136 
Farming  of  Gloucestershire. 
must  of  necessity  be  limited,  as  the  bulk  of  the  manure  used  for 
turnips  is  not  then  made.  Manure  is  usually  carted  from  the 
yards  to  the  field  in  winter,  and  placed  in  large  heaps.  The 
heaps  are  turned  twice  over  previously  to  putting  on  the  land, 
and  are  in  most  instances  covered  with  earth.  When  the  land  is 
properly  cleaned  b}'  scarifying,  harrowing,  collecting  and  burning 
the  weeds,  the  manure  is  applied,  either  in  ridges,  or  what  is  the 
most  general  way,  spread  on  the  surface  and  lightly  ploughed  in. 
Some  plant  their  swedes  on  the  ridge,  and  obtain  good  crops. 
Others,  having  tried  it,  prefer  drilling  on  the  flat,  being  more  sure 
of  a plant.  When  drilled  on  the  flat  they  stand  the  dry  weather 
better  ; still  there  is  no  doubt  but  the  heaviest  crops  are  grown 
on  the  ridge  when  the  soil  is  properly  pulverized.  Common  tur- 
nips are  rarely  planted  on  the  ridge.  The  artificial  manures 
mostly  used  in  this  district  are  bones  and  sulphuric  acid,  and 
guano  ; the  latter  being  sown  broadcast,  and  ploughed  or  har- 
rowed in,  before  the  seed  is  sown.  The  bones  are  mixed  with 
ashes  and  drilled  with  the  seed.  Ashes  obtained  by  burning  old 
banks  or  digging  from  the  road  sides  and  other  places,  have  often 
been  drilled  alone.  From  two  to  four  pounds  of  seed  per  acre 
are  drilled.  The  usual  quantity  is  four  pounds,  but  many  ardently 
advocate  the  use  of  a less  quantity  of  seed.  The  sorts  are  also 
rather  numerous.  One  kind  may,  however,  be  mentioned,  on 
account  of  its  being,  in  some  degree,  peculiar  to  the  county.  It 
is  a white  swede,  rather  coarse,  but  a very  hardy  variety,  and  con- 
sidered better  for  ewes  and  lambs  in  the  spring  than  the  yellow 
swede.  Som%  of  the  farmers  near  Northleach,  where,  we  believe, 
it  originated,  plant  no  other  ; observing,  that  it  grows  more  rapidly 
on  their  poor  land  than  any  other.  I have  stated  that  it  is  usual 
to  clean  and  plough  up  wheat  stubbles  in  the  autumn,  but  some- 
times the  foulest  of  the  wheat  and  oat  stubbles  are  left  to  be 
breast-ploughed  and  burnt  in  March  and  April.  If  the  weather 
be  dry  and  favourable  for  burning  in  those  months,  the  land  can 
be  cleaned  tolerably  well  with  one  or  two-horse  ploughings  after- 
wards. If  wet,  I have  occasionally  observed  the  cleaning  of  the 
land  to  be  out  of  the  question,  and  have  seen  the  turnips  planted 
amongst  the  couch  and  weeds  ; and,  what  will  appear  surprising, 
I have  sometimes  seen  good  crops  thus  obtained,  better  than  on 
land  that  had  been  drilled,  with  the  land  in  much  cleaner  con- 
dition. A few  farmers  pare  and  burn  their  old  seeds  for  wheat, 
and  reserve  about  80  bushels  per  acre  of  the  ashes  in  the  fields,  in 
heaps  which  are  thatched  and  remain  to  be  drilled  with  the  tur- 
nips the  next  season ; being  mixed  with  bones  at  the  time  when 
they  are  drilled.  Parties  who  have  tried  this  method  have  told  me 
that  their  turnips  had  been  better  where  the  seeds  bad  been  burnt, 
before  sowing  with  wheat,  than  where  burning  had  not  been 
resorted  to ; other  management  being  the  same  on  both. 
