G96 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
also  on  the  new  red  sandstone,  including  the  valleys  and  flats 
about  Williton,  Dunster,  Minehead,  and  the  little  vale  of  Porlock. 
The  soil  at  the  base  of  several  hills,  and  the  Vale  of  the  Yeo,  in 
the  east  of  the  county  is  similar  in  character.  It  may  not  be  out 
of  place  to  remark  that  the  same  formation  passes  in  a continuous 
line  from  Taunton  into  Devonshire,  and  may  be  recognised  in  the 
rich  red  soil  in  the  vales  of  Collumpton,  Exeter,  Honiton,  and 
Crediton. 
As  is  commonly  the  case  on  this  formation,  the  texture  of  the 
land  varies  from  field  to  field,  a fact  which  should  be  taken  into 
account  in  the  sweeping  censure  of  small  enclosures ; but,  gene- 
rally speaking,  it  may  be  said  that  the  heavier  soils  predominate 
on  the  Blackdown  side  of  the  Vale  of  Taunton,  which  is  bordered 
by  the  has,  and  also  on  the  confines  of  the  marsh  land  near  the 
banks  of  the  Parret,  at  Durston,  and  North  Petherton,  while 
the  land  which  lies  on  the  slope  of  the  Brendon  and  Quantock 
lulls  is  of  a more  stony  and  sandy  character.  If  a line  be  drawn 
from  the  Wellington  Pillar,  passing  a little  to  the  east  of  Wel- 
lington and  Milverton,  and  between  the  parishes  of  Halse  and 
Heathfield,  and  thence  to  Cothelstone  Beacon,  the  prevailing 
character  of  the  land  to  the  west  of  that  line  will  be  a deep  sandy 
soil  or  a stonebrash  upon  a clay  and  marl  subsoil  well  adapted  to 
the  growth  of  turnips.  On  the  east  of  that  line,  although  the 
soil  will  grow  very  good  turnips  and  mangold-wurzel,  it  is  not  so 
favourable  for  consuming  them  on  the  land. 
The  larger  farms  on  the  best  land  in  this  district  average  from 
200  to  220  acres,  in  the  proportion  of  about  three-quarters  arable 
to  one-quarter  pasture  and  orchard  ; but  there  are  many  farms 
of  less  than  100  acres. 
The  above  classification  of  the  soils  of  the  vale  has  been  fur- 
nished by  Mr.  Hancock,  of  Halse,  who  has  valued  more  farms, 
perhaps,  than  any  man  in  the  West,  and  has  set  a good  example 
as  an  arable  farmer  for  half  a century.  His  practice  has  been 
honourably  distinguished  bv  a large  and  liberal  employment  of 
labour,  by  the  cleanness  of  his  land,  and  by  the  extent  to  which 
he  has  carried  the  permanent  improvement  of  the  soil  on  his  own 
property.  He  has  made  great  improvements  in  his  farm-buildings, 
removed  a number  of  useless  hedges,  and  carried  marl  on  some 
arable  lands  resting  on  a hungry  gravel,  on  grass- land,  and  on  a 
deep  peaty  soil  which  had  been  occupied  by  old  copses,  in  each 
case  with  a good  result.  Still  it  may  be  a question  whether  the 
result  has  been  commensurate  with  the  cost  of  applying  so  bulky 
a fertilizer.* 
* Adjoining  Mr.  Hancock’s  land  is  a farm  belonging  to  Lord  Ashburton,  occupied 
by  Mr.  Hibberd,  whose  manufactory  of  bacon  surpasses,  for  practical  efficiency,  any- 
thing which  I had  seen  in  that  line  when  I sent  in  my  Report. 
