104 
The Farming of Cheshire. 
applicable. In almost every district there are more or less difficult 
soils to contend with ; and the systems which are pursued in the 
Lothians, Norfolk, and other counties of England, would not be 
at all suitable to the generality of land in Cheshire. Enough, I 
trust, has been advanced to show that, in many respects, the agri- 
culture of the county has been improved ; and I doubt not that 
a majority of the farmers are desirous of proceeding with im- 
provements as far as in their power : but something more than 
even energy and skill on the part of the tenants is essential to 
good farming ; and there never was a period when they stood 
more in need of assistance and encouragement than the present. 
The breeds of cattle and pigs are more improved in the in- 
terior and northern parts of the county than on the western, 
southern, and eastern borders ; and this difference may be chiefly 
attributable to the circumstance of the former being more within 
the influence of various agricultural societies. For any improve- 
ment which may be observable in sheep, this county can claim 
little or no merit, as it is almost entirely dependent upon other 
di.stricts for a supply of that useful class of animals. So lightly 
do the leading cigriculturists of Cheshire appreciate them that in 
their socie^ties they have erased from their lists of premiums 
prizes for sheep ; it being evidently considered a stock undeserv ing 
of such distinction. 
The description which has been given as to a defective state 
of drainage — that highly important branch of husbandry — should 
command the attention and arouse the energy of all who are in- 
terested in the productiveness of the soil ; for there can be but 
little doubt, that by far the greatest portion of land in this county 
is capable of being made to double and even treble the present 
amount of its produce, by a proper system of draining, and a 
judicious application of manures. I have seen much draining in 
operation, and observed land which was subjected to that process 
1*2, 14, and even 20 years ago, and the result of my conviction is, 
that no general system of drainage can be laid down, as equally 
applicable to all soils. The tenacious clays of Cheshire do not 
require such deep draining as is generally recommended, from 18 
to 22 inches being sufficient for most of them ; and some of the 
sound clay land (t. e. land with a little slope, and on a regular 
substratum of solid marl) would not need under-draining at all, 
if the butts were properly formed, 6 or 7 yards wide, with an 
elevation of 1 inch in 12 towards the centre : should it at any 
time be necessary to water-furrow, as before described, the rein 
presser (see drawing No. 1) would be sufficient for the purpose. 
It has, within the last few years, become the practice of many 
landowners to allow their tenants indiscriminately, without charge, 
a certain quantity of draining tiles annually ; the tenants per- 
