Farming of Wiltshire. 
165 
some very poor, thin, and gravelly, and some rich sandy loams; 
consequently, there are various methods of croppino; pursued. 
They are all n ell adapted for turnip husbandrv, but not equallv so 
for barlev. The poorer kinds are srenerallv sown in a tour-field 
course, similar to the flinty soils. On the sandy loams wheat is 
usually sown everv third year. Barley is sometimes grown ; 
though not well adapted for malting purposes, it is often selected 
for seed, as a gootl change for the other parts of the county. 
There is considerable variety in respect to the choice and succes- 
sion of green crops, consequently it is difficult to describe what 
rotation is generally pursued when it is so varied. Some of the 
deepest and richest of these soils are sown with wheat everv alter- 
nate year ; the green crop between being varied as much as pos- 
sible. The object of those who occupy the sand-land is to keep 
it manured as highlv as possible, and shaded with a crop of either 
com or green food. The same remark applies to this kind of 
soil, with regard to beans. &ic., which is made on the white lands. 
Much of the sandy land has been sown so often with turnips and 
swedes as to have become tired of them ; and a good deal is now 
sown vrixh rape and mangold-wurzel, but the latter not to anv great 
extent. It will be seen by the svstem of cropping pursued on the 
different soils that great attention is given to the production of 
green crops, the whole of ^\hich are mostlv fed on the land by 
sheep ; for throughout the whole of this division of the county 
sheep-farming is pursued; and, to use Mr. Daviss expression, is 
" the sheet-anchor of South Wiltshire huslandry 
Management of Crops. — Wheat is not sown so earlv as formerly, 
even on the hills and the light lands; Michaelmas is considered 
early, but November is the principal seed-time. On the sands, 
December is considered the best time. There is a good deal of 
spring wheat sown after turnips and swedes, instead of barley; 
particularly where the land is not kind for barley. Drilling'is 
now almost universal, except on some heavy land, where some 
farmers still continue to sow broadcast. Two bushels to the acre 
are the quantity usually drilled, and the drills are from 7 to 9 
inches apart: half a bushel more is sown when the broadcast 
method"is preferred. Wheat is reaped at prices varying from 7s. 
to \'2s. per acre. 
Barley is sown much earlier than formerly ; March and April 
are now the principal seed-time; and drilling is universal. One 
sack to an acre, with drills 7 inches apart, is the usual plan. It 
IS mown at 2s. per acre. Oats are not grown in large quantities, 
except on the down lands, where ihev are sown insiead of barlev, 
and drilled and mown in the same manner. 
Beans are not giown so much in this district as firmer] v, even 
on the so.ls best adapted to them, there not being the usual 
