254 
Farming of Kent. 
I will commence by taking the district lying between Heine- 
hill and Reciilver, including the parishes of Seasalter, Blean, 
Whitstable, Heme, and their vicinities. The soil may be described 
as generally stiff, resting upon a heavy clay subsoil. The vege- 
table mould varies from 6 to 10 inches deep : in the lower grounds, 
however, it is considerably thicker. Nearly the whole of this dis- 
trict, like other portions of the London clay, requires draining, 
which has hitherto been but very partially effected. In the few 
cases where thorough-draining has been done, cultivation has in 
consequence been rendered much easier and cheaper, and the 
crops greatly increased ; ridges have been dispensed with, and 
but few furrows needed. Depth of drains from 2 to 3 feet, and 
from 20 to 35 feet asimder. It is difficult, in many places, to get 
a sufficient outfall without incurring a heavy expense, otherwise 
the draining might with very great advantage be made deeper. 
Rotation. — The following is the more usual course of cropping, 
although no system of rotation, here or in any other part of the 
county, is strictly adhered to: — 1. Tares; 2. Barley or canary ; 
3. Beans; 4. Wlieat; 5. Clover; 6. Wheat. Tares are usually 
made into hay, or cut green for soiling horses and cattle. They 
are sown broad-cast, 2^ to 3 bushels per acre. The process of 
making tares into hay is very similar to that of clover. The time 
for cutting them is when they are in full bloom ; and care must 
be taken to shake them about as little as possible, lest the leaf fall 
off. Being very succulent, the finest weather is required to make 
them into good hay. I have known excellent hay made of 
tares by merel}^ turning them in swathes, or allowing them to 
remain spread abroad tor a few days, and afterwards put into 
large cocks till they are ready for the stack. All kinds of stock 
are fond of tare-hay; and it is particularly adapted to horses and 
sheep — better perhaps than to milch-cows. It ought always to be 
cut before being given to cattle. Barley is not extensively grown, 
but is of good quality, averaging about 5 quarters per acre. 
Canary, which is cultivated for its seed for feeding cage-birds, 
large quantities of it being exported, is drilled in the month of 
March or April, with 6 gallons of seed per acre. This plant 
requires a rather close soil, as it is liable, on rich light land, to 
become root-fallen. It grows nearly as high as wheat ; and 
coming late to harvest, in September or October, the straw is fre- 
quently injured by exposure and rain, and used chiefly for litter, 
although the chafl' and offal are excellent food for horses. The 
crop is very uncertain, averaging perhaps 3 or 4 quarters per acre, 
while the price varies from SOs. to IOO5. per quarter, according to 
the amount of the crop. A considerable quantity of canary is 
grown all along this coast to the Isle of Thanet ; but its cultivation 
is considered to be on the decline, and to be an exhausting crop to 
