Farming  of  Gloucestershire. 
153 
few  (lavs  old,  at  almost  any  price  they  can  get,  after  cheese- 
makine  has  commenced.* 
P ( , , 
Cheese-making  is  not  exactly  alike  in  every  minute  particular 
all  over  the  county,  the  methods  not  only  varying  in  every  district, 
but  often  in  the  same  parish.  Almost  every  mistress  of  a dairy 
has  some  secret,  peculiarity,  or  mystery,  fancied  or  real,  which  is 
often  studiously  kept  from  her  equally  clever  neighbour.  That 
there  are  greater  difficulties  in  making  cheese  on  some  farms 
than  others  is  clear.  On  two  farms,  with  the  same  soil  and  subsoil, 
I found  once  the  same  quality  of  cheese  could  not  be  made  by 
the  same  person.  One  farm  is  rather  more  marshy  than  the  other, 
having  several  watery  places,  and  some  ditches  growing  flags  and 
coarse  grass. 
From  my  own  experience,  which  has  been  confirmed  by 
inquiries  made  of  others,  I find  that  about  3 acres  are  reckoned 
for  one  cow,  and  the  produce  of  cheese  from  3 to  4 cwt.  per 
cow,  31  cwt.  being  considered  a full  average.  It  is  only  on  very 
choice  spots  where  4 cwt.  can  be  made  from  one  cow. 
Cider  and  Perry. — Gloucestershire  is  celebrated  for  the  pro- 
duction of  cider  and  perry,  especially  in  the  vale  of  the  Severn, 
extending  from  Tewkesbury,  through  Gloucester,  Newnham,  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Avon.  The  deep  red-sandstone  soils  are  best 
suited  for  the  growth  of  cider,  and  the  colder  clayey  description 
for  that  of  perry.  The  orchards,  generally  speaking,  are  tolerably 
well  managed,  but  the  crop  is  uncertain.  The  orchards  which 
are  situated  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  vale  extending  from  Chel- 
tenham to  below  the  New  Passage  are  more  certain  of  a crop  than 
those  situated  in  the  vale,  or  on  the  western  verge  adjoining  the 
Forest.  The  trees  suffer  severely  from  the  easterly  and  north- 
easterly winds,  which  usually  prevail  in  the  spring,  which  some- 
times frizzle  up  the  leaves  and  blossoms  as  if  scorched  and  burnt. 
I have  often  seen  the  orchards  situated  on  the  eastern  verge  of 
the  vale,  being  sheltered  from  the  biting  north-eastern  winds  by 
the  hills,  escape  altogether,  when  the  orchards  on  the  vale  have 
all  the  blossoms  cut  off.  The  orchards  of  Gloucestershire  give 
to  it  a densely  wooded  character,  and  form  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  sights  in  the  month  of  May  that  can  well  be  conceived. 
Thirty  or  forty  acres  round  a village  will  readily  let,  according  to 
the  age  and  supply  of  trees,  at  from  8/.  to  12/.  per  acre.  If  trees 
are  neglected  they  soon  get  overrun  with  moss.  The  usual 
remedy  is  to  wash  the  stems  once  a year  with  a mixture  of  cow- 
dung  and  lime,  which  is  laid  on  with  a brush.  The  best  manure 
for  pasture-orchards  is  a compost  of  lime  and  soil  spread  on  the 
* There  is  a very  good  and  faithful  description  of  the  mode  of  making  cheese  pur- 
sued by  Mr.  Hayward,  in  this  district,  written  by  Mr.  Morton,  and  published  by  the 
Society  for  the  Diffusion  of  Useful  Knowledge.  (See  No,  21,  Farmer’s  Series.) 
