On the Farming of Essex. 
3 
wet state, and does not recover this poaching (as it is termed) until 
again pulverised by frost. The nature of the soil almost of neces- 
sity precludes the growth of green winter crops for cattle, not 
from the soil being incapable of producing them, but because the 
damage caused to the land by removing them in winter is so great 
as almost to prevent their being grown to advantage ; and it is only 
within a few years that the attempt has been made ; but since 
early swede turnips and mangold-wurzel have become more fre- 
quent in cultivation on clay land, they have to some extent been 
introduced into these districts, and upon some of the soils of 
deepest staple succeed well ; white turnips are also grown to some 
extent, and of late the cattle kept, which are few in comparison 
with those upon districts of lighter land, have advantages beyond 
their predecessors of the last century ; for at that period barley- 
straw formed almost the only staple of cattle food from November 
to May, not only for neat stock, but for horses also. A better 
system of management is now generally introduced ; the growth of 
root crops, the yard feeding of sheep in winter, and the consump- 
tion of green crops in summer, added to a system of burning the 
soil (now prevalent throughout the district), has, in many instances, 
changed the nature of the soil, and in no part of the kingdom can 
any be found that will make a greater return for high farming. The 
application of manure, whether from the farmyard or otherwise, 
increases not only bulk in straw, but quantity and quality also in 
the grain, and, from the retentive nature of the soil, manure conti- 
nues to benefit for several years after its application. 
The soil is, from the great quantity of calcareous matter it con- 
tains, particularly adapted for the growth of barley, which for 
quality and malting properties is not excelled by any in the king- 
dom. This barley is principally sold to maltsters at Stortford,. 
Sawbridgeworth, &c., and is sold in London under the denomina- 
tion of Ware malt, taking that name from Ware in Hertfordshire, 
a market town standing in a district of similar soil. 
The wheat grown in this district is mostly of the coarser de- 
scription, and is either the common red or brown wheat in all its 
varieties, or the revit or bearded wheat, of which there are also 
several varieties ; the latter is of a coarse description, but more pro- 
ductive than either of the varieties of common wheat, and succeeds 
the others in ripening ; it was at one period in repute for making a 
description of flour called " cowens," used by the bakers for 
making up their dough, and also by millers for mixing with other 
descriptions of wheat, as might be requisite in particular seasons, 
as from its lateness in coming to the sickle it has not unfre- 
quently happened that whilst the earlier wheat has been affected 
by wet harvests, this variety has escaped, in which case it becomes 
valuable ; the price it produces at market has also of late years 
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