170 
Farming of Wiltshire. 
kept only where there is no convenience for breeding. South 
Doivns are nearly universally the breed now, and althoug^h the 
sheep-fold is a paramount object on a South Wilts farm, the 
quality of the animal is not neglected. As much attention has of 
late years been paid to the improvement of the breed of sheep in 
Wiltshire as in any county of England. Many of the flock- 
masters of Wilts have, by judicious selection of stock from Sussex, 
brought their flocks to a high state of perfection, and their stock 
being dispersed through the county, has greatly improved the 
breed of sheep. There are a few who prefer the Hampshire, or 
coarser kinds of sheep: and where the forcing of lambs from 
their birth, to be sold fat in the autumn, or for grazmg as tegs, is 
adopted, it appears to answer well, as the extraordinary produc- 
tion of that breed brought to the fairs within the last few years 
will prove ; but the generality of farms are stocked with South 
Downs. Where breeding flocks are kept, the usual plan is to 
keep the Svether lambs during the summer .as well as circum- 
stances will admit, and sell them in the autumn for stock. The 
4raft-ewcs are generally taken from the flock soon after shearing, 
and are kept better than the flock ; and likewise sold in the 
autumn either for fatting, or to produce another lamb for fatting, 
which last is the most usual plan. When there is no convenience 
for a breeding flock wether sheep only are kept, the system 
generally adopted being to buy lambs, keep them either one or 
two years, and then sell them for fatting. There are some who 
fat their wethers, but the number is very limited. 
Horses, or other Cattle employed in the different operations of 
Husbandry. — Oxen are used only in ploughing, for which there 
are usually one or two teams kept on a farm, where they can be 
used with advantage ; but some situations are not adapted to the 
working of oxen, the flints and the steepness of the hills, the 
sm<all quantity of pasture-land on some farms, &c., being reasons 
why they are not used. The breeds preferred are the Hereford 
and Devon. They are often worked in pairs, and driven with 
reins, on the light soils. Three or four are usually worked in 
each plough on the heavier lands. 
Horses. — The rage for fine fat heavy cart-horses, that existed 
some years since in this county, is at an end, and a lighter 
active kind of horse is now used. For ploughing the heavy 
land tliree horses are used; they are not worked at length, but 
invariably driven one before, and two abreast behind : for the 
hill-land, and the lighter soils, a pair are driven abreast with reins. 
Tlierc are some few who still fancy that ploughing cannot be done 
well without three horses on some of the light soils. Corn and 
hay are carried on waggons, to which two or three horses are 
attached, according to the distance, state of roads, &c. Manure 
