Typical Farms in Cheshire and North Wales. 619 
(5) The natural aptitude of the land to lay down well and rapidly to 
grass suits the system of farming pursued. 
(6) The practice of freedom of cultivation and free sale has enabled 
products to he raised with advantage, and sold at a profit, whilst fertility 
lias been sustained by the exchange for cheaper commodities. 
(7) The keeping of the labour bill within moderate dimensions, as com- 
pared with the returns from the holdings, is also one of the chief factors 
which account for Cheshire’s comparative prosperity. 
As a general rule, the proportion of root crops and cereals 
to the whole acreage on the arable farms is small. The five- 
course system largely prevails on the arable holdings, and is 
occasionally still further modified by leaving the seeds down a 
third, and in some cases a fourth year ; and although such farms 
are ostensibly arable to a greater extent than the ordinary 
rotation implies, they are, with the exception of the cereals and 
roots, essentially grass farms. This system economises labour. 
It was generally asserted that none but the low-lying meadows 
could be regarded as permanent pastures, and that the fields that 
have been down for some years in grass were improved by being 
broken up. Such a doctrine as this would in most counties be 
considered heterodox. The power of deciding the matter is, 
however, retained by the landlord. A custom is gradually being 
established which recognises clover leys of over three years’ 
standing as permanent pasture. Formerly, no period under 
seven years would admit of this interpretation, such fields being 
regarded as forming part of the arable area. On the farms 
inspected the proportions of roots and cereals varied from nil to 
46 per cent., but the number of head of stock per acre did not 
fluctuate to so great an extent as might have been anticipated. 
“Three acres and a cow” is a common phrase, but these 
Cheshire farms usually manage to carry a larger proportion of 
stock. The returns show that from 1^ to 2 head of cattle per 
three acres, besides pigs, are carried on these well-farmed occu- 
pations, the number of pigs varying somewhat widely between 
one pig to three acres and one pig to five acres. The grass-land 
farms carry more stock in proportion to the arable than might 
have been expected, but this is accomplished at an increased 
outlay per acre of food purchased. In reference to the customs 
and agreements already referred to in the preliminary remarks, 
it was there asserted that, notwithstanding the restrictions 
imposed, the practice of freedom of cultivation and free sale of 
produce was generally acted upon by the tenants. 
Admitting most fully the necessity of safeguarding the land 
from abuse, why, may one ask, are these obsolete clauses, insist- 
ing on discontinued practices, introduced in covenants and 
leases ? In other districts farmers are required to observe them, 
and therefore stand at a comparative disadvantage. It may be 
