716 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
The  principal  object  of  this  farm  has  been  so  far  attained  that 
all  the  tenants  on  the  estate  but  one  are  beginning  to  dibble  the 
manure,  and  to  succeed  in  growing  roots.  I saw  a very  fine 
crop  of  inangold-wurzel  on  one  of  the  tenants’  farms,  put  in  on 
this  plan. 
It  ought  to  be  stated  in  fairness  to  Mr.  Graburn*  that  he  has 
not  hitherto  had  liberty  to  stock  the  farm  to  the  extent  which  he 
would  wish,  and  which  his  root-crops  justify ; in  the  absence  of 
sufficient  stock  to  consume  them  at  home  he  has  sold  them  in 
former  years  to  the  tenants,  realizing  twenty  guineas  per  acre,  at 
about  15s.  per  ton. 
To  do  Mr.  Graburn’s  plans  justice  they  should  be  seen  in  full 
operation  on  the  farm  of  Earl  Fortescue  at  Castle  Hill  in  De- 
vonshire— 750  acres,  for  the  most  part  bad  land,  and  Lord 
Ebrington’s  farm  at  Leary,  and  also  at  a small  farm  established 
on  the  scale  of  the  ordinary  North  Devon  tenancies,  about  50 
acres  of  land,  on  which  all  the  team-work  is  to  be  done  by  oxen 
instead  of  horses. 
The  Lias  Clays  are  extremely  heavy  and  difficult  to  work. 
Some  are  very  cold  and  unprofitable  ; others,  especially  on  the 
confines  of  the  marlstone  and  oolite,  very  deep  and  rich.  Much 
of  the  arable  land  so  situated  in  Martock  lets  for  40s.  per  acre. 
It  is  very  subject  to  a long  black  grass — the  worst  kind  of  couch. 
I am  informed  by  a practical  farmer  of  great  experience,  who  has 
retired  from  business,  that  after  witnessing  many  attempts  to  dis- 
pense with  a summer  fallow  once  in  three  years,  he  does  not  be- 
lieve they  have  been  successful.  It  is  certain  that  in  the  opinion  of 
the  neighbourhood  the  monotonous  course  of  1.  Wheat;  2.  Beans; 
3.  Fallow,  reigns  supreme.  My  veteran  friend  says  that — “ one 
fact  is  worth  a volume  of  theory,”  and  I regret  that  space  cannot 
be  allowed  me  to  give  an  account  of  his  practice  in  his  own  words, 
which  contain  much  good  sense,  though  I do  not  think  that  his 
account  of  his  expenses  and  returns  would  encourage  his  brother 
farmers  to  sit  down  contented  with  the  old  practice  and  to  reject 
the  aids  of  improved  machinery. 
In  another  part  of  the  county,  on  the  lias,  near  the  Bristol 
Channel,  the  old  course  used  to  be  either  wheat  every  other  year 
with  a fallow  between,  or  wheat  followed  by  oats  or  beans,  and 
then  a fallow.  I am  informed  by  an  intelligent  Scotch  agent, 
Mr.  King,  some  improvements  are  creeping  in.  One  of  the 
leading  farmers  adopts  the  following  course: — 
* This  is  now  otherwise;  new  buildings  are  also  in  process  of  erection,  with  a view 
to  carry  into  full  operation  the  main  principles  on  which  Mr.  Graburn’s  practice  rests, 
viz. : — 
1.  House-feeding  in  summer. 
2.  The  preservation  of  manure  in  an  unfermented  slate  till  it  is  applied  to  the 
plant. 
