1800. | 
ploughed potatoes ; third ditto, wheat 5 
fourth ditto, oats and clover, or barley and 
clover, which will be mended by a little 
manure at the time of fowing ; fifth ditto, 
clover, and fuch other artificial graffes as 
may have been fown with it. 
Or, -firft year, delved potatoes, with an 
after crop of turnips; fecond ditto, bar- 
Jey and clover, with manure, as before: 
third ditto, clover, which mows well 
twice. 
Or, firft year, lay oats; fecond ditto, 
ploughed potatoes; third ditto, wheat 
with clover: fourth ditto, clover, which 
mows very well twice ; fifth ditto, clover, 
which mows well once. 
Or, firft year, lay oats; fecond ditto, 
oats and clover, with manure ; third ditto, 
clover mowed twice, and often very good. 
When no turnips are fown after the po- 
tatoes, as in the fecond courfe, it is com- 
mon to fow wheat after them, and regu- 
Jate the fucceeding crops accordingly ; and 
when the field is intended to pafture for 
any number of years, it is well to fow 
white clover, trefoil, ryegrafs, and other 
artificial grafs-feeds, along with the red 
clover, that there may be a fuller bottom 
when it comes to lic. 
Delving the land for potatoes is here 
very much practifed, and is found to an- 
{wer every expectation. By this method, 
the foil is much better divided and cleaned, 
and the manure far better incorporated 
than by the plough. A frefn earth is alfo 
raifed, which in lands previoufly often 
manured is found to contain all thefe nu- 
tritive properties, which may readily be 
conceived to have funk beneath that foil 
ufually,turned up bythe plough. By this 
practice, the crops are alfo much earlier, 
more abundant, and, every thing confider- 
ed, it is here generally believed, lefs ex- 
penfive than by the old method ; the Jand, 
at the fame time, being far better fitted 
for the reception of the fucceeding crops 
of corn. It muft be obtferved, however, 
that, where this practice is pretty general, 
the farmer is prevented from delving as 
much as he could wilh, by the want of 
good hands. [t would be difficult for per. 
fons, unacquainted with this branch of hut 
bandry, to form. any idea of the amazing 
profits which have this year attended it. 
Tam well affured there are many fields in 
this townfhip, the lJaft crops of which 
would have purchafed the fee fimple of the 
Jand. Such extraordinary profits are not 
however to be reckoned upon ; but when 
the produce felis at one-third of the recent 
‘ prices, the advantage is great enough. 
Great fears have been entertained in many 
Account of the Townfhip of Sale, in Chefhire. 
hs 
places refpeGting the probable fcaicity of 
potatoes next year, in confequence of the 
high price of feed: I am therefore happy 
to bear witnefs to an increafed plantation 
in this neighbourhood, and am informed, 
that a more extenfive report would not fail 
to remove all doubts as to a deficiency next 
feafon. 
The implements of hufbandry here ufed 
are chiefly of the old fort; yet our farmers 
are not {uperftitious in their attachment to 
them, but, on the contrary, have fhewn an 
unufual readinefs in many inftances, to 
adopt the more recent improvements, when 
they have been fairly convinced of their 
fuperior utility. 
A man is paid by the townfhip for de- 
ftroying moles, great quantities of which 
ufed to infelt this part of the coun- 
try. 
Not more than one-tenth part of Sale 
is pafturage, yet our farmers are enabled 
to keep moderate ftocks, having a right of 
common on Sale Moor, which is an exten- 
five piece of wafte ground in the centre of 
the townfhip, and adjoining {ome part or 
other of almoft every farm. 
The land here is little overfhadowed 
with trees; and fuch as are confidered 
neceflary for repairs, &c. are pruned. and 
made to cover as little ground as poflible. 
The fences are alfo confructed upon the 
moft economical plans, and are generally 
kept in great order. Where new hedges 
are wanted, and quick wood is uled, it is 
planted on a level with the field, and no 
mound raifed, in which manner this ufeful 
fence wood is found to grow moft expedi- 
tioufly, and afford the leaft protection to 
weeds. 
Although the townfhip is nearly level, 
there are no lodgments of water greater 
than thofe neceflary for cattle. 
The uncommon induftry of our people, 
and the neatnefs and order which prevail 
in’ our farms, are truly exemplary; and 
whilft they occafion to the admiring tra- 
veller a landicape truly interefting, at 
the fame time afford him the greateft 
proof of our profperity. 
The fmall inclofures near the farm. 
houfes are moftly planted with apple, 
pear, plum, and cherry-trees, and under- 
neath thefe the goofeberry and currant 
bufhes are fet. Thefe colleétions, when 
jadicioufly managed, are highly ornamen- 
tal as well as ufeful. There are few cot- 
tages which have not a little garden at- 
tached to them. But the poor derive the 
greateft advantage from a cuftom, which, 
if not peculiar to this county, is not very 
general. Such of themas are careful to 
accu 
