82 
On  the  Farming  of  Sussex. 
Thousands  are  brought  from  Kent,  principally  out  of  Romney 
Marsh,  for  which  sort  6 d.  and  sometimes  Is.  per  head  more  is 
paid  than  for  the  Down  lambs,  with  presents  to  those  farmers  who 
send  them  in  the  best  condition  to  the  place  of  meeting  on  the  5th 
of  April — the  condition,  however,  being  worse  from  the  size  of 
the  lambs  of  this  breed,  and  the  longer  time  of  keeping.  There 
appear  to  be  two  parties  in  error — those  who  put  out  their  lambs 
in  good  condition  to  be  thus  treated,  and  also  those  who  take 
them  at  a much  greater  loss,  not  having  a blade  of  grass  left  on 
their  lands  for  cattle  of  any  sort  of  their  own.  I surveyed  four 
parishes  together  about  2 years  past  of  28,000  acres  where  this 
system  is  adopted  in  full,  about  20,000  acres  of  which  are  arable, 
meadow,  and  pasture.  I found,  from  the  best  information  I could 
obtain,  when  the  winter-kept  sheep  were  sent  away  there  might 
be  200  or  300  others  remaining,  where  thousands  might  be  pro- 
fitably and  permanently  kept,  and  with  great  benefit  on  the  arable 
lands  for  a preparation  for  wheat.  This  is  the  case  to  a great  ex- 
tent in  this  district.  I remember  a very  different  system  50  years 
ago,  when,  with  very  few  exceptions,  this  class  of  farmers  used  to 
wean  and  bring  up  Sussex-bred  calves,  and  on  the  larger  farms 
keep  a sufficient  number  to  do  a portion  of  the  work  on  them  (now 
rarely  to  be  found),  and  well  supply  the  fairs  in  the  neighbour- 
hood with  good  well-bred  oxen  and  steers  of  all  ages,  that  were 
much  in  demand  by  the  Down  farmers,  for  working,  and  the  old 
oxen  of  a superior  quality  for  the  Kentish  hop-growers  to  fat 
and  make  their  manures,  and  to  this  change  may  the  altered 
character  of  the  Sussex  breed  (now  become  so  nearly  extinct  as  to 
be  worthy  only  to  be  exhibited  as  a cross-bred  animal)  be  attri- 
buted. This  is  a most  lamentable  fact  connected  with  the  loss 
of  manures  and  the  description  of  cattle  now  substituted.  It  can 
only  be  recoverable  by  the  employment  of  fresh  capital,  rendered 
necessary  by  the  fall  of  prices  in  the  last  30  years,  and  increased 
poor-rates  from  want  of  means  to  employ  the  labourers.  Under 
these  emergencies  great  numbers  of  farmers  have  sunk,  and  many 
are  still  feeling  the  effect  of  them.  Some  of  the  latter  may  be 
succeeded  by  the  unincumbered  capitalist,  who  can,  at  a fair 
rent,  employ  his  capital  to  advantage  (if  he  can  have  a lease)  by 
adopting  a course  of  farming  applicable  to  the  soil,  and  properly 
cultivating,  manuring,  and  under-draining,  if  necessary;  he  can 
buy  artificial  manures  at  a cheap  rate  for  money,  and  apply  them 
to  increase  the  produce  of  roots  on  the  arable  land  for  the  winter 
maintenance  of  stock,  and  so  make  his  manures  of  better  quality 
and  quantity.  Compare  the  two  farmers:  the  one  using  his  arable 
land  in  a three-course  system — wheat,  oats,  seeds,  and  too  often  a 
portion  of  peas  and  beans  (not  half  cultivated),  and  the  remainder 
naked  fallow  (the  principal  part  of  this  portion  to  be  limed, 
