Reclaiming part of Forest of Delamerc. 
381 
Barley and oats followed in 1864, of which the former is esti- 
mated at 35 bushels, the latter at 50 bushels per acre. The 
clover which is sown with this spring corn promises to become a 
first class crop. 
Tempted by the success of his first venture as a potato grower, 
Mr. Leather was induced in 1863 to set 300 acres. At first all 
was full of promise, but the rainy autumn season in Cheshire, 
disease in the tubers, and the state of the markets combined to 
show the hazardous nature of this branch of agricultural enterprise. 
The crop itself was large, so large that the storing and the extra 
sorting necessitated by disease became very costly, and after all 
the bulk of the crop had to be applied to pig feeding on a very 
large scale. But these mishaps are apart from the question of 
fertility and capabilities which we have been considering. 
The following is a general outline of the scheme of manage- 
ment which Mr. Leather proposes to himself for his future 
guidance : — 
Plan for Cropping Delamere Lodge Farm. 
125 acres, first year grass, 75 mown for Lay. 
125 „ second year grass, eaten off by hoggets, ewes, or lambs. 
125 „ third year grass, 75 acres to be ploughed by Hancock's plough, and 
sown on fiat with swedes or turnips as soon as the land can be 
spared. 
125 „ corn; 25 acres of this stubble in winter tares. 
125 ,, fallow crops, viz. : 50 acres in potatoes, to be cleared off ground in 
time for rape or turnips ; 50 acres in swedes, and 25 in swedes or 
turnips, as the tares are consumed. 
125 ,, corn, sown out with grass-seeds and clover. 
(N.B.) — The yard-manure to be applied to the corn-stubble of the fallow 
break, as long dung in autumn, or as short dung in spring. 
Mr. Leather intends to keep a large flock of half-bred Cheviot 
and Leicester ewes — to be put to a strong Lincoln ram — and to 
fatten the produce at the age of twelve to fifteen months. 
The ewes will be put on white turnips in September, and, as 
they take the ram, be removed on to grass, receiving there an 
allowance of hay and straw chaff, with a small quantity of rape 
or cotton cake if required. Before lambing time the turnips 
will again be stocked, and the supply of cake increased. The 
lambs from the time of- weaning will receive corn or cake in 
gradually increasing quantities, so as to average in summer ^ lb., 
in the autumn in the following spring 1 lb. per head. 
VOL. XXV. 
