On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
710 
per  acre.  About  Mil  borne  Port  it  is  in  places  more  exclusively 
sandy. 
On  entering  this  district,  near  II minster,  one  cannot  fail  to  be 
struck  with  the  superior  appearance  of  the  country.  The  fields 
are  well  laid  out,  with  good  thorn  hedges,  not  much  encumbered 
with  trees  ; and  those  which  are  scattered  about  are  so  handsome 
that  one  cannot  wish  them  away.  Further  on,  the  hedge-rows 
stand  thicker,  although  they  cannot  be  wanted  for  shelter. 
The  farming  of  this  district  was  above  the  average  of  the 
county  fifty  years  ago  : whether  it  has  fully  kept  its  place  in  the 
race  of  improvement  may  be  doubted.  Mr.  Billingsley,  whose 
hobbv  was  sheep-folding,  was  so  delighted  with  this  district,  that 
on  contemplating  the  entire  absence  of  bare  fallows,  he  exclaimed, 
“ These  are  enlightened  farmers  !” 
The  characteristic  features  of  the  farming  of  this  district 
appear  to  be  now,  as  then,  a rapid  succession  of  crops  without 
bare  fallows,  and  great  attention  to  sheep-folding,  for  both  of 
which  the  land  is  particularly  favourable.  As  an  instance  of  the 
first  may  be  mentioned  the  following  crops,  taken  by  one  of  the 
best  farmers  in  Shepton  Beauchamp  : — 
Stubble  turnips,  fed  off  in  March  ; 
Spring  vetches,  fed  in  June  ; 
Turnips,  fed  in  December; 
And  the  land  sown  to  wheat  again. 
Or  the  following,  on  a field  of  five  acres  after  wheat,  in  one 
season  : — 
Clover  mowed  (early  in  June) ; 
Ditto  fed  (with  100  sheep  for  G weeks) ; 
Green-ring  turnips  (keep  for  200  sheep  for  4 weeks)  ; 
Then  sown  with  wheat  again. 
After  young  grass  or  wheat  they  sometimes  put  in  a crop  of  flax 
in  April ; take  it  off"  in  July;  then  sow  turnips,  feed  them  off, 
and  put  in  wheat. 
Flax  cultivation  used  to  be  very  general.  It  has  been  checked 
of  late  years  by  a fall  in  the  price ; and  no  steps  appear  to  have 
been  taken  either  to  reduce  the  cost  of  production  or  to  improve 
the  quality  of  the  article  produced.  It  is  sown  soon  after  March, 
2 or  2^  bushels  to  the  acre ; weeded  at  about  5s.  per  acre. 
It  is  drawn  about  midsummer,  at  a cost  of  5s.  After  turning 
and  spreading  for  the  seed  to  ripen,  the  seed  is  stamped  out. 
It  is  laid  on  the  pasture  for  the  process  of  dew-retting  instead 
of  steeping,  a practice  of  doubtful  policy,  as  it  is  said  to  stain  the 
flax,  and  make  it  fit  only  for  coarser  manufactures.  It  is  then 
tied  up  for  work  in  the  winter,  when  it  is  prepared  in  dozens  of 
bv  many  farmers,  and  carefully  measured  afterwards.  The  whole  farm  gave  7 quarters 
of  wheat  per  acre.  This  was  good  management  of  good  land.  — Ph.  P. 
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