732 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
3.  Winler-Yetches  followed  by  Mustard;  4.  Wheat  or  Barley ; 
5.  Turnips;  6.  Barley;  7.  Clover;  8.  Wheat  or  Oats.  The 
land  is  subsoiled  at  least  once  in  the  course,  generally  after  the 
4th  crop,  early  in  October,  so  as  to  be  as  little  trodden  as  pos- 
sible. The  roots  are  always  sown  upon  ridges  at  '27  inches  apart, 
in  order  to  horse-hoe  twice  before  singling,  which  is  done  by  hand. 
Great  care  is  taken  to  deposit  the  seed  at  an  even  depth ; the 
quantity  of  dung  has  been  reduced  from  24  to  12  loads,  with 
3 cwt.  of  guano. 
The  cultivation  of  roots  having  been  very  successful,  a large 
quantity  of  stock  is  kept.  About  30  short-horned  beasts  are 
annually  reared,  and  the  same  number  sold  at  about  8 cwt.  each; 
about  300  Southdown  sheep  are  sold  at  15  lbs.  a quarter.  The 
situation  appears  in  some  degree  unsuitable  for  high-bred  South- 
downs  ; 25  cows  are  kept  in  milk,  and  many  pigs.  It  will  be 
found  that  this  produce  amounts  to  about  3000  score  of  meat, 
besides  the  deer,  allowing  the  milk  of  a cow  to  be  equal  to  20 
score  of  meat — a result  which  is  confirmed  by  the  sale-book, 
showing  the  number  of  pounds  actually  sold  in  the  year  ending 
Lady-day,  1849,  to  exceed  the  quantity  above  estimated.  This  is 
another  instance  of  the  importance  of  roots  and  stock,  occurring 
as  it  does  on  land  which  Mr.  Billingsley  said  would  not  admit  of 
cultivation,  and  was  only  fit  for  the  pasture  of  sheep. 
Following  the  banks  of  the  river  from  Bristol  towards  Bath 
we  pass  some  deep  stony  land  near  Keynsham,  and  come  to  the 
high  land  between  Bath  and  Wells,  from  which  the  ground  falls 
on  the  east  side  to  the  Frome  water.  I was  informed  that  near 
Hinton,  St.  Philip’s  Norton,  Wolverton,  and  Beckington  there  is 
some  good  grazing  land,  and  that  Mr.  Feever,  of  Stoney  Littleton, 
has  some  very  fine  stock  of  the  Hereford  breed,  which  are  as 
good  milkers  as  high-proof  animals  can  be  expected  to  be.  Mr. 
Craddock,  of  Lyppiat,  has  a herd  of  Herefords  not  to  be  sur- 
passed in  their  native  county. 
About  Timsbury  and  Radstock  there  is  rich  sound  land,  to 
which  sheep  used  to  be  sent  in  great  numbers  for  the  winter  from 
Wiltshire,  and  still  are  sent  from  the  Mendips. 
There  is  little  to  boast  of  in  the  arable  cultivation  of  that  part 
of  this  district  which  lies  nearer  to  Bath : as  far  as  I have  been 
able  to  learn,  the  deficiency  of  root  crops  and  of  winter  food 
generally  characterizes  the  farming:  a low  average  of  stock  and 
a deficiency  of  good  manure  are  the  necessary  consequence.  The 
sheep  are  of  various  kinds,  chiefly  cross-bred  between  the  Cotswold 
and  Leicester,  and  not  a few  nondescript  Irish  brought  in  by  way 
of  Bristol,  some  of  which,  however,  are  not  very  bad  in  quality. 
Many  farmers  content  themselves  with  breeding  a few  cross  bred 
sheep,  selling  the  lambs  in  July,  and  the  ewes,  in  middling  con- 
