On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
677 
far  as  the  turnip  was  concerned  ; but  a more  extended  experience  has  con- 
vinced most  farmers  that  their  subsequent  crops  are  not  improved  as  they 
should  be  by  the  use  of  this  manure  ; in  fact,  that  the  land  appears  to  be 
impoverished  rather  than  enriched  after  the  growth  of  a good  crop  of 
turnips  with  guano,  though  they  may  be  eaten  off  the  ground;  guano  has 
consequently  fallen  greatly  into  disuse,  and  has  given  way  to  the  iless 
expensive  and  far  more  efficient  dressing  with  superphosphate  of  lime. 
This  is  generally  manufactured  by  the  farmer  himself  by  dissolving  crushed 
bones  in  about  one-third  of  their  weight  of  sulphuric  acid.  This  is  used 
at  the  rate  of  from  2 to  4 bushels  of  bones  per  acre,  carefully  mixed  with 
about  ten  bags  of  peat  or  wood  ashes.  The  cost  per  acre — 3 bushels  of 
bones  at  3s.  per  bushel,  including  carriage ; 40  lbs.  of  acid,  lie/,  per  lb., 
and  ten  bags  of  ashes  at  7 d. : the  whole  19s.  6 d.  per  acre.  With  this  such 
crops  of  turnips  are  now  grown  in  the  hill  district  as  would  quite  astonish 
the  farmer  of  a quarter  of  a century  ago.  And  when  we  consider  the  little 
labour  required  in  carting  this  manure  on  the  farm  and  depositing  it  on 
the  land,  it  must  be  acknowledged  to  be  the  cheapest  as  well  as  the  best, 
of  all  dressing  for  the  turnip.  It  appears  too  to  be  exceedingly  well 
adapted  to  the  climate  and  soil,  so  that  any  breadth  may  now  be  grown  at  a 
reasonable  cost. 
“ The  succeeding  crops  of  corn  and  grass  after  the  superphosphate  are 
found  to  be  very  satisfactory,  especially  when  a small  portion  of  lime,  far 
less  than  was  formerly  used,  is  combined  with  it.  Lime  appears  to  be 
indispensable  to  the  successful  cultivation  of  a hill  farm  ; but  when  we 
include  its  cartage  over  bad  and  hilly  roads — often  too  from  a great  dis- 
tance, and  the  expense  of  its  subsequent  management,  it  is  by  far  the 
most  costly  of  all  manures ; its  use  should  therefore  be  economized  in  every 
possible  manner.” 
It  may,  perhaps,  be  premature  to  give  a decided  opinion  on  the 
relative  advantages  to  the  hill  farmer  of  drilling  on  the  flat  and  on 
the  ridge.  In  the  vale  the  question  may  be  said  to  be  decided  in 
favour  of  the  flat  system.  The  points  of  improved  practice  for  the 
hill,  settled  in  the  judgment  of  the  majority  of  intelligent  and  active 
farmers,  are  the  value  and  economy  of  superphosphate  of  lime,  and 
the  necessity  of  adopting  some  mode  of  drilling  in  order  to  use  the 
horse-hoe.  But  hill  farmers  in  general,  not  having  been  used  to 
ridges  in  the  days  of  broadcast  sowing,  and  seeing  that  the  supe- 
rior farmers  in  the  vale  prefer  the  flat,  naturally  wait  for  a clear 
proof  of  the  superiority  of  the  ridges  before  they  change  to  what 
they  consider  a more  troublesome  plan. 
Before  proceeding  to  speak  of  the  reclamation  of  moors,  I 
must  refer  to  a subject  closely  connected  with  grass  and  root  crops. 
Management  of  Stock  in  the  Hills. 
Bullocks. — The  breeding  of  North  Devon  steers  is  one  of  the 
chief  objects  of  the  hill  farmer.  More  attention  is  paid  now  than 
formerly  to  the  quality  and  shape  of  bulls,  though  there  are  still 
many  farmers  who  will  rather  pay  '2s.  6 d.  to  send  their  cows  to  a com- 
mon bull , than  give  5s.  for  the  use  of  a good  one.  The  principle  of 
keeping  young  stock  in  a constantly  growing  and  improving  state 
is  rarely  acted  upon.  A few  turnips  may  be  given  to  the  calves  and 
