290 
Agriculture of Hertfordshire. 
therefore, confine our attention to a survey of the system of 
management adopted on this demesne farm of a Hertfordshire 
landowner who possesses in an eminent degree the practical 
qualities requisite to make such an undertaking successful. 
The Home Farm consists of about 450 acres, including 94 of 
park. The soil is a strong loam on a clay subsoil resting on 
chalk at a depth of about 12 feet, and sufficiently dry without 
artificial drainage. Chalking has been here practised by the 
method already described. 
One or two fields were drained, with the idea that they might 
be sufficiently altered in texture to admit of their being folded by 
sheep in winter without injury to the land. The result, however, 
only confirmed Mr. Lawes in the opinion that on such strong 
soils barley after winter folding is an unsafe crop, owing to the 
mechanical condition of the land, which is not corrected even by 
the frost. 
" Barley," to quote Mr. Lawes, " will generally succeed better 
on this land after wheat than after roots, provided it receives a 
proper application of artificial manure." The artificial manures 
for corn-crops are sown and harrowed in with the seed, and top- 
dressings are avoided as far as possible. 
So wide an interest is felt in this well-known farm that a 
detailed summary of its cropping may be of service. (See 
pp. 286-9.) 
Number of Acres in various Crops in each of the 14 Years. 
Years. 
Wheat. 
ISarley. 
Oats. 
Beans. 
Roots 
and 
'fares. 
Clover 
and 
Grasses. 
Total 
Acres. 
1850 
73 
97 
75 
245 
1851 
172 
50 
14 
9 
245 
1852 
23 
103 
5 
63 
46 
245 
1853 
38 
72 
39 
58 
38 
245 
1854 
95 
63 
14 
33 
40 
245 
1855 
131 
10 
28 
14 
44 
18 
245 
1856 
42 
25 
82 
52 
36 
237* 
1857 
56 
32 
32 
5 
66 
46 
237 
1858 
68 
30 
75 
14 
32 
18 
237 
1859 
42 
33 
66 
46 
50 
237 
1860 
50 
14 
74 
6 
56 
37 
237 
1861 
43 
86 
52 
56 
237 
1862 
74 
9. 
72 
S 
47 
30 
237 
1863 
43 
36 
72 
34 
52 
237 
950 
482 
631 
58 
694 
551 
3366 
The following is a Summary of the Number of Acres in Corn, 
in Beans, and in Green Crops in each of the 14 years : — 
* Eip'ht acres appropriated in 1856 to experimental purposes. 
