688 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
Exmoor. — The  enclosure  of  this  moor  has  excited  so  much 
interest,  and  its  circumstances  are  so  peculiar,  that  it  deserves  a 
separate  notice.  The  Forest  of  Exmoor  consists  of  about  20,000 
acres.  Its  elevation  varies  from  1000  to  1200  feet.  Its  surface 
is  in  the  form  of  undulating  table-land,  furrowed  out  by  deep 
stream  valleys.  It  falls  from  west  to  east,  the  prevailing  winds 
being  from  the  westward.  Previous  to  1818  it  was  held  by  Sir 
Thomas  Acland  on  lease  from  the  Crown.  About  500  Exmoor 
ponies  had  the  run  of  the  forest,  and  large  numbers  of  sheep  were 
taken  in  for  summering  from  the  surrounding  farmers.  In  1818 
it  was  sold  by  the  Crown  to  J.  Knight,  Esq.,  of  Wolverley  Hall, 
Worcestershire,  who  surrounded  it  with  a wall,  and  for  many  years 
retained  the  whole  in  his  own  occupation.  He  bred  a large  num- 
ber of  Highland  Scots  cattle — pure,  as  well  as  crossed  with  short- 
horns and  Herefords.  They  have  thriven  very  well,  and  it  is 
much  to  be  regretted  that  the  breed  has  come  to  an  end  on  the 
moor.  He  also  bred  good  horses  and  a flock  of  excellent  Cheviot 
sheep. 
Since  1841  the  forest  has  been  chiefly  under  the  management 
of  Mr.  Frederic  Knight,  son  of  the  above-named  gentleman, 
who  has  been  endeavouring  gradually  to  bring  it  more  into  the 
position  of  ordinary  landed  property.  Fifteen  farm-houses  and 
buildings  have  been  erected,  and  about  40  cottages ; 22  or  23 
miles  of  road,  140  miles  of  fencing  (wall  or  bank)  have  been 
made,  and  more  are  now  in  progress.  The  surface  of  the  moor 
is  covered  almost  over  its  whole  extent  with  a moist  grassy  cloth- 
ing, the  character  of  the  herbage  varying  with  the  nature  of  the 
soil  and  the  state  of  the  drainage.  There  are  three  principal 
kinds  of  soil  : — 
1.  The  red,  brown,  and  generally  the  drier  soils.  These  are 
the  best  and  the  cheapest  to  cultivate;  they  require  only  to  be 
pared,  burnt,  and  limed,  and  will  bear  the  finest  root-crops. 
2.  The  moderately  black,  or  peaty  soils.  These  soils  have 
under  them  a thin  crust,  locally  called  a pan,  impervious  to  water, 
which  must  be  broken  through  : this  is  easily  effected  by  sub- 
soiling. 
3-  Deep,  black,  boggy  soils,  owing  to  the  accumulation  of 
water  at  particular  spots.  These  require  deep  draining  to  bring 
them  into  cultivation. 
Over  the  whole  there  is  considerable  depth  of  soil  and  vege- 
table matter,  which,  when  relieved  of  the  water  and  subjected  to 
the  action  of  lime,  is  extremely  favourable  to  vegetation. 
The  difficulty  of  the  forest  is  climate — wind  and  rain,  rather 
than  frost  and  snow,  prevail  in  winter.  The  summers,  with  the 
exception  of  occasional  driving  showers  and  mists,  are  often  line. 
Unfortunately,  much  time  was  lost  before  effectual  steps  were 
