On  the  Farming  of  Somerset.  743 
and  one  drain  well  laid  to  suit,  the  circumstances  will  often  save  a 
dozen  by  rule. 
I saw  a contrivance  on  Mr.  Corner’s  farm  on  Brentlon  Hill 
which  is  worthy  of  notice.  One  of  his  water-meadows  is  on  two 
sides  of  a falling  combe,  with  a stream  down  the  middle,  a very 
common  case;  instead  of  cutting  a new  main  carrier,  he  has 
straightened  the  stream  and  sloped  its  banks  gradually  away, 
bringing  each  separate  drain  into  its  bed  ; he  finds  that  in  this 
way,  as  the  field  is  always  dry,  he  gains  good  grass  to  the  edge 
of  the  stream,  and  if  any  pipe  is  choked  he  can  find  out  where 
the  fault  is  immediately. 
Farm  Buildings. 
Enough  has  been  said  already  to  show  that  the  strong  point  of 
Somersetshire  farming  is  not  the  excellence  of  its  buildings. 
The  dairy  farmers  are  in  the  worst  position,  for  they  have  often 
no  buildings  at  all  for  cattle.  An  agent  for  a large  property  told 
me  that  when  he  first  came  into  the  county  he  was  surprised  at 
the  wasteful  and  injurious  custom  of  foddering  on  the  grasslands, 
and  introduced  a clause  into  his  agreements  forbidding  it  alter  a 
certain  day  in  the  autumn.  The  tenants  said,  “ before  you 
forbid  this  you  must  put  up  proper  buildings,  for  we  have  not 
room  for  half  our  beasts;”  and  he  was  obliged  to  strike  out  the 
clause.  A farmer  in  the  Bridgewater  district,  after  explaining 
how  roots  may  be  grown  on  the  lias  clays,  says,  “ but  before  this 
can  be  done,  buildings  must  be  put  up  to  economize  manure,  for 
it  is  only  by  extraordinary  manuring  that  this  land  can  be  fitted 
for  the  growth  of  turnips and  he  adds,  “ that  on  the  whole 
district  (w'est  of  the  Parrett)  the  buildings  are  utterly  unsuited 
to  the  improved  methods  of  farming.” 
Such,  it  is  to  be  feared,  is  the  true  state  of  the  case,  speaking 
generally,  throughout  the  county.  Of  course  there  are  excep- 
tions. On  some  properties  to  which  the  owners  have  given  their 
personal  attention,  there  has  been  a gradual  and  general  improve- 
ment ; on  others  a few  buildings  have  been  erected  from  the 
ground,  the  rest  biding  their  time.  The  instances  of  farmsteads, 
completely  arranged  with  a view  to  the  adoption  of  the  recent 
improvements  in  machinery  and  cattle  feeding,  are  very  rare. 
This  is  partly  owing  to  the  small  scale  of  the  farms  and  to  the 
large  proportion  of  grass  land.  Among  the  buildings  lately 
erected  which  have  attracted  attention,  is  one  on  Lord  Portman’s 
property  at  West  Lambrook  ; it  is  a very  large  establishment,  con- 
structed and  occupied  by  his  steward  Mr.  Parsons,  whose  great 
mechanical  skill  is  exhibited  in  the  arrangements  for  preparing 
corn  and  food  for  cattle.  The  threshing  machine,  with  its  ele- 
vator and  straw-rake,  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  complete  in 
