On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
757 
"ood  manure  is  made  (whether  from  the  produce  of  the  farm  or 
from  artificial  manure  is  immaterial).  Where  these  qualities 
exist  in  a high  degree,  it  may  be  inferred  that  in  a favourable 
season  and  climate  a high  proportion  of  grain  will  be  grown 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  land  : at  the  same  time  it  tells 
nothing  whatever  as  to  the  profits  of  the  farm,  because  all  this 
may  be  effected  at  a heavy  loss  to  the  farmer,  while  the  public 
reaps  the  benefit. 
The  columns  in  the  following  Table,  then,  show  (1)  the  situation 
and  soil  of  several  farms;  distinguishing  (2)  arable  from  pasture 
land  ; and  giving  the  total  acreage  (3) ; and  then  (4)  the  number 
of  animals  sold  off  in  one  year,  with  the  weight  in  scores  due  to 
each  class  : if  they  are  bred  on  the  farm,  their  whole  weight  is 
stated,  and  the  young  stock  which  are  being  reared  to  take  their 
places  are  not  entered  : if  they  have  been  bought  in,  their  weight 
when  purchased  is  deducted  : milch  cows,  letting  in  ordinary 
times  at  10/.,  are  considered  equivalent  to  twenty  score.  The 
total  number  of  scores  sold  off  the  larm  in  one  year  is  shown  in 
the  next  column  (5).  In  the  next  column  (6)  will  be  found  the 
number  of  scores  per  acre  over  the  whole  farm,  that  is,  the 
result  shown  by  dividing  the  number  of  scores  sold  by  the  num- 
ber of  acres  on  the  farm ; and  in  the  following  column  (7)  the 
proportion  the  meat  bears  to  the  number  of  acres  presumed  to  be 
yielding  green  food,  that  is,  to  the  total  number  of  acres  of  grass, 
together  with  half  of  the  arable  land,  which  on  the  four-field 
system  would  be  in  roots  or  grass.  On  any  other  system  it  may 
be  presumed  that  the  produce  of  one  half  of  the  arable  land  is 
consumed  on  the  farm.  If  two-thirds  of  the  arable  land  be  in 
grass,  as  in  the  hills,  the  inferiority  of  the  soil  may  fairly  be  set 
against  this  advantage  in  the  present  comparison. 
The  first  two  cases  are  inserted  to  show  what  unassisted  nature 
will  do  on  rich  grass  land.  No  case  of  artificial  produce  comes  near 
to  this,  except  the  remarkable  instance  of  Mr.  Bernard’s  farm,  at 
Clatworthy  (see  No.  18).  Nos.  3 and  4 show  the  result  of  dairy 
farming : the  next  two  cases,  5 and  6,  were  communicated  in 
conversation  by  two  farmers  occupying  very  rich  land  in  the 
south  of  the  county,  and  farming  much  better  than  the  majority 
of  their  neighbours.  In  both  these  cases  a considerable  portion 
of  the  stock  goes  off  in  a lean  state;  and  in  No.  5 the  account  is 
swelled  by  a large  proportion  of  dairy  produce.  This  must  be 
considered  in  estimating  the  value  of  the  animals  as  manure- 
makers.  The  two  next  cases,  7 and  8,  and  also  No.  10,  are 
estates  occupied  by  tenant-farmers,  among  the  best  in  the  county 
of  Somerset.  I am  indebted  to  them  for  the  statements — in  their 
own  handwriting — on  which  my  figures  are  founded.  In  these 
three  cases  there  is  a large  proportion  of  fat  stock.  No.  9 is  a 
