154 
Farming  of  Gloucestershire. 
surface  in  autumn.  The  practices  usually  adopted  for  making 
cider  and  perry  have  been  described  in  your  Journal  (page  401, 
vol.  iv.  1843). 
Bristol  District. 
A glance  at  the  map  shows  that  the  land  here  is  very  change- 
able, no  large  extent  of  the  same  description  lying  together. 
The  farms  are  mostly  small,  and  many  are  not  cultivated  on 
any  very  regular  system.  On  the  heavy  soils  wheat  alternates  with 
beans  and  green  crops,  and  on  the  light  and  sandy  barley  is 
grown,  and  turnips,  vetches,  and  rye,  for  sheep-food.  Near  to 
Bristol  a large  quantity  of  the  land  is  devoted  to  market-garden 
purposes,  and  many  potatoes  are  grown  about  Stapleton,  Mangots- 
field,  and  St.  George’s.  A considerable  quantity  of  lime  is  used 
as  manure  in  this  district,  which  answers  very  well  when  laid  on 
the  fallows,  before  sowing  wheat. 
The  following  are  the  usual  rotations  of  crops  of  the  district : — 
On  Clay  Soils. 
Wheat  and  green  crops  alternately,  or, 
1.  Turnips  and  potatoes.  4.  Wheat. 
2.  Wheat.  5.  Clover. 
3.  Beans.  6.  Wheat. 
Or  the  following  : — 
Wheat. 
Beans. 
Vetches. 
On  Loamy  Soils. 
Wheat. 
Peas,  and  sometimes  other  green  crops ; white  peas  answering  well. 
Barley. 
Clover. 
On  Liyht  Soils. 
Wheat. 
Turnips. 
Barley,  Clover. 
Clover. 
Wheat,  and  sometimes  green  crops  again. 
The  Forest  and  Ryeland  District. 
The  Forest  produces  from  its  mines  coals  and  iron-ore  ; much 
of  it  is  waste  and  common,  occupied  by  the  miserable  stock  and 
donkeys  of  the  colliers  and  other  inhabitants.  The  Ryelands 
immediately  adjoining  the  Forest  are  not  generally  farmed  so 
well  as  the  nature  of  the  soil  would  allow,  being  of  a sandy 
friable  texture,  well  calculated  to  grow  good  crops  of  turnips, 
carrots,  and  other  roots,  without  any  extraordinary  exertions.  It 
is  on  the  old  red  sand,  the  same  formation  as  produces  such  heavy 
