6S4 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
on  which  the  heather  has  been  cherished  as  a covert  for  black  game, 
which  show  decided  symptoms  of  natural  capability.  Either 
the  heath  grows  high,  or  its  purple  hue  is  chequered  with  green 
ferns,  or  the  grass  has  grown  well  on  patches,  which  the  commoner 
has  burned  to  gain  food  for  his  sheep.  But  still  many  questions 
remain  to  be  answered  in  detail  in  each  case  (assuming  the  soil  to 
have  some  value),  such  as  the  following  : — What  will  be  the  extent 
of  fence  to  be  made  to  enclose  the  ground  ? or  of  road  to  bring 
lime  ? or  of  channel  to  bring  water  for  meadow  ? And,  is  the 
water  good  or  bad  ? and  will  the  channel  hold  water  without 
clay  ? and  is  there  clay  near  ? These  and  many  other  questions 
must  be  answered  before  the  cost  of  cultivation  can  be  reduced  to 
such  an  estimate  as  to  enable  the  owner  of  property  to  calculate 
how  far  the  outlay  will  exceed  or  fall  short  of  the  probable  return, 
after  due  corrections  for  climate  and  bad  seasons. 
It  must  also  be  considered  that  many  of  the  most  favourable 
spots  have  been  preoccupied,  especially  the  combes*  and  valleys 
in  which  the  warm  springs  and  shelter  are  to  be  found. 
It  may,  therefore,  fulfil  the  conditions  required  by  the  Council 
if  this  Essay  states  what  the  writer  conceives  to  be  the  most  prac- 
tical and  advisable  way  to  deal  with  these  moors,  in  cases  where 
there  is  a reasonable  hope  of  bringing  them  into  cultivation 
with  profit.  The  moors  generally  occupy  only  the  upper  part 
of  long  lines  of  hill,  rarely  exceeding  a mile  in  width,  the  inter- 
vening glens  being  occupied  either  by  oak  coppice,  water-meadows, 
or  breeding  farms.  The  cases  in  which  the  whole  valley  is  in  a 
state  of  nature  are  the  exception.  The  first  step  seems  to  be 
to  endeavour,  as  opportunity  serves,  to  take  care  that  the  farms 
adjoining  the  moors  are  in  the  hands  of  men  capable  of  carrying 
on  improvements,  and  let  on  such  terms  as  may  induce  them  to 
make  the  attempt.  When  a tenant  has  shown  forethought  and 
skill  in  improving  what  is  within  his  fences,  and  the  land  seems 
to  respond  to  his  efforts,  a new  band  of  fields  might  be  added  to 
his  farm.  But  expense  would  be  saved  if  advantage  were  taken 
of  any  opportunity  for  running  boundary  fences  across  particular 
lines  (as  from  A to  B,  or  C to  D,  on  the  annexed  plan),  and  the 
sheep  of  certain  farms  might  be  kept  within  bounds  and  free  from 
the  scab,  the  plague  of  the  hills.  By  burning,  liming,  and  other 
means  the  surface  within  these  lines  might  be  improved,  and  the 
land  be  prepared  by  degrees. 
Measures  tending  in  this  direction  have  been  in  quiet  pro- 
gress for  some  time ; and  a foundation  has  been  laid  for  further 
improvement  by  a gradual  elevation  of  the  habits  of  the  small 
tenantry,  without  sudden  changes.  It  is  within  the  writer’s 
* Combe  (Welsh,  Cwm)  is  the  west-country  word  for  a narrow  dell  or  sloping 
valley  on  the  side  of  a hill. 
