account for the want of na- 
tural fertility. 
The course of cropping on the dry and sound parts is, — 
1st year, turnips. 
2nd year, barley. 
3rd year, clover or peas. 
4th year, wheat. 
Sometimes oats are sown after the wheat ; but this is a practice 
which is decidedly objected to by the best farmers of the district. 
This dry and sound land may be cultivated with a prospect of 
