On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
G91 
£. 
s. 
d. 
Paring  and  burning 
0 
13 
G 
Half-ploughing  into  narrow  ridges 
0 
4 
0 
Subsoiling  every  other  furrow 
. 0 
8 
0 
Cross-ploughing.  . ' . 
0 
6 
G 
Harrowing,  &c.  .... 
0 
3 
G 
Lime  and  Labour 
o 
10 
0 
£3 
17 
G 
“This  process  may  be  followed  by  any  crop,  either  corn  or  roots. 
“ My  corn  being  too  strong  and  flaggy  in  the  past  year.  I have  drawn 
the  whole  of  my  turnips  off  the  land  this  season,  which  I am  now  con- 
suming with  120  head  of  cattle,  50  pigs,  and  20  horses.  I may  add  that  I 
have  15  acres  of  rape,  which  I intend  to  stand  for  a crop  of  seed  upon  the 
Lincolnshire  plan. 
“ Course  of  Cropping. — As  I consider  this  property  more  favourable  to 
the  growth  of  roots  and  grass  than  that  of  corn,  I purpose  adopting  the 
sdr-field  course,  thereby  having  half  the  farm  under  tillage  and  half  under 
grass,  which  will  range: — 1,  roots;  2,  corn;  3 — 5,  three  years  grass; 
6,  corn. 
“Having  an  abundance  of  good  ashes  for  the  root  crops,  the  whole 
of  the  manure  raised  upon  the  farm  will  be  applied  to  the  grass  lands, 
“ By  this  system  (in  conjunction  with  some  forest  land  at  a cheap  rate) 
an  abundance  of  stock  may  be  kept  both  winter  and  summer;  and  as  I 
have  every  facility  for  water-power,  I purpose  cutting  up  the  majority  of 
my  com  crops  for  cattle,  thereby  save  the  cartage  of  the  corn  to  market, 
raise  a good  supply  of  farm-yard  manure,  and  let  the  general  produce 
of  the  farm  be  transformed  into  meat,  and  walk  to  market  on  the  frames 
of  the  animals,  or  be  exported  in  the  shape  of  cheese,  butter,  See. 
“ Draining  is  but  little  required,  except  where  springs  occur,  subsoiling 
being  the  chief  operation  on  peaty  soils. 
“ The  bog  you  noticed  leading  to  my  house  is  now  perfectly  cured  by 
deep  drains.  The  land  during  the  last  summer,  after  draining,  was 
ploughed  by  means  of  the  horses  walking  outside  the  furrow  ; it  was 
then  left  roughly  exposed  to  the  elements.  During  the  present  winter 
it  has  been  dug  over,  at  the  same  time  observing  to  level  the  land. 
“ In  the  spring  I intend  to  fork  it  over,  and  to  apply  3 tons  of  lime  per 
acre  previous  to  setting  the  land  with  potatoes.  Some  parts  of  this  bog 
are  from  6 to  7 feet  deep,  and  would  afford  an  almost  unlimited  supply  of 
manure  for  top-dressing  the  dry  lands  ; and  by  an  admixture  of  lime  and 
salt  would  be  perfect.” 
Mr.  Smith  deserves  the  credit  of  being  the  first  to  introduce 
into  the  far  west  the  Lincolnshire  principle  of  compensation  to 
tenants  for  durable  improvements  made  at  their  own  expense, 
from  which  they  have  not  had  time  to  reap  a profitable  return. 
Mr.  Knight’s  arrangement  with  the  Exmoor  tenants  is  as 
follows  : — Leases  are  given  for  twenty  years,  divided  into  periods 
of  four  years,  with  rents  commencing  at  very  low  sums,  and 
gradually  rising  at  the  end  of  each  period  of  four  years,  the  lessee 
having  the  power  of  determining  his  lease  at  the  expiration  of 
eight  or  sixteen  years,  on  giving  twelve  months’  notice. 
In  order  to  encourage  the  tenant  to  farm  in  the  highest  pos- 
sible manner,  it  is  provided  that,  on  the  fulfilment  of  certain 
