On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
683 
been  famous.  Mr.  Salter,  of  Combe,  near  Crewkerne,  has 
returned  to  this  breed  after  trying  Southdowns  for  five  years  with 
a flock  drawn  from  the  best  Sussex  breeders.  His  ewes  com- 
mand very  high  prices. 
Pigs. — The  pigs  of  the  county  have  been  greatly  improved  of 
late  years;  the  lean,  long  legged  animal  is  rarely  now  seen  even 
in  the  sty  of  the  cottager.  The  improved  Essex  and  Berkshire, 
I think,  are  the  most  approved  for  general  purposes.  Some  of 
Prince  Albert’s  and  Lord  Radnor’s  blood  has  been  introduced 
near  Taunton,  and  some  large  Oxfordshires  near  Wellington. 
It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  Somerset  possesses  one  of  the 
purest  breeds  of  the  native  English  horse,  the  Exmoor  pony ; 
the  breed  is  carefully  kept  up  by  Sir  Thomas  Acland,  on  Wins- 
ford  Hill.  Very  fine  cart-horses  are  bred  in  the  Marsh:  colts 
fetch  from  25/.  to  35/.  at  the  Bridgewater  fairs. 
“ The  Quality  of  the  Soil  on  the  Moor  Lands,  and  the  advisability  of 
bringing  them  into  Cultivation,  with  any  instances  of  success  in 
such  Improvements .” 
The  word  Moor,  in  Somersetshire,  is  associated  almost  invariably 
with  wet,  boggy  land,  such  as  Sedgemoor,  in  the  Bridgewater 
Level,  or  Exmoor,  which  is  famous  for  its  bogs.  It  is,  however, 
understood  that  this  thesis  refers  to  what  we  call  ‘•'hill”  or  ‘‘com- 
mon,” i.  e.,  unenclosed  high  land,  such  as  the  moors  in  Scotland. 
The  soils  on  the  moor  lands,  understanding  the  term  as  now 
explained,  have  already  been  referred  to  two  general  classes 
— the  stone-rush  and  the  rag ; and  it  has  been  stated  that  the 
latter  is  the  most  favourable  to  grass,  and  therefore  the  most 
valuable;  for  none  of  the  moors  can  be  said  to  be  good  corn- 
land,  on  account  of  their  climate.  Taking,  however,  some  of 
the  principal  groups  of  moor,  it  may  be  said  that  Heydon  and 
Maundown,  west  of  Wiveliscombe,  Dunkerry,  and  part  of  the 
Porlock  Hills  belong  to  the  more  barren  class  ; and  that  Brendon 
Hill,  Hawkridge,  part  of  Winsford  Hill,  Grabbist,  and  other 
hills  near  the  north  coast,  east  of  Porlock,  and  some  of  the  small 
commons  near  it,  have  good  soil  on  the  rag,  and  are  improvable. 
But  within  the  compass  of  this  Essay  it  is  impossible  to  estimate 
the  value  of  particular  moors  with  any  degree  of  accuracy,  and  it 
is  equally  impossible,  without  particulars,  to  make  any  general 
statement  conducive  to  a practical  result. 
Some  of  the  commons  appear  to  have  been  in  past  times  en- 
closed and  abandoned,  either  because  the  soil  was  exhausted  or 
the  cultivation  unprofitable.  The  surface  of  others  has  been 
pared  oft’  for  fuel.  Some  which  have  a deep  soil  lie  to  the  north, 
and  are  chilly  and  wet ; others,  which  lie  to  the  south,  have  not 
an  inch  of  soil  on  the  stones.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  moors 
