222 
Agriculture in Derbyshire. 
was discovered by the late Mr. Samuel Wade, of Mickleover, the 
first Secretary to and a chief mover in the organisation of the 
Derbyshire Agricultural Society. Another notable horse was 
Mr. J. H. Potter’s “ Harold.” From these two sires Derbyshire 
and Shire horse breeders have much to be thankful for ; 
from them in a great measure are derived the hair, bone, and 
symmetry characteristic of the Shire horse. It is a question 
whether more good animals have not descended from these 
two sires than from any other two that could be mentioned 
in the early stages of what has now become a large and fairly 
remunerative business. One danger should however be care- 
fully guarded against. The breeders must not allow themselves 
to be tempted by the high prices offered to allow all the best 
mares and fillies to pass out the county. The best advice I can 
give to the tenant farmer is to keep his filly foals and sell his 
colt foals. 
The breeding of sheep is not a leading feature of the county, 
although a fair quantity of mutton and lamb is produced. 
A large number of sheep are imported from other districts, 
some of course coming for breeding purposes and others down 
from the hills as stores to be finished for the butcher. 
By the Trent, Dove, and Derwent valleys some rich pastures 
are found, and when utilised for simple grazing, turn out some 
of the finest grass beef. But, unfortunately, the usual high 
price of store cattle — generally about Is. per lb. in, and about 
&d. per lb. out — kills all the profit that should pertain to this 
branch of farming. 
Though not a turnip and barley county, some good malting 
barley is cultivated, and some excellent crops are grown of 
roots, particularly mangels and cabbages. The production of 
these is most necessary upon the numerous large dairy farms 
which are situated more or less over the whole of the middle 
and southern parts of the county. The Derbyshire Agricul- 
tural Society encourages the growing of roots by awarding 
prizes annually, and these prizes are supplemented by others 
given by seedsmen and artificial manure manufacturers. 
Writing after a practical experience of over thirty years in 
the work of judging these crops, I may be allowed to express 
the opinion that the competition for these prizes stimulates 
the farmers to produce the heaviest weights. There are, 
indeed, few counties where a larger bulk of roots are grown 
per acre, for after a season like the past — dry as it has been — 
the thirty-one entries for mangels ranged in weight from 40 
to 64-J tons per acre, and the twelve entries for cabbage from 
41 to 73 tons per acre. 
With respect to mangel growing it is surprising in what a 
variety of widths the seed is sown apart in the rows, the 
