750 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
ration  and  to  promote  growth.  It  is  the  opinion  also  of  most 
good  farmers  that  the  frequent  use  of  the  horse- hoe  checks  the 
mildew ; but  even  good  farmers  near  Taunton  still  set  their 
drills  so  close  that  the  horse-hoe  cannot  be  used. 
It  seems  to  be  a settled  point  that  sowing  on  the  ridge  does 
not  answer  in  the  vales,  as  it  exposes  too  much  surface  to  the 
air;  while  some  of  the  best  farmers  on  the  hills,  such  as  Mr. 
Snow,  of  Cutcombe,  and  Mr.  Peard,  of  Highercombe,  are  de- 
cidedly in  favour  of  ridges. 
I have  met  with  two  details  of  practice  which  may  be  useful 
elsewhere.  Mr.  Lang,  of  Hambridge  Mills,  near  llminster,  sows 
two  rows  of  red  mangold  alierately  with  two  rows  of  yellow  globe. 
The  leaves  of  one  sort  tend  to  spread  and  of  the  other  to  rise  ; 
and  by  alternating  the  sorts  he  promotes  free  access  of  air  to  both. 
Mr.  Salter,  of  Combe  Farm,  near  Crewkerne,  who  grows  man- 
gold after  swedes  and  before  wheat,  sows  rape  between  the  rows 
of  mangold  the  last  time  of  hoeing.  The  swedes  having  been  fed 
off  with  sheep  the  year  before,  the  mangold  crop  is  grown  with 
little  expense  ; the  leaves  of  the  mangold  and  the  rape  are  partly 
eaten  and  partly  trodden  in,  and  form  an  excellent  preparation  for 
wheat.  He  hauls  out  large  heaps  of  ashes  saturated  with  urine 
in  the  autumn,  and  places  them  in  the  fields  where  vetches  are  to 
grow  after  the  stubble  and  before  the  swedes  ; he  has  only  to  add 
the  bones  in  the  spring.  The  chief  part  of  the  dung  goes  on  the 
grass. 
The  state  of  the  Labourers  as  to  Employment , with  the  means  of 
increasing  it,  and  as  to  their  Habitations. 
This  is  the  last  subject  prescribed  for  discussion  in  this  Re- 
port; it  involves  every  point  which  bears  on  the  improvement  of 
the  general  standard  of  farming  in  the  county  ; and  there  never 
was  a time  when  it  required  more  serious  consideration. 
There  are  three  principal  rates  of  money-wages  paid  to  day- 
labourers  in  different  districts.  Before  the  recent  fall  in  prices 
these  rates  were  9s.,  8s.,  and  7s.  or  6s.  The  highest  rate  is  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  coal-pits,  the  lowest  in  the  south  of  the 
county  between  Yeovil  and  llminster,  and  in  some  of  the  poor 
hilly  parishes.  Carters,  of  course,  receive  a rather  higher  rate 
or  have  some  advantages. 
About  Taunton  and  Bridgewater,  and  generally  on  the  best 
managed  farms  out  of  the  coal  district,  the  intermediate  rate  is 
paid.  In  a few  parishes  in  the  Marsh,  where  the  labourers  are 
very  independent,  the  highest  rate  is  given.  Since  the  1 all  in 
prices  wages  have  fallen  in  some  parishes,  but  by  no  means  in 
all.  In  addition  to  money-wages  are  given  what  are  called 
privileges;  a substitute  for  real  wages  which  may  mean  an 
