390 
Agriculture of the Scillij Isles. 
4. Corn, or, if grass is wanted, mangolds, laid down with 
seeds at the last lioeing. 
Barley is sometimes grown after wheat. 
Live Stock. — In addition to the working horses, two mules are 
kept, and are found to be quite equal in value to the horses for 
certain kinds of work. 
In winter the food of the horses consists of the following 
mixture : — 
Indian corn, 20 bushels ; barley, 10 bushels ; peas, 20 bushels ; 
these are roughly ground together, and a liberal allowance 
given to each horse. 
There were about 80 head of cross-bred cattle on the farm at 
the time of our visit. 
Fatting bullocks are fed on pulped mangolds and swedes, hay 
and straw chaff, and a little oilcake. A common dead weight is 
from G to 7 cwt. Calves are tied up for the first three or four 
months of their lives. This was, doubtless, the cause in part of 
their poor appearance. All the other cattle looked well. 
The sheep are not confined to one breed, but South Down, 
Shropshire, Dartmoor, and Scillonian sheep are all kept. The 
ram is turned among the ewes on the 15th of September. Lambs 
are weaned in July, put on clover, and given a little cake for a 
short time. From the clover they go to turnips. In the winter 
they are on the grass land. Ewes are chiefly kept on the pastures 
and downs, getting chaff, pulped mangolds, and oilcake when in 
poor condition. 
Fatting sheep are fed on the grass land, and have hay and 
straw chaff, with one pound each of oilcake per diem. 
On St. Helen's the sheep are allowed to run wild, being only 
visited for clipping. Their number has long ceased to in- 
crease. 
The sheep at Tresco suffer from the rot ; and, as the diseased 
livers are thrown to the dogs, it is likely to continue. 
A considerable number of breeding pigs are kept, and their 
progeny sold to farmers on the other islands. They are fed 
upon steamed mangolds and swedes, together with some of the 
same mixed meal which is given to the horses. 
Much interest is taken in poultry, of which all the principal 
varieties may be seen on the farm. 
There are several poultry houses, with walls made of dried 
ferns, near the farm buildings. 
Rural Economy. 
Rents are higher on St. Mary's than on the other islands. On 
