704 
On  the  Farm ing  of  Somerset. 
fore  large  and  well  shaped.  They  are  divided  by  large  open 
ditches,  which  serve  to  drain  the  land  in  wet  weather,  and  to 
supply  the  stock  with  water  in  summer.  The  main  drains,  which 
are  under  view  of  the  Commissioners  of  Sewers,  are  called  rhines. 
Each  field  is  crossed  by  small  open  drains,  called  gripes,  for  the 
purpose  of  carrying  off  surface-water.  I am  especially  indebted 
to  Mr.  Gabriel  Poole,  of  Bridgewater,  for  much  of  the  informa- 
tion which  follows  in  reference  to  the  grazing  land,  and  to  the 
value  of  the  arable  land  in  the  Marsh. 
The  grass-lands  are  of  three  qualities  : — 
1st.  The  prime  grazing-lands,  which  the  tenant  is  under  heavy 
penalties  not  to  pasture  with  milch  cows,  and  not  to  break  up  or 
mow. 
2ndly.  The  dairy-lands. 
ordly.  The  lands  which  are  constantly  mown  for  hay,  or  which, 
having  been  over  cropped  in  tillage,  are  laid  down  again  to  grass. 
The  value  of  the  grazing-lands  is  very  great.  The  best  of 
these  lands  will  fatten  a bullock  per  acre  in  the  summer,  and 
winter  two  sheep  per  acre  afterwards.  The  graziers  generally 
“ hayne"  up  the  land  (i.  e.  let  the  grass  grow)  at  Lady-day. 
About  May  they  put  on  the  beasts  in  various  degrees  of  con- 
dition, so  that  they  can  draft  off  some  about  midsummer,  and  sell 
some  more  about  St.  Matthew’s  fair,  on  the  2nd  October.  Those 
which  remain  go  home  to  be  finished  in  stalls  : then  some  hog 
wethers  are  put  on,  and  get  nearly  fat  in  the  winter.  On  some  lands 
a grazier  would  put  about  thirty  bullocks,  with  as  many  couples  of 
ewes  and  lambs,  on  forty  acres.  The  lambs  would  soon  get  fat, 
and  leave  the  ewes  to  “ make  themselves  out."  A curious  reason 
for  not  putting  too  many  sheep  with  the  bullocks  was  pointed 
out  to  me, — that  if  the  grass  is  kept  too  short,  the  bullock  cannot 
lap  his  tongue  round  the  grass  to  feed  himself  to  advantage.  The 
expenses  of  these  grazing  lands  are  very  trifling : the  cattle  are 
looked  after  by  a “ heed,”  who  receives  9 d.  per  acre  : they  yield 
a rent  of  about  31.  an  acre.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these 
pieces  of  land  is  Horsey  Slime,  through  which  the  railway  passes 
on  leaving  Bridgewater  for  London.  Pawlet  Hams  below,  and 
the  banks  of  the  Parret  generally,  are  very  valuable. 
A great  change  has  taken  place  within  the  last  fifty  years  in  the 
occupation  of  grazing-land.  In  the  days  when 
“ Muster  Guy  wur  a gentleman 
O’  Huntspill,  well  knawn 
As  a grazier,  a hirch  un 
Wi’  lands  o’  his  awn,” 
every  parish  in  the  Marsh  had  several  wealthy  proprietors  who 
farmed  their  own  estates,  and  were  great  graziers;  but  the  de- 
generate days  of  mangold-wurzel  and  swede  turnips  have  made 
