298 
Farming of Kent. 
and comparatively unproductive pasture will be broken up. The 
principal portion of the arable land lies nearly central in and 
about Ivychurch and Newchurch. Here also the soil is very 
various, changing within small distances from a heavy clay to a 
sand or gravel. The mould, however, is in general happily 
constituted for the purposes of culture, to a depth of from one to 
upwards of two feet. The subsoil frequently consists of alternating 
strata of clay, sand, and gravel. Springs of pretty good water at 
moderate depths occur in some parts ; but as a whole the marsh 
must be considered deficient in this first essential element of life. 
Most of the stifFland, both arable and pasture, would be improved by 
draining. Where this means of improvement has been employed 
the drains have been usually made 3 feet deep on arable, and 
from 20 to 30 inches on pasture land ; in the latter case the sod 
has been commonly used, and has been found to be efficient for at 
least a dozen years. In clay subsoils on arable land, straw, wood, 
and bushes have been employed, but these materials are necessarily 
perishable ; and tiles, since they have been lowered in cost, have 
been pretty generally introduced. The general price for laboiu* 
only in making drains of 3 feet depth is Ad. a rod. A large 
portion of the marsh does not require this mode of improvement. 
The implements in general use are those common to the county, 
and heretofore described. Much of the land being of heavy cul- 
tivation, 4 horses are usually employed in ploughing, depth from 
G to 7 inches, and three-quarters of an acre in winter is considered 
a good day's work. Drilling and hand-hoeing are universal; still 
the ground is peculiarly liable to the growth of weeds, the great 
pest of marsh husbandry. On some farms cropping has been 
incessant for many years, the straw sold ofiF, and little or no ma- 
nure applied. This system cannot be carried on for a series of 
years without lowering the standard of fertility even of the richest 
alluvial soils, and accordingly this result is to be seen in those 
lands that have been subjected to such treatment in Romney 
Marsh. 
The system of cropping is beans or peas and wheat every alter- 
nate year, substituting occasionally oats and turnips. The latt>cr 
are generally drawn and carted off the field, either for the con- 
sumption of cattle in yards or sold off, tlie soil not being generally 
adapted for folding. The most commonly approved varieties of 
wheat are the Salmon and Rattling Jacli as red wheats, while 
for white there are the New Hoary and Spencer, with several 
other sorts more or less cultivated. Wheat produces on this soil 
straw disproportionate to grain, which is not of the best quality : 
average, from 4 to 5 qrs. per acre. Of barley very little is grown, 
and not many oats. The most common and productive sorts of 
the latter are the Poland, Potato, and the Scotch : average 7 or 
