\^ s JT^Wl ^FWILLIATI-COCK-n a ?Fi0 with funding from ^*;n*. Research Library; The Getty Research Institute http://www.archive.org/details/farmerstourthrou02youn THE farmer's tour THROUGH THE EAST of ENGLAND, BEING The Regifler of a Journey through various Counties of this Kingdom, to enquire into the State of Agriculture, &c. CONTAINING, I. The particular Methods of cultivating the Soil. II. The Condudl of live Stock, and the modern Syftem of Breeding. III. The State of Population, the Poor, Labour, Provifions, &c. IV. The Rental and Value of the Soil, and its Divifion int» Farms, with various Circum- ftances attending their Size and State. V. The Minutes of above five hundred original Experiments, communicated by feveral of the Nobility, Gentry, &c. WITH Other Subjefts that tend to explain the prefent State of English Husbandry. By the Author of the Farmer's Letters, and the Tours through the North and South of England. VOL. IL LONDON: Printed for W. Strahan; W. Nicoll, No. ji, Sj. Paul's Church-Yard; B. Collins, at Salifbury ; and J. Balfouk, at Edinburgh, M DCC LXXI. CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. LETTER XI. TjUSBANBRTfrom Lynn to Nor- wich.— Mr, Carr*^ Experiments, — Air. Billing^ Carrots. — Mr, Henley, at Sandringham. -^ Mr. Stileman, at Snet- tifham. — Sir John Turner'^ Experiments, — Sir Edward AfhleyV, at Melton. — I/or^ WalpoleV, at Wollerton. — Earl qf BuckinghamfhireV, at Blickling, Page I to 73. LETTER Xn. ManufaBures at Norwich, 74 to 82 i LETTER XIII. Hujbandry from Norwich to Yarmouth. — Mr, Thompfon'j" Experitnents, — Mr, HowmanV. — Mr, BevorV. — Mr, Fel- ^ lowes'^ CONTENTS. lowesV in Planting and Hufiandry,-—^ Fleg Hundred. — Mr, RameyV Trials^ Page 83/(7 149. LETTER XIV. Obfervations on the Norfolk Hujbandry^ 150 to 163. LETTER XV. Hujbandry from Beccles to Chelmsford.— Admirable Management /z^^rWoodbridge. '-^Houfe of Indujiry at Na Clear profit ■ <^ 365 10 Or p^f" acre 12/. 3 j. I have given thefc various prices for the ufe of different places, where hay fells at different rates. The calculation of the produce is by the ftock i)iaintained. By fattening 12 neat beafts ; 49 ^, ^hearing wethers ; 5 cows ; an heifer; and 17 *S'f£'/r/6 bullocks — yielded clear profit - £'^oS o q Feeding a dairy of 35 cows, and a flock of 2 1 fcore fheep, three weeks^in themonthofy^r//* 20 g o Carry ovcTj 128 * This is the calculation in the pamphkt i but thq tows at IS. 6d. and the Iheep at 3^. a week, come to .23/. 12. s. bd. And turnips, it is faid, were gone ^ I leave the rtader therefore to judge whether this is adequate. Feeding THROUGH ENGLAND. 13 Brought over, - £.128 o o teediiig 16 cart-horfes from No- ■ 'vemher to the latter end of May ; 2 load-s of carrots in this application faved I of hay * 35 o o Many fwine fed ; but no account taken - -000 Total produce^ - 163 0 0 Total expence, - 84 9 3 Clear profit, - 78 10 9 Or per acre 2 /. 5 s. id. ■3 Add to this, that the barley fown after carrots utidunged in the middle of turnios duhgdd, was better than after the turnips — which is a prodigious fuperiority. According to the loweft of thefe accounts', the: carrots pay more in clear profit by at ieaft 1 5 /. an acre, than any turnips in tbjs country pay in total produce. If this is not decifive in their favour, I know not what can be. j In the preceding account, ioj-. an acre is allowed for taking up, whereas many were ploughed up : which I will venture to afiert is a llovenly and lofing pra-ilice* * No notice Is taken, of the faving of oat-, which M the plain w^y of caicuiating. 14 THE FARMER'S TOUR All thefe carrots, except what were given to the horfes, were fed on the ground like ^ turnips : this is a deduction from their pro- duce of at leaft two-thirds : it is every where known that one acre drawn and given in ftalls, or a warm yard, will go as far as three in the field. The objections at page 15 of the pamphlet, are trivial, and fuppofe bad management in the method difapproved. Beafts in a warm yard well littered with ftubble, and fheds around it, do not foun- der : nor need the ftale be loft ; and as to the beef not being fo good, it is an ab- furdity. After thefe accounts drawn from Mr. Bil*- ling\ pamphlet, what are we to fay to his leaving off the culture, under the idea of its not atifivering ? Is it not very evident, that he has declined the moft profitable crop that ever his farm produced ? This is the effed: of farmers not keeping accounts : they talk of experience ; but written experience in thefe cafes alone deferves the name. Mr. Bi/Jmg^^ general notions (which are what farmers call experience) are diametrically contrary to the prad:ice which he found excellent, and re- commended as fuch to the public. He is not THROUGH ENGLAND. 15 not peculiar in this, for the profit of crops to which they are not heartily inclined, vvilj jiever have their experience an advocate. About Sandri?igham^ the feat of Henry ComiJJj Henley^ Efq. are very confiderable tradis of fandy land, v^hich are applied at prefent only to the feeding rabbits : it is a very barren foil, but not I apprehend inca- pable of cultivation ; it lets from is. 6d. to 2.S. 6d, an acre in warrens : Mr. Henley has tried fome experiments on it lately, with a view to difcover how far it will anfwer cul- tivating. The value of it is prodigioufly ad- vanced by planting ; that gentleman has formed feveral plantations, which thrive ex- tremely : all the firs do well ; and will pay a better rent for the land than any hufbandry. Much of the country improves in foil about Snettifiam, The better fort of lands there are generally thrown into what is pro- perly called the Norfolk hufoandry. Farms rife from 20/. to 370/. a year ; but are in general from 70/. to 90/. The foH is either fand or fandy loam, on a chalky marie. The rent from 10 j. to 14^. an acre: but the poor warren fands towards Lynn from I J. to 2 .f . 6 d. an acre. The courfe moll: common is, i6 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1. Turnips times one yeaf: 2. Barley butbythebeft 3 .Clover and ray- farmers 2 years grafs, feme- 4. Wheslt. For wheat they plough but once, Tow 3 buihels, and gain on an average 3 quarters. Rye they fubftitute on fome lands inftead of \V*heat, fow 3 bufhels, and get 3 | quarter^. For barley they plough 3 times, fow 2 i. of J bufheis; and get 3 quarters. For oats they plough but once, fow 4 bufhels an acr^> and get on a medium A quarters. For peaf& they give but one earth ; arid reckon the average crop at 2 quarters. Colefeed they cultivate both for feeding fheep and alfo for feed. They eat it off timb •enough to fow wheat ; but the value of the -food is not much. They feed thofe crops thiey intend for feed, but do mifchief by it ; the crops vary froih 3 7 tb 10 quarters. They always fow wheat after it. They plough four times for turnips, and nand-hoe twice. They draw fome for fat- ting beafls, but in general eat it off with fheep. The average value 35/. an acre: Clover they often mow twice for hay thfe firft year ; but always feed it the fecond; A Few THROUGH ENGLAND. 17 A few tares are fown to Ibil hoffes tvith in the ftable, green ; but it is not common. Some buck-wheat is fown, which they feed on the land with various cattle, and fow wheat after it. A little hemp is begin- ning to be cultivated on fpots of ftrong iand ; but not much. They fold all their fheep, in winter as well as fummer. Salt has been tried as a manure by a few farmers, who have bought whole fhip-loads. It cofts 3/. 5/. a ton ; and 10/. more in expenceS) and a ton does for 3 acres* It v/"a3 tried on a good loamy foil for wheat, this year, and the crop promifes fo greatly, that the farmer has bought a confiderable quantity more. Oil cake is likewife much ufed ; they break it to pieces not larger than walnuts by mills; one ton, at 3/. los, to 4/. lox, does three acres. It is attended with very great benefit, but it lafls only one crop. Lime they have tried, burnt from chalk: it does good; but is not comparable to marie. It does not laft. Marie is their grand manure ; they lay 80 loads an acre ; it is a fine fat fort, white, and lafts from 14 to 20 years. They do Vol. 1L G net i8 THE FARMER'S TOUR not chop their ftubbles ; but their hay they Hack at home. The beft grafs lets at 20s. an acre : They ufe it for fattening fheep ; an acre will carry 5 or 6 fat wethers. A cow will, in the befl part of the feafon» give 7 or 8 /k of butter a week ; and the quantity of milk 3 or 4 gallons a day. The annual produce about 5/. ^s. a year. They underftand very well the ufe of a dairy in keeping fwine : they have much larger flocks on account of their cows.— - A dairy-maid can take care of 20. They keep them in winter in the yard, and give them many turnips. There are large tradts of frefh water marlhes : they buy beafts for them in the fpring, and after the fummer feeding give them turnips ; they buy lean at from 7/. to 12/.; and fell at nearly double thofe prices. An ox-hide is worth from 1 5 J*, to 20 s. : it is now of double the value it was 25 years ago. Breeding flocks rife to 7 or 800. The profit is, Lamb, - - ^.070 Wool, - - - o I o 080 THROUGH ENGLAND. 19 The wether flocks they manage in the following manner; about Larnmas they buy in wether lambs 6 or 7 months old ; and keep them lean on ftubbles, and offal turnips, giving them the leavings of the old ftock of fat wethers ; after which they are well kept through the fummer on graffes, and folded all the time. Soon after MU chaelmas^ they are put to turnips ; and are fold fat from Candlemas to May-day^ and fome even to Midfummer : they give them ray-grafs and clover in the fpring as foon as turnips are done. This conduct of fheep is reckoned much the moft profitable method of managing them. They ftock their graffes with 4 to an acre ; and reckon that fpace of turnips will keep i o from ikf/- chaelmas to Candlemas, In their tillage, they reckon 16 horfes neceffary to 506 acres of arable land. They ufe 2 in a plough ; do two acres a day ; and in feed times 3, but it is Vv^ith 4 horfes; 2 in the morning, and 2 in the afternoon. One man looks after 4 or 5 horfes, and every day ploughs 2 or 3 acres with 4 of them. They plough about 5 inches deep ; and the price is 2 j". 6 d. an acre. The an- C 2 nual 20 THE FARMER'S TOUR nual expence of a horfe they calculate at 5 /. ; feed them much with draw cut into chaff. They begin to break their ftubbles for a fallotv Ibon after winter corn fowing. Wheel ploughs only are ufed ; they find that they can do more a day with them than with fwing ones, and at the fame time much truer. The hire of a cart, 4 horfes, and a driver per day, los. In the ftocking farms, they reckon 3000/. nccelTary for one of 500 /. a year ; with which fum fome marling may be done. Tythes are generaFly compounded ; they reckon 4/. in the pound a fair compofition. Poor rates i s, in the pound : 20 years ago they were but 6d; and 30 years ago only^d. *:^^^ •'^^' ■-] Oif bi::^ vb.) ,.9/IMT-V LABOUR. For the harveft of 5 weeks, 451. to 50/, and board. In hay-time, i s. 6 li to 2 s, and beer.' In winter, is, 2 J, Heaping, 5/. Mowing barley, i s, >'■ — grafs, I J. to 2J-. Hceing THROUGH ENGLAND. 21 Hoeing turnips, 4 J. and is, >t9 U^^i Hedging and ditching, i s. a rcx>d of 7 yards. Filling and fpreading marie, 25 J. Uie 120 loads, of about 30 bufhels. In general 5 or 6 horfes and 2 carts with one driver will carry 40 loads a day ; the expence 12/. the 40 loads, befides the 8/. 4^. filling, &c. Thrafhing wheat, is, zd, to i /. 4 d, fer quarter. ■ barley and oats, 8 d. ditto. — — peafe, i s, ^ d. Head-man*s wages, 10/. to 12/. ^^ Next ditto, gJ. -Lad's, 4/, to 7 /. Dairy-maid's, 5/. Other ditto, 3/. to 4/. Women per day, in harveft, i s. and board. - in hay-time, gd, and beer. ' ia winter, 6d, Value of a man's board, wafhing, and lodg- ing, I o A a year. IMPLEMENTS. A waggon, 24/. A cart, I o /. A plough, 3 /. A pair of harrows, i /. C 3 A roller* ?2 THE FARMER'S TOUR A roller, i /. 5 j. Harnefs per horfe, 2 /. 2 j. Laying a fhare and coulter, i j. Shoeing, \s. ^d, PROVISIONS. Bread, - - i k d. per lb, Cheefe, - - 4 Butter, - - 6 Beef, - - 3f Mutton, - - 3 f Veal, - - 3 Pork, - - 3 Milk, - - kd.pev^mt. Potatoes, - - 4 per peck. Candles, " " 7 Soap, - - 6 Labourer's houfe-rent, 40 j, — firing, 10 J". BUILDING, Bricks, 20/. a 1000. Tiles, 3/. Oak timber per foot, I j. 6^. Afh ditto, I J. zd. Elm ditto, I J-, id. Soft ditto, 6^/. to 8^. A carpenter a day, is. (^d. A mafon and thatcher, ditto. The THROUGH ENGLAND. 23 The particulars of a farm are as follow. 300 Acres in all 14 Horfes ^iT. 1 50 Rent 10 Cows 60 Acres Wheat 10 Young cattle 60 Turnips 10 Fatting beafts 60 Barley 100 Sheep 60 Clover I year 3 Men old I Boy 60 Ditto 2 years 4 Labourers, old Nicholas Styleman^ Efq; of this place has effedled a very important improvement by banking out the fea : w^hich undertaking was by many thought very daring and hazardous. In 1750, he began to form a bank a mile long, and it was completed in a year. By means of fubftituting fmgle horfe carts with 9 inch wheels, inftead of barrows, he made an immenfe faving in the labour of the work. A fquare of 7 yards, by 12 inches deep, was dug and thrown into the carts for i s. and only boys drove them. By this means he was enabled to be fo uncommonly expeditious. The marfhes were before let for only 4/. an acre ; but they were diredlly advanced ta 20 X. In this manner 300 acres were at C 4 once 24 THE FARMER'S I'OUR once improved, at the fmall expcnce of 1500/. The advance of rent 240/. a year ; which from the above capital is a profit of 16 fer cent. An inftance of fucccfsful fpirit which does great honour to Mr. Styleman, This gentleman has been very adive in the inclofure of fonie commons in the pa- ri (h of SnettiJJjam. There were 41 houfcs that had a right of commonage over. all the open fields after harveft, which totally pre- vented the ufe of turnips and clover. This great inconvenience induced Mr. Styleman to give his confent to and promote an ad; for inclofing the commons, and preventing fo great an incumbrance on the hufbandry of the open fields. But in executing this idea he planned the outline of it in fo candid and charitable a manner, that he kept as ftrid an eye to the intereft of the poor people, ^s to his own. In lieu of rights of commonage, the proprietors of a parifh inclofed, generally divide it amongfl themfelves, and give the poor no indemnity : But Mr. Styleman ^determined at firft that they fhould have fomething valuable in exchange for their right. THROUGH ENGLANT- 25 right. He allotted each of the 41 oU av>i"(i- mon right hoiifcs 3 acres contiguoiLS to tlu.ir dwellings, or their othc: property. 600 acres of old grafs common were vjii fo for thcfe poor to turn their cattle on in a ftinted manner. It maintains 205 cows, 120 mares and foals till to months old; 80 yearling calves, and 80 fillies. In their little inclofur^s "they grow turnips, barley, wheat, and a little hemp. The poor of the whole parifli in p;v:neral ufed to cut whins for firing over the whole extent of open fields : inftead of this prac- tice, which was the deflrudion of much land, he alTigned them 100 acres of com- mon in one inclofure for cutting tur£: - eacli houfe under 40 s. a year rent has a right to cut 3000 flag (turf) a quantity fuflicieut for the winter's firing. 01 t-A n u> Dinniso adi This fyftem has heeti perfelanted at 2 years old are worth is, 6d. on an average in 1 4 years. Rent of an acre of land 14 years, at I o X. - - - iC* 7 ^ o Town charges, &c. - 100 Raifing, fencing, planting, &c. 300 Ex pence />^r acre, - 11 Suppofing the thinnings to pay the inci- dental expences ; 5000 planted per acre at firft, and thinned to 2000. 2000 trees, at is, 6d. cut down ^;^^,j . ,at the end of 14 years - 150 o 0 Xxpcnces -^ ^ - 1 1 _ 9 p ' ' .. .. -' , *L'j Clear profit;, - 139 ' o o Upon 10 acres, this is ^. 1390 o o •' Upon 5odittof,^^^^*®^'l^ 6950 o o Upon 100 ditto, 13900 o o I What THROUGH ENGLAND. 29 What amazing profit is this to reap in 14 years ! I have fuppofed them all cut dowa at the end of the 14 years, to ihew the cer- tain profit of a fpecies of farming never yet thought of, which is tliat of hiring land on a leafe of 14 years, under the covenant of liberty not only to plant, but alfo to cut down again : — What hufbandry will equal this ? Suppofethe number of trees but a fourth of the above, ftill no common crops under great expences will equal this with none at ail. In my way from Snettijham northv^ards, I pafled by Sommerfield and Sunderhmd^ the two famous farms occupied by Mr. Curtis^ and belonging to Mrs. Henley of Docking, I was miilaken upon another occafion in faying, that they confifted of 2500 acres : I was now informed that they amounted to no more than 1 700. This farmer's ihecp huf- bandry is nearly executed on the plan above- mentioned of buying and felling wethers ; he generally fats 1000 every year on turnips, giving fome the fpring grafs. So good a fiirmer's purfuing this condud, gives one reafon to think it the mofl profitable method. The 30 THE FARMER'S TOUR The country is all under the beft Norfolk culture from hence to Wells, About Burn- ham^ land lets at ios.6d. an acre in large farms : the particulars of one are as follow. I GOO Acres in all 200 Turnips ^.500 Rent 300 Clover 400 Corn 700 Sheep. From Burnham to Wells I obferved the crops in general better than any I had feen fince I entered Norfolk. Rents are i4j-. an acre on an average. The produce of wheat from 4 to 5 quarters per acre. Of barley the fame. Turnips worth 50j-. an acre. Clover they leave two years on the land, but mix a peck of ray-grafs with it. They value clay more than marie ; lay 80 loads an acre, which lafts good 14 years ; after which they add a little more. Oil-cake they alfo ufe ; they lay about half a ton per acre. About Warnham^ the feat of Sir fohn turnery Bart, the hufbandry is equal to any of the foregoing, with fome variations that render it fuperior. . Farms rife from 200/. to 500/. a year. The THROUGH ENGLAND. 31 The foils are gravelly loams, and what they call here white corky land ; which is a chalk foil without the qualities of marie. Lets at 8 J. or 9J. an acre. Rents on an average the whole way from SnettiJJjam about i o s. — From hence to Holt ij\s. Their courfes are, I. Fallow 5. Barley 2. Wheat 6. Clover, for i 3. Barley years 4. Turnips And, 7. Wheat. I. Tallow 5. Turnips 2. Wheat 6. Barley 3. Barley 7. Clover 4. Peafe 8. Wheat. I. Turnips Alfo, 3. Clover 2. Barley I. Turnips Likewife 4. Barley. > 3. Clover 2. Barley 4. Wheat. Thefe are all good, except the crops of wheat and barley , coming together, which is quite contrary to the principles of the beft Norfolk hufoandry. For wheat, if not on clover, they plough four times ; fow 3 or 3! bufhels of feed, and gaia 32 THE FARMER'S TOUR gain 3 quarters in return. They ftir fof barley three or four times, fow 3 bufhels* and reckon the average produce 4 i quarters. They do not cultivate any oats ; but buy thofe they want for their own ufe. For peafe they plough thrice, fow 3 buihels, and get on a medium 2 v quarters. Their tillage for turnips confifls of four earths : they always hoe twice ; and feed them off with beafts and Iheep : they fat beads of 50 ftone upon turnips in this man- ner ; they give them a little hay in the field, but never fatten, in the yard, or in ftalls. They are very attentive to follow a fat ftock with a lean one. — Lean beads or fheep come after the flock of fat beafts. They often find the barley better after beafts than after fiieep alone : this I fhould fappofe could be owing to nothing but the foil wanting heavier treading than fheep give it. — The average price of turnips 30 i. an acre. They mow the firft growth of the firft year's clover ; but afterwards only feqd it. Some tares are fown, but they are chiefly ufed for fulling horfes in the ftable. In THROUGH ENGLAND. ->- :yo In their manuringthey are attentive to keep their land in great heart. The fheep-fold is iifed all winter through, except jiift at lamb- ing time ; it is applied either for wheat or turnips. Marling has been pradifed here thefe many years ; they lay 60 loads an acre, at the expence of near 30/. It lafts 15 or 16 years in perfection; they then lay 25 or 30 loads more, which laft 10 or 12 years longer ; and after that they will again repeat it ; being convinced from, experience, that the benefit of thefe repetitions is very great, contrary to the idea in fome parts, where it is imagined that after the firft marling it will not anfwer. Another excellent practice, w^hich per- petuates marling, is the forming compofts of that and dung, which mixed manure they find anfwers better than either feparately* If they would ufe 10 loads an acre of dung alone, they will not fubflitute more than rl of this compoft, and find it more beneficiah In one circumftance, however, they are ftrangely deficient ; they form the heap in layers ; but all the maxing it gets is in load- ing, for they never turn the heaps over. Vol, IL D Oil- 34 THE FARMETx's TOUR Oil-cake they ufe for wheat : a ton and three quarters will do for 3 acres ; the price from 3/. 3i". to 4/. a ton. They bring it both from Ireland SiniS. Hollmidy but they find the Dutch cakes beft, from their not pref- iing them fo much. It lafts ftrong only for one crop ; but is a help to the following turnips. They buy large quantities of dung at V/ells^ for which they pay i j. a cart-load. Much of the dung w^hich now brings crops of 8 quarters an acre in the inclofures round the town, Sir 'Johji Turner, remembers being thrown into the haven ; no man thought it w^orth the carriage. Malt combs they fow on their barley lands ; the price 3 ^. a bufliel. One practice of which they are very tenacious, I cannot but condemn. They never chop their llubbles, accounting them as good ploughed into the ground as a light coat of dung. I fhould not declare againft a maxim proved experimentally ; but^ that is not the cafe here, they never chop— but are condud:ed by a general idea. Good turnips are fometimes gained after wheat, fay they, without dung ; to what 3 can THROUGH ENGLAND. 35 can tiiat be owing but to the ftubble ? I re- ply, the fame thing is fovind in twenty places where the ftubble is carried clean off. It may be owing to the oil-cake, or to twenty other reafons, not explained by them. But they find then- foil ib loofe, that beafts feed- ing off turnips are preferable to iheep — how does this accord with leaving the land in fo hollow and puffing a ftate as wheat ftubble ploughed in, muft do ? The ftubble is no manure ; it is too dry and fpread too thinly to enrich the foil : common fenfe muft fpeak this. But now to the only material com- parifon : cut the ftubble of half a field, cart it home, form it into a ftack without the farm-yard, and where it fliall not be en- riched by any of that dung which is pre- fcrved there, but let the drain, w^hich car- ries off the urine from all the buildings, and the wafti from the yard, be filled -with. it from day to day, fo as to abforb the whole ; as faft as it is taken out, form it into a frefti heap mixed with fome earth, or marie ; af- ter the w^inter, turn the heap over twice, and leave it till quite rotten : then cart it to a part of that half of the field from whence it vv^as taken. Keep an exadt account ; charge D 2 every 36 THE FARMER»s TOUR every expence of cutting, carting, re-cartings mixing, &c. &c. and then fee which fide of the field pays you befl in clear profit. This cafe is not exadly neceffary, for if the ftubble heap is formed by rain alone into a mais of rotteji fubftance, the fuperiority of the method will ftill be great. But I pro- pofe a way of faving that, which in all the farm-yards in Norfolk^ and I may fay the kingdom, runs to wafte. With good management the fame fyftem fliould be carried on within the yard — the litter fhould be increafed by all the ftubble ; and the heap of dung receive all the urine either by a pump or water-bowl. The breed of cattle here is all the little mongrel, Norfolk fort ; but excellent for the dairy : a good cow will give 12 to 1 5 /(!^. of butter a w^eek ; they give 5 gallons of milk a day, fome will give feven. Moft of the dairies are let — ^the cow hirers give 3/. 3.r, a year, and 3/. 10 s. for which the farmer keeps up the ftock, and finds all fopd and fuel. This ifr being paid little more than IS. 3 Total profit, - - 010 The winter food is turnips alone ; no hay, unlefs the fnow is fo deep that they cannot get at the crop. In their tillage they reckon 1 2 hcrfes ne- cefiary to 200 acres of arable land. They ufe 2 in a plough ; do 2 acres or 2 v a day. Da at 38 THE FARMER'S TOUR at 2 journeys with 4 horfes. Stir 4 inches deep : the price per acre is. 6d. The an- nual expence of a horfe they calculate at 61. Gs. Thefummer joift 2.r. a week. They cut much llraw into chafF. They do not break up their ftubbles for a fallow till February or March. Ufe only wheel ploughs ; have tried fwing ones, but find the former much lighter to the horfes. In the flocking farms, they reckon 2000/. neceiTary for one of 550 acres, the rent 300/. a year ; and they divide that fum in the fol- lowing manner : 30 Horfes, - I 360 0 0 20 Cows, r- - 120 0 0 15 Beafts, ^ 1^5 0 0 500 Sheep, ^ - 270 0 P Swine, - 10 0 0 3 Waggons, - 60 0 0 4 Carts, -. ^ 56 0 0 5 Ploughs, - 16 0 0 5 Pair harrows. - 7 0 © 2 Rollers, - 2 0 0 Karnefs, - 60 0 0 Sundries, -r - 40 0 0 Furniture, - IGO 0 0 Rent, - 150 0 0 Carryover, - - 1356 THROUGH ENGLAND. 39 Brought over, Town charges, Tythe, Houfckeeping, 4 Men, 2 Boys, 3 Maids, 2 Labourers, Extra labour, Seed, 60 acres wheat, 130 Barley, 130 Clover, 80 Turnips, Cafh in hand, Tgtal, Land fells at 27 or 28 years purchafe. Tythe is. an acre in general. Poor rates 8^. in the pound: 20 years ago they were but 4^^. The employment ipinning ; all drink tea twice a day ; and many a third time for dinner. All the farmers have leafes. LABOUR, In harveft, 2/. 2.f. or 2/. ^s, and board for the harveil. P 4 111 L-i35f> 0 0 ^5 0 0 5^ 0 0 120 0 0 29 0 0 7 0 0 1 1 0 0 dS 0 0 50 0 0 45 0 0 5^ 0 0 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 200 0 0 2013 0 Q 40 THE FARMER'S TOUR In hay-time, is. 6d, a. day and beer. In winter, i s. and beer. Mowing grafs, ij". 6d. and beer. Hoeing turnips, 41. and 2s. Filling marie cart, 25/. per 120, fill and fpread. Thrafhing wheat, is. 6d. to is. 8 J. per quarter. barley and oats, 10^. per quarter. peafe, 11 d. ditto. Head-man's wages, 10/. Next ditto, 8 /. Next ditto, 5 /. to 6 /. Lad's, 3/. IOJ-. Maid's, 3/. to 3/. 10 s. Value of a man's board, wafhing and lodging, 10/. The rife of labour, a fifth in three months of the year; and an eighth during the other nine. PROVISIONS. Bread, - - i \ d. per lb, Cheefe, - - 3 Butter, - - 6 Beef, - - 3f Mutton, - - 3 i VeJ, . - 3 Pork, THROUGH ENGLAND. 41 Pork, - - 3 1 Bacon, - * 7 Milk, - - id. per pint. Potatoes, " - 3 p^^ peck. Candles and foap, 7 per lb. Labourer's houfe-rent, 33j-. firing, 20 J". ;; wear of tools, 10 s, BUILDING. Bricks, iL per 1000. Oak timber per foot, is, 6d. Afh ditto, I /. zd. Elm ditto, I J. Soft woods, c)d. A carpenter and mafon a day, i j. 8^. and beer. A thatcher, ij", 8^. and beer, or is, a, fquare yard. The particulars of a farm. 500 Acres in all 130 Spring corn ^.260 Rent 130 Clover 30 Horfe$ 60 Turnips 20 Cows 4 Men 12 Beads 2 Boys 500 Sheep 2 Labourers, 60 Acres wheat Sir Jobn Turner has for feveral years given 42 THE FARMER'S TOUR given much attention to hufbandry ; he has in fome inftances improved on the management of his neighbours, good as that is— and in others, introduced practices unknown here before. Experiment^ No. i. As the lord of the manor of Wells, he enjoyed a large tradl of fea coaft, and had a confiderablc fpace of low land cut by a creek and flooded every tide, which he thought would make good marili-lan4 if fecured from the fea by a bank. He immediately executed it : and the fuccefs has anfwered his utmofl wifhes : the bank was made at the expence of 650/. ; and 130 acres gained by it, which let at 25/. an acre. As foon as the firft work was done, he ftopt all the fprings, and little water-courfes from the higher grounds, by large and deep drains on the edge of the marfli ; and then cut a great carrier drain 10 feet wide, along the middle of it ; into which fmaller drains were cut ; and all the water let into the fea by a fluice in the bank, the doors opening to let out the frefh water, and fliutting by the fiiperior weight of the tides. A verv THROUGH ENGLAND. 43 A very fortunate circumftance in this drain- age is the furprizing plenty of frefh water: the fea was no fooner fhut out, than the old creek was at once full of very fine frefh v/atcr, and has fince been a winding frefh water of 4 acres : Such plenty of good water is of vafl confequence in grazing Jands. As foon as the drains were made, the next bufinefs was to level the old creek, which ran very irregular, snd in many places formed milhapen fwamps and holes ; all thefe were filled up ; then the furiace was pared and burnt an inch deep, and the land fowed with colefeed : the produce half a lall an acre ; fold at 18/. a laft. After the colefeed a crop of oats Vv^as taken of 3 quarters an acre, and then another of 4 quarters. After which it was fummer fallowed ; then oats again ; the crop 4 |- quarters an acre, and with them all forts of grafs feeds were fown, particularly white clover, red clover, trefoile, hay feeds, ray- grafs, &c. In fome places, all failed ex- cep'. the ray-grafs : but white clover came amongfl: that the following year. The grafs has been extremely good ever fmcc, 44 THE FARMER'S TOUR fince, as may eafily be fuppofed from much of it being let at 2 5/. an acre; though the rent before the banking was only 6d, One acre fats an ox of 50 Hone, and a wether, fufEciently to put them to turnips ; or would fatten 5 large Lincolnfiire fheep. The grafs is fo fweet, that it will completely fatten beafts of 40 or 50 ftone in 7 months* —Much of it has fattened 2 beafls of 40 ftone, per acre. After the drainage. Sir Johji affigned a piece of ten acres for the poor of the parifli, which maintains a very great number of ftock : nothing was done to this piece, and yet it is extreme good and rich grafs ; from which hint he determines, in cafe of a fu- ture undertaking of this fort, not to pare or plough it at all ; only to level the fmall holes, and make the cuts for draining; which would render the improvement much lefs complex. Sir yohn Turner has another tract of marfhes of 1800 acres, let at prefent at only 4^. an acre; it is capable of being fccured from the fea : The bank for that purpofe fhould be 100 feet bafe, regu- larly floped to 6. feet at the top; the height THROUGH ENGLAND. 45 hel^^ht of it in the centre 10 feet. The expence of fuch a bank 3 miles long would be 5148/. ; the intereft of which fum, at 5 per ce?it, amounts to 257/. ; and the produ^ of the improvement the two firft years, at IOJ-. an acre, - - ^.900 The third year, - - - 1350 The fourth, - - - 1 800 And afterwards, - - 2250 a year. The undertaking upon the whole, would be uncommonly profitable; far more advantageous than any other expen- diture of fuch a fum in any part of the kingdom. In forming a bank, the price of the work is IS, 6d, to 4 j". a floor of 400 cubical feet, for filling and harrowing the earth a fmgle run; which is fuch a length, that men who run the barrows need not be relieved : planks to run on, to be found them ; but they find their own barrows. , Experiment , No. 2. Sainfoine, Sir John T^urner has cultivated with great fuccefs. He has feveral pieces of it, which have anfwered better than the common hufbandry on the fame foil would have done. The foil is a light turnip loam CO 46 THE FARMER'S TOUR on chalk. The firfl: year the produce wag very inconfiderable : The fecond, it was a pretty good crop : from that time to the prefent ( 1 8 years ago) it has produced at an average i f load an acre, worth 4/. on a moderate computation : and the after-grafs 15/. an acre. For 7 years in the height of the crop, it yielded 2 loads an acre. Let us calculate the common hufbandry accord- ing to the particulars given above. Expences. Firji ; Turnips. 4 Earths and harrow- ings, - ^.o 12 o Manuring, - i 10 o Seed and fowing, - 009 Hoeing, - -06 o Rent, &c. - o 12 o Second', Barky. 3 Earths and harrow- ing, - - o v7 o Seed and fowing, 080 Mowing and harveiling, o 6 o Thrafhing, - o 3 9 Carrying out, - 046 Rent, - - o 12 o Carry over, - 54 THROUGH ENGLAND. 47 Brought over, - ^.540 l^hird-y Clover^ &c. two years. Seed and fowing, ^. o 6 o Mowing, carting, and flacking, - 060 o 12 o Fourth -y TVheaf, I Earth, - 03 0 Seed and fowing, 0 16 0 Manuring, - 15 0 Reaping and harvefting, 0 7 6 Thrafhing, - 05 0 Carrying, - 03 0 Rent, - - 0 12 0 Total, Produce. Turnips, - _ - Barley, 4 \ quarters, Clover, firft year, fecond, Wheat, 3 quarters, Total produce. Total expences, Profit in 5 years. Or per acre^^r anmim^ 3 II 6 976 I 4 3 I 6 10 I o 5 15 16 9 7 6 8 6 48 THE FARMER'S TOUK SAINFOINE. Expences, Mowing, making, carting and flacking, £.'^ 7 6 Rent, - - - O 12 0 o 19 6 Produce, I I Load hay. 4 0 0 After-grafs, - - - 0 15 0 Total produce. 4 15 0 Total expences, 0 19 6 Profit, - - 3 15 6 Ditto by common hufbandry, 158 Superiority, - - 2 9 10 I have formed this calculation as an an- fwer to thofe who infifl that money is loil by this experiment. I have on both fides taken the particulars from the fame autho- rity— and from a perfon (Sir yohn\ fteward) who feemed to be of opinion, that the tillage courfe was moft profitable. It is evident from hence, that fainfoine is the moft advantageous. It would appear yet more THROUGH ENGLAND. 49 more fo if the intereft of the firft flock was on both fides carried to account : Indeed the rents on poor foils, that are in many parts of the kingdom paid for this grafs, are twice over what the Norfolk farmers pay for their beft land ; which fliould give one fome idea of its real value. The fupe- riority of the fainfoine is fo great, that it will admit the expenditure oiios.per acre per aiiniim in foot or aflics ; — without any correfponding increafe of crop, and yet remain much more beneficial than the other. Experh?ie?it^ No. 3. Lucerne he has cultivated with as much fuccefs as fainfoine. The foil on which it is fown is a good turnip land ; fuch as lets here at js. 6 d. an acre. There is an acre and half of it ; half fown three years, and half four years ago : it was on a turnip fallow in the fpring without corn : the weeds did not rife much, as the land was clean ; and thofe that came were cut down with the lucerne at the lirfl mowing before they feeded. After which the growth of the crop was always quicker than that of Vol. II. E the 50 THE FARMER*s TOUR the grafs, confequently they were deftroyed by the fey the. Every Spring it is harrowed until it car- ries the appearance of a fine fallow. It has been regularly cut every five weeks ; and is found, from an accurate obfervation, to grow from 22 to 26 inches every 28 days. Every fpring it is manured after the har- rowing, at the rate of 6 loads an acre of rotten dung. As to the produce, it is very great j Six toachj and fix other horfes are chiefly fed with it through the fummer ; but if horfes were to be confined folely to it, it would maintain at the fate of five per acre from the middle of April to Michaehnas^ at 2 s» per horfe per week. Laft year's five cut- tings, had they been made into hay, would have amounted to 6 torts per acre ; which cannot be calculated at lefs than 12/. \is. One part of the crop, for a trial, was fet out with hand-hoes in the fame manner as turnips : I remarked that part of the" piece to be about 2 inches higher growth than the reft, and was fomething of a deeper 'green. ^ir ^ohn Turner has, upon the whole found THROUGH ENGLAND. 51 found it fo extremely profitable, that he re- commends it to every one ; and has endea-^ voured, though in vain, to perfuade his tenants to try it. That the profit is very great, will appear from ftating the expences and produce. Rent, &c. &c. - - £,0 10 o Harrowing, - - -026 Cutting five times, - o y o Raking together, loading and carting home, - g 15 o 1 14 6 Product. Keeping5 horfes26 weeks, at2Ji 13 o o Expences, - *- i 14 6 Clear profit, '- 1 1 5 6 The common hufbandry of this country was found to pay per acre profit, •* - i 5 S Superiority of the lucerne, 9 1 9 i o ■ — ^ Sir Jo/jn^s common hufbandry h very perfe61: ; and remarkably adapted for keep- ing his land as clean as a garden. The foil of his farm is of two forts, one a very E 2 light 52 THE FARMER'S TOUR light loam naturally poor, and is unprofit- able if not very attentively managed. When he took it into his own hands he found it in miferable order ; the courfe of crops he followed to bring it into good heart, is, 1. Turnips 2. Barley 3. Clover \'\lb. and half a peck of ray- grafs an acre, left on the land 2 years. And then turnips again. So that only one crop of corn is taken in four years. The firft growth of the clover is mown ; and then fed for a year and half. Was a crop of wheat to be taken on the clover in the far- mer's method, it would be a very poor one ; and that of barley be as 6 to 10 at prefent. Upon his better foil he takes, 1. Turnips 3. Clover 2. Barley 4. Wheat. And a proof of the gcodnefs of the former, is the crops of turnips, barley and clover on the poor foil, being equal to thofe, in this courfe on the rich one. His turnips are worth i/. i^s. on an average. The barley produces 5 quarters an' acre; he has fometimes on weak land had THROUGH ENGLAND, s^ liad 6 quarters. The clover gives a load and half of hay atone mowing: and the wheat 3 quarters per acre. His farm is a very well diflributed one. It in general is, 236 Acres in all i I Lucerne 24 Acres Turnips 24 Meadow 24 Barley 16 Rich marfh 24 Clover for 15 Failure mowing 50 Plantation 24 Ditto fed 14 Water. 16 Sainfoine Expcn'menff No. 4. Oliers he tried for an experiment in his marfh land : three roods were planted, and let without difficulty for five guineas a year. — So va.ft a rent has determined him to apply more land to fo profitable an ufe. Expen'menf, No. 5. In the preparation of a piece of very ftiff, clung, marfh land for wheat, fore- feeing that a great many ploughings would be necefTary to reduce it, he determined to fow it with buck-wheat, with intention XQ plough it in in time for fowing the wheat. E 3 It 54 THE FARMER'S TOUR It was accordingly done ; and it anfwered greatly in mellowing this harfh foil — much more than feveral extra ploughings would have done. Experiment^ No. 6. The neighbourhood of the fea in this country, fuggefted to this gentleman the thought of a manure which had totally efcaped the farmers : it was that of fea ouze. Some of his tenants occupied a con- fiderable tra€l: of arable land that joins to the marlhes by the fliore ; he dired:ed one of them to ouze a fmall field at the rate of 50 loads an acre, in the fame manner as if it was marie, and to fow it with turnip^. No effeft appeared in that crop ; but in the barley which followed, the richnefs of the manure fhewed itfelf flrongly ; it yielded four loads and an half an acre in the ftraw ; the crop 6 or 7 quarters. The clover was uncommonly fine, and the wheat which followed the fame— and the land ever fince has difplayed in the cleareft manner, the' vaft fertility it has gained by this manure. A proof no ways equivocal, is the prac- tice of the tenant ; for on feeing the firft crop of barley he immediately went to work agaiuj THROUGH ENGLAND, ss again, and ouzed a larger field ; and fince that has been as regularly at it, as any one can be at marling : he has thus manured a large fpacc of land, and continues the im- provement. I rode over feveral of his fields thus managed, let at only 4^'. an acre, and others at 6 or 8, v^'^hich were covered with as fine crops of turnips, clover, and barley> as can be feen in Norfolk ; he has no barley on ouzed land that will yield lefs than 5 or 6 quarters an acre ; and he gets 3 quarters an acre of wheat on 4/. land. — There are marie pits in thefe fields, but the farmer prefers the ouze. Experiment^ No. 7. Sir Jobn Turner has not only planted many acres as an addition to the beauty of his fituation, but has alfo attended to the growth of the trees, for dif^overing the profit of planting on his foils, In one plantation, Scotch firs, at 12 years growth, are worth i j-. each, Experiment y No. 8. In a plantation of 50 years growth, the land 8 i. an acre, the trees are various, and the valiie as follows. E 4 Oakj 56 THE FARMER'S TOUR Oak, worth i o j-. each. Aih, 1 2 J. 6 d, ditto. Elm, 10 J. ditto. Scotch fir, y J. 6 d. ditto. Lime, ^s. ditto. Suppofe the number of each equal, the average value is 9 /. The number about 5000 on an acre. 500 trees, at 9J'. are 225 /. or 4/. tcs, per acre per annum, from the firft planting ; but the thinnings have produced very con- fiderable fums : and the grafs under the trees would now let at 5 s, an acre. Experiment y No. 9. In another plantation of 50 years growth, on land of Sj. an acre, the trees, 250 per acre, are worth — The oak, 1 6 x. each. Alh, I o s. ditto. Lime, 9J. ditto. \ Scotch fir, i6j-. ditto. Average, 1 2 J. 9 ^. 250 at that price, come to 154/. "js. 6^/. per 2iQxtper annum, befides the thinnings : this is above 3/. per acre/>^r annum from the firft planting. Had all been oak or fir, the total would . have been 200/. per acre ; or 4/. per acre per annum from the firft planting. THROUGH ENGLAND. 57 Experiment^ No. 10. In another plantation, elms of 40 years growth (300 on an acre) are worth 22 j-. each : this is 330 /. per acre ; or more than 8 /. per acre per anfiiim ; and the land now would let as well as before the planting. Experiment^ No. 11. A plantation of Scotch firs of 15 years growth, 300 on an acre, are worth i j". 6d. each. This is 22/. 10 s. an acre, or i /. loj-. per acre per annum^ befides thinnings. The great profit of planting is obvious from thefe trials ; but the whole ftate of the cafe by no means appears here ; for the product of the thinnings is confiderable. Sir 'John calculates, that he never receives lefs than a guinea an acre in thinnings throughout his plantations ; which is eafily to be conceived, as they are at firft planted only 4 feet afunder. — The lowell profit here mentioned, is i /, 10 s. an acre ; add i /. I s, for thinnings, it is 2/. \\s. per acre ; dedudb 1 1 J. rent and expenccs, there re- mains 40 J", an acre clear profit, which is more than the farmers make' by all their trouble, induftry and hazard. I I cannot 58 THE FARMER'S TOUR I cannot but add to thefe trials in hus- bandry and planting, that Sir 'JoJon Turner has proved himfelf to be not only a true friend to his country, in profecuting thefe undertakings with fpirit, but has alfo fhewn himfelf a fuperior farmer in the midfl of a country cultivated better than mofl in Eng- land *. From * The fituation of IVarham is the molt beau- tiful in Norfolk, and as much worth viewing as half the houfes to which travellers are fo eao;er to run. The houfe ftands on the brow or a gently rifmg hill, backed to the north with very fine plantations of 50 years growth. They have fomewhat the appearance of a crefcent form, iheltering from the north, eaft, and weft, and opening to the fouth, down over a beautiful winding vale, and then commanding a rich varied profped of diftant enclofures, Some villages and churches, fcattered about the view, and a large, tho' regular water in the valley, all tend to make it chearful. While the thick woods which crown the tops of feveral hills, and the groves that fink into the vale, throw a pidurefque beauty over the fcene that cannot fail to flriks the fpedator. The view that breaks at once upon you on coming through the dark fir wood in the ap- proach from London^ is very beautiful. You look at once upon a range of lofty plantations around the houfe, whofe dark fhade forms a ^ contralt THROUGH ENGLAND. 59 From War ham I took the coaft road to £herrifigbam^ making that the way to HolL The crops, I obferved, were not {o good as about Warham^ tho' much of the country is very well cultivated. I pafled through contraft to the brilliancy of the lanvlfKip that fets it off in the fincft colours. — In tront, you look upon various clumps, nfing boldly from the water, united in fome places widi thick hedges, and in others broken by inclofures, that Ipreading over the hill to the left, the water is loft under a dark grove : the fields rile lb thick above it, as to unite with a diftcint plantation which crowns the hill ; a church is happily fitu- ated on the point of it -, and beyond is feen a more diftant rich wood-land, t ull to the left, is a large Dnnijh camp of three entrenchments, which are quite perfect *. Turning to the right, you look upon an incLTure which breaks into tlie plantations -, it is fringed with open wood that half obfcures the village, fcattered thickly with trees ; and Warham rteeples, one peeping over the thick plantation near the houfe, and the other more open, complete the viev/. As you advance through the vale in the way to the houfe, the fcenes change, but all are beau- tiful. The varied la-svns, and hanging (lopes, crowned in fome place.>> with woods, and in others broken by rich inciofures, are all truly picturefque and beautiful. * An encampment of Sweno the Dam. Ooc of the cncadowp is called Sv.-cno's mead. 6o THE FARMER'S TOUR Stukey '-'', and near to Blakeney^ about Sher^ ringha;n^ land lets at 15 j. an acre. Their courfe, 1. Turnips g. Clover 2. Barley 4. Wheat. The turnips are generall/ as fine as any; the barley prod aces 3 i quarters />^r acre on * The rkle from JVarham by Stukey^ is thro* a much more piflurefque country than is com- monly met with in Norfolk -, the road runs on the brovv of the hill looking down on Stukey vale, and ^commanding, forfome diilance, a very com- plete landfcape. The vale, which is compofed of meadows of the fined verdure, winds in a very beautiful manner from out a thicket of woody inclofures, and retires, at the other, behind a projecting hill : an humble flream glides through it, and adds a chearfulnefs, which water can alone confer. The hills rife in a bold manner : they are bare of wood j but that is compenfatcd by the thick inclofures in which the village is fcatteredj forming with its church in a dip of the hill, and that of Blakeney above it, in a prouder fituation, a mod complete an<^ pleafing pi(5lure. Between Stukey and Cley is the little village of Cccktkorp^ v/hich contains but three houfes, and yet has furnifhed Britain with three famous ad- mirals •, Sir Cloudjley Shovel., Sir John Narh&rough^ and Sir Chrijlopher Mims. 'Near Bl(ikeney is another uncommon view, quite different THROUGH ENGLAND. 6i on an average ; their clover is bad ; not often more than a load of hay an acre: wheat 3, or 3 f quarters. From Sherringham to Holt^ is acrofs a flat different from that at Stukey : \he road winds into a fequeftered valley fhut out from the fea, by a bold, uncultivated hill. To the riglit, the grounds Ilielve from the road into a narrow vale. In this little woody hollow, is a village half {een among ftraggling trees : the Iteeple is uncom- monly piclurelque ; half of it is hid by a riling flope, and the church three fourths obfcured by a thicket of trees. Hie oppofite hill rifes very boldly ; it prcfents a large inclofure, under the thick fhade of a noble fpreading wood •, which hangs to the right into another valley, but is loft behind a regular bare hill of a conic form ; which rifes from the jundtion of the vales, in a very remarkable manner -, and almoft fcreens a diftant range of rifmg inciofures. Immediately to the right, is a Hoping traft of fields, and above them wild ground, with a white tower rifing from behind it. The whole forms one of thole half gloomy, and yet not unpleafing fcenes, in which Poujfin delighted ^ it is a fpot worthy of fuch a pencil. Sherringham Cliff is a very high fteep fhore ; it looks on one fide full upon the fea, and on the other over a various country abounding with in- equalities of ground : m.any hills fcattered wildly about, numerous cultivated inciofures, and fix or feven villages are feen. Sherringham is pret- .tily overlooked, backed by a riiir.g hill. 62 THE FARMER'S TOUR flat difagreeable country : nine tenths of it a black ling heath, or a whin cover ; but all greatly capable of cultivation. About Melton *, land lets at 141. an acre on a medium ; barley yields 4 quarters ; wheat, 3 \ ; turnips very fine ; but the clover, like that at Sherringham^ is but middling. Large dairies are kept about here; they feed the cows in the paftures and meadows, but are wretched managers (like the generality of the Norfolk farmers) of their grafs lands; they are all over-run with ru{hes and other rubbifh ; very wet, but no drains made. From Holt towards f Aylfiam, the coun- try is in general rich and well cultivated ; but * Sir Edward Ashley, at this place, has a large park which has lately been ornamented ju- dicioufly -, and a water made with uncommon difficulty ; which, when properly united with wood, will have a good effe6t. From a wind- mill near the park is a prodigious view of a rich woodland country, finely intermixed with corn- fields, and wanting nothing but a river to be complete. -j- At WoLTERTON Lofd Wdpok has a feat well environed with wood. The HalU 30 by 27. —A Dining-roo^n^ 30 by 27, A good picture of THROUGH ENGLAND. 6^ 'but improves as you advance. In the neigh- bourliood of the latter place for fome miles around, particularly towards the coaft, the huibandry is very good. Farms are rather fmall ; in general from 50/. a year to 100 and 150/. The foil a mixed one; gravelly, and fandy loams; excellent for turnips; lets from yj". bd.to 20 J".; average about 14^. The whole way to of King Charles. — A Drejfmg-room^ 21 by 18, hung with tapeftry of lively and fpirited colours, — A Bed-chamber^ 25 by 22, the tapeftry here alfo is very fine •, the chimney-piece handfome. The Saloon, 36 by 30 ; the tapeftry, Ibphas, and chairs, reprefent ^fip's fables, done in a natural, and pleafing manner. The windows look, on fome very fine woods. — A Drawing- room^ 25 by 21, the tapeftry fine. — A Bed- chamber, 22 by 21. — hDreJfing-room, 21 by i8. The pier glafles throughout the houfe are large and very handfome. Adjoining to JVolterton park Is Blkklhig, the feat of the Earl of Buckinghamftjire •, the park is large, and the water (in the form of a great windino; river) one of the fineft in the kingdom : It IS near a mile long, and in general from 2 to 4 or 500 yards over ; the colour is very bright. Bui- wJiac renders it uncommonly beautiful, is the noble accompanyment of wood. The hills rile from the edge in a varlcui manner : in fome places 64 THE FARMER'S TOUR to Norwich, it runs at about 12 x. Their courfes of hufbandry have variations. 1. Turnips 4. Wheat 2. Barley 5. Barley. 3. Clover This laft crop of barley is bad. — Another courfe they have, is to leave it out, and take turnips again. I. Turnips places they are flecp and bold ^ in others they hang in wavino; lawns ; and fo crowned and fpread "with wood, that the whole fcene is environed with a dark Iliade, finely contrafting the brightnefs of the water. — Some woods of majeflic oaks and beech, dip in the very watery while others gently retire from it, and only Ihade the diftant hills. Sometimes they open in large breaks, and let in the view of others darker than themielves, or rife fo boldly from the water's edge, as to ex- clude every other view. — About the center of the water, on the right of it, is a proje6ling hill, thickly covered with beech : their ftems are free from leaves, but their heads unite and form fo deep a gloom, that not a ray of the fun can find admittance, while it illumines the water, on which you look both ways. This partial view of the lake (for the branches of the beech hang over tlie water, and form an horizon for the fcene) is fbrikingly beautiful. You will dwell on it with uncommon pleafure. The lioufe is unfortunately fituated clofe upon one THROUGH ENGLAND. 6< |. Turnips 4. Wheat 2. Barley 5. Peafe. 3. Qover -Alfo, I. Turnips 4. Barley 2. Barley 5. Peafe. 3. Clover 2 years This bne end of the water ; but it is a large and good one. The foHowing are the principal rooms. The New-room ., 27 by 26. The Study, 33 by 2 1 . Here is a very fine por- trait of Sir John Maynard : and another of Sir H. Hohart, by Lely. DreJJtng-room, 21 fquare. Bed-chamhr, 27 by 2 1 . DreJJing-room, 25 by li. Breakfajl ditto, 28 by 22v Here is a good copy of a portrait of Sir James Hobart. On the principal floor, firfl, -An Anti-room, 25 by 24. Drawing-room, 45 by 24. Here are the King ahd Qiieen, by Ram/ay, both well done. Por- trait of Sir John Maynard ; a good one. And another of Lord Chief Juftice Hobard, in which both the face and hands are fine. Dreffing-room, 25 by 22. Bed-chamber, 25 by 16. Ditto, 27 by 22. Library, 120 by 22, and 22 high. The book- cafe arranged on both fides. It is an excellent coUedion J and an admirable rendezvous room. Vol. IL F 66 THE FARMER'S TOUR This is a good courfe for many foils. An- other they find extremely beneficial, is, 1. Turnips 4. Buckwheat 2. Barley 5. Wheat. 3. Clover 2 years They plough once for wheat, fow 2 \ bulhels if they get it into the land early, but 3 bufhels if later ; 3 quarters or 3 f are the average produce ; but 5 quarters are often gained. For barley they plough three or four times ; fow 4 bufhels, and get 4 quarters in return ; feldom more than 5. They give the fame tillage for oats as for barley, which is an uncommon inftance of good hufbandry ; fow 4 ^ or 5 bufhels> and get 5 7 or 6 quarters on an average. For peafe they ftir but once, fow 4 bufhels; never hoe, but get 3 4 quarters an acre. They give four or five earths for turnips* hand-hoe twice ; and feed off with cattle and fheep : if the crop is large, they have a method of expending them, which I believe is peculiar to themfelves. They firfl feed one piece, fuppofe an acre, by running a row of hurdles acrofs the field : then, before they move the hurdles, they draw another aa*e, and cart them on to the acre THUOUOH EN-GLAND. 67 acre eaten off for the cattle ; and fo on throughout the field : always carting the crop from the land where it grows to the part cleared. Their motive for putting themfelves to this expence, is to make the turnips go fo much the further, and at the fame time prefcrve the benefit of the cattle to the barley crop : if the produce is large, ; and cattle are turned in, they fpoil as much as they eat ; but when the turnips are laid clear above the foil, and the earrh partly j fhaken off, they eat them up clean. — The price per acre, to draw and cart them in ; this manner, is from 50 j-. to 3/. Of clover they mow the firft crop, and feed the fecond : the crop of hay generally ! 2 loads an acre, fometimes 3. They fow 10 lb. of clover, and a peck of ray- grafs, which they here call by its proper name Darnel ; but if for their lambs in fpring, they fow a peck of the latter. No tares cultivated. l -.For buck-wheat they plough three or T four times, fow 5 pecks to an acre; the* average crop 4 quarters, fometimes 6. It is as good as oats for horfes ; fells gene- rally 2 x. a qucwrter under the price of barley 68 THE FARMER'S TOUR —but its being an ameliorating crop like peafe, the inferiority of price is abundantly made up. They always fow wheat after it; and on cold fpringy land fometimes plough it in for that crop, by ufing a buih faggot before the ploughs to level it : and this management anfwers prodigioufly for two crops ; better than dung. They never fow buck-wheat till the beginning of 'June : and they reckon that is more beneficial to the land than any other crop. Wheat very fel- dom fails of great crops after it. In their manuring they are pretty atten- tive* They fold all the year through, for wheat or turnips. Marie they depend much on ; the fort they ufe moft is a grey marie, it is foft and foapy : they do not lay above 1 2 large loads an acre, as much as five horfes can draw, and this quantity vrill laft 20 years ; after which they repeat it. But then I fhould add, as, an explana- tion of the fmallnefs of this quantity, that they regularly cart out their farm-yard dung ^n to layers of marie, mix them up together, . and then fpread them on their land ; this is a regular addition to it, and they have; long experienced the pradice to* be excel- Jent. THROUGH ENGLAND. 69 lent. They harrow their ftubbles by way of chopping them, and cart them home to the yard. They apply their meadow and pafture lands to keeping young ftock and cows ; the former they bring into them for water, but keep them on the uplands of nights : 2 acres will carry a cow through the fum- mer : A good one will give 6 gallons of milk a day : as to the produd:, they are generally let at 3/. 10/. to 4/. a head. — « To 20 cows they keep from 25 to 30 fhots; that is, f and t grown hogs. A dairy^ maid will take care of 20 cows. The winter food is ftraw or turnips ; no hay : and a calf is w^orth 30J. in 7 or 8 weeks. They keep them in winter in the yard. They fatten their fwine to 28 ftone, but the average is not above 16. They have no regular flocks of fheep ; but they fold thofe they keep. In Aiigvjl they buy old crones, and alfo lambs of that year ; like- wife fhearling wethers ; ail which forts they lurn into their ftubbles at Cbrijlmas^ when they put them to turnips, and after that ta elover and ray-grafs. If they buy in at F X IOJ-, 7© THE FARMER'S TOUR loj. they will fell them fat in ^r?/ or M^ at i8 J-. ; whichy for the time, is great pronto Sometimes they buy lean wethers, and get them flefhy <^nough by C /jri/i mas ^to iput to turnips, and will fell them fat froip. that food — fhearling ewe lambs willcjip ^ or 3^ ^I^, of wool. ..., : . , : . In refpedl to the rot, they apprehend ^at it is owing in a great meafure to. fpringy land in low meadowjS : thofe^ field?; in which heavy .fogs are apt to hang are, bad, but no land, whatever may be itp quality, will rot if tlie flieep are -neyeiv tjL^rned on it until the fun has ej^hal-cd ajj^ the dew. Floods they reckon not at alj|^ prejudicial. — Thefe ideas appear^tQ me not. to be fo. clear as I pould will)* , ; , .... . . j ^ , }n their tillage, they reckoji' ; 5 horfes ^eceflary for 100 acres of plougli^d ground; nfe,"^ in a plough, and dQ-2r,^Fes a day* Thjs ploughman goes out atd iia the morn-, ing, and docs an acre by iXl-cJ'olock ; he then comes home and baits tilt ^j[ -and goes out again tiU 7 >at night; in "vVhich tini6 h? does an acre more : all this is done, with a pair of horfes, befides taking care of 5 in all : . this is great work, and much exceed- in!:r THROUGH ENGLAND. 71 ing what is done in moft other countries. But they aflert, that it can only be done with wheel ploughs ; they have tried fwing ones, but they do not equal the wheeled. They ftir from 3 to 5 inches deep ; the price 2s. 6d. an acre. — The annual expence ofahorfethey reckon at 5/. 10 J". They feed much with ftraw cut into chaff". ■ They do not break up their ftubbles for a fallow till after Chrijlmas, In the hiring and ftocking farms, they reckon 700/. neceflary for 300 acres. Tythes are compounded; they pay 3/, in the pound. • Poor rates is, in the pound; they have rifen a fourth in 20 years. — The employ- ment of the women and children fpinning : all drink tea. Many leafes are granted, but not fo many as formerly. The farmers carry their corn from 6 to 10 miles, LABOUR. In harveft, 361. and board for the harveft. In hay-time, i j-. id, and beer. In winter, i s, and beer. F 4 Reap- 72 THE FARMER'S TOUR Reaping, ^s. Mowing fpring corn, i s. to is, id. grafs, I s. Hoeing turnips, /^s. and 2 J. filling marie cart, 2 id. a. load ; and is. an acre fpreading. Thrafhing wheat, 2 j. a quarter. barley and oats, I s, peafe, i j*. 4^. Firft man's wages, 7/. ys. and 8/, Second ditto, 6/, and 5/. 5/, Lad's, 3/. Dairy-maid, 3/. ioj. Other ditto, 2 /. i o j. to 2 /. 1 5 J. Women per day, in harveft, 6 d. and board. '. in hay-time, ditto. '. — — : in winter, 6 d. The rife of labour a fourth in 20 years. PROVISIONS. Bread, - lid. per pourid. Cheefe, 4 Butter, - 6i Beef, - 3^ Mutton, 3i Veal, 3 Pork, - 3i Bacon, r - 6i Labourer*6 THROUGH ENGLAND. 73 Labourer's houfe-rent, 40 s. 1 firing, from the commons. The particulars of a farm as follow. 300 Acres inalj 12 Horfes 250 Arabic 50 Grafs ;/r.2oo Rent 42 Acres of Tur- nips 60 Barley 24 Wheat 84 Clover 42 Peafe 20 Cows 20 Fatting beafts 30 Young cattle 100 Sheep 2 Men 1 Boy 2 Maids 4 Labourers, 74 THE FARMER'S TOUR LETTER XII. TH E city of Norwich is one of the moil: confiderable in England after London 'j it ftands on more ground than any other : But in number of inhabitants, fome others affert an equality. By an ac- curate account taken a few years ago, the number reckoned by the houfes amounted to 40000 ; but by the bills of mortality only to 36000 ; the average therefore of thefe (38000) may be taken as more proba- ble than either. The ftaple manufactures are crapes and camblets ; befides which they make in great abundance damafks, fattins, alopeens, &c. &c. &c. They work up the Leicejier- JJnre and Lincohijhire wool chiefly, which is brought here for combing and fpinning, while the Norfolk wool goes to Torkjhire for carding and cloths. And what is a remarkable circumftance, not difcovered many years, is, that the Norfolk fheep yield a wool about their necks equal to the beft THROUGH ENGLAND. 75 beft from Spain ; and is in price to the reft as 20 to 7. The earnings of the manufacturers are various, but in general high. Men on an average do not exceed 5 J. a week ; but then many women earn a§ much: and boys of 15 or 16 likewife the fame. Draw-boys, from 10 to 13, is, 6d. a week* Pipe-boys and girls, from 5 to 9 years old. Combers, on an average, ']s. Dy^r$, xjj^. Hot-prefTers, 13/. Women by doubling yarn, is. Ditto filk, 8 J. Ditto by fpinning, 2J". 6^. to 3J-. The weaving man and his boy, who now earn in general 'js. a week, could earn with eafe 1 1 J. if induftrious. — But it is remarkable, that thofe men and their families who earn but 6^". a week, are much happier and better off than thofe who earn IS. or 3/. extraordinary; for fuch extra earnings are moftly fpent at the alehoufe, or in idlenefs, which prejudice their follow- ing work. This is precifely the fame eifed 76 THE FARMER^s TOUR efFe<3; as they have found when the prices of provifions have been very cheap; it Fcfults from the fame caufe. And this city has been very often peftered with mobs and infurredtions under the pretence of an high price of provifions, merely becaufe fuch dearnefs would not allow the men that portion of idlenefs and other indulgence which low rates throw them into. - ■ ''""--• ♦ In the management of the poor, there was once a circumftance that deferves no- ting. Prcvioue to the year 1 72 7, the rates throughout the city were immoderately burthened with weekly allowances to the poor, of IS. 6 J, 2S.2 s. 6d. or 3 /. a family, \n which manner 1200/. a year was given. A rcfolution was taken in that year to ftrike them all off : it was accordingly done ; and liOthing enfued but m^rrnuring ; no ill con-* fequencc at all.^— 7 or 80c fouls are kept in the work- houfe of this city for' 7 or 8000/. a year in all €x.pences. In refpc fuppofed to be returned annually by every houfe in Norwich ; and this method made it 1,150,000/. This fum coming fo near the other, is a ftrong confirmation of it. A third method taken, was by various ways to calculate the number of looms : thefe were made 12,000 ; and it is a com- mon idea in Norwich to fuppofe each with all its attendants works 1 00 /. per ann. : — this alfo makes the total 1,200,000 /.; which fum, upon the whole, appears to be very near the real truth. Refpe£ting the proportion between the -original material, and the labour employed upon it, they have a very fure and eafy method of difcovering it. The average value of a piece of ftuff is 50/. : it weighs 6 lb, at 10 d. 2l lb. which is 5 f. ; fo the material is a tenth of the total manufadture. ^o THE FARMER*s TOUR Total, - - - ^.1,200,006 A tenth, - « » 120,000 Amount of labour .- 1,080,000 In which is included the profit of the maf- ter minufadurer.*— There is no occafion to feparatc that from the grofs fum^ as it is in fad: labouf as much as the manual part. All the people maintained and employed by a manufacture are the fame in a publick view, whether they earn 10,000/* a year, or but 10/. The material point remaining is to dif- cover how many people are employed to earn the publick one million per annum \ and for this calculation I have one datuni which is to the purpofe. They generally imagine in Norwich^ that each loom em- ploys 6 perfons in the whole ; and as the number is 12,000, there are confequently 72,000 people employed by this manufac- ture. And this is a frefh confirmation of the preceding accounts j for I was in gene- ral told that more hands worked out of ^ Not^wich, for many miles around, than iii it. 1,200,000/. divided by 72^000, gives 16/. each for the earnings of every perfon* This^, THROUGH ENGLAND. S| This, I muft confefs, appears to me a very large fum ; for I have no conception of all the perlbns employed earning i6A a year, which is ij". a day ; if therefore any miftake is in the preceding account, it muft be in the number of looms.^ — The total amount of the manufacture is taken from clear fads (not fuppofitions) there muft confequently be looms fufficient to work to that amount, 1 6/. a year may not be much above the truth, though probably yJ/??^M/;7|f ; for we iliould confider that women and boys of 15 or 16, earn as much as moft of the men : whereas in various other manufac- tures with which I am acquainted, they do not nearly equal them : and we fhould fur* ther corifider, that we include in this 16/, a year, the whole profit of the mafter ma- nufadurer. — The deviation therefore from fad, cannot be very confiderable. For if the mafter manufadurer*s profit is calculated at 14 per cent, and deduced accordingly, this 1 6 /. a year is thereby reduced to about ji I /. II J", a year.— It may therefore be taken as no contempti- >le fad, that 70 or 80 thoufand people imployed in a manufadure, whatever it Vol, II. G may 82 THE FARMER'S TOUR may be, will earn 1,000,000/. a year. I fay whatever it may be ; becaufe I conceive that the variations of earnings in the gene-t ral number not to be very great. — ^Provi-s fions are pretty much on a par ; and few pf them more than work to live. I THROUGH ENGLAND. 83 LETTER XIII. TH E hufDandry near Norwich is ge- nerally good. About Karlham farms rife from 50/. to 200/. a year; the foil a loamy fand with both marie and chalk under it. Lets from 14J. to 20 j". an acre j average 1 6 j. The rent from Norwich to Tarmouth is about ij\s. The courfe of crops, 1 . Turnips only 8 lb. and | 2. Barley or oats a peck ray-grafs 3 . Clover, 9 or I o lb, 4. Wheat of feed ; but if 5, Barley, with ray-grafs, This latter crop of barley is unworthy a Norfolk man. Another courfe is, 1. Turnips 4. Peafe 2. Barley 5. Wheat. 3. Clover They plough once for wheat, fow 3 bufliels, and reap 2 quarters. For barley they plough thrice, fow 3 bufliels, and reckon tb.e average crop at 3 { quarters. For oat^ G 2 after 84 THE FARMER'S TOUR after turnips they flir as often as for barley, but if they fow them after wheat only once, which is a diftindtion I do not comprehend i why the kind, when it is fo run, fhould not be favoured as w^ell as when clover is to be fown. They fow 4 bufhels ; the crop 4 (quarters. For peafe they give but one earth ; of the w^hite fort they fow 4 bulliels, but of the grey only 2 — never hoe them 5 the crop 3 quarters. They give 4 earths for turnips, hand- hoe twice. They have a particular method of ufmg them, they draw the lands alter- nately ; draw one and cart the turnips on to a clover lay, then leave one, then draw another ; and fo on. Thofe they carry off they give to beafts for fatting, or to milch cows, with a crib of ftraw^ in the field j and the remainder of the crop they feed on the land w^th fheep, and fometimes with beafts. — The crops are in value, from 21 j. to 4/. 10 s. ; average about 40 j". fed off*. They mow the firft and fecond growths of clover for hay ; which they do not only on account of the hay, but under the ex- perimental certainty of the wheat that fuc- cecds being much better than after feeding: I repeated THROUGH ENGLAND. 8^ I repeated my enquiries on this head, to knuw if it was only a private opinion, or a 'general obfervatioa and pradice; and I was anfwercd the latter. Buck-wheat they plough twice fori and always mow it for feed ; then they dung the ftubble, and fow wheat on one earth, in which method they never fail of good crops of that grain. Carrots are not an uncommon crop here. They plough up the ftubble del^.gned for them in autumn, and on that ploughing manure with long yard dung, lo loads an acre; w^hich they turn in by a trench ploughing, with two ploughs, one a pair of horfes, and the other follow^ing in the fame furrovv^ with 4. In February the feed is harrowed in. It is generally 2 months before the carrots come to the hoe ; they have three hoflings given, at the expence of a guinea an acre. They take up the I crop with a three pronged fork, as it is wanted, never flowing them for fecurity in a houfe. I could find no clear idea of the quantity produced on an acre, nor of any other value than that of i /. 2 d. per buncli of 120, as large as a man's wrift ; which G 3 is 86 THE FARMER'S TOUR is the price of Norwich market. Barley i$ always Town after them. The bell farmers chop their ftubbles for manure ; but it is not general. All ftack their hay at home. They have good marie all over the coun- try, but not much ufed. But Mr. Henry Raven of Brammerton^ has introduced claying; he lays 70 loads an acre with great fuccefs. — The only ufe made here of marie is however a very good one; they form compofts of it with earth, farm-yard dung, &c. and mixing them well together, fpread it for turnips, and find very great benefit from the practice. Afhes they ufe fometimes on llrong wet land. They do not fold their fheep. Soot they lay on grafs lands, and alfo on wheat in the fpring ; 30 bulhels an acre, at 6d.: It does great fervice for one crop, and is fometimes of benefit to the fucceeding one. Malt-duft they ufe in the fame manner ; 40 bufhels an acre, at 4 d. Norwich manure of all forts they have for I Si 2L four horfe cart load ; they ufe much of it, and find it anfwers greatly. Graf? THROUGH ENGLAND. 87 Grafs land lets from 40 j. to 3/. an acre; but about Brammerton at only 10 s, An acre will, about Norwich^ carry a cow through the fummer ; but at Brammerton it takes i |. Dairies let at 3/. 5/. to 3/. 10/. a cow. At Brammerton they keep about a hog to every cow. A dairy-maid will take care of 20 cows ; fome will undertake 30. The winter food of cows turnips, and ftraw in the yard chiefly. Swine fatten to 1 6 ftone. Flocks of fheep at Earlha??t are from .300 to 600 ; but few at Brammerton, The profit, Lamb, - - ^,076 Wool, - - -.010 086 The winter food turnips. In their tillage, they reckon 6 horfes iieceflary for 1 00 acres of arable land ; ufe 2 in a plough, and do 2 acres a day, 5 inches deep. The price is. td. an acre. They cut much ftraw into chafF. The time of ploughing ftubbles for a fal- low, autumn. G 4 They SS THE FARMER'S TOUR They reckon, on hiring farms, that three rents will ftock. Freehold eflates fell at 27 years purchafe ; copyhold 22. Tythes are generally compounded^ Poor rates at Brammerton 2 s. in the pound. At Earlham \s. 9 ^. They are in both places doubled in twenty years. Particulars of a farm at Brammerton, ioo Acres in all 36 Barley 90 Arable 18 Turnips ID Grafs 18 Clover ^.65 Rent I Man j; Horfes I Boy 8 Cows I Maid i8 Acres Wheat I Labourer. LABOUR. For the harveft, 2 /. z s. and board. In hay-time, i s. 6d. and beer. In winter, i j-. and beer at Brammerton ; i j, zd, at Earlham. Mowing grafs, is,6d. an acre and beef* Hoeing turnips, 4/. and 2J-. Filling cart, 25 s. per 120 loads. Firft man's wages, 10/. ioj". Second ditto, 6 /. 6 s. Lad*8, THROUGH ENGLAND. 89 Lad's, 3/. Dairy-maid's, 4/. 4/. Other ditto, 3 /. Rife of labour in zc years a fixth. PRO\ TSIONS. Bread, - - J \ d. per lb* Cheefc, - - 11 Butter, - - 7 Beef, - - 3i Mutton, - - 3 i Veal, - - 3 Bacon, - - 6 Milk, - - \ d. per pint. Potatoes, - - 6 per peck* Candles, "• - 7 per lb, Houfe-rent, 4/. out oi Norwich » -— In ditto, 2/. IOJ-* Firing in ditto, 40 j, in the country, zos. Nockold Thompfon^ Efq; of Norwich^ has executed fome experiments at Earlham^ which will prove fufEciently how capable the country is of improvement. When this gentleman began farming, his land yielded very poor crops, being all in extreme bad order. None of the fields , produced 4 90 THE FARMER'S TOUR produced more than 2 or 2 f quarters of barley ; no wheat was grown, only rye^ and that indifferent : nor did the clover ot turnips amount in weight to half what he now gains. The following is the regiflei* of his fields. No. I. Five acres, 1768. Manured, 1 2 loads an acre, with a com^ pofl made of Norwich dung, marie, and earth, in equal quantities, and fown with barley ; the crop very good. 1769. This year it yielded colefeed ; was hand- boed like turnips, and weeded ; the pro- duce 4 f quarters per acre ; fold for 10 L This pradtice of hand-hoeing colefeed can- not be too much commended ; it is no where common. 1770. Manuring for wheat. No. II. Nme acres. 1768. Yielded barley after wheat, 3 f quarters! per acre. 1769. Manured with compofl as above : Town 3 ' with THROUGH ENGLAND. 91 with turnips ; carted half off, and the other half fed on the land : the crop would have fold, from the great fcarcity, for from I 5/. to 7/. an acre. 1770. Buckwheat. No. m. Nine acres, 1768. Manured with the compoft for turnips ; half fed off as above; the value 2/, 10 s^ Some of them came to 14/!^. weiglit. 1769. Barley, 3 quarters an acre. 1770. Qover mown ; 3 loads of hay an acre at ! one cutting, 46 j-. a load. No. IV. EIcDen acres, 1768. Manured as above with compoft ; and fown with barley : the produce 2 | quarters an acre. Again manured with ditto.— Qover, mown for hay, a load an acre, 1770. Wheat ; will be 3 I; quarters. 9i THE FARM£R*s TOUR No. V. Twelve acres, 1768. Manured as above with the compoft for wheat, on a clover lay. The produce 4 quarters an acre* 1769. Barley, 2 f quarters an acre. 1770. Manured again with the compoft, and fown with turnips ; the crop very fine* No. VI. Eleven acresi. 1768. Barley after clover, the crop 3 | quarters* 1769. Manured with the compoft, and fown with turnips ; the crop very good* 1770. Oats ; at leaft 5 quarters. No. VII. Eleven acreSi 1768. A corky foil ; manured wuth the compcfl: for clover. 1769. Peafe, 2 quarters. // o. Manured for carrots and turnips ; fine. THROUGH ENGLAND. 93 No. VIII. Nine acres, 1 A clover lay in 1767, manured with the -.ompoft for wheat ; the produce 4 quarters vr acre, 1769. Barley, 2 I quarters, 1770. Manured w^ith compofl for cabbages and urnlps ; the crops extremely fine. No. IX. Seven acres and an half, 1768. Manured with the compoft for turnips j ihe value 3 /. an acre. i: 1769- t Barley, 2 \ quarters. I 1770- I Clover, 3 loads an acre. !j No. X. Eleven acres, \ 1768. j An old meadow broken up in 1766 for ')ats, and oats again in 1767 ; clover with hem ; marled the clover lay, 70 loads an icre ; fed the crop with horfes, cows and heep, 94 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1769. Manured with the compoft for wheat | the crop 4 f quarters per acre. 1770. Barley j a good crop* No. XI. T^hree acres and a7i half , 1768. Manured with compofl: for turnips ; the crop very fine. 1769. Lucerne In drills. 1770. pitto, manured with compoft. No. XII. Seventeen acres^ 1768. Barley, 3 | quarters. 1769. Clover ; manured with the compoft j the ci;op a load and half of hay. 1770. Wheat ; proraifes fair for 4 quarters. No. XIII. Seven acres and an half, 1768, Barley, 3 \ quarters. THROUGH ENGLAND. 95 1769. Clover, I I load. Manured with com-^ poft. 1770. I Charlton peafe, and white ditto — the latter the beft. No. XIV. Seven acres, 1768. Turnips, manured with compoft j worth 3/. an acre. 1769. Barley, 3 quarters. 1770. Clover, 3 loads hay. No. XV. Eleven acres, 1768. Peafe ; white and grey : the white 3 \ j . quarters : the grey, i f . ! 1769- Manured with compoft for turnips ; the crop a fine one. 1770. Oats, very good. No. XVI. Four acres and an half. 1768. Qover, I \ load, ^6 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1769. Manured with the compoft for wheat ; the crop 4 quarters. 177a. Barley. No. XVII. Two acres and an half. The fame as No. 16. No. XVIIL Eight acres and an half. 1768. Old pafture, marled; 50 loads an acre. 1769. Pe?tfe> 3 i quart/srs. 1770. Wheat ; will be 4 f quarters. No. XIX. Fhe acres and an half, 1768. Failure. 1769. Ditto. 1770. Peafe good. All the preceding crops of wheat were manured with a drefhng of malt combs or foot, in February , about 30 bufhels an ^cre. — The fmallnefs of the crops of barley mult THROUGH ENGLAND. 97 muft be ftriking ; the wheat exceeds It. This is owing to following wheat, and alfo to half the benefit which barley ufually re- ceives from turnips, being transferred to the wheat, by the turnips being drawn and fed on the clover lays ; and the wheat has alfo the fuperior advantage of the fpring top drefling. It feems to appear from this regifter, that all the turnips ought to be fed on the land for the barley. But Mr. Thompfon*^ marling and compofl: manuring has brought his farm into excellent order ; and made it yield far different crops from what it did before. CARROTS. Experiment^ No. i. Three acres of gravelly and fandy loam Dn chalk, and marie, were ploughed in lutumn 1769, and again in February^ jpon which earth 10 loads an acre of long lable dung were fpread, and turned in by I trench ploughing, and the feed harrowed •n ; but it proved bad, and the feafon was ; 7ery cold and unfavourable. They were ) ong in the ground before fprouting ; — but )y two good hand-hoeings have gained a Vol. IL H fine i 98 THE FARMER'S TOUR fine appearance. I found them a very, promifing crop ; they are to be hoed again. CABBAGES.. Four acres of a good light mixed loamy foil were ploughed at Michaelmas ; again in February^ and a third time in March. Upon this earth it was manured with the compoft 12 loads an acre, and turned in in "June^ The feed, 3 lb. was fown in a garden the middle of April. The fort, the great Scotch cabbage. The plants were pricked out when in 2 leaves, 6 inches fquare. The 20th of June they w^ere tranfplanted into the field in rows 3 feet afunder, and the plants 18 inches diftant. It was done by the flight mark left by the plough in llriking every fourth furrow ; and the rows are quite ftraight. This is a very eafy way of planting, in faving the complex and troublefome exa^lnefs of a line, which is otherwife neceffary on flat land. The ap- pearance of the crop is very fine, and promifes to yield at leaft 30 tons an acre, , and the whole plantation is perfedly clean. , THROUGH ENGLAND. 99 LUCERNE. Experiment^ No. 3. Three acres of a loamy fand with ouzlng fprings under it at the depth of 6 or 7 feet (unknown at the time of fowing) were cropped with turnips in 1768, well ma- nured for. It was ploughed the beginning of February^ and had two earths more before Aprils in the middle of which month it was drilled with lucerne in equally diftant rows, 1 8 inches afunder ; it was kept quite clean by hand-hoeing ; and cut once, in Augujl^ which cutting was given to horfes ia the ftable. 1770. In March It was cleaned by hand-hoeing, at a very heavy expence. The latter end of May it was cut in portions for horfes as before; but the crop not large — -not near equal to clover at the firft cutting. Had it been made into hay, the produce would •have been about a load an acre. The beginning of 'July cut It a fecond ' time ; the produce the fame as before ; and ifter cutting it was again hand-hoed. « Began to cut it the third time the firft of I H 2 Augi(J}y loo THE FARMER'S TOUR Augujiy at about a foot high. But I did not find it clean. The produce may therefore be calculated at three cuttings, each giving a load of hay an acre, the quantity of which three loads eaten green by horfes, will not be of lefs value than five loads of common hay : this is no trifling produce. But lucerne, unlefs it is kept as clean as a garden, never yields its full produd : As Mr. ^rhompfon cleaned it only by hand, he found the ex- pences to over-balance the produce; 1 recommended the fhim for the intervals* and to harrow it acrofs to extirpate the weeds that come up in the rows ; and he is deter- mined to try that method. IMPROVEMENT OF MEADOWS. Expenment, No. 4. Mr. Thompfon found feveral of his lower grounds, called meadows, quite boggy; and yielded nothing but a cold fower grafs, and rufhcs ; the utmoft they were worth was 10 J. an acre. In the fpring of 1768, he mowed the rufhes twice, and then drained the whole by deep and wide cuts i after which, he manured the whole with the THROUGH ENGLAND, ici the uncovering of a marie pit, called here the callow^ 30 loads an acre. Upon this manuring he fowed Dutch clover and Suffolk hay feeds, and harrowed and rolled them, in : they fprung well ; and the efFed was very advantageous. 1769. This year the ruihes were again mown twice, and the drains opened. The im- I provement greater fiill. I 1770- This year above half the breadth was broken up, and there has been a very exaft rule for deciding the value of the improvement. The whole piece was 45 acres ; now only 20, and this 20 has ftd. exactly the fame cattle that the v^hole did before : It could now be let for 30 j. an acre. CLEARING AWAY WEEDS. I mention this part of good hufbandry to obferve, that Mr. ^hompfon makes it a regular pradice to mow all the weeds in ' his hedges, borders, ditches, &c, and alfo in the adjoining lanes, before they {ttd ; and he finds his account in this excellent pradice by keeping his farm clean. H 3 102 THE FARMER'S TOUR MARLE. The marie dug at Earlbam is rather hard, and like chalk on the firft digging ; but it breaks in pieces eafily, and on being thrown into water will diffolve in a quarter of an hour and be foapy : if powdered, it eltervefces immediately with vinegar : the colour is v/hite, with a tinge of a reddiih yellow. He finds that the deeper it is dug, the better it is. It deftroys weeds almoft at once, particularly ketlocks and poppies. Thefe were common in his fields, but have difappeared fince the marling. He lays from 40 to 70 loads an acre v/hen alone, but generally mixes it with dung. NORWICH MANURES. Mr. T^bompfm buys 400 loads of dung, &c. from 'Norwich every year, at the price of \s. and he reckons the carriage 2j. td. more : he always forms it into a compoft with marie, &c. La^/s a bottom of marie; then a layer of virgin earth, then dung, both the Norwich fort and the farm-yard ; and then covers the whole heap completely vath THROUGH ENGLAND. 103 with marie. After laying fom-e time, it is turned over and mixed well together. He brings from Norwich ftable-dung and fweepings of ftreets ; alfo the riddance of privies mixed with coal afhes ; likewife hops from a brewhoufe : and large quanti- ties of foot and malt-dufl for top dreffings of wheat. COURSE OF CROPS. This is particularly fet forth in the table of fields given above : but Mr. Thotnpfon has made one remark which fhould be men- tioned. He finds that the barley after the turnips eaten laft is always very poor, owing to being fown late. This has determined him to fow buck-wheat on fuch lands in future ; and wheat after it. This obferva- tion I do not remember hearing fo particu- larly rem.arked before ; but it is certainly an evil attending a crop of late turnips; I and the remedy here propofed will in all I probability anfwer well on many foils : but clover muft be harrowed in upon the wheat in fpring, or that necefiary crop is left out of the courfe. H4 104 THE FARMER'S TOUR SWINE. This gentleman obferved that the mea- dows which he fed with his horfes and cows, were eaten very uneven ; much grafs remaining untouched : this induced him to try fwine in grazing them, and it has anfwered ; they affiil fo well, as to keep the grafs fed level : and he eats it in gene- ral with them clofe at Michaelmas^ for the young crop in the fpring to come the better. He iikewife has fed them entirely on clover, but does not make it a conftant practice, as it anfwers much better to mow that crop, where hay fells from is. bd. to 3 j. 4^. per C. wt. He keeps the lean ones in winter on turnips and malt grains. Propofcs to fat on carrots and buck-wheat. The following are the particulars of Mr. ^hompfon\ farm when got in perfed order, 200 Acres in all 50 Swine 1 70 Arable 3 Men 30 Grafs 3 Boys 14 Horfes 1 Maids 27 Cows 8 Labourers 12 Young cattle 30 Acres wheat 60 Sheep 40 Barley THROUGH ENGLAND. 105 I o Oats 4 Cabbages 10 Peafe 3 Lucerne 30 Turnips 7 Sainfoine 30 Clover 5 Colefeed, 6 Carrots It cannot be doubted but this farm will do excellently well for carrots — cabbages — lucerne and fainfoine. 1 have little doubt but Mr. Thomfon will find thofe crops uncommonly profitable, and efpecially as he is in fo good a fyftem of manuring ; fufficicnt to keep any farm in great heart. The loil changes between Earlham and Bracon Afi\ the further this way you move, the heavier the land grovv-s — there being much more clay in this country than about Norwich. But they have various trads of gravelly and fandy loams ; and alfo loofe wood-cock brick earths. It lets on an average at 15^-. an acre. Farms rife from 16/. to 200/. a year; general average 120/. The courfes, 1. Turnips 6. Barley 2. Barley y. Trefoile and 3. Clover and ray-grafs ray-grafs 8. Wheat 4. Wheat Q. Oats, 5. Turnips io6 THE FARMER'S TOUR The oats come in very badly, and muft do mifchief : the change from the clover to trefoile, Is on account of the clover hav- ing of late years failed very much, but by introducing^ trefoile alternatelv, this evil is quite prevented. For wheat they plough but once, fow 2 or 3 bufhels an acre, and gain 3 f quarters. For barley they plough thrice ; fow 3 bufhels, and get -4 quarters an acre. For oats they vary their tillage from once to three times ; fow 4 bufhels, and reap 5 quarters on an average. They give but one earth for peafe ; fow 3 bufhels ; fome- times dibble them in on a clover or trefoile ftubble, in which way only 2 bufhels are ufed ; the crop on a general average 3 quarters. — ^They never hoe. They ftir four or five times for turnips, hoe them twice, and ufe them all ways ; the value about 40 j. an acre. They mow their clover twice ; the firfl cutting yields about 2 loads of hay an acre, the fecond one : fome leave the latter for feed. Buck-wheat they fow as a preparation 1 for wheat, 6 pecks per acre ; the crop 3 f quarters. The price varies ; it is often higher THROUGH ENGLAND. 107 higher than barley ; but the rate of that grain is the common rule. Marie is not regularly found in this country ; when they can get it, they lay from 80 to 100 loads an acre, and find it a very great improvement of light lands. The beft farmers chop their Hubbies for manure ; but many negled: it : all ftack their hay at home, and moft of them bring dung from Norwich, though 7, 8, or 10 miles off. Plafhing hedges quite unknown here ; they cut off all the live wood, when they repair. Good grafs land will let at 10s. an acre : they apply it both for grazing and the dairy. An acre and quarter will carry a cow through the fummer : they give 6 f lb* of butter each per week ; and a good one 6 gallons of milk a day. The total produce 4/. 1 5 J. a year. The winter food ftraw and turnips, and a little hay in fpring. In the nights they keep them in the yard, but in the field by day. The graziers buy Scotch beafts chiefly ; though fome home-bred ones : If they give 5/. and keep theai a year on grafs and tur- nips, io8 THE FARMER'S TOUR nips, they do not more than double their money. Their fwine fatten to 1 6 flone. Flocks of fheep rife only to i oo. In autumn they Iniy in lambs ; and fell them in fpring. They turn them firft into the ftubbles ; after which they put them to turnips ; they buy at 7 J. and fell at 1 1 /. In their tillage, they reckon 8 horfes neceflary to loo acres of arable land; ufc 2 in a plough, and do an acre a day : which quantity is a great falHng off from that performed fo little a way from them. They plough 3 inches deep : the price 2 s. 6 1/. an acre ; which is as low, as where they do 2 acres a day. They very feldom cut any ftraw into chaff. Their ftubbles they plough up for a fallow in autumn : ufe only wheel ploughs. In the hiring and flocking farms, they re-ckon 300/. necelTaryfor a farm of 100/. a year : for thofe who have cafh enough for 60/. a year, are fure to hire an hundred ^-a miflake much complained of by land- lords. Land fells at 32 years purchafe. Tythes 2 are THROUGH ENGLAND. 109 are compounded; they pay 2s. 6d. or y. in the pound. Poor rates, zs. to 3 s. in the pound ; they are doubled in 20 years. The em- ployment of the poor women and children, fpinning wool. All drink tea twice or thrice a day. Moft of the farmers have leafes. Rev. Mr. Howmati^ of Br aeon Afij to whom I am obliged for the preceding par- ticulars, has tried Reynold^?, cabbage turnip on ftrong clay land : It came to as great a lize as common turnips on the beft land, but grew fo forky, and entwined its roots about fo much earth, that half the crop was loft. Cow^s eat them after a little dif- ficulty. Turnip cabbages he alfo cultivated on a flrong clay foil ; the feed was fown the be- ginning oi April: the latter end of May the ftrongeft plants were drawn out to plant half a rood. The beginning of jfu/y they were again pricked for another rood. The feed bed itfelf was alfo half a rood — and what is remarkable, proved the fineft of the three. This experiment is very curious, for it feems to prove a point never recom- no THE FARMER'S TOUR recommended by any of the cultivators of", cabbages, viz. that it is more advantageous to fow where the plants are to remain, than to tranfplant them from a bed. This might eafily be tried, and probably w^ould be found a very good way of cultivating them. Horfes, cows, and fheep were turned in, who fell at once on them, and eat the crop clean up ; they all feemed to like them exceedingly. Some were left to the fpring, to difcover how long they would laft. The beginning of "Jmiuary was a week's fliarp froft without fnow, which left the plants a mere rotten pulp. They did not come to a larger fize than common turnips ; but were much heavier than thofe of an equal iize. This gentleman, on a ftrong clay foil of 16/. an acre, gained the following crops : Wheat, 3 \ quarters. Oats, 6 quarters. Peafe, 3 quarters. Mowed from 2 to 3 loads of hay from his , . paftures. But his management was very ]l perfed:, for he kept his fields under a con- flant manuring, from compoft heaps, 4 made THROUGH ENGLAND, lii made in layers of dung and earth, and well mixed together. He attributes his good fuccefs with his grafs lands, in fome meafure to mowing off all the weeds and leavings of his cattle, when they were fed. Tho7nas Bevor, Efq; of Efbel in this neighbourhood, has for fome years kept part of his eftate in his own hands, and culti- vated it in a very complete manner ; pur- fuing feveral prad:ices not common in this country, which he has found of particular utility. The courfe which he adheres to in pre- ference to all others, is, 1. Turnips 3. Clover 2. Barley 4. Wheat. For his turnips he ploughs 4 to 6 times ; they are worth on an average 3 /. 3 j. an acre ; when he drav/s them he has gene- rally 40 great cart loads an acre : feeds his horfes on them to great advantage : | an acre will winter a cow. His barley yields 5 I quarters an acre : he ploughs 5 times for it ; fows 3 bufhels an acre. The clover produces 3 loads of hay, at 401. a load;' and wheat upon an average, 4 I quarters:^ ■ - hc^ 112 THE FARMER'S TOUR he fows 2 bufhels ; once tried 6 pecks, but it was the worft crop he had. Thefe crops are all great, and could not be gained unlefs the management was excellent. Turnips, - - jC-3 3 o Barley, - - 5 lo o Clover, - - 600 Wheat, - - Q o o Total, - - 23 13 o Or per 3icre per ann. 5 18 3 I do not think that common hufbandry admits any thing more profitable than this. We ought to attend particularly to the ma- nagement that enfures fuch noble crops : it confifts . chiefly in a very fpirited conduct refpe(Sting manures. He is principally folicitous to raife large quantities of farm-yard dung, as the cheapeft and readieft method of improving a farm. For this purpofe he ftacks all his hay at home, ready to be confumed in the yard — he chops his ftubbles, 25 acres, and carts them in for litter — he clears the lanes, &c. of fern, rufhes, &c. getting 7 or 8 waggon loads yearly ; all which he applies * to the fame ufe as hi* ftubble. And one point> THROUGH ENGLAND. 113 point, in which he is quite peculiar, is the raking together all the leaves that fall in his park ; he employs women in this bufi- nefs, they load the carts with large fans ; the whole expence of raking, loading, carting, &c. is 6d. a load. He annually colleds 200 loads ; they are fpread about the yard, and the cattle tread them into one general hard cake, which, receiving the dung and urine all winter, converts into as rich a manure as any in the world. By thefe exertions of excellent management he raifes annually 1400 large loads of dung; made by 20 Cows II Hcffes 14 Young cattle 40 Swine* Thefe confined the winter through, alfo 20 horfes joifted on hay, with liberty of run- ning In and out to the park at pleafure, in all 105 head of cattle — but fwine reckoned, we fhould not call thefn more than 85, which is 16 i loads /"^r head. A great quantity, confidering that 20 horfes run out at pleafure. Mr. Bevor carts thefe If 1400 loads from his yard on -to heaps, pre- ' paring layers of pond mud, ditch earth, ant-hills, walh fand, &c. &c. the dung Vol. II. I is 114 THE FARMERS TOUR is thrown on thein> and then more layers of earth, &c. In this work, he is attentive to keep the carts off the heaps ; they fhoot down their loads by the fide, and men are ready to throw them up with fpades. He follows this method to prevent the carts driving on to the heaps, which he thinks prefs them too much, and thereby pre- vent the fermentation which rots the com- poft. He has tried the dung alone j and has found from long experience, that this mixture will do more benefit upon a given quantity of land, than the dung alone ; and be fuperior to a much greater degree, than the amount of the expences. He mixes th( 1400 loads of dung with 600 of earth, &c &c. — ufmg annually 2000 loads. Th( quantity of the compoft, after being wel mixed together, that he fpreads on ai acre, is 12 loads, every other year. — Befides this general fyftem, which is un doubtedly excellent, he attends to othc ways of improving his land. 'Experimefit, No. i. Buck-wheat he has fown on a ftrorf clay land as a preparation for wheat, aftc foi THROUGH ENGLAND, nj ; ifour ploughings : it was partly fed ofF by ..tattle, and what remained ploughed in the end of 'July^ ^nd after two Itirrings more, .^Jsrheat fown : the crop was 5 quarters an acre. Experiment^ No. 2. An ordinary pafture was broken up and . dibbled with peafe ; the crop 5 quarters an acre ; the old turf was fo rotten that Mr. Bevor intended wheat ; but being prevented, he fowed it with buck-wheat, i bufhel an ^ acre ; after which he fowed wheat, and had 6 quarters an acre. This was fucceeded by turnips ; and it was laid down with graffes among the following barley. Experiments No. 3. Soap a (lies he has ufed on grafs land, i-Vr-ith fuch fuccefs, that land let at 5 J". I tnanured with 20 loads an acre,, was im- , proved by them to a guinea an acre rent. Experiment y No. 4. Ant-hills he tried once for manure, mixing them with dung. A large quantity ,f was formed into a heap, which he turned over feveral times, till the whole was one I 2 uniforirv ii6 THE FARMER'S TOUR uniform mafs of putrid mould : it was quite black and moift : this he fpread on grafs, and found the benefit of it fully equal > to | that of dung alone : and it has lafted longer than he apprehended that manure, would have done. Experiment^ No. 5. Mr. Bevor tried the burning of clay : It was of a hard ftrong kind : he formed 2 heap with whins, rullies, ftubble, anc fome turf; the clay calcined into bricks which were broken and fpread on the land few afhes. But the benefit has beer very little. In preferving all the urine which rum from the farm-yards, &c. this gentlemai is very attentive ; he has a fmall well t( which it is conducted, with a pump fixed as faft as it fills, it is carted away in fuch ; machine as they water the roads abou London with. He fprinkles the worfl: graf with it, and finds it the means of prefentl- converting it into the beft. This is ai excellent pradlce, and cannot be too muc] recommended. THROUGH ENGLAND, iry Expen?nenty No. 6. Hearing it aflerted that young fwine would not do well on clover, he ordered fome fows and pigs to be turned all day long into the clover field with his other hogs ; they were fo, and no ill efFed: arofe ; they were as v/ell, and throve as fall as before. He has fmcc adhered to the prac- tice, and whenever a clover field, or part bf one, is fed, all his fwine, without dif- tindtion, have it. This gentleman's farm confifts of 530 Acres in all 32 Wheat 400 Grafs 22 Cows i. 130 Arable 20 Oxen '^(^.400 Rent 20 Young cattle ' 40 Acres of grafs 180 Sheep mown 100 Horfes 32 Turnips lo Colts and foaU 32 Barley 40 Swine. 32 Clover The number of horfes is owing to his taking many joift ones from Norwich^ at i. s. 6 d. 2i week, the year through ; giving them hay in winter, for them to go to at ^ pleafure. fl • He keeps none but polled cows ; that is, I ^ with-* ii8 THE FARMER'S TOUR without horns ; on account of his planta^ tions and hedges ; and he finds they give more milk than others. His Iheep are the Lincoln/hire breed, of which he finds he can keep in proportion to the Norfolk ones, as 3 to 5. If 500 of the latter, he can keep 300 of LincolnJJjire^ and the latter '.vlll pay him much better than the 500 Norfolks^ He clips 6s, worth of wool from each. Experiment^ No. 7. In planting, Mr. Bevor finds that Scotch firs, in 1 8 years, are worth 2 s, 6d, J\ plantation of his taken through are of that value. Experiment, No. 8. A whole plantation of 50 years growth, worth 50 J. on an average: they ftand 20] feet f<^uare-^which is 108 to an acre, Experiment^ No. 9. In another plantation on a moift Tandy j loam, larches of 18 years growth, are' worth 3 J. 6^.: Spruce firs among them^ not half fo good, which Mr. Bevor attrir butenH^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 119 butes to their being trimmed up ; others oa fame foil and growth, not ferved fo, are almofi: double the fize. Rogers, Efq; of EfM, has taken a farm, which he is improving, parti- cularly by claying, and other manuring. He has three acres of cabbages. He ploughed for them five times, tranfplanted from the feed bed (fown in March) in yune, in rows 4 feet by 2 from plant to plant; and he has obferved that the larger the plants at fetting out, fo much the better the crop ; which is a matter of importance. I obferved a great difference ' in the field ; but it was owing alone to the ' plants being larger : they promife vs'^ell, and are kept perfedly clean. — The follow- ing are the particulars of Mr. Rogers^ farm. 175 Acres in all lo Horfes 150 Arable 2 Men 20 Grafs 12 Labourers. £.105 Rent Bcrney^ Efq; at Bracon AJ1j\ has made great improvements by planting land of 20 J. an acre. Oajcj of 50 years growth, are worth I 4 15 J. 120 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1 5 J", each : they fland 1 5 feet fquare ; this is J 80 on an acre. Larch, in 18 years, (20 from the feed) are .worth 6 s. each : they grow out of underwood that pays 20^. an acre. Some, few of 20 years, worth 15^'. each. Silver firs in the fame wood not quite fo large, but they beat both the fpruce and Scotch. They all Hand 1 5 feet fquare in the under- wood. In another plantation without underwood, Sc:tch firs, of 18 years, are 2 s. 6 d. each : they ftand 8 feet fquare ; which is 680 on an acre, or 85/. ; that is, 4 /. 14 j. per acre per anniim^ exclufive of thinnings. An adjoining plantation of fpruce, of the fame age and diftance, are worth 4^. each, which is 136 /. per acre ; or 7 /. 6 /, per acre per ann. from firll planting, and exclufive of tliinnings. No hufbandry will equal this. A man who would plant for profit muft net regret land of 20 j. an acre. Weymouth pines, in 18 years, much larger than Scotch firs of 22 years. Mr. Berney has found it befl to trim up the firs. Plate i li- ffatfl^.WmpajQj. THROUGH ENGLAND. 121 . Plate VI. Fig. i. reprefents an improve- ment made by Mr. Berney in the double plough, of which I gave a plate in Vol. 3, of my Stix Months Tour through the North of England, From a to b. 7 feet 6 inches. c to d. 6 feet. b to d. 3 feet 6. h to i. 3 feeu f to g. — 6 inches. e to b. 2 feet. c to k. 4 feet 8. r to s. 31 inches. Fig. 2. the carriage in front. From i. to 2. is four inches wider than from 3. to 4. From a to b. 20 inches. c to d. 28 ditto. e to f. 26 ditto. • Two horfes only are ufed in it, by this means of raifmg the front carriage fo much higher than in the old one, and alfo by Shortening the beam fo much. It worked againft the common Norfolk wheeled ploughs ; and did wath 2 horfes, three acres in the time they did two. Several very important trials in hufbandry and planting have been executed by William Felhwes, Efq; of Shottefiauh 122. THE FARMER'S TOUR Experimenty No. i. To dlfcover which was the beft manure for turnips, yard dung or earth mixed with Hme, a field was divided into two parts : one half dunged with 12 loads an acre, dire£lly from the yard to the land ; the other half, 30 loads an acre of earth mixed with 3 chaldron of lime. The former part turned out much the beft. Experiment^ No. 2* Wheat Mr. Fellowes drills in equally diftant rows, 1 8 inches afunder, and hand-» hoes it twice, at 2 J. 6 d. an acre each time. I viewed it with great pleafure, for not a weed was to be feen ; it is calculated at 3 f quarters per acre ; which is a better crop than moft broadcaft hereabouts. There was likewife fome wheat drilled with 4 feet intervals. I examined the cars, and found them not at all larger or heavier than thofe of the 1 8 inch rows. Experiment^ No. 3, Some feed of the great Scotch cabbage was fown the i oth of March ; and in May transplanted into the experiment field, in fquares THROUGH ENGLAND. 123 fquares of 2 feet 6 inches, upon a well tilled turnip loam, manured with . 20 loads of dung an acre. I found them very fine, and perfedly clean ; turnips were on one lide of them, fo that Mr. Fellowes will be able to fee which will laft longeft good'—* and yield the beft crop. Experiment^ No. 4. In 1765, two acres of a light loamy foiil, manured with 12 loads an acre yard dung, were fown with carrots the beginning of Aprils 4/^. of feed per acre. They were hand-hoed thrice, at the expence of a gui- nea an acre. They were taken up with forks as wanted ; the produdl 20 loads an acre, 30 bufhels each, or 600 bufhels ; which, at XJ-. a bufhel, is 30/. per acre. They were all ufed for horfes, kept all winter in a fmall dry grafs clofe ; the carrots were thrown about the field. No horfes could jlo better, or be freer from diftempers, Experiment^ No. 5, In 1766, four acres of the fame foil were ploughed four times, the third time in 124 THE FARMER*s TOUR in the trenching manner, one plough fol- lowing another in the fame furrow, gain- ing a depth of lo inches; after which it was ploughed in the common manner, and 4/^. per acre of feed harrowed in : they were hoed thrice, at a guinea an acre. The crop was ufed in the fame manner as that of 1765 ; and was as good a one. Some cows being turned in with the horfes, the butter received an higher colour, but was improved in flavour ; none could be finer. - 'Experiment^ No. 5, In 1767, four acres in the fame field were fown, upon the fame preparation as the preceding year. They were given to cows and horfes in the former manner, and turned of incomparable ufe. Numbers of the carrots weighed 3 or \lb, but the gene- ral average was not more than i lb. They were fet out at 8 inches diftance from each other in general ; but fmall fpots failing, that diftance, Mr. Fellowes apprehends, was encreafed in the whole field to 10 or 1 1 ; but I fhall fuppofe to 12. There would then be 43560 carrots on an acre, which* at THROUGH ENGLAND. 125 at I lb. each, amounts to 1 9 tons 9 C wt, and fuppofing a bufliel to weigh 56//^. it is 778 bufhels on an acre, which at i s, comes 1038/. 1 8 J-.; at 6^. only, they come to 19/. 9/. /J^T acre. And to fliew the un- doubted greatnefs of the value of a carrot crop ; allow 2 fquare feet to each carrot, which would make them all far greater than I lb. weight ; the crop in fuch cafe, at 6 ^. a bufhel, would be 9/. 14 j. (^d. an acre. But I know from various experi- ments of my own, that they will pay in feeding cattle i j-. a bufhel. 'Experiment, No. 6. In 1768, four acres more of the fame foil were fown with carrots, the culture* produce, and expenditure, the fame as the year 1767. Experiment, No. 7. In 1769, Six acres were fown; the fuc- cefs the fame. Experlmefif, No. 8. This year, 1770, the crop is four acres, in the fame experiment field ; 6 lb. ter acre 4 or 126 I'HE FARiMER's TOUR of feed were fown ; the crop is regular^ clean, and very fine. Mr. Fellowes is clear that they will come to i lb. each on an average ; of which I have not any doubt. Barley has been conftantly fown . after the carrots ; and refpeding their value as a preparation for that grain, he is very clear in his account : the crop is always much fuperior to that which follows turnips drawn ; but fomething inferior to fuch as fucceed turnips fed on the land* Obfervations, Thefe experiments on carrots are very valuable ; the fad:s to be drawn from them are perfectly fatisfadory, in being the refult, not of a fmgle vague trial or two, but a regular profecution of an eftablifned huf- bandry. The carrot crop, though fmall, is as certain a one as any other on Mr. FeU lowesh farm. It evidently appears that they yield a very confiderable quantity of produce, 'and that produce of uncommon ufe in feeding both horfes and cows* But the idea of the value of a crop is throughout this country extremely inde- terminate, and below the truth. From' I four THROUGH ENGLAND. 127 four to fix or feven guineas an acre, have been thought high prices. This ftrange clr- cumftance has been owing to two caufes; firft, the price at Norwich^ which is not half what I experimentally know them to be worth in feeding cattle ; and, fecondl/i to a want of keeping minutes of the con^ fumption. Carrots are worth is. a bufliel of ^61L In feeding horfes or oxen ; or in rearing^ feeding, or fattening fwine ; But the clear method of knowing their value is to buy a lot of hogs or oxen, fat them with fomany hundred bufliels of carrots, then fell them : the value of the carrots is decided at once. Let us calculate the profit of the pre- ceding crops. Expences. Rent, ty the, and town charges, ;^.i I o Five ploughings and harrovv'ings, 016 o 6//!^. of Seed, - - 080 Sowing, - - - o I o 12 Loads dung, diredlyfrom yard, fuppofe - - - I 10 o Hoeing, - - - i i o Taking up, fuppofe - 0120 Carting from field, fuppofe 050 o o 128 THE FARMER*s TOUR Produce, 778 Bufhels, at I J. - >C-38 18 Expences, - - 5 14 Profit, - - - 33 4 Q If each carrot is only f lb. it is 389 bufhels, which, at i /. is 19 9 o Expences, - - 5 14 o Profit, - - 13 15 o And lower than this it cannot reasonably be eftimated. This profit on a crop which keeps io much flock, and confequently raifes a prodigious quantity of dung, at the fame time that it prepares the land for bar- ley, ought to induce the farmers to culti- vate it upon a large fcale : they would afTuredly find it the mofl beneficial article in Brkijlj hufbandry. Rents about Shottejloam rife from 8^. to 20 J. aa acre ; the average about 14^. The general courfe is, 1. Turnips, worth 2/. is, 2. Barley, 3 \ quarters per acre. 3. Clover, w^orth 3/. 3/. an acre. 4. Wheat, 2 \ quarters. But it is found pretty generally that clover fails much more than formerly: it comes up very thick and fine, but dies THROUGH ENGLAND. 129 dies away in the winter — Mr. Fel/owesy by means of more fpirited management, gets better crops ; his wheat 3 | quarters, his barley 4, and has up to 6 ; and his turnips 2/. 10^. No farm can be heater; Or carry greater marks of its being in the hands of a gentleman. He has grafs bor- ders 15 feet wide around all his fields, which are mown for hay and kept level, and free from ruts : and either fingle or double rows of elms run along many of them, for the pleafure of walking in the fliade, befides the beauty of the objed:. I obferved alfo, that the fences throughout his farm were in excellent order ; regular^ and free from gaps and rank w^eeds. Mr; Felbives has given yet greater atten- tion to planting than to hufbandry, and has tried various trees, fome years ago, fo that he is now able clearly to judge which is the moft profitable. EDiperiftient^ No. 9. A plantation of Scotch firs of 45 years growth, 20 feet fquare, on land of i^s, an acre, are now worth 20 J", each on an raverage. At that diftance there are 108 trees on an acre, or 108 /j whigh is 2/. qs* Vol. n, K per 130 THE FARMER'S TOUR per acre per ann, from the firft planting, cxclufive of thinnings, which would more than double it. But the grafs under the trees would have let, for many years paft at yj. an acre. 'Experiment^ No. lo. •Another plantation of Scotch firs, 38. years growth. Handing in* rows 14 feet wide and i o in the rows, are now worth 1 2 J", on an average. This diftance giv^s 300 on an acre ; and at 1 2 j. come to 1 80/. or 4/. \ ^s, per 2SiXt per amium^ befides thinnings. The fent of the land 1 5 J. ; poor rates \s,'2^d, in the pound ; and tythe, till 20 years old, 5 s, an acre ; the grafs under them now 5 j!, ah acre. It is fufficiently evident that no hufbandry can equal this. Experiment y No. 11. Chefnuts in 38 years*, on the fame land, ftanding 14 feet by 10, are worth 15/. each, This is 225/. per ^^zxt\ or 5/. i6j. />^r acre per annum, befides thinnings. Experiment^ No. 12. Scotch firs in 38 years, on the fame land, fxieafure 17 feet of timber on an' average,; for ■ ^ • > ns ~x- } * Note that all thefe age* are froia the feed j not* the planting. \k THROUGH ENGLAND. 131 for which Mr. Fellowes has been offered iid.di foot ; that is 1 5 /. 7 d^. a tree. They ftand 14 feet by 10. An acre would there- fore be 233 /. 15 J. ; or 6 /. 3 j. per acre per annum^ befides thinnings. Thefe trees are 60 feet high. 'Experiment^ No. 13. On the fame land larch trees, of only 31 years growth, are as large as the firs of Experiment, No. 12. which Ihews that the larch is a much quicker grower. Spruce by them, not fo large as either. The pi- nafler of 38 years, larger than the Scotch ^ The cedar of Lebanon^ of the fame age, would now cut into planks 1 2 inches wide. Experiment, No. 14* A very ftriking comparifon between the larch and the fpruce fir^ was tried by plant- ing an old gravel pit levelled, furrounded by a plantation of Scotch fir, with thofe ,two forts in alternate rows. The larch is from 6 to 1 2 feet high ; whereas the fpruce is but 2 feet on an average. Experiment^ No. 15. A large plantation of many acres of a poor gravelly land, at 8/. an acre, contain- ing Scotch and fpruce firs and larches, is K 2. now i32 THE FARMER*s TOUR how 1 6 years old ; they are in fquarcs of 1 o feet, and are worth ; The Scotch^ 2s. 6d. each. The fpruce, 3 j. 6 d. The larches, /\s. 6d. At ten feet, there are 435 trees on an acre. The Scotch^ at us. d d. come to 54/. yj. 6 d. ; or per acre per annum^ 3 /. 7 x. The fpruce, at 3^. 6^. to y6/. is. 6d.; or per diCXQ per a?inum^ to zj./. 15^. The larch, at ^s, 6d. to 97/. lys. 6d.\ or /'fr amtiimy 61. zs. All three exclufive of thinnings. — Sup- pofe we calculate thefe at no more than paying the rent, tythe,- and town charges; and that the larch, in 20 years, come only to 100/. which is however under the truth ; let any one calculate the profit of hiring land on a 21 (or more) years leafe, and immediately planting. s|n what other ap-j plication of the land can fuch great profit be made, as gaining 61. an acre without any rifque, and almiOft without any e^i- pence ? It is true, fuch a conduct cannot», like the culture of corn and grafs, be gene-j rat, for reafons obvious to every one — -but'' as far as the w^hole demand of any neigh- 1 bourhood extends, it is profitable to exeeu't^ it. THROUGH ENGLAND. 133 it. Such a demand is every where very great, for the ufe of rails, fpars, beams, board, planks, &c. &c. according to the age of the trees ; and great quantities of thele are perpetually importing from the Baltk. So far, therefore, as the demand extends, Jt is highly advifeable to plant thefe trees. Suppofe 5 acres of larch planted every year; at the end of 16 or 17 years, five iacres will every year be cut dovrn, of the value of 500 /. : from that day a regular produd: of 500/. a year is gained from the application of 100 acres of land. " Let to a tenant, thefe 100 acres produce 40/. a year ; but planted, they produce 500/. a year. What an amazing difFerence ! Suppofe a fmgle acre planted every year* after the expiration of 18 or 20, to cut annually 100/. a year from only 20 acres, which let, w^ould yield but 8/. a year. How beneficial a condudt. It fhould here be obferved, that the larch is valued the fame as the Scotch fir ; but the I beft authorities tell us, the timber is one of \ the moft ufeful known ; probably, there- fore, the vajue of it would turn out greater I than the fuppofition in thefe experiments, K ^ 134 THE FARMER'S TOUR Experiment^ No. i6. Sixteen Scotch firs and two pinaftersraifed from feed, fown between Michaelmas 1732, 2inA Lady Day 1733, were meafurcd yu7ie 7, 1768. The meafure is exclufive of the bark, for which 6 feet per load was allowed ; the bark being very thick they were valued at ()d. a foot. They being full of fap. The 306 feet come to 11/. 9^. 6d, The trees ftand in a row at unequal diftances ; but are on an average at 15 feet. No. I . Scotch fir 22 feet* 2. Ditto. 13 3. Ditto, 21 4. Ditto. — ■■' 26 5. Ditto. 9 6. Ditto. — — 22 7. Ditto. 16 8. Ditto. 10 9. Ditto. 22 10. Ditto. 18 1 1. Ditto. ■ 15 12. Ditto. 22 13. Ditto. 22 14. Ditto. — 8 15. Ditto. 18 16. Ditto, — — 16 "28S THROUGH ENGLAND. 135 Brought over, 280 feet. 17. Pinafter. 11 18. Ditto. 15 306 A beech fown at the fame time, mea- fured mjajiuary 21, 1769, 19 feet 7 inches. . Mr. Fellowes has had both the boughs and feed of the red deal from Norway y and )ie finds that it is the Scotch fir. In a regular planting and cutting down a given quantity of land, it would be ad- •vifable, I fhould apprehend, to plant the ,old land again, which would fave grubbing ;Up the flumps and roots, which in rotting would turn to a rich manure for the new trees. -' Plane trees Mr. Fellowes has planted ; and he finds them to thrive amazin";lv in low moift fituations. It will in fiich, grow ,.|jiuch fafter than the poplar. One he has of 30 years growth that will cut into planks .^20 inches broad ; but fo vaft a fize he attributes in fome meafure to its /landing on the edge of a ditch through which the drainings of a farmer's pigfties run. Pop- lars, in fome parts of the kingdom, are planted in low fituations to the exclufion of every thing elfe : it is of confequence there- K 4 fore IS(> THE FARMER'S TOUR fore to know that the plane will do better ; and in beauty it infinitely exceeds that rag- ged, crooked, unfightly tree, the poplar. Mr. Fellowes in general recopimends thq larch as preferable to every other tree tha|: he has tried ; and which will pay a planter much greater profit than any of the refl. As to the method of cultivating them, or any firs, he is of opinion that the land fliould be cropped with turnips, and the trees fet about the loth of April following: but if that feafon is omitted, late in Auguji will do. They fhould be 2 years old, and fet at 4 feet fquare. For four years it will be advifable to hand-hoe the land about them twice a year, which will cofl 3 j". each hoeing : after that there will be no further cxpence *. Gooch, Efq; of Shottejharriy has cultivated lucerne with fuccefs : He has kept two horfes through a fummer on the produce of only a rood of good land. * Mr. Fellowes in the corner of one of his fields has a ruflic temple of a defign which can- not but pleafe. It is the imitation of a round jiay-ftack, thatched from the ground. I do not remember feeing one before. It is a ftroke of J)Ure tafte. ■ ■ . -i THROUGH ENGLAND. 137 Suppofe the fummer 26 weeks, . and the horfes at 2 s. 6ci»; this amounts to />d'r acre £-^6 o o Lucerne is a plant that will ever be found to anfwer in an uncommon manner on good foils. From this part of Norfolk I took the road to Yarmouth through the hundred of Flegg ; which 1 had been told was cultivated in a moft complete manner. Farms in this country rife from 50/. to 500/. a year; but are in general about 120/. The foil is various, but chiefly a fine, mixed, dark good loam; lets at 15/. an acre. Their courfes of crops moft com- mon, are, . I. Turnips 4. Wheat 2. Barley 5. Barley. 3. Clover Alfa, 1 . Turnips 4. Buck-wheat or 2. Barley peafe 3. Clover and ray- 5. Wheat, grafs for 2 years This is an excellent courfe. They plough but once for wheat ; fow 3 bufhels, and gain 3 I quarters an acre. For barley they ftir thrice, fow 3 bufhels> and reckon 5 thq 138 THE FARMER'S TOUR the average produce 4 quarters. They get 5 quarter? of oats, and i o have been known. For peafe they plough but once; fbw 3 bufhels, and get 2 k quarters per acre. They give four or fiye earths for turnips ;, hoe them always twice. Many are drawn for the fattening of beafts, fome in fheds, fome in bings in the farm yards, and fomc on dry grafs fields ; but they reckon them to fatten beft and quickeft in flieds ; but one evil is, they wont drive fo well in this method. They buy at the Michaelmas fairs both home bred and Scotch beafts, almoft lean ; they put them to turnips, and fell in April, If they buy at 5 /. they will fell at 8 /. 8 s. or 9 /. They give no hay with the turnips ; or a very trifle, but they have ftraw at command. Three rood of turnips will fatten a beaft of 45 ftone, or 6 Norfolk wether flieep. The clover crop is both mown once — twice — and alfo fed wholly. Thefe varia- tions depend on the wants of the farmer ; but it is generally agreed among them, that the wheat which follows the crops cut for hay, are better than thofe which fucceed the crops fed. Tares are cultivated by fame THROUGH ENGLAND. 13^ fome farmers for foiling their horfes with green in the ftable ; alfo for feed ; and they fow wheat after them. In their manuring they are very good and attentive farmers. They chop their fiLibbles for littering ; and their hay they flack all at home. Marie is ufed at a very great expence. It is brought from Nor~ 'wich by water to Yarmouth^ and fi"om thence, by many farmers, to Onjrjhy^ &c. from 4 to 7 and 8 miles by land. The expence is 3/. for a keel load of 18 cart loads, each i \ tons, and the land carriage is 4 J. a load more ; fo that the whole price Is 'js, Afd. per cart-load. The greatnefs of this expence prevents their laying on fuch large quantities as in other parts of Norfolk. "Clay they likewife ufe ; lay 40 loads an "'acre, and find it lafts 20 years. They 'make comports of clay or mould, farm- ^yard dung, and fea fand ; covering the 'whole heap with the latter ; but in one cir- cumftance they are very deficient, they 'never mix them by turning over. Malt-duft they fow on clover, and find great benefit ; about 4 quarters an acre. — Tarmouth dung they buy at 2 s. a load. '^^ • They 140 THE FARMER'S TOUR They have fcarcely any meadow or paf? ture in the country ; their cows they feed on clover and ray-grais ; an acre of which they reckon fufficient for the fummer food of one. Good cows give 5 gallons of milk a day. They let their dairies at 4 /. 4 j. ; and reckon that the hirers make I /. is. to I /. IIS. 6 d. a. head profit. Swine fatten to 1 5 ftone a head. The number of fheep kept is very fmall ; piany farmers none at all ; but thofe that do, buy chiefly wethers and year old lambs, and fell them fat within the year. In their tillage, they reckon that 6 horfes 3re neceiTary to 100 acres of arable land: they ufe 2 in a plough ; and do an acre and half a day in general ; but 2 acres i;i barley fowing ; do not cut deeper than 4 inches on account of a poor barren fand below the furface, which is pernicious to their land. The price fer acre 2 /. 6 (f. The annual expence per horfe they reckon at 6 /. Their ftubbles they begin to break up for a fallow about Cbrtjimas. They pfe none but wheel ploughs ; which th^y reckon much the eafiell and moft expediti- ous; THROUGH ENGLAND. 141 ous : but if they want to plough up a very ftubborn piece of land — or to cut deeper than ordinary, they ufe fwing ploughs. In the flocking farms they reckon 1500/. necelFary for one of 300/. a year. Land fells at 26 or 27 years purchafe. — - Tythes arc compounded in all forts of ways, but the general rule is 3 s. an acre. Poor rates i s. : Twenty years ago they were but 3 J. : the employment of the women and children fpinning wool : all drink tea ; and fome thrice a day. The following are the particulars of a farm. 350 Acres in all 300 Arable 4 Men 1 Boy 2 Maids 5 Labourers 60 Acres turnips 60 Wheat 120 Barley 60 Clover. 50 Marfh yr.260 Rent 17 Horfes 20 Cows 40 Young 50 Fatting beafls on turnips They have throughout this country a machine which I have not feen any where elfe, which is a cart convertible into a wag- gon by adding at pleafure two fore wheels* The i42 THE farmer's TOUR The farmers very fenfibly remarked the dan- ger that the filler horfe is always in when a two wheeled cart is heavy loaded, either of being lifted up by loading too heavy behind, or having his back broken by a load too heavy before : — carts in harveft are of but little ufe from the danger of loading them freely on this account. Thefe motives induced them to contrive this addition, which they have to many of their carts in harveft, rendering them as ufeful as wag- gons : They alfo ufe them on the road for carrying corn to market ; they load them with lo or 12 quarters of barley with the iitmcft eafe, which is near as much as a waggon v;ill carry : on the other hand, the fore carriage takes off with the greateft eafe, and then the cart is ready for marie, dung, earth, &c. Plate VII. Fig. i. and 2. Is a reprefenta- tioti of one of them. "John Ramey^ Efq; of Ormfiy near Tar-' mouthy has executed fome experiments in hufbandry which deferve being known. Lucerne he tried in cornparifon with com- mon hufbandry. In 1763, he threw a clofe of 7 acres and an half of fine rich light THROUGH ENGLAND. 145 Tiglit land into three ^^Ivifidns; one of 3 acres of lucerne' tranfplanted ; one of kalf an icre of lucerne broad-caft ; and one of three acres for common hufbandry. The whole piece turnips in 1762, manured for. The three acres defigned for tranfplanted lucerne were cropped in 1763, \Ni\h. CharU ton peafe, which were off the land time enough to give it three ploughings, and harrowings fufhcient to make it perfectly fine ; and the lucerne was in Augujl fet ia rows 3 feet afunder, by i foot from plant ^o plant in the rows. It was kept clean of weeds by hand-hoeing, but came that autumn to nothing. At the fame time that the peafe were fown on that piece, barley was fown on the other 3 \ acres> broad-caft lucerne on the half acre, and clover on the 3. The barley yielded 5 quarters per acre, which quite deftroyed the lucerne, but did no damage to the clover. 1764. This year the tranfplanted lucerne was cut three times ; it was hor-fe-hoed four times, and hand-hoed thrice, at a great cxpence. Eut the produ<5l was fmall, not I more 144 THE FARMER'S TOUR more than the three acres keeping two horfes through the fummer. i The clover was cut twice ; the firft time' it yielded 35 C. wt, per acre of hay ; the fecond 20 d. wf, ' 1765. This year the lucerne was horfe-hoed three times, and hand-hoed as often ; it Was cut thrice, and given to the horfes in the ftable : the produdl was fomething better than the preceding year, but not to the amount of keeping another horfe. The clover land was ploughed up, arid yielded 3 f quarters of wheat per acre. 1766. This year the lucerne declined ; w^hich Mr. Kamey perceiving, he did not attend to keeping it clean, fo the weeds got the bet- ter of it. The clover land, wheat ftubble, was fown with barley ; the produce 4 quarters per acre. In this trial the common hufbandry was beyond comparifon more advantageous than lucerne ; but in extenuation of the ill fuccefs ©f the latter, I mud; be allowed to obferve thar )tto THROUGH ENGLAND. 14J that it was given up juft when it was com- ing to perfedion. For 3 acres of tranf- planted lucerne to keep 2 horfes the Jirji year, is extraordinary, and bid fair for great things. The fecond year it inv* proved. There cannot be a moment's doubt of that improvement going on till it main- tained 3 horfes per acre at lead : but all this depends on its being kept as clean as a garden. Mr. Ramey, difgufted at the vai^t fuperiority of the common hufbandry dur- i ing two years, might not fufficiently con- fider that the 2 firft of tranfpl anted lucerne are but preparatory : Certainly, if a com- parifon is not conducted for fome time after a plant arrives at maturity, the eon- ir^ clufions drawn from it will not be decifive. t! Mr. Ramey has this year a crop of the ift. great Scotch cabbage. The field was under barley laft year ; it was winter fallowed, V, and the plants fet the laft week in May in . rows 3 feet afunder, by 2 from plant to plant. The feed was fown the third week ,., in March. The tranfplantation was per- y formed by women only; 2 f acres took ; one day of 6 women, and one day of 4, p. all at 8^. a day ; the coft therefore 6j-. 8 ^. 1 Vol. II. L which 146 THE FARMER'S TOUR which is 2 J. 8 d, an acre. This is doing it very cheap, for 3 i&€.t rows are clofer than ufual ; from whence it is very evident, that the tranfplanting fhould always be done by women. None of the plants were watered : they have been horfe-hoed twice, and hand- hoed as often. Mr. Ramey defigns them for late fpring feed, and has very judicioufly fow^n an adjoining 2 i acres with turnips ; the whole field equally manured. This will enable him to judge which plant is the mod profitable. The following is Mr. Ramey^s common hufbandry. 1 . Turnips, worth 3 /. an acre, 2. Barley, yields 4 quarters, 3. Qover, 3 loads of hay at 2 mowings 4. Wheat, 3 I quarters. 5. Barley, 4 quarters. This barley being as good as the croj; after turnips is furprizing. He alway manures for his turnips ; the firft hoeing he gives w^ith a machine, in which 7 {hare i cut up the turnips in ftripes ; this he find cuts the land deeper than the hand-hoe and though irregularly, yet the fecond hoe 2 in THROUGH ENGLAND. 147 ing In the common manner, leaves the crop perfectly even. In the application of his clover crop, this gentleman puts it to one ufe that de- ferves great attention. He begins the fecond week in May to foil 20 horfes with ■ clover in the ftable, and continues it till the 1 wheat ftubbles are ready to turn into: 7 acres )■ feed 20 horfes and 7 cows ; the latter in a *' houfe, or rack yard, but drove twice a day ^ ! to water : — alfo 5 calves — and as many * pigs. The horfes have neither corn nor hay. OM Refpeding the value of the crop, Mr. 1 Ramey could not have his horfes fo kept under 8 ^. a day ; but as the joifting price of the country is 2 J. 6^. a week, I fhall c calculate from that. 20 Horfes 17 weeks, at 2 J". 6d, - - jC'42 ^^ ^ 7 Cows ditto, at 2 J. 6 ^. - 1 4 1 7 6 rag 5 Calves ditto, at if. 6^. - 6 7 6 5 Pigs ditto, - - 000 63 15 o Or per acre, - - 921 This is one of the moft curious experi- ments I have met with ; for though it is a L 2 pra(^ice I 148 THE farmer's tour pradice that has been often recommended, yet I never met with an accurate account of what a given quantity would do. It is from hence clearly evident, that this method of ufmg clover is by far the mofl beneficial : the quantity of dung raifed, where there is litter at command, is im- menfe; much more than in winter, from the cattle making fo much more urine when fed on green food. I fhould value this article at 4 or 500 loads of manure from the above cattle, at zs.6d. a load. But a ftrong confirmation of the preced- ing valuation, is the confumption of clover by a tenant of Mr. Ramey\ who fed the very fame ftock (in number) in the field. Mr. Ramey watched it minutely, and when he had eaten 5 acres, this man's ftock had confumed 30 acres, and his horfes were not in fuch good condition. Thus does one acre of clover mown^ go exadtly as far as- 6 fed''. * In Mr. Ramey's houfe on Tarmoiith ^ay^ he has furniflied a parlour with drawings of Mrs. Ramey^s execution with a hot poker : there are feveral, pieces of ruins after Paftim, Gffilph/\ die, a Dutch ikating piece, and fome landfcapes. The THROUGH ENGLAND. 149 The neatnels and minute accuracy with wh-ich they are done are wondeiful. There is fre- quently a fpirit in the ftrokes fuperior to the original prints. After you have viewed I'r.r- moiith ^ia}\ which is one of the fineft in Englandy you will find nothing in the place fo much worth h^ing as thfefe very elegant performances. I *> 15© THE FARMER'S TOUR LETTER XIV. AS I fhall prefently leave Norfolk^ it will not be improper to give a flight review of the hufbandry which has rendered the name of this county fo famous in the farming world. Pointing out the practices which have fucceeded fo nobly here, may perhaps be of fome ufe to other countries pofTefTed of the fame advantages, but un- knowing in the art to ufe them. From 40 to 60 years ago, all the north- ern and weftern, and a part of the eaftern trads of the county, were fheep-walks, let fo low as from 6 ^. to i j-. 6 d. and 2 j". an acre. Much of it was in this condition only 30 years ago. The great improve- ments have been made by means of the following circumftances. First. By inclofmg without afliftance of parliament. Second. By a fpirited ufe of marie and clay. Third. By the introdudion of an excel- lent courfe of crops. THROUGH ENGLAND, 151 Fourth. By the culture of turnips well hand-hoed. Fifth. By the culture of clover and ray- grafs. Sixth. By landlords granting long leafes. Seventh. By the country being divided chiefly into large farms. In this recapitulation, I have inferted no article that is included in another. Take any one from the feven, and the improve- ment of Norfolk would never have exifted. The importance of them all will appear lufficiently evident from a fhort examina- tion. THE INCLOSURE. Provided open lands are inclofed, it is. not of very great confequence by what means it was effedcd ; but the fad is, that parliamentary inclofures are fcarceiy ever fo complete and general as in Norfolk ; and how fhould they, when numbers are to agree to the fame meafure ? Had the inclo- \ fure of this county been by a€ts of parlia- ment, much might have been done, but on .no comparifon with what is done. The great difficulty and attention then would L 4 have \ 152 THE FARMER»s TOUR have been to inclofe : Now the works of improvement enjoy the immediate atten^ tion. And undoubtedly many of the finefl: loams on the richeft marles v^ould at this day have been fheep-walks, had there beeqi any right of commonage on them. A par-- Hamentary inclofure is alfo (through the- knavery of commiffioners and attorneys) foj very expenfive, compared with a private one, that it would have damped the fuc-' ceeding undertakings ; in taking too large a portion of the money requifite for the great work, in a mere preparation for it. Thefe circumftances are to be feen more' or lefs in moil of the countries inclofed by ■ parliament, MARLING. It is the great felicity of the fandy part' of this county, that dig where you will, you find an exceeding fine marie, or day,' The marie is generally white, with veins of yellow, and red ; fometimes only tinged] •with thofe colours. If dropped in falj?] w^ater, it falls, and bubbles to the top ; ii ir is very good, it has an efFervefoenccJ All efrervefce ftrongly in vinegar, if drop^ N THROUGH ENGLAND. 153 |fl it ill a lump, and fome will at once make the glafs, though but half full, boil ^ver in a froth. But moft will do this if the marie is powdered before it is put in, .The clay has none of thefe qualities. The beft marie is that which falls the quickeft in water, for fuch will always have the greateft efiervefcence in a.cids. It is common in this county to hear of thc/iilts of marie. As well as they under- ftand the ufe of it, they know little of its nature ; no falts are to be extracted from marie : though a little oil is to be gained. Jt may produce fait when fpread on the land, by its abforbent and alkaline quality, ^ttraciing the vitriolic acid, and converting it into a neutral fait ; and this quality is probably one of its greateft advantages. It iikewife not only attradts oil from the air, but diflblves, and fits it for the purpofes of vegetation. I have not met with any perfons that have been curious enough to form a feries of fmall experiments on marie, for the dif- covery of the proper quantities for ufe, in proportion to the given qualities of it. The farmers, on the iirft ufe of marie, I fpread 154 THE FARMER'S TOUR fpread it in larger quantities than othei^i have done fince: loo loads were common^,! and few ufed lefs than 80. But land is now' marled for the firft time in fome places with not more than from 40 to 60 loads. The reafon given me for this change was prin- cipally a view to future marlings : if 80 or 100 are laid on at firft, they do not think a repetition of 20 or 30, at the end of 20 or 25 years, will anfwer fo well as if the firft quantity had been fmaller. It is yet an opinion among fome farmers that their land will not pay for a fecond marling. But the beft huft)andmen in the county are clearly of a different way of thinking. When the firft manuring is wearing out pretty faft, which generally happens in about 20 years, they (on the renewal of their leafe) replenifh the ground with an addition of from 20 to 35 loads an acre more. And feveral trads of country have been marled with fuccefs for the third time. But it is not the marie or clay alone thai has worked the great effeds we have feer in Norfolk. It muft be fpread on a fuitabk foil: this is a ]\^i fandy loam^ or loam^ Jand ■ THROUGH ENGLAND. 155 fand\ not a fand. In Tome places a gra^ velly loam ; but not a gravel. What they call their ivoodcock loams are free from gravel, and rather fo from fand ; they are more inclinable to a dry friable clay, but at the fame time found and dry enough for turnips. Thefe are their beft foils. Some trails of pure fand have been marled, and with fuccefs, though not fo great : but clay, from its fuperior tenacity, is reckoned better for them than marie. The reader is not to fuppofe that the Norfolk men have depended on thefe ma- nures alone ; on the contrary, they have been very attentive to others. Folding fheep, through both winter and fummer is no where more practifed, or better un- derftood. Winter fatting beafts on turnips in the farm-yards ; confining the cows to thofe' yards; and keeping in them very large ftocks of fwine, convert their plenty of ftraw into manure ; which they make good ufe of. Oil cake they lay on their wheat, at an expence of 40 s. or two gui- neas an acre. All thefe manures they ufe to far greater profit than if their land had not 15-6 THE FARMER*s TOUR not been marled. — ^That foundation of their hufbandry is a preparative for all fucceffive manurings ; they take the greater effed from following an abforbent earth, and laft (it is afferted) the longer : but that I fhould doubt. THE COURSE OF CROPS. After the beft managed inclofure, and : the moft fpirited conduct In marling, flill the whole fuccefs of the undertaking de- pends on this point : No fortune will h made in Norfoik Ly farming, unlefs a judi- cious courfe of crops be purfued. That which has been cliiefly adopted by t Norfolk farmers is, 1. Turnips 2. Barley 3. Clover ; or clover and ray-grafs 4. Wheat. Some of them, depending on their foij^ being richer than their neighbours (fo| inftance, all the way from Holt by Ayljhat down through the Flegg hundreds) w fteal a crop of peafe or barley after t wheat; but it is bad hufbandry, and not been followed by thofe men who ha' made fortunes. In the above courfe, th turnips THROUGH ENGLAND. 157 turnips are (If poflible) manuret'r fquare rod> which are ^00 per acre; and at is. come to 40/. They give them to their horfes inftead of oats, and alio fatten hog$ oa them. For fome miles further the land continued the fame, a rich fand ; the courfe, 1. Turnips 3. Clover, one year 2. Barley 4. Wheat. Their turnips are worth about 30 J. on an average, and the clover yields from I .. M 4 to i68 THE FARMER'S TOUR to 2 loads of hay at a cutting. But they have fome tradts of poor fands which are not good enough for the above courfe; they will not yield turnips without dung ; fo are fallowed for oats, with the oats, clover, and ray-grafs for 3 years, as a flieep-walk, then break it up for oats again ; and after them fallow as before : where turnips cannot be had^ this it mufl be confefled is not a bad courfe. But the famous hufbandry of this coun- try is near Woodbridge ; particularly in the fpace of country comprehended in the pa- Tifhes of Eyke^ Want ef den ^ Bromefwell^ Sutton^ Shottijkam^ Ramfiolt, Alderton^ and Bawdfey : through which country I have pafled with pleafure ; the fands about Capel St. Andrews are poorer — they form one farm of near 4000 acres. The former places lie pretty much together, forming a retired corner of the world, fcarcely ever vifited by travellers, and yet abounding in feveral inflanccs with the befl hufbandry in Britain. In many particulars, it will furprize a ftranger more than any thing to ^ be feen in Norfolk. Farms are of various fizes, from 100 A THROUGH ENGLAND. 169 to 500/. a year ; and the rents of two forts : the poor Iheep-walk fands, run at 4J". or 5 s. an acre ; but the better kind from 1 4 J", to 20 J". ; in general about i6j-. Their courfes on the good fands, are, 1. Carrots 4. Beans 2. Turnips 5. Wheat. 3. Barley This is an excellent one. 1. Turnips 4. Wheat 2. Barley 5. Beans 3. Clover 6. Barley. Another admirable courfe. At other times, they drop the 5th and 6th crops ; flopping at the fourth. Peafe are fometimes ufed inftcad of the beans ; and at ethers added after the barley as a 7th crop. It is an univerfal rule with them never to let wheat, barley, or oats, come twice together, and they adhere to it very ftriaiy. They plough the clover land but once for wheat ; but the bean flubbles twice or thrice, if wanting. If the crop happens to i be weedy, they hand-hoe it. The average prop 4 quarters per acre. They plough three times for barley, and reckon lyo THE FARMER'S TOUR reckon the mean crop at 5 I quarters ; k riles very oft^n to 6 or 7. When they ib|f outs, they never get leis than 5 quarters. Of peafe, their culture is extremely per- fect ; they plough from once to 3 times for them ; generally drill them, and never omit keeping them clean by hand-hoeing; from one to 3 hoeings, as the weeds hap* pen to arife : the average crop about 3 i quarters. Beans they are equally attentive to ; they generally dibble them in rows equally diftant, 16 or 18 inches afunder. The fetting cofts ^s. 6d. an acre, they never fail hand-hoeing twice, at the ex- pence of 8 J-. an acre. They ufe the horfcr bean, and alfo many Wind/or ticks : Of the former fort their crops rife from 5 quarters to 7 f quarters ; and this upon fand ! — Such are the effects of good culture ! They get 4 or 5 quarters of the Windjor bean ; and fell them from 40 j-. to 3/. a quarter.— This hufbandry of peafe and beans is no where exceeded. They always hand-hoc their turnips twice, and feed thetn on the land with fheep and cattle. Carrots are a crop that do them honour. 2 They I THROUGH ENGLAND. 171 They fow them to choofe on their rich deep fand ; I examined it particularly, and I brought away about half a peck of it. — ^It i is almoft a running fand, of a dark red co- i lour, but has a principle of adhefion in i^ Sufficient to produce any thing ; it cakes ^together without the leaft baking or plaif- J:ering, fo that a flight touch crumbles it. They plough the Hubble but once for car- rots, holding that better than giving any previous tillage. About old Lady Day they trench plough with two ploughs in the lame furrow, the firft with three horfes, and the laft with 'two ; getting a foot depth : they then im- Ipnediately harrow in the feed, without any 'manuring. I enquired particularly into the failures of the crop ; they faid that if the feed was good, carrots never failed : f when once they came up they were fure. They never omit hand-hoeing them thrice, at the expence (the three times) of from j.6s. to a guinea an acre. The hoe they life at firft is not above 4 inches wide ; but they leave them at laft a foot afunder. They begin to take up about Michaelmas ?;lth three pronged forks ; and except having 172 THE FARMER'S TOUR •having a fmall ftore before hand, in cafe of hard frofls, always take up as they are •'wanted. The carrot tops wither, and roti upon the land ; but no frofls afFe venture to aflert that, — foil equal, no Flan^\ dcrs hufbandry can exceed the above de- fcribed. From Woodbrldge to Iffwich the country^ is various ; but much of it not cultivated' fo well as what I had pafTed. It lets fronv. I o J. to 1 6 5, per acre. I went from the latter- named place to NaBon^ purpofely to view? the houfe of Induftry there. It is a large irregular building ; the difpolition of th^ apartments does not feem very well con-<. trived for convenience. The original fum raifed for the building and furnilhing i* was 4800 /. ; the average of the laft fevei years rates over the hundred was takei and produced 1475/. a year. They hai generally from 120 to 200 poor in thcj houfe; at prefent 144. They earn upon an average 250/. a year, which makes the THROUGH ENGLAND. ^79 the income of the houfe 1725/. a year. This has been confiderable enough to en- able the truftees to pay ofF 1200/. of the debt ; and it has been ereded but 12 years. It ftands in an high airy fituation : a healthy fpot, and the whole appears to be kept in a very clean and wholfome manner. There are various apartments for men with their wives — ^for fmgle men and lads — and alfo for fingle women and girls. For the iick, &c. and a forgery. There nre like- wife proper rooms for the different manu- factures carried on; fuch as fpinning, weaving, making twine, making facks, &c. &c. alfo offices for baking, brewing, &c. with proper ftore rooms ; and an apart- ment for the governor of the houfe, and for the truftees to meet in : the whole open to the view of any perfou that comes to fee ^hem ; and alfo all the provifion with which the poor are fed. They are un- doubtedly taken excellent care of, both fick and well. The following is a table of 'heir diet. SUNDAY. ' Breakfaft. Bread, and cheefe, and butter, and milk. N 2 i8o THE FARMER'S TOUR Dinner. Beef and dumplings. Pudding and mutton for the fick. Supper. Bread, and cheefe, and butter^ and milk are the fupper every day iu the week. MONDAY. Breakfaft. Beef broth. Dinner. Baked fuet pudding. TUESDAY. BreakfaR. Milk broth in winter ; milk in fummer. Dinner. Beef and dumplings. WEDNESDAY. Breakfaft. Beef broth. Dinner. Rice-milk or broth, &c, THURSDAY. Breakfaft. Milk in fummer ; milk broth in winter. Dinner, Beef and dumplings. FRIDAY and SATURDAY. Breakfaft. Meat broth. Dinner. Bread and butter. ,u Peafe porridge ufed to be the dinner oqi |he two laft days, but they petitioned foe bread and butter inftead of it, which found THROUGH ENGLAND. i8i found their favourite dinner, becaufe they Jbave tea to it. I exprefTed furprize at this i)eing allowed ; but they faid they were permitted to fpend 2 d. in the fliilling of what they earned, as they pleafe; and they laid it all out in tea and fugar to drink with their bread and butter dinners. Indulgence renders it neceflary to let them do as they pleafe with it, but it would te better expended in fomething elfe. Whatever they eat is perfedlly good of the kind ; the bcft wheat ; none but good JVarwickfiire chcefe ; the beft beef ; and ^very article the fame : no neighbouring poor live near fo v/ell in their own cottages ; ^nd not one little farmer in ten. They ^re cloathed in a warm comfortable man- ner, and are in general pretty well fatisiied Tvith their fituation ; but the confinem.cnt diigufts them ; they are not allowed con- ftant liberty without the yards (which in- deed would be impoffible) and this they diflike.— rA furgeon attends twice a week |:egularly ; and oftener if neceffary. The grand points in the eftablifhment ^re, the poor being better taken care of ^ N 3 than '! isl THE FARMER'S TOUR than in the old parochial method ; and at the fame time a faving of loo/. a year made. Thefe two points are thofe princi- pally to be attended to, in any difcufTion of the merit of thefe eftablifhments ; becaufe it is impoflible they ihould unite without exceedingly beneficial confequences flow- ing from them. That the poor of all forts are taken the utmoft care of, is a faiSt indifputable, clear to the eyes of every flranger, as well as thoroughly known to every perfon in this neighbourhood. There remains a debt of 3600/. which will all be paid off fooner than may at firft be imagined. If they paid off 100/. a year while they had the interefl: of 4800/. to dlfcharge ; now they have only the intereft of 3600/. to pay, they confequently liqui- date 148/. a year,' which in the next ten years will reduce the debt to 2120/. The ten years following, they will in the fame proportion difcharge 208/. a year, which will clear the remaining debt in eleven years. So that the fum total will be pai^. off in 33 years from building the houfe. Then (and not till then) they lower rates. Th^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 183 The total income Is ijis^' a year, which enabled them, after maintaining their poor, to pay 192/. a year in intereft, and 1 00 /. in difcharge of debt, in all 292/. a year. They receive from the parifhes in rates 1475 /. a year; confequently they can then immediately fink this fum 292/. which re- duces it to 1 1 83/. which redudlion amounts to a ffth. — And this feems the ultimate degree of benefit, in refped of lowering rates ; and a matter of importance it is, when we confider that it is gained by the fame meafure, which adds fo much to the advantage of the poor. But there are four or five other houfes of Induftry in this county, and one in Norfolk ; fome of which I find have made vafi:ly greater favings, even to the difcharging more than half their debt in 10 or 12 years; fuch houfes will in the end, an-d fpeedily too, fink the rates much more confiderably. Bofmere and Claydon hundreds have one of only 5 years fl:anding. They borrowed 10,000/.; the rates amount to i^itL an- nually, and the earnings 400/. a year* Total income 2926 /, In thefe five years N 4 they i84 THE FARMER^s TOUR they have paid ofF 1400 /. which has re duced the debt to - - £-^6o(. In 5 years more they will pay oft the fame, jr.i40Q Alfo the deduction of iiitereft, 280 i68( Thfe debt will therefore in i o years, '^r6m the firft eftablifhnient, be re'duced to - - - 6920' In 5" j^ears more the fame '']^i5)^ment will be made, 1400 Aifo dedudion from interefl, 620 The debt in 15 years, from firft eftablifhment, will be reduced to, In 5 years more, - 1400 Dedudlion from intqreft, 1020 202Q 242© In 20 years, reduced to - - 2480 In 5 years more - 1400 Alfo the dedudion of intereft, 1500 2900 In 25 years the whole debt paid. And as they paid at firft 400 /. a year in intereft, ^nd 280/. in difcharge of debt, together c 6So/^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 185 680/. a year ; the proportion of that funi to 2926/. is the proportion in which the rates will be lowered. It is near a fourth. It may be alked, how can thefe eftabllfii- mciits be fo beneficial to the poor, while tliey lefTen the expences fo much? I re- '■'j ; In two ways. Firft, in going cheaper > work Vv'ith every thing than pariih . vj^ncers can, who have not the fame advan- tages. Weekly allowances in the pariili, mufl be given in proportion to the abilitiefj of the poor to ^ain what they want. Diet ■of all forts, nring, deaths, &c. are all _ procured by them at the dearefl: rate. It they buy cheefe, it is by the pound ; :: candles, fnigle ; foap half a pound ; and as they have them from the moft paltry of all fhops, they confequently pay extrava^ -' gant rates for the worll commodities. This runs through their whole expenditure • they muft necefl'arily be paid by the parifh, iufiiciently to enable them to fupport all thefe diiadvantages. This is very different at the Hundred r Houfe ; advertifements are regularly in- fcrted in the Ipfivich journal vrhen any ■^oinmodity is wanted, that the truflces Vv-iil meet ki 286 THE FARMER'S TOUR meet at fiich a day to receive propofals, and view famples of fuch and fuch com- modities. Every thing is bought in the great, and paid for at once no private family lives fo cheap. In the article of firing, what a vaft difference between buy- ing by the faggot, for various miferable fires, and a union of them into fhip loads of coals ? Houfe-rent in the parifhes was alfo a heavy article ; but in what propor- tion to the rent of the Hundred Houfe, cannot be afcertained. The difference in the expence of furgery and medicine muft be immenfe. r ■ The fecond means of faving is this. The Hundred Houfe pays no weekly allowances in the parifhes ; whoever wants afliftance, i muf^ go to the houfe, unlefs they are really unable. This at once ftrikes off a very great expence ; for in all parifhes that have no workhoufes, numbers of the poor thro' clamour, or the weaknefs of juflices of the peace, obtain allowances that would not ftir from their cottages for twice the fum : all fuch are cut off. Befides the numbers that betake themfelves to a more induftrious life, in order to keep at home in their parifhesi THROUGH ENGLAND. 187 parifhes, all having a much ftronger incli- nation for that than to go away. Thefe, I think, are two very powerful reafons for the expence being lowered ; and in addition to them, the fuperior earn- ings ought certainly to be mentioned. ■ But in refpedt to the general good. — It is evident that thefe houfes tend ftrongly 10 reduce poor rates, and partly by creating a new induftry. Are not thefe objects of infinite importance ! are they not the re- medy of thofe evils, whofe enormity has been the fubjed: of complaint for fo many years throughout the kingdom ? Is it not therefore greatly incumbent on parliament, to render univerfal, eftablifhments that have been long experienced to work fuch good efFedls ? It is much to be wilhed that they were made general. I made the requifite enquiries into the objeQions againft them ; and I found but few of any confcquence. Firji^ The farmers complain that where poor rates are lowered by them, the land- lords take advantage of it, and raife their rents in proportion. — , I reply : — So much the better ; who of I 4 common i88 THE FARMER^s TOUR Common fenfe ever fuppofed it a contrivance to put money in the pockets of farmers ? If rates are lowered, it ought to be the gentle- man's advantage ; for his eftate always lets iu exa6t proportion to the height of rates j and if he can let land that is worth 20 s, an acre for only 16 s. on account of heavy rates, furely he ought to have the benefit of raifmg, v\rhen he has fo long laboured tinder the evil of fmking ? But the farmers are piqued in many hundreds, and will never agree to the mea- fure. Secondly, It depopulates a hundred ; for the poor not liking the houfe, the fer- v^nts let themfelves in other hundreds. This objedion exifls merely while the clfablifhment is local ; make it univerfal> and it ceafes at once. — The reality of tlv; jnatter was, however, exprefsly contra- cjid:e4 to me, by perfons on whom I can well depend. They aflured me, that they felt no fuch evil. Thirdly, The ads of parliament which Ijftablifli thq Houfes, being extremely vari-r pus, and yet public ads, they may b^ THROUGH ENGLAND. i8^ very troublefome to lawyers in any future pleadings on them. One ad might comprehend the whole kingdom. There is no neceffity for every hundred to have a difl:in£t ad. But fuppofe the cafe ; let thefe gentlemen take fo much the greater pains. — Thofe who are fo ready with abridgements in 500 folio's; mayjull as well turn over 5000. Fourthly^ Gentlemen will not attend the truft — it then becomes a jcbb in the hands of farmers and tradefmen. This objedion holds equally againft all public works executed by commiflioners ; fuch as turnpikes, drainages, navigations, harbours, &c. &c. — ^It is too difficult a thing to force people to do their duty ; and yet we find the works performed. Many are careful enough to attend ; fome won't, and then evils may arife which force them to it : but in fome w^ay or other the bufi- nefs is done, w^ithout any flagrant or ftrik- ing impofitions. Thus it would be with Houfes of Induftry : Some have been ereded thefe dozen years, and yet I could not find that any mifchicfs had arifen from a want of attendance : making fuch a progrefs \ 190 THE FARMER'S TOUR progrefs in paying off the debt, does not carry that appearance. Upon the whole, the objections that have been made to thefe eftabhfhments are by no means folid : but fuppofing they were ; are we to enjoy none of the ben^ fits of improvement, becaufe objections zm ftarted ? What good is gained without it* ! attendant evil ? Make a navigation, yoti wafte land to convert it into water ; and you cut through people's properties. Maktf a turnpike — you tax the whole country. If you will execute no improvement but: what may be performed without the leaft objection — ^you for ever tye your handl from doing good. Compare the advantageii with the inconveniences : — ^View the fcalc — and then determine. It fhould be thft bufmefs of cavillers alone to flart objections* that will not, united, overturn the benefit propofed : For a nation to conduCt itfetf by fuch ideas, is to revolve into the bat^! barifm of the darkeft ages. The hufbandry of the neighbourhood 0^! Ipfwich is in general very good. Aboi# Bramford^ farms rife from 50/. to 250/. 4 year; Ij THROUGH ENGLAND. 191 pfear; the average from 80/. to 120/. The bil in feme places is ail ftrong clay ; in thers good loams : much gravelly loam, qually good for both turnips and wheat lis from i o j. to 1 5 J", an acre ; average 2 J. 6 J. The rent from hence to Had* 'igh^ about 134. The courfe of crops, L I . Turnips 4. Wheat .. 2. Barley 5. Peafe or beans. 3. Clover one year And, J. Turnips 4. Wheat ',2. Barley 5. Oats. 3. Clover 'This addition of oats is bad. Upon the clay foils it is, 1. Fallow ■ 4. Wheat 2. Barley 5. Beans 3. Clover 6. Barley. Admirable ! No courfe can exceed this. -■They plough but once for wheat, fow 2 jaifhels, and get 26 bufhels on an average. lior barley they flir three or four times ; fow 3 bufhels per acre, and get 4 quarters Im an average. They plough but once for ts ; fow 4 bufhels, and reckon the mean produ<3; at 4 f quarters. They fqraetimes fow 192 THE FARMER^s TOUI^ low colefeed for feed, and never fail o: getting fine wheat after it. They give from 4 to 6 earths for turnips always hoe them twice ; feed them on thi land with Iheep or fattening oxen. The) mow fome of their clover foi- hay ; anc fome they feed the firil growth, and mov the fecond for feed ; they never fail o great crops of wheat after mown clover— but they dung the ftubble. In refpcd: to manuring, they are exceL lent farmers ; they form compofts with alj their farm-yard dung, mixing it Well wrt! what they call chalk, but which I foum on trial to be excellent marie. They pu' about a third part of chalk. Some farmer have limed their land, and with good fuccefs All chop their ftubbles, and ftack thei hay at home. All the way from Ipfuinct\^ o Shotley^ and fo to Maningtree^ througl the hundred of Sa7npford^ they are admira. ble hulhandmen, and have excellent land tc work on : they ufe great quantities of fei' ouze, and find it of great ufe ; particu- larly in forming com.pofts with their farm- yard dung, which, when well mixed to- gether, they fpread on their light lands The- V i THROUGH ENGLAND. 19^ They form thefe heaps from the fea, and their yards in fpring, and mix them well together through the fummer for fpreading on the clover lays for wheat. All wheat throughout this country that is weedy, is as regularly hand-hoed as their turnips ; the price 6 J", an acre. They alio hand-hoe all their beans twice ; and never fail of fowinir wheat after them. o About IVoltoji and Fellxton the foil is remarkable rich. Their common courfe is, .1. Beans 2. V/heat. and fo on for ever. Nathaniel Aclon^ Efq; of Brajnford^ to whom I am obliged for the preceding par- ticulars, has tried various experiments, that •annot fail of being particularly ufefuL Among other crops he has cultivated car- rots with fuccefs. EjXperimenf^ No. I. In 1768, two acres of good light turnip i^m were trench ploughed, and carrot id harrowed in 'vsx March without manur- |ting. The plants arofe very regularly, and mere hand-hoed three times, at the expence [of thirty fhillings an acre ; and taken up Vol. IL O at p 194 THE FARMER'S TOUR ^t once as foon as the tops withered. They were laid up for winter ufe, and appHedi chiefly to the feeding horfes, who all dMj excellently well on them. Mr. Acion found that fuch parts of the heap, as were not packed clofe together after being well dried, were apt to rot ; but all that were dry am clofe laid, kept perfectly found. 'Experiment, No. 2. In 1769, an acre of the fame foil reccivei the fame culture ; thrice hand-hoed, at th above expence ; and being carefully drie before they were laid up, and packed clol together, none were rotten. Taking u l/. an acre. Given to horfes inftead ( oats ; and they never did better. Experiment y No. 3. This year, 1770, he has one acre; very fine regular crop, cultivated in tl preceding manner, and will turn out good. Refpedling the produce, Mr. A^on found but little variation — he has had thel accurately meafured — and finds that tc quantity is 6 bufliels per rod, or 960 bufli s /^racre; thefe at 8^, a buihel, the Bra- THROUGH ENGLAND. 195 ''^W price, come to 32/. But I beg leave ::c^ more to obferve, that I have found -irrots to be worth is. 3. bufhel in feeding 1 'cattle ; at which price thefe crops have been worth 48/. an acre. — But whether the value is 24, 32, or 48/. is not of much confe- (juence ; for take the lowefl: price, and you will fmd no croD that BritifJj fields nroduce equally profitable. Experiment^ No. 4. April 3d, 1770, fome cabbage feed vfas fawn on a bed of rich ground ; both the reat Scotch fort, and Mr. Rey7:oId\ turnlp- ')oted cabbage : Ju'/ie 23d, they were ;ranfplanted into the field ; the foil a rich 3lack loam ; the firft fort 3 feet by 2, the atter 2 feet by 18 inches. I viewed both :rops with great pleafiire ; they were \\i\- ommonly fine : the Scotch plants 3 feet )ver, and Reynolds 2 feet ; both of a deep jreen and remarkably luxuriant. I think he turnip cabbage bids fair for being the irgefl crop I have yet feen of them. Mr. - 4^on gives both forts fair play, for he Ivi-teeps them as clean as a garden. O 2 196 THE FARMER'S TOUR Experiment^ No. 5. The Egyptian turnip has been tried by I this gentleman in fome fmall experiments to fee if it would do for the fpring food of cattle — the root proves of a trifling fize - but the leaves remain in full luxuriance j through the fharpeft v/inter ; no frofts 9 affe£l them ; and it fprouts frefh very early 1: in the fpring. ' > Experiment^ No. 6. In planting, Mr. Aclon has tried the ^i/r/;z poplar, and finds that it ihoots 10 1 feet in a year, and perfe6lly flraight. He has alfo meafured the fhoots of the Norfolk willow, 12 feet long. Larches thrive greatly here ; they are worth i /. bd. each' in 9 years ; which is an aftonifliing profit and beats the finefl; huibandry. Experiment^ No. 7. This gentleman has in the prefent y a remarkable infl:ance of the quick vegeta* tion of lucerne, even the firfi: year of fow|Bii ing. In 1769, two acres of a fine ligi rich loam were cropped with turnips ; t land was ploughed quite fine after feedin; thecl ; THROUGH ENGLAND. 197 them ofF, and in the fpring drilled with lucerne ; the feed failing, it was ploughed op, and again drilled in 'July^ and in a month was 12 inches high; it has been liand-hoed thrice : I found it as clean as a garden. The rows are equally diftant ; 22 inches afunder, very flraight, regular, and jiot ftraggling ; which clrcumriances I men- tion, as it was drilled by hand in the fur- I row after the plough. It promifes to be ^n excellent crop. ' 'Experiment^ No. 8. In INIr. Arton\ grafs land, one of the nioft troublefome weeds he has met with, is the common nettle ; and fo difficult to extirpate, that it has foiled him in many attempts. He tried an experiment in one fpot on grubbing them ; the place was grubbed clean with a pick-ax, the roots taken out, and the furface levelled — the nettles came again in as full luxuriance as ever. He then tried mowing them as faft >as they grew high enough for the fey the ; - and this miCthod by perpetual bleeding fuc- ceeded ; it is the only one on w^hich he can depend, It is always of importance to O 3 know I 19S THE FARMER'S TOUR know thofe methods, which have proved mofi: fuccefsful in the deftrudion of every weed ; in this refpecH:, matters leemingly of no confequence, are oftentimes pafTed over by inattentive perfons, until they find themfelves in a fituation that fhews the impropriety of flighting fuch information Mowing lefs than three times a year will not deflroy them. Experiment, No. 9. In 1769, nine acres were cropped with turnips and fed on the land. In 1770, it was fown with barley and grafles for a meadow; the feeds 12. lb. an acre of white Dutch clover, and 3 facks of fine drefled hay-feeds. I viewed the field, and found the ground covered with a luxuriant growth. Experiment^ No. 10. Another field was cropped with turni in 1768, fed off for barley in 1769, an feeds fow^n vv-ith it ; 4 facks /^rr acre of fi hay-feeds, 4/^. of trefoile, 4/^. of whi clover, and 4/^. of red clover. After t barley was carried off, it was well manur from the compoft dunghill. And t yean II I THROUGH ENGLAND. 199 year, 50 C. ivt. of hay per acre was mown ; and the after-grafs coming on with great luxuriance. . Mr. Aclon''?, common hufbandry is excel- lent, and his crops good. His courfe of crops is, 1. Turnips, well hoed twice, and worth 35 J. an acre. 2. Barley, 5 quarters per acre. 3. Clover, which yields 4 I tons of hay It 2 mowings. 4. Wheat, on one ploughing, always hand-hoed at the expence of 6 s. an acre j the produce 4 quarters per acre. He manures his fields richly; ufes a clayey marie, very rich, if we may judge from the ftrong effervefcence with acids ; he lays from 50 to 90 loads an acre ; the ftrongcft efred: of it is cleaning the land from all weedr, which it does in an un- common manner ; nothing deftroys pop-, pies more. He m.akes compoils of pot-afh, cow-dung, horfe-dung, and turf, which he mixes well together, and finds it a great improvement. The pot-afh, izs. for 70 buihels. He lays 15 loads an acre of this compoft, O 4 111 200 THE FARMERVs TOUR In the management of his farm-yard he is alfo very attentive to the raifmg dung ; he confines all his cattle the winter through, and conducts all the urine that runs off, into a pit, where he ahforbs it all in ftrawpj This is a very good method. It is an un-PH accountable circumftance that nine tenths^ of farmers, gentlemen as well as others,* give fo little attention to this very important^ part of their bufniefs. Mr. A5lon has contrived his cow-fher. 108 Rent 24 Barley 8 Horfes 24 Fallow 10 Cows 24 Clover 6 Young cattle 10 Turnips 60 Sheep 14 Peafe and I Man beans. I Boy THROUGH ENGLAND. 2U Another : 150 Acres in all i Boy 75 Arable 3 Labourers 75 Grafs 2 Men jT. 120 Rent 20 Acres Wheat 6 Horfes 20 Fallow 20 Cows 10 Barley 5 Young cattle 10 Clover 50 Sheep 5 Turnips 2 Maids 10 Oats. From HaMeig/j, another way, I took the road to Maningtree, through a country rich and very well cultivated. In that part ' towards Hadleigh^ the hufbandry is pretty ' much the fame as in the account I gave above. About Maningtree it refembles the methods around Ipfwich, They ufe much rich marie from Kent^ which is brought by {hipping ; they call it chalk. At the village of Lawford^ very near to Maningtree^ lives a mofl ingenious fmith, Mr. John Bratid\ whofe mechanical abi- (lities would do honour to a fuperlor ftation. IHe has invented various implements of hufbandry, of which I have myfelf had near feven years experience, and will ven- ture to aflert that he has failed in no- P 2 thins:. 212 THE FARMliirs TOUR thing. Among other things, he makes an iron fwing plough, to be drawn by a pair of horfes, which much exceeds any plough I have yet feen, in cutting a true, regular furrow, well cleared of the loofe. moulds ; or in turning over grafs land ; at the fame time, that in ftrength and duration it is far preferable to all. The eafe and fimplicity of the variations are excellent. He has alfo invented other iron ploughs for 4 and 6 horfes, for ploughing from i to 2 feet deep. Another machine of very great utility, is an horfe-rake on wheels, for raking fpring corn Hubbies, which performs in a very complete manner, and will- in level fields rake hav. Likewife a hand-mill for grinding wheat> which anfwers (as I have been informed by feveral perfons) exceedingly well. He has made feveral other tools, that have been tried and approved by many farmers. He has fo quick a comprehenfion in thefe matters, that I have but little doubt but he would execute any new idea flartcd to him w4th uncommon fuccefs. Defcribe the powers required, and the force yotj THROUGH ENGLAND. 213 ivill allow, and I believe no man in Britain will fooner perforin it. I cannot but recommend this very inge- nious mechanic to the attention of the pub- lic ; — he has abilities far fuperior to the obfcurity in which he lives. From Maningtree to Cokhejier^ the coun- try is all rich and excellently cultivated. I ! made enquiries into it, and found their I methods quite fimilar from thence beyond Colchejier. About that town, and moil of the way to JVitham, they excell greatly. About Lcxden and Stanway^ farms rife ■from 20/. to 1000/. The foil is a fancy gravel, with fome brick earth; lets from 12^. to 20J-. an acre. From Colchejier to Witham about 1 3 x. The courfe of crops, I. Turnips 3. Clover i year !2. Barley 4. Wheat : \ and fometimes the folfowing crops added io thefe ; 5. Beans or peafe 6. Wheat. After beans, they plough twice or thrice br wheat ; fow 2 I buihels an acre, and reap 3 \ quarters on an average ; they have fometimes to 5 \ quarters ; but it is all P 3 hand- -14 THE FARMER'S TOUR hand-hoed. They fllr their turnip land four times for barley; fow 4 bufhels, the end of March ^ and through April \ the mean produce 6 quarters. For oats they plough from once to 3 times ; fow 5 bufhels, and gain from 6 to 10 quarters; 8 the average. Their turnips they always hand-hoe twice ; the crops are generally worth 3 /, an acre. One acre will fatten a beaft of 40 or 50 fcore in the field, to eat the tur- nips on the land. For peafe they give but one earth ; fow 2 bufliels an acre, hoeing them into drills at 3/. or 3 J", bd. an acre expence. They hand-hoe them thrice, fo as to keep them as clean as a garden ; the expence is 3 j". the I firft hoeing ; is. 6d. the fecond, and 2/, the third. The average produce 4 quarters; fometimes they get 5 or 6. They likewife plough but once for beans ; dibble them inJ in rows 9 inches afunder ; 2 bufhels ofj feed per acre ; and always give the fame) hoeing as to pcafe, and at the fame ex-j pence. The crops are never fmall, gene^l rally from 5 to 10 quarters an acre; ave-| ragf THROUGH ENGLAND. 215 rage 6 or 7. Ufe both the horfe and tick bean. Colefced they fow both for food and the feed ; they feed It in April with flieep and fwine, after the turnips are gone, and then plough it up for a crop of turnips. Much of their clover is fed by fheep, hogs, and horfes ; when they mow for hay, they get great crops ; 2 loads an acre at a cutting, and fomctimes 3 ; and reckon that an acre in food and hay, pays 4/. 4^. on an average, A good deal of chalk is ufed about Colchejler^ and all the tvay to Maningtree \ and likewife yet more towards and about Maldon : It comes all from Kenf. The farmers give y to 8, and 9/. a waggon load for it ; and many of them fetch it feveral miles ; even from 6 to 10, They lay 7 loads an acre, and all agree that it lads lopgeft, and at the fame time does beft on ftiff lands : the fandy and gravelly loams are not fo profitable to chalk as the clayey ones, and ftiff clays : on the latter it lafts from 30 to 40 years ; but on the former it holds good for 15 years. I have, with them, called it chalk ; but I found from trial that it is a very rich marie. P 4 Great 2i6 THE FARMER'S TOUR Great quantities of dungs of all forts arc brought from Colchejler ; the price 5 s. or 6 J. a waggon load, and they lay 7 or 8 on an acre. All chop their ftubbles ; and ftack their hay at home. But no folding fheep is pradtifed. Much foot is bought at 6^. a bufhel ; they fow it on their paftures. Malt duft they fow on the barley tilth. In their tillage they reckon 4 horfes ne- ceiTary for 100 acres of ploughed ground; ufe 2 in a wheel plough, and do from i to 2 acres a day. They flir 5 or 6 inches deep ; the price 4>f. an acre : the ftubbles are all broken up before Chrijhnas. In the hiring a farm of 300/. a year, they reckon 2000/. neceffary to flock it, if the land is at all out of condition. Land fells at 30 years purchafe, Tythes are 3/. td. in the pound. Poor rates ^s. \ in Colchejler 6 s. or ys. In fome parifhes in that town they rife to 16 s. or lys. Agriculture is here carried on in general ■with very great fpirit ; for the farms are chiefly large, and the farmers rich : fome of them are worth from 30,000/. to 40,000/. ; many above 20,000/, The THROUGH ENGLAND. 217 The following are the particulars of a farm. 400 Acres in all 8 Cows 360 Arabic 90 Acres Wheat 40 Grafs 90 Barley ^.330 Rent 90 Clover 12 Horfes 90 Turnips. From Witha?n towards Chelmsford^ about Borehaniy &c. the foil is heavier than at Colchejier ; being a mixed clayey loam ; lets from 10 J", to 12 j". Farms are from jog/, to 150/. a year. The courfe, 1. Turnips 3. Clover 2. Barley 4. Wheat. Here the good farmers Hop j but bad ones il add, 5. Oats. The products : Wheat, 3 quarters. Barley, 5 ditto. Oats, 6 ditto. Peafe, 3 ditto. Beans, 5 ditto. Both peafe and beans are all hand-hoed, ^lany turnips cultivated on clayey foils too heavy 2i8 THE FARMER'S TOUR heavy to feed off, but they draw them for iheep, cows, and beafts. A great fpirit of manuring is found throughout all this country. They bring fome chalk from Maldon\ give 8j^. to igj-. a waggon load for it, and lay from 6 to % loads an acre : 6 or 7 miles carriage makes this fo great an expence, that they have of late years tried to fubftitute their own clay for it : they lay 60 loads an acre ; and from the obfervation they have made, think it will laft a leafe of 2 1 years. Lime they alfo ufe ; lay a bufhel to a fquare perch ; it lafts 7 years ; but more, if mixed with dung and earth. THROUGH ENGLAND. 219 LETTER XVL BEFORE I proceed in my journey, I fhall here make a paufe, to obferve in general, that part of the country through which I have lately paffed, is as remarkable for excellent hufbandry, I apprehend, as any in the kingdom. The uncommon ex- ertions of fpirited culture on the fands near Woodbridge^ I have already remarked : The great fertility of the foil, and the incompa- rable ufe they make of it, I have obferved above ; particularly their courfe of crops being fo well adapted to keeping the land free from weeds : the culture of carrots ; the drill and hoeing management of peafe and beans ; the fmgular ufe of crag as a manure ; their noble breed of horfes, with feveral other particulars, that ftamp an ex- cellence feldom found among common far- mers. After this country, comes the tra£t of I land in the neighbourhood of Ipfwich^ V'hich is cultivated in a very complete manner, i2o THE FARMER'S TOUR manner, and a fpirited ufe made of va- rious manures. Moft of Sandford hun- dred boalls a hufbandry of a fuperior kind; marie is much ufed ; great things are don^ "with the affiftance of fea ouze; at the fami time that all other manures are perfedlly well underllood. From Mamngtree to CoA 1 chejiery and thence to Wifbam^ the farmer* are perfedly enlightened ; throughout this^j trad as well as the laft, all the peafe ancf ' beans are kept as clean by hand-hoeing, as turnips in other places, but at a muctf greater expence ; wheat alfo receives the fame operation, which I think is a certain mark of the farmers having extreme juft Ideas of hufbandry ; for without fuch, they would never arrive at fo unufual a practice* Marie, called chalk here, they ufe, I be*" lieve, at a much greater expence than any people in the kingdom ; for many of them go from 6 to 10 miles, and give from 8a'J to ID J. a waggon load for it : this is a^Sting with a fpirit that cannot be exceeded. Town manures at Colchejler fell at 5/. a load: foot, &c. &c. are ufed in large quantities ; and thefe noble exertions are I no(;j I ll THROUGH ENGLAND. 221 At effetfl of low rents, as fome fondly n ;ine they mud every where be; on the iry, this whole country is let at good ; tliat is, from 12s, to 2^ s. an acre : arious places, in which all theie cir- ances unite, pay 16^. or i8j-. an acre i ; and fome 20 s. Such a rent by no ;i< ns frightens thefe fenfible men ; they xciiJ great fums of money in the pur- ()f manures, and fpare no expence in :;, notwithftanding that of rent. is the confequence of this ? Their Tjils fo thoroughly manured, produce .- jrops without damage from weeds, for 1 ■ perpetual hoeing totally deilroys them. 'i effed is anfwerable — from 4 to 5 crs an acre of wheat ; from 5 to 10 of . ; fr^m 6 to 10 of oats ; 5 or 6 of ^ ; and all other crops proportioned — larmers worth from ten to forty thou- pounds. Thefe fhew fufficiently that 1 above fpirited practices form wh^t ht emphatically be called Trul Hus- ) !i Y. Thofe who exalt the agriculture '.arJers fo high on comparifon w'th oL. II. P 7 that 222 THE FARMER'S TOUR that of Britain^ have not, I imag , viewed with attention the country ini queftion. It is difficult to imagine c i- inon crops cultivated in greater perfedn' ^1 ^ LETT 9W m 1 ¥^mw ■^m^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 223 LETTER XVIL FROM Chehiisjord to Tiunmow the foil is various, but chiefly heavy ; near the former place it is all turnip land^ but afterwards clay, at \is, an acre. From Dunmow to Hockerill it is all clay, at 1 5 J. an acre: the whole country quite flat, and all hollow drained. I obferved a large portion of the land was fummer fal- low, and ridged up in 3 feet lands ready for wheat, lying in a mofl: neat and clean man- ner ; but no turnips in the country. The borders of the arable fields are all dug away from a foot to 1 8 inches deep, and carried on to the land, which drains the fields at the fame time that much manure is raifed. The crops here amount nearly to the following produds ; Wheat, 3 f quarters per acre; Barley, on fummer fallow, 5 quarters ; Oats, 6 quarters ; Peafe, 3 quar- ters ; Beans, 4. From Dunmoiv to Brahitree the foil is chiefly clay ; and lets at 15^. 3 From 5124 THE FARMER'S TOUR From Dumnow to Thaxfead^ and from thence to ClcirCy the fame ; with fome fpots of turnip land. From HockerUl to Ware^ near the former place, the farmers are very neat ; but they have fome pradlces by no means defenfible, though followed from an idea of good huf- bandry. They often fow barley after tur^ nips, and then fummer fallow for wheat ; which is as extraordinary a courfe as ever I met with. I enquired particularly into the reafon of ever omitting clover in fuch a cafe ; and was anfwered, that clover fouls and fpoils the land : however feveral of them have better ideas', and pradlife the excellent hufbandry of, i. Turnips: 2. Barley: 3. Clover : 4. Wheat ; and they find it to anfwer extremely well. Land here lets at 1 5 J. an acre: their crops are, Wheat, 3 f to 5 quarters ; Barley, 5 to 7 ; Beans, 3 or 4. About Toiingsberry^ the feat of 'David Barclay^ within 3 miles of Ware^ the huf- bandry is various. Farms rife from L to 300/. a year, but on an average are 100/. to 150/. The foil may be diitinguiihed moll properly into heavy and light ; that is, THROUGH ENGLAND. 225 ,i^, turnip land, and fuch as will not bear ithat root. The rent at an average 12 s, an acre. Their courfes, 1. Fallow ^ 3. Peafe. 2. Wheat I. Fallow I 2. Wheat 1 ^-^Ifi, 3. Beans and oatd mixed. 1 . Fallow 2. Barley 3. Peafe* 3. Peafd. 1. Turnips 2. Barley hey plough three times for wheat ; fow ± )ufhels and a peck, and gain 20 in return. They plough, in fummer fallowing, thrice br barley ; turnip land but once ; fow 4 : mfhels an acre in March ^ and gain 30 )u{hels on an average. For oats they give )ut one earth ; fow 4 bufhels, and reckon ,he mean crop at 4 quarters. P For peafe they ftir only once; fow 4 lulhcls, never hoe them ; the produce at medium 16 bufhels ; 60 bufliels were 'nee produced by an acre, after turnip land 'arley. Vol. IL Q^ Their 226 THE farmer's TOUR Their culture of beans is, I think, a bad as in any part of England 'y they alway mix them with oats. Firft, they fow : bufhels an acre of beans, and fome tim. afterwards they harrow in i f of blacl oat J- ; the crop of both, about 20 bufhels The oats conftantly fhell, and are hal loft before the beans are ready to cut ; an to remedy this in part, they are induced t cut the beans too foon, and then as furel find them a thin and hollow fample : the own thefe difadvantages, and yet perfift i fuch a flovenly method. I fhould alfo adc that this cuftom quite excludes the mo profitable one of hand-hoeing. It muc behoves the good hufbandmen of this cour try to difcountenance fo execrable a prad:ic> They plough thrice for turnips ; banc hoe them once, and eat the crops off wit fheep : the average price, 35^'. an acre. They generally mow one growth of the clover crops, and feed one ; the produ( of the firft I I load of hay an acre : man keep it 2 years on the ground, but it reckoned beft to have it only one. Son- mow twice for hay; get i load at tl fecon THROUGH ENGLAND. 227 tecond cutting ; and others leave it for feed : Wheat they reckon belt after feeding. In their manuring, they depend pretty nuch on folding fheep, but do not pradtife t in winter, except on very dry land. They fold once in a place : 230 fheep will io an acre in a week. They fold all forts, )ut reckon a wether fold much the beft. — They chop their ftubbles for littering the lirm-yards ; and ftack all their hay at lome ; not much for fale. Chalk they pread on their lands, about 20 loads an Lcre ; it does beft on heavy foils ; lafts 6 )r 7 years. Afhes they fow on light land, chiefly on clover, 20 bufhels an acre, and find the mprovement great. Malt-duft they ufe at the price of 7 s. or D /. a quarter ; ufe from 3 to 4 per acre. Pid- ^eon's dung they fpread on barley land, 20 Dufhels an acre ; and find that it beats all i)ther manures. Under ground drains are common ; they find the improvement remarkable. They :plafh their hedges, but have fcarcely any ditches, even in the clay land. Good meadow land lets at 30^. an acre; 0^2 they :i28 THE FARMER'S TOUR they mow It all, and get i l load of hay an acre ; two acres will keep a cow throue;h the fummer. A good cow will give 3 gal- lons o£ milk a dav during half the feafon ; and 5/i^. of butter a week : the total annual produce 5/. They keep about 15 hogs to 10 cows. A dairy-maid will take care oi ID. The winter food chiefly grafs, b hay at calving; they keep all in the yard e cept at calving. In fatting cattle, they b in beafts in Augifji^ that are forward ijQ| flelh ; they put them to the eddiihes, aa from thence to turnips, upon which they ari kept four months ; but they are drawn a thrown on grafs land; a beaftof 100 ftoni (8 /A) will be fattened by an acre and ha Hogs fattened to 40 ilone ; but 26 t average. Flocks of fheep rife from 100 to 400J The profit they reckon at, Lamb, - - 080 , Wool, - - 030 n O I I o The management of fheep is various They buy in wethers, 2 years old, in Oc- tober^ or November^ at 1 4/. ; keep them one year; firft they are put to ftubbles 3 and THROUGH ENGLAND. 229 and then to fome turnips ; after that they have ibme clover, from v/hich they are fold t : they are folded all fummer through. The average fleece 6/^. In refpe<9: to the rot, they hold tliat the lilemper is by no means owing to a quick ixuriance of growth, diftindly taken, but ^. overflowings of grafs land ; no ret knov-rn -it from the latter caufe. In their tillage, they reckon 4 horfes leceflaiy to 100 acres of arable land : they fe 4 in a plough, with a driver; do an icre a day, from 4 to 5 inches deep ; the rice 6 s. or yi". an acre. The annual ex- ceofahorfe they reckon at 10/. loj. e weekly allowance of oats, is 10 bufhels ^4 horfes. They do notlireak their fliib- e till after Cbrijlmds, Both wheel and ing ploughs ufed. The hire of a cart, 4 horfes, and a driver, lox. a day. In the hiring and Hocking farms, they reckon 1200I. neceffary for 2ca /. a year. Land fells at 30 years purchafc. Poor rates 3^". in the pound; 20 years go were not u. 6^. ; only ix. in JV^rey becaufc they have a poor workhoufe* wherein hemp is fpun for ropes, and 0^3 thread 230 THE FARMER'S TOUR thread for netting and facking. Tythe are chiefly compounded; Wheat 4 J. or 5^ an acre; Barley the fame; Oats 2s. to 2j 6 £i. ; Turnips i j. to 2 j. ; Clover i s. The employment of the poor womerj &c. fpinning, at which they earn 4^, day. All drink tea twice a day. Moil of the farmers have leafes. LABOUR. In harveft, 36/. to 40 j. and board. In hay-time, is. 6d. a. day. In winter, is. 2d. Reaping, 4.S. to ^s. Mowing barley and oats, i J. to i j. 6 ^, grafs, 2 J. Hoeing turnips, 4^". to 5 J". PlaflTiing a hedge, 4^. a rod. Thrafhing wheat, 3^. a bulhel, . barley, 2<^, Oats 1 1 d. , — , peafe and beans, u. for 5 bufhel Head-man's wages, 8 /. 'ui Next ditto, 7 /. Lad's, 3/. Dairy-maid, 5/. Other ditto, 4/. Womc '^^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 231 ^^i iWomcn per day, in harveft, i s. and board. ju; , in hay time, 8^. ■Ms ; winter, 6d, ■^' Value of a man's board, wafhing and 'Ml ] lodging, 5 J. a week. ni \ There is no rife of labour by the day ; but the good labourers will only work by the piece, which was not the cafe formerly. PROVISIONS. Bread, - - i I ^. fer- lb, Cheefe, - - 4 Butter, - - 8 f Beef, - - 3 1 kL Mutton, - - 4 Veal, ^ - 5 Pork, - - 31 Bacon, - - 6 Milk, - - ^d.ferpinu Potatoes, - - 3 p^r peck. Candles, - - 7 i P^^ ^^' or I Soap, - - 6 ditto. Labourer's houfe-rent, 40J-. ' — fii'ing, breaking hedges and cut- ting trees. The following are the particulars of a farm here. 0.4 232 THE FARMER'S TOUH 300 Acres in all 30 Grafs 20 Oats 20 Peafc 10 Clover 20 Turnips 100 Fallow 3 Men 2 Boys 2 Maids 4 Labourers. 270 Arable ^.180 Rent 8 Horfes 8 Cows 200 Sheep 20 Young cattle 40 Acres Wheat 40 Barley David Barclay of Toungsberry has ex& cuted feme experiments in agriculture that jire of confequence. I am much indebte to him for the follqwing particulars, as we| as the preceding account of the commc Jiufbandry around him. WINTER TARES. Experiment, No. i. Upon a ftrong mixed foil, not fo hea^ that it would not do for turnips, ten acrt were fown with winter tares, after barlc] on one ploughing, 2 f bufhels per acrd The Ifecond week in May they were beguij for foiling horfes : they lafted 25 horfes weeks, which, at 2 j". 6 ^. a horfe per weetj cpmQ to 2/. 1 6 J. an acre. No nianur| ! THROUGH ENGLAND. 233 was ufed, and the tares were off time enough for turnips. MANURES. 'Experiment^ No. 2. A field of turnip land gravel was manured for wheat, with trotters from London^ rab- bits dung, and the Ihecp fold. Six quar-r- ters an acre of the trotters coft, at 7 J-. a quarter, ^.2 2 o . Carriage, is, 6d. - - 090 Per acre, 211 Habbit dung 10 quarters, at 2/. i o o Carriage, is. - ^ 0100 Per acre, - - i i o o The other folded ; 40 herdles, i o of each fide, 8 feet each, for 230 fheep. The efFed was ; the trotters produced 25 bufhels per acre ; the fold, 20 bufhels ; and the rabbit dung 1 5 bufhels. Bujhels. Trotters, - - 25 Fold, - - - 20 Superiority, - - ^ Which at 5 J. is i/. 5 J". \ 234 THE FARMER'S TOUR Trotters, • - 25 Rabbits dung, - - 15 Superiority, 10 At 5/. is 2/. 10/. It appears clearly from hence, that tl trotters are vaftly fuperior to the rabbi dung, and fomething better than the fold indeed the rabbit dung is fo fmall a produce, that one can hardly fuppofe it did any beni fit at alL Experiment i No. 3. Coal afhes fifted fine, were compare« with dang as manure for grafs-land. ii bufhcls per acre were fpread, at 3 |^. A bufhel, all expences included. On the other part, 1 6 loads an acre of dung, quit black and rotten, that had been turnec over and well mixed together. The refullj was, that the afh'd part produced a loa« and three quarters of hay per acre ; th( dunged i of a load ; much white clovei with the former, but none among the lat ter. Before the manuring, the producT were not more than f a load an acre, viewed the after-grafs of the trial, ai couh THROUGH ENGLAND. 235 could trace exactly, by the thicknefs of the grafs and the verdure, where the afhes were laid. Experiment, No. 4. Rape oil cake duft was tried on barley, fowed with the feed and harrowed in ; 2 quar- ters per acre, at 1 5 j. a quarter. The effect remarkably great ; the crop 5 quarters per acre, which is much more confiderable than ever feen on the land. Experiment^ No. 5. y Malt-duft Mr. Barclay has tried for bar- ley ; 4 quarters per acre, at y/. ; and from the appearance of the crop, has great rea- fon to think that it anfwered well. DRAINING. Experiment, No. 6. Above fifty acres of wet, heavy, loamy day, and clayey foil, were drained in one winter by covered drains. The leading drains were cut 28 inches deep ; and the branches 22 inches ; 3 or 4 inches wide at bottom, and 9 at top. The digging and I jBlling the 28 inch ones, 3 ^. a rod ; and the I 236 THE FARMER'S TOUR the 22 inch, 2 ^. They were filled with black-thorn bufhes- at g s. a load, of Bo large faggots — 3 loads did the drains of iin acre of land> cat within a rod of each other. The improvement of thefe drains is ftronglyi \ifiblc, thoun;h done only laft winter. CxA^BBAGES. Experiment^ No, 7. Three acres of ftrong clay land were] fummer fallowed laft year, and the beginningl of this. The feed of the great Scotch cab-) bage, &c. was fown in Aprily and the plants fet on 3 feet ridges, 2 feet from eac other, the 24th of "June. They we horfe-hoed twice with a fhim, which ait$ the land without turning a ridge : the rows hand-hoed twice ; and after that the fu rows ftruck with a common plough, earth| ing up the plants. The iliim with one horfe did 3 acres 3' day. Befides the great Scotch^ fome browa cole, and turnip cabbages were planted, all of which are in a very thriving condition, and to the honour of the cultivator," as cleau as a garden. THROUGH ENGLAND, 237 DITCHING. E^cperimenty No. 8. By a comparifon between the cutting a ditch with fpades in the common manner, and ploughing it, it appeared that a ditch 30 rod long, cut by the fpade, coft - - - /;. 3 o o By ploughing, 6 horfes and 20 men did 30 rods in one day. 20 Men, - - - 134 ; 6 Horfes, - - - 0120 I 15 4 2C [I The fpade, - - >C- 3 ^ ^ The plough, - - i 15 4 Superiority of the latter, i 4 3 In the labour of the 20 men, is included their paring down and finifliing the fides of the ditch, and the bank. This is certainly a very confiderable improvement, and de- Ijjervcs the attention of all who cut new 1 4itches. 238 THE FARMER^s TOUR FATTING BEASTS WITH |l| OIL-CAKE. Experiment^ No. 9, In 1769, ten oxen were bought and put to lint-feed cake. They coft, - - ^. 60 o 0 Commiffion, - - o 15 0 Driving, &c. - - 08c December 30. — 6250 cakes, - 33 o c Carriage of 4 waggon loads, at lis. - - - 44 November 6. to April 10. Four months hay, 6/^. each per diem, at 40 j". a load, - 10 14 Labour, - - - 70 Two of them 3 weeks at grafs, at 6 J-. - - 018 Four had an acre of turnips, -20 118 19 i Produce, By 10 oxen received, J£xpences, - - . 120 0 d 118 19 c Profit, - - - I I c The THROUGH ENGLAND. 239 The beafls were well littered with ftraw, land raifed a vaft quantity of dung ; they 'were flailed, and never let out; water was given in palls thrice a day. A thoufand cakes, which come to 5 /. 5 j-., weigh i ton 7 C. wt, 3 quarters. I muft obferve on this account, that the clear profit in money is by no means the objed: ; — the dung is the great advantage. Thofe who can command ftraw, ftubble, fern, or other litter, and can convert it into the richeft dung without lofs on the ox account, will make a very great profit in the high improvement of their land. No manure exceeds the dung of oil-cake ;fed hearts ; it is the moft fertile of all. Had Mr. Barclay bought the ftraw, and mea- fured the dung, the truth of this obferva- tion would be fufficicntly clear. But I muft further remark, that the charge of 7 /. for attendance feems very high. In a con- venient ox-houfe that expence might be much reduced ; witnefs the pradtice of Mr. Moody of Retford. 240 THE FARMER'S TOUR HEDGES. Experiment, No. lo. In fencing, Mr. Barclay has made a trial of tranfplanting old quick ftubbs to form a new hedge. He was very doubtful of their fuccefs, but none could thrive better : this reminds me of the fame pradlifed to a large extent by the Rev. Mr. Hall in TorkJlAre, '; SPIKY ROLLER. This Implement (procured of "John Ar buthnot Efq; of Mitcham) has been ufed oi fome very ftrong cloddy land in fummf fallowing with very great fuccefs ; it re- duced fome very rough land, at twice! going over, to a fine tilth, at a feafoi>| when a plough could not have been of tl leaft fervice. The expence of the operatic as follows : 5 Horfes, - ^. o lO o I Man, - - o I 6 on 6 It rolls I \ acre, twice in a place, per day ; the THROUGH ENGLAND. 241 lie expence confequently is 7/, 8^. aa x:re *. From the adivity and judgment with ^hich David Barclay begins his hufbandry, (ife public has no flight reafon to expe(3: biit it will be of general utility : his eadinefs in trying, and his accuracy in elating, will render his experiments very aluable. At FJcnden^ In the way from Ware to latficldy Sir William Baker has built a atn, which is the moft coftly one I have Iren. It is 84 yards long, 15 bread; the v'hole raifed on capt ftones, fo that a moufe mnot get into it : The whole floor is equally )r thralhing. The fides, &c. are boarded id painted blue, and the roof is flated, I I crofled * YouNGSBERRvis af)lain neat edifice, built by [r. Paine j the fituation very beautiful, on the ow of a waving hill, fcattered witli trees. It mmands a fine view of rich inclofures ; vari* is from the inequalities of the country. In the vale, which winds at the bottom of the il, Mr. Barclay has cut a large river, that en- :hes his profped greatly, and gives the whole :ne a livelinefs which (however pleafing) it uld not otherwife poffefs; Vol. II; R I 24i THE FARMER*s TOUR I cftDfTed from Hertfordjhire into Sut pafTing through Clapha?n f in the wayl PctcTJham^ where I had the pleafure viewing the farm of Mr. Ducket^ wh6f mechanical abiUtj^s are fo well known bik the invention of two moft excellent ploiigl All his fields are fand, of two forts ; oi very light and rather poor ; the other i| moifl, black, and good. Moft of his ai bll •f At this place Mr. Thornton has an ornP'^ mented paddock, laid out in an agreeable mal ner •, in fome particulars, different from t| common method of iketching them. It conf of a varied lawn well fcattered with fingle tr and fome clumps, and fo inclofed with wood to be perfe6lly rural, though fo near London. gravel v/alk runs around the whole, and encOlj pafies fevcral meadows, to the extent of m( than two miles. It is in moft places fliac' thickly /with wood ; and on one fide very broken with fome old oaks,. &:c. that grow of it. Almofl in front of the houfe it leads tc Gothich^x\z\\ that is light and pleafmg. each end it concludes in afhrubbery, which joij the houfe, and is in feveral inflanccs very beaui full a fmali river winds through it, ge bounded by rifing hillocks, and fmooth g^ flopes, very well varied, and fpotted with fhi ancl trees in a judicious manner. The bendsl the water are natural, and the union with u THROUGH ENGLAND,. 2,^;^ le crops are cultivated in the dv'iU method : lis turnips, barley, 0"^^^> ^nd wheat, are liefly in rows : the turnips 12 inches to feet aiunder ; the wheat and oats from 9 1 12 inches, equally diftant. He hand- les all thefe crops fuffic.iently to keep thern. can ; qnd finds, from repeated experience, ■ the crops are better than in the broad- :il mode, at the fame time that the land ia R 2 kept wn and wood well imagined. To the right it tms loft in the retiring grove. Thefe circum- inces are all executed with real tafte ; and if a \v others were a little altered, the whole place juld (in its llile) be complete. Among others, e looking from the lawn on to a bridge, which 1 crofTing, you find, has no connedion with iC water, the end of the river appearing full view ; — this is not quite the thing. — The dvaux de frize pales,, with part of the lawn Tm the paddock, are too near the water, they ,ft cut, a (lip of mown grals along the bank*;, .lich is A ^lere ^dging ; befides the pales them- ves are le^n^' and that dole appeawnce of art^ d boundnry:^ hurts the effedl of the river.r — r- ihaps alio, the benches in the walk are tod quent. As to the rock \/ork grotto, it is' le lanthorn excepted) extremely well executed; it in too wild a Itile for a gentle Itream, and a 'Oth fhaven lawn fpotted with fhrubs; — it ,uii-es a. romantic fituation on the banks of a ! id ilreain tumbling over broken fragments. I -44 THE FARMER'S TOUR kept much cleaner. — And one appllcatior of this mode is particularly ufeful : — hi fows clover feed ever his wheat or fprin^ corn, juft heforc the lall hand-hoeing which operation covers the feed in th compleateft manner. I viewed the crops i and found the clover as regular as pcfliblt Mr. Diickef% hedges are remarkabl neat — they are of white-thorn only, ver well plailied to fecure them at bottom, ani afterwards kept regularly clipped. TK management of his borders, alfo, do hie credit ; he found them wide and quite over fitn with buihes and rubbifh ; all this h has grt^bbed up, fo' tliat the plough goe quite to the hedge — the fields are the neatei at the fame time that much land is gained: All the tillage of his land is performs with ploughs of his own .invention : fi with a treiid^tng one with two Hiares, that work one below another, paring o tlic turf or furface of the land, and turnin; it over ; the lower one follows in the fam furrow, and raifmg a'eili earth buries the firf In this manner it cuts 12 inches deep Wit 4 horres, and docs an acre a day. O: ver THROUGH ENGLAND. 245 ery important iife of this plough, is the jrying twitch in fand land. Mr. Duckci\ i^thod, when his land is run much to itch, is to hury it fo deep as to admit the xccding tillage above it ; a large quantity * twitch buried, turns to excellent ma- ^re ; hut if not fown with hoeing crops, will not be deflroyed ; hand-hoeing with is management will totally dellroy its owth ; but while it is rotting, it holds land together and is of great fervice. jiis method I\Ir. Ducket finds to be far leferable to ploughing fliallow, and truft- y to the harrows for tearing out the twitch. ,ie other is a trebble plough on one bent am. It turns three furrows at once; jrks with 4 horfes, and does from 3 to icres a day. I fhould give drawings of thefe moft'ex- knt implements, but the Reglfler of the ^ciety at London^ is about to publilh a ►rk which will include them. They anfwer the purpofe extremely well; d not only on fand, but alfo on ftiff foils, I have been for fome time a witnefs, in \ fields of a gentleman whole hufbandry fliall prefently come to. — The trench R 3 plough -46 THE FARMER'S TOUR plough cofts 8/. 8 J-.] and the trebble oH^| 9/. 9/. The method in which he drills his cr(^d of whatever fort, is the following, .land, when ready for the feed, is harrow«| flat ; then the drills are ilruck with a ploug; made on purpofe. SeePbte Vlil. Fi-. i. From a to b. d — c. 2i C. f— h. c — o. R. — 4 feet. .••> 8 inches. o 4 2 4 z 6 fcrew holes to vary n di (lances of the fhares. The bottoms the fhares in the fhape of a boat, and fKi with a narrov>' firip of iron; they are •inches ihick^ and 1 2 high fromi the groii For the farrows to be ftraight, the ou| ward {hare goes in the lafl furrow of t1 preceding fet. When tlicy are made, t corn, &c. are fown broad-caft, and t land harrowed ; nine tenths of it rife in tj rows, and very regularlv. — The price its/- FlaleVmyol ll.pa.'Z \ij. THROUGH ENGLANt). 247 Mr. Ducketh beft meadow on the banks of the Thmnes (an excellent one for cows) confifts at leaft half the herbage of burnet : the reft vernal, white clover — cow grafs— wild trefoile — and narrow leaved plantane.* As to the common hufbandry about Richmond and Peterjham^ it is difficult to p-ivc * Richmond Gardens have been lately altered : tlie terrafs and the grounds about it, are now converted into a waving lawn that hangs to the river in a mofl beautiful manner : the old avenue is broken, and the whole clumped in fome places with groves ; in others with knots of trees, and a very judicious ufe made of fingle ones : no traces of the avenue are to be fcen, though many of the trees remain. The lawn waves in a very agreeable manner, and the wood is fo well ma- naged, that the views of the river vary every moment. A gravel walk winds through it, which commands the moft pleafmg fcenes. The river, noble as it is, is not the only object that feafts the eye ; on the other fide of the walk the grounds are thrown into fuch various forms, that they no where fatigue the eye ; in one place the lawn fpreads over a moft beautiful vale, and breaks among the woods, in a ftile that muft command attention ; in fome fpots retiring into the groves, and contrafting its lively green with the darker {hades of wood \ — in others it fwells into gentle hillocks fcattered with fingle trees, and riles into a hill that complcats the inequality R 4 of Ik."-; 248 THE Fx^RMERVs TOUR give an account of it ; the greateft part of the country is occupied by the feats, gar- dens, and lawns of the nobiUty and gentry, ^he few farms here, rife from 40/. to 2Co/. a year; in general about 60/. 80/. or 100/,, ii year. The foil of two forts, either ftii loamSi of the fpot : a flock of fheep fcattered about tl flopes, add uncommonly to the beauty of thej fcene. It is, on the whole, a mild agreeablp] landfcape, which feems created by the hand ot \inpreluming Tafte. ^ After this, the walk retires into thicker' plan,i tations, and winds through them with as mucf variety as the ground affords ; the wild flirubb^ land is well managed, and contrafcs tlie more drelTed parts of the garden. At Ktiu are many very fine exotic plantsvl T^vith a great variety of trees not common. The view from Richmond hill would figure in the fined parts of the north oi England, whertl a bolder inequality of country prefents fua| amazing fcenes. The noble bend of the river ill the foot of the hill, which prefents fo fine a fheeU of water, is well contrafted by thick woodsj and the illands give a ftriking variety to the lccne| The furrounding country is rich, and cut int innumerable inciofures ; nor are there mo! houfes than fufficient to throw a chearfulnef over the whole ; a fortunate circumftance fo nea London. But the point of viev/ being quite tov/n is very unhappy. I THROUGH ENGLAND. 249 loams, tending pretty much to clay, or mere fands ; Ibmc of the latter do not let at more than ioj". or I2J-. an acre; the meadows let at 40 J". — -the average of the neighbourhood, from 20 j". to 25 j. — ^As to the courfes of crops, they are as various as the private opinion of every flirmcr ; but in general, they croud In crop upon crop as faft as poflible. Wheat and rye produce 3 quarters ; Barley 4 ; Oats from 2 f to i o ; tlic average 5 ; Tick beans, on their ftrong land, 4 quarters. They hoe their turnips but once ; and reckon the value 40.f. to 3/. They mow much of their clover for foiling} jt yields in hay, at two cuttings, 3 I loads* LABOUR. la harvcft, 2J". 6 J. a day and board. In hay-time, 2 s. and beer. In winter, i j^. 6^^. to i s. 8f/» Reaping, js. to 16/. Mowing barley, i j-. 6d. to 4J-. Mowing, making, carrying, and flacking hay, IOJ-. 6ii.'y but the farmer finds a loader. Hoeing turnips, 6/. Men's 250 THE FARMER^s TOUR Men's wages, S/.Ss. {^ Lad's, 2 /. I o J, to 4 /. • PROVISIONS. Bread, I id. per pound. Checfe, 4i Butter, -^ •*. 9 Beef, i\ d, coarfe joints. Mutton, 4i Veal, 5 Pork, 41 Bacon, 8 Milk, I d, per pint. floufe-rent, 5/. THROUGH ENGLAND. 251 LETTER XVIIL I Proceed to the regifter of the experl^ ments of "John ArbutJmot^ Efq; of Ra-- venjbury^ with the ratisfadion of knowing that I Ihall hiy before the pubHc, as iifeful knowledge as was ever yet received in the walk of hufbandry. Their genuine merit renders any further introduction unneceflary. The moft familiar method of arrano-injr them will be under the following heads. L LAYING LAND TO GRASS. JI. THE CULTURE OF LU- CERNE. IIL THE CULTURE OF MAD- DER. IV. EXPERIMENTS ON THE ^ DRILL CULTURE OF SEVE- RAL CROPS. V. EXPERIMENTS TO ASCER- TAIN- THE BEST COURSE OF CROPS. 7S2 THE FARMER'S TOUR VI. MISCELLANEOUS EXPERT MENTS. VIL IMPLEMENTS. L LAYING LAND TO GRASS, l^xperiment^ No. i. In 1 756, feventeen acres were laid down with oats, fucceeding a fummer fallow; the feeds ufed were, 2 Sacks London hay feeds ; 10 lb, of white clover. The two hrft years the product:, was very good, amounting to 2 loads an acre of hay ; but it declined much afterwards. The graffes that appeared, eonfiftcd chiefly of meadow poa — red robbin — fome daSiiliiSy or orchard grafs — ^and a fmall proportion of ray-grafs. The white clover difappeared quite, owing to the wetncfs of the land preventing its trailing branches ftriking root. Four of thefe atcres were hollow drained in 1766, which has gradually im- proved the herbage, infomuch that tholp parts in which the white clover died Jjway^ are now thickly covered \yith it. THROUGH ENGLAND. 25^ Experiment^ No. 2. Mf. Arbtithnot has laid, at different tiriies, 70 acres, in various methods : fiHl, 31 acres, \Vith oats, on a fummer ^Uow ; the feeds, 2.0 lb. of white clover; \olh. of lucerne; And I bufhel of ray-grafs. This field, for two years after the fiffl kying, produced 2 loads of hay per acre ; but fince that time (ten years ago) it has gradually diminifhed. The white clover has difappeared, except in dry patches, which has been owing to the wetnefs of Ae foil. After the firft year, the lucerne: kas never made any appearance ; but the fcty-grafs has kept its ground. - The goodncfs of the crops the two firfi y&irs, Mr. Arbiitlmot attributes to the ftuple of the ground being then pervious fo the rain, and confequcntly draining itfelf; but when the land fubfided, the water was retained on the furface, to the deftrudion of the tender grades. The I ttrhite clover is a plant that trails on the ground, but does not frrike root except in %ots dry enough to admit it ; which was I the k 254 THE farmer's TOUR the occarion of the above-mentioned partial failure* Thefe 31 acres have fmce been drained by under-ground cuts, which has brought the white clover in much greater abundance. In 1766, it was manured at the rate of 30 loads an acre with river mud, in which were many fmall fhells. No benefit was feen the firft year ; which he attributes to the fervant having injudicioufly rolled it with an heavy roller in the fpring when too "vVet : this manuring was before the draining ; the mud took no effedt till after that operation. In the wetteft parts of the field there ap- peared a very pernicious grafs called red robbin ; in arable land, the Surry farmers call it water-grafs : it is there very difficult to extirpate ; for though only fibrous rooted, yet burying will not deftroy it j it muft be extradied like couch : in grafs land it comes rery late, and yields nothing. Expe?-mcf2fy No. 3. Ten other acres were llkewifc fown with oats on a fallow ; the feeds, 2 Sacks THROUGH ENGLAND, 2.s^ 2 Sacks of hay feeds from the Horfe Guards, chiefly confifting of crefted dog's tail — narrow leaved plantane^— barley grafs — and innumerable daifies. 20//?. \Vhite clover. This field has continued a good paflure* without declining like the preceding ones ; but it has not produced a good burthen of hay. The reafon of its not falling off after the fecond year like the reft, is the foil being a black loam, which does not fubfide into fo retentive a mafs as the other wetter an ds. The produd of the hay being but hnall, arofe from moft of the above men- tioned graftcs running chiefly to bents, inftcad of thickening on the ground like many other ibrts. Experiment^ No. 4. , Seven acres more were fown with tares ; |tiie Hubble ploughed up and hollow drained; oats thrown in at fpring, and with them 2 facks an acre of Stiff blk hay feeds, and 20/^, white clover. The whole was manured after the oats were off. This has proved a good pafture ever fince, and has yielded I large crops of hay, but the grafs has confifted chiefly ! 256 THE FARMER'S TOUR ehiefly of the holchiis^ believed to be a very bad fort — fome daSiihis-^?, finall quantity of meadow fcfcue — and a little meadow fox tail, and great poa; — and it is remarkable that no vernal has appeared. — This field has remained quite dry ever fince, even in the depth of winter — though the fame foil undralned has been too wet for cattle to ftir on. Objer'vation* Mr. Arbitthnot remarking that ray-grafi generally run to feed before the white clovei made any bottom In the fpring, and efpe- cially on land undralned ; he has ufualh fed the pallure until the end of May^ anc then laid it by for hay. This condudt ha: given the white clover time to bottom, f that he has often mown a load of hay ai; ifcre on land, Vv'hich, In other management, would not near equal the produce. A hint that may prove very ufeful to many culti- vators ; — for feeding ray-grafs late In the fpring wlthoiit damaging the crop of hay is a very great acquifition in Iheep feed. THROUGH ENGLAND. 257 II. LUCERNE. 'Experiment^ No. 5* In the year 1759, twelve acres of a black, deep, fandy loam were fown with barley, after turnips, and with it \olb, fer acre of lucerne broad-caft. The corn was mown and carried ; but nothing done to the lucerne. 1760. This year it was mown for foiling horfes, Sec. but the produce weak ; not confider- jible enough for a particular valuation. 1761. This year the crop came to perfection. £arly in the fpring it was crofs ploughed vith a round (hare, and harrowed. Mowed t thrice, each time for hay ; the produ£l: of he three, four tons per acre of the beft lay ever ufed. The team men would not t firft ufe it ; but they were at laft fo pre- jdiced in its favour, that when done, they imented the lofs. After the mowings, lere was an aftermath, which yielded ome food for cows and fheep. Between ach cutting it was harrowed ; and likewife Vol. n. S in :258 THE FARMER'S TOUR: in autumn. The average price of common hay is 45 s. a load ; but Mr. Arbuthmt valued this of lucerne at 55 J".-; in which valuation his men agreed. : - 1762. This year the culture was the fame as the preceding, and alfo the crop; it was 2tgain mov/n thrice. 1763. The fame culture and produ£l : a latter growth the end of September was cut off in one night by a flight froft : hardy as the, plant in 'general is, yet the fhoots are ex- tremely tender ; they will bear no froft. The natural grafs made fo formidable appearance, that the autumnal harrowi was omitted, from an idea that it would ineffectual. 1764. In the fpring of this year, one acre ploughed up and planted with madder ; th remaining eleven were mown twice, b had no harrowing ; the product 44 tons dry hay ; but more than half was in th firft crop, and much of it natural grafs. THUOtJGH ENGLAND. 259 1765- In this fpring, ploughed It up for mad- ^r; the lucerne declined, owing, as ap- rehended, to a want of more regular and vere harrowing, as it has been found ' at the fever eft operation of that fort will ^ damage the plants. Rocqueh harrow IS ufed. In refpe£t to making it into hay; the J:erne is fo ftalky that it does not fettle l)a; it was therefore itacked very green -the heat that refults from fap (not wet) is Ineficial. It was always cut as foon as t:re appeared a general fcattered bloom. Expences and Produce, 100, Rent, - - ^ *i 0 0 Tythe and town charges, 0 6 0 Three ploughings 0 13 6 Seed and fowing, - b 12 0 4[ Three harrowings, 0 4 6 W Mowing, &c. * 0 5 0 f^' 3 I :0 By green food. i 0 0 P Lofs, - - 2 I 0 S 2 26o THE FARMER'S TOUR 1 76 1. Rent, &c. - jf . I 6 Ploughing, - -04 Four harrowings, -06 Mowings ; firft, - 03 fecond, - ^ I third, -01 taking, raking, cartiqg, and flacking thrice, i o By 4 loads of hay, at After-grafs, Expences, Clear profit, 1762. The fame as in 1761 : Produa, Expences, Profit, 1763. Rent, &c. Three harrowings, Mowing, Making, &c. 3 2 II 0 0 5 n 5 3 2 8 II 5 3 2 764. ■ 76i. 762. 763. 764- 760. ! THROUGH EN By 4 loads of hay, Expences, Clear profit. Rent, &c. Mowing twice. Making, &c. By 4 loads of hay, Expences, Clear profit, Profit, Ditto, Ditto, Ditto, Lofs, Profit in 5 years. GLAND. 2 2 16 6i 0 6 - 8 3 6 1 6 0 4 0 15 2 5 0 6 0 6 - II 0 2 5 0 6 - 8 14 8 2 8 2 8 3 8 14 6 6 6 6 6 33 3 21 0 0 - 31 2 0 ■c 'Which \s per aicre per an?2. 644 And an the 1 2 acres, 74^2 o I Wheat, to equal this profit, mufl yield quarters an acre, and that ever^ year. If S 3 this i62 THE FARMER'S TOUR fhis does riot prove (he vafl; profit of lucerne ; Nothing can. Nor fhoiild we condemn foi fafling no longer a grafs that will continue four years in fuch full perfedion. In othe methods of culture it has remained mud longer— ^ut that is not the leaft reafon fo rejecting a fhorter duration. Such a cul ture may poffibly be found more beneficia than the more lafting, and at the fame tim more expenfive modes j — for fuch a term o five years, iq a courfe of feveral crops, wil be found uncommonly profitable. Mr. Arbuthnot^ from thd experience this crop, as well as more general obfery; tion, recommends the broad-ciaft culture lucerne intended for hay, becaufe it is n ceflary that the ground lliould be quite o vered with plants, to prevent the dirt duft flicking to the hay. But if it is figned for foiling^ then he recommem frills equally diftant, i8 inches afund It is abfolutely neceflary to harrow it cr arid crofs in both fpring and autumn j ihould be done till the land has the abfolu appearance of a fallow, and alfo be manure every autumn, before the harrowing, wit fine rotten compofl. The fpring harrowid 4 THROUGH ENGLAND. 263 as early as the feafon will admit; if the young fhoots fpring before you can get on, \do not therefore defift from harrowing ; you had better deftroy them totally than omit that operation, which is eflential to the goodnefs of the crop. Expe?'imenty No. 6. In order to determine in what degree lucerne will bear very rough treatment^ ^his gentleman wounded many plants in a fevere manner, quite to mangling them— - others he cut off 3 inches below the ground ; the refult was, that the latter plants were i^bfolutely killed, but the former not in the ^eaft hurt : the fad is, that the bulb may ig wounded in any degree ; if the leaft bit lemains it fprouts prefently ; but cut it quite off, and you deflroy the plant. ■m. THE CULTURE OF MAD- DER, &c. Mr. Arbuthnot^ on his applying to huf- )andry, formed a general idea of the means of rendering it profitable. It appeared to rifctm that common crops managed in a com- :|wion manner, could not to a gentleman S 4 yield 264 THE FARMER'S TOUR yield the fame advantage as to men who attend to the loweft minutise of the bufmefs, and live as much by frugality as agricul- ture. In fuch a ftile of hufbandry he thought it not defirable to emulate them, but rather to apply to the culture of fuch rich vegetables, as would yield a profit confiderable enough to pay for an accurate expenfive culture, which would not only be more beneficial, but at the fame time require much lefs trouble and fatigue— and not be liable to the numerous cafualties and impofitions to which common crops are fo univerfally open. Among other plants, Madder attracted his attention, as an article of culture that has as fev/ objections to it as mofl others^-, it remains feveral years in the ground, co fequently is lefs complex in its managemen' than fuch annual ones as hops — it is lia to few accidents—^and pays excellently for perfedl culture : large quantities being coa ftantly imported from Holland to anfwei our own demand, and the Dutch growin moft of it themfelves, and having by mo- nopoly raifed it to a moft extravagant pricieJ he deternjined with the fpirit which reai prudence I THROUGH ENGLAND. 265 .prudence didates, to take a journey into f landers to examine the foil there preferred or madder, and their management of the crop. Afterwards, in a journey through Holland^ lie aUb made enquiries into the X)ndud; of the crops, and the method of nanufad:uring it ; having obtained admif- lon into their ftoves, where he found a ma- lagement more expenfive, but no ways ^referable to what is pradtifed by many in 'zjngland\ this he did that he might enter upon he culture himfelf, witli that knowledge of he bufmefs which was requifite for avoiding ^reat errors. Ill fuccefs in fuch purfuits, is ,nore often owing to hafly, premature ittempts, than to really natural obftrudions —It is oftener the moral, than the phyfical apability that is wanting. During his ftay in Holland^ he examined heir madder grounds with the minutcft Lttention ; made every requifite enquiry for gaining as complete a knowledge of the :ulcure as poflible — and from thence was convinced of the propriety of attempting it It home. He took the opportunity of be- ng in that country, to make himfelf further icquainted with hufbandry in general. He ravelled through all the provinces, and like- I wife £66 THE FARMER'S TOUR wife that region of good hufbandry, Flan- ders, and being perfedly acquainted with the Dutc/b smdFrencl languages, he was able to gain whatever information he wanted; accordingly he has introduced feveral pradices on his own farm, the hint of which he caught in Flankers. Experiment^ No. 7. He began his undertaking with tryingl one acre in the year 1765. The foil i|| deep black loam. It was dug i8 inche deep in March^ and planted with wint< plants — that is, with parts of the runneq and crown of the root on which the bi are made for that- year's growth. The ro^j were equally diftant, 18 inches afunde and 6 inches from plant to plant. As fo( as the fhoots were 10 inches high, the plantation was hand-hoed ; which opera tion was repeated twice more during th^ fummer, fo as to keep the land quite fres from weeds. 1766. In the fpring of this year, as foon as tl fhoots appeared, they were earthed up with hand-hoes ; and when 8 inches high, they THROUGH ENGLAND. 167 they were moft of them drawn for planting other land ; after which the rows were earthed again : as foon as the frefh fhoots were 8 inches high, they were drawn again — and after another earthing, the fame for the third time. In autumn the beds were earthed again, and the haulm that remained, buried, by digging earth in the intervals and fpreading it on the rows. 1767. In this fpring, plants were once drawn off and earthed as in laft year ; alfo hand- hoed twice. In autumn the crop was dug yp with fpades, and the madder clean picked : but the produce not exceeding 10/. value ; which was owing to the great da- mage the plants received from having fetts ifo often drawn from them. ' Expences, 1765- Firft digging, - ^.8 0 0 "■ Planting, - - i I 0 Plants, - - 15 0 0 Hand-hoeing thrice, - i 10 0 1766. Hand-hoeing ; thrice earthing at the fame time, - - I 10 0 Carry over - 27 I 0 I 3 18 d 1 41 9 oj lO 0 31 9 a| ^68 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, >C'27 i • Digging the intervals, i 00 1 767. Hand-hoeing thrice, i i o o Taking up, - 800 Three years rent, tythc and town charges, at ' 1 1. 6s, Total expences. Produce. Value of the crop, Lofs, The balance is here called lofs ; and im- properly, becaufe this acre w^as but a nur- fery for fucceeding crops ; the value of the plants drawn from it, amounted to 90/. f it fhould here, therefore, be efteemed the mere price of the fets for the fucceeding plantations. From this experiment two very ufefu! fads are gained : firft, the expence of cul- tivation by digging, where no manure is wanting, and the plants not purchafed, amounts, on land of 2oj. to 26/. 9/. per acre, including the expence of twice dig- ging ; but if the fame ground was again planted, the total would of cou^fe be lefs. X Henc« THROUGH ENGLAND. 269 Hence we find, that 6 C. ivt, of madder, at 4/, a C. wt. will pay the expence of fuch cultivation. Another circumflance of great confe- quence, is the damage the crop received by drawing plants from it — even to the total deflrudion of the profit. This offers a lefTon for the cultivators of madder, not to be free in taking plants from their crops. — If their plantations are annually increaf- ing, all may poiTibly be fpoiled by drawing: does it not therefore feem expedient to leave part * of the crop, enough as you judge for a fupply of plants till the fpring planting is over, and then take it up inftead of the autumn preceding. Experiment^ No. 8. Seven acres of a fandy loam (a barley ftubble) was ploughed at Michaehnas with a (Irong wheel plough, 14 inches deep. Upon this ploughing it v/as manured with I o loads (40 bufhels each) an acre of farm- yard '' * One acre of very jood madder will yield plant* enough for ten. 270 THE FARMER'S TOUR yard manure, which was turned in by landing up for the winter on to 3 feet ridges. 1766. The beginning of March ploughed it again; reverfing the ridges thrown up the preceding autumn. The fame month they were planted with winter * plants, a fingle row on each ridge ; the plants 1 8 inches afunder. The method ufed in planting was to draw furrows with hand- hoes, and then the fets were laid in them, and covered alfo by hoes* Moft part of the field mifcarried ; owing to an unufual quantity of rain falling, and the fpring ploughing being given while the land wag wet. The whole was therefore ploughed up, and in May it was again planted with fpring plants, bought at 8 s. per thoufand * the * Winter Plants, are that part of the root on which the eyes are made ; which are cut in lengths of 2 or 3 inches, in the fame manner as hop plants. Mr. Arbuthnot does not approve their ufe, becaufe they remain fo long in the ground that they are fubjedl to rot, efpecially if it be moift : and this he attributes to their wanting the fupport of fibres which they had when on the mother plant ; and though from theii* great fucculency they will vegetate, yet they are very fubjefl to decay from moifture. I THROUGH ENGLAND. 271 he rows 2 feet by 18 iiiehes ; which is ict ^5000 per acre; tiiey were dibbled in. During the fummer, the plants were kept :lean by tliree hand-hoeings ; and in the \ lutumn the rows were covered by earth iug in the intervals. 1767. a This year the field was hand-hoed twice. 1768. And again the fame in 1 768. In autumn " it was ploughed up with the great wheel '^'plough, to the depth of 18 inches, with ■■ 12 horfes. Men followed the plough with "" pronged forks to throw the madder out of ^l the furrows, and women and children fol- '^' lowed to pick it up. The produce 4 tons ^° 4 C. wt, on the 7 acres, at 4/. loj". per C. wt. Kxpences per acre. 1765. Firft ploughing, - ^.i 4 0 Manuring, ~ " 3 10 0 Landing up, - 0 7 6 ^766. Spring ploughing - 0 7 6 Planting, - - i 0 0 Ploughing up, - 0 7 6 Planting the fecond time, i 10 0 The plants, - 6 0 0 ^ Carry over, - 14 6 6 272 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, >C- ^ 4 ^ ' Three hand-hoeings, i lo i Digging in autumn, o lo ■ 1767. Two hand-hoeings, - i o 1 1768. Ditto, - - I o ^ Taking up, all expences included, - 701 Drying, ?X2,s. per C.wt, i 16 > Three years rent, tythe and town charges, at \is, - - 36 o-^ Total, - Produce, 12 Cwt, of madder, at 4/. IOJ-. - - SA ^ Expences, Clear profit. Or per annunty Product of the 7 acres, 378 o Ditto expences, 212 19 Ditto profit, - 165 o O^c per annum y 58 6 if THROUGH ENGLAND. 273 Ohfervatlons, Near 8 /. expence per acre was here in- curred by accident ; fo that the profit, with better fortune, would have been above 30/. an acre : and this fuppofition is not to be flighted, as Mr. ArbiitJmot candidly owns fjit to have arifen from an error in plough- ing when the land was too wet. However, [ to take the fad: as it really happened, the ' profit is very confiderable : 7/.- ijj". 2 d. per -izxtper anniun^ much exceeds what can be • ^ained from any common hufbandry : 5 quarters per acre of wheat gained every rear (which by the way is an impofTibility) ,vill not equal this amount ; at the fame time hat conftant crops of that grain, would be ; vithout comparifon more hazardous and - roublefome : a firong proof of the juftnefs )f this gentleman's idea of the propriety ' )f adopting uncommon articles of culture. _ . Plants were drawn from this crop, but ; lot in abundance. Experiment^ No. 9. Nine other acres of the fame foil were 'i>loughed 14 i aches deep at Michaelmas Vol. II. T 1/65, 274 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1765, and dunged with 10 loads an acn of yard dung ; covered by landing up. 1766. In the fpring it was planted with fprin; plants, dibbled in rows 2 feet afunder, b 1 8 inches from plant to plant ; and kej clean through the fummer by three banc hoeings : and in autumn the furrows wei dug, and the earth thrown over the plant 1767. This year it was kept clean by two haa hoeings. 1768. In February^ a large compoft, confifti of farm-yard dung and fome afhes, laid the headland and mixed well with a Ian quantity of virgin earth, was fpread on land, and in the fummer it was hand-h twice. In autumn it w^as ploughed up, the depth of 18 inches ; and the crop wi dry amounted to 12 C.wt, per acre, at'/ xoj. — But three lands, of 3 rows eacj were left for a further growth of three yea ; longer, by way of experiment, to difcov the increafe of the root in (landing thr years extraordinary. THROUGH ENGLAND. 2 ■IS Expellees, t-^j- Ploughing, - >C.i 4 0 Manuring, 3 10 0 Landing up, - 0 7 6 766. Spring earth, 0 7 6 Planting, I d 0 Three hand-hoeings I 10 0 Autumnal digging, - 0 10 0 767. Two hand-hoeings, I 0 0 768. Manuring, ^ 4 0 0 Two hand-hoelngsj I 0 0 Digging up. 7 0 0 Drying, at 3/. a C. wt. I 16 0 Three years rent, &Ci 6 0 26 II 0 Produce, ii C. ivf. of madder, at 4/. loj. - 54 6 o ExpenceS, - 26 1 1 o Clear profit, - ^7 9 Or fer annurn^ 9 3 T 2 Pro* 486 o 238 19 - 245 81 I 276 THE FARMER*s TOUR Produ(^ of the nine acres, Ditto expences, Ditto profit, Or per anniini^ Obfervations. It is to be remarked on this crop, thi the produce does not exceed that of Ex riment. No. 8, notwithftanding the year's manuring at the expence of ^l,A acre ; it is true that the firft planting' it fucceeded, which might perhaps be matter of confequence in gaining before the fummer heats came on ; however to the amount of balancing a nuring of 4/. : it fhould therefore feemt the manure ought to be fpread on the t before planting, or at leaft long before laft year of the crop, for then the pi have not time to avail themfelves of the advantage. The plants, Mr. Ark not remarks, on this crop were too far der, and the laft dunging did not anf^ as by earthincr, it drew ifp fhoots, f. {hewed the appearance of great increj when* the crop was taken up ; but t tops being more lucculent than the ot 1 rt THROUGH ENGLAND. 277 lart of the root, they withered in propor- ion to their fucculency. 1 The profit is very confiderable : 9/. ]s. per acre clear, is fuch a degree of idvantage as can never be expected in ny common hufbandry : make it as pcr- ct as yon pleafe, it will never arrive at ch a heisrht. Exf)cnmenf. No. 10. J. ' In 1766, nine acres were fallowed, re- eiving in all {va earths : the firft, 14 inches leep, and landed up in autumn by the lafl:, ^cing at the fame time thrown on to 4 feet •Idges. 1767. In the fpring it was manured at the rate >f 5 facks per acre of w^ood-afhes, and 5 quarters per acre of trotters ; and the whole povered by reverfing the ridges. It was ilien planted with dibbles : 6 acres, one 'ow on a land ; 2 \ acres, two rows on a land ; and \ an acre, one row on 2 feet jiands. Thefe variations were made by Vv'ay 3f trial, to difcover the mofl pronLable jOiethod of planting. The fets in each, one foot afunder. This fummer the rows w^ere hand-hoed ^ree times ; and many hard clods being T x tunVoled 278 THE FARMEIVs TOUR tumbled, by the firft hoeing, into the fur-, rows, they were criifhed in pieces by a fmall fpiky roller ; an implement ufed by Mr. Arbuth72Gt. The intervals were horfe- hoed thrice with a fhim, which cuts the land and weeds, but does not bury them. After each fhimming, followed another im-ri plement; the double mould-board plough with moveable earth-boards expanding] at pleafure : this machine ftrikes the loofc earth from the furrows, which was raifedj by the ihin; earthing up the beda. Thefel operations were the fame to all, except thel half acre planted on narrow lands, whici could only be hand-hoed. In autumn the] f;irrows were again flruck with the do^bl< mould-board ploug^i. 1768. This year the beds were hand-hoec thrice, and the furrows fhimmed threej times ; followed each time, as before, witl the double mould-board plough. On th( laft hand-hoeing, two acres were fown witl weld, as the madder plants flood thin on"^ thefe acres. The furrows in autumn ftruck, i THROUGH ENGLAND. 279 IS before, with the double mould-board jlough. 1769. This year the rows were hand-hocd iwice ; and the furrows ploughed with the :i ihim and double mould-board plough thrice ; r (mt none of thefe operations to the 'two [4 licres where the weld was fown. In 'July if jhe weld was pulled ; and in Oclober the jnadder taken up with the great plough ; laying two lands into one. I The produds were as follow. ||\^o. I. On the half acre, fmgle rows on 2 5 * feet lands, 6 C. ivt. \ !No. 2. On the fix acres, fmgle rows on 4 \ i feet lands, 8 C. wf. per acre. 1'. iNJo. 3. On the 2 \ acres, double rows on »') 4 feet, 10 C. wt. per acre, and 72 /.'s* k worth of weld on the two acres — but the half acre, where no weld grew, was the beft part. . * iV. B^ Weld was this year 12/. a load, T4 28o THE FARMER'S TOUR Accomft of No.' I , Proportions per acre. Expences, 1766. Five ploughings, at 7J-. 6d. - ^.i 17 i One deep ditto, - o 17 c 1767. Five quarters of trotters, 3 o ( Five facks of wood afhes, 012 / Ploughing, - -071 Planting, - - 15' Three hand-hoeings, - i 10 Striking furrow^s, -01 1768. Three hand-hoeings, - i 10 Striking furrows, -01 1769. Two hand-hoeings, - i o Taking up the madder, 5 10 Drying, at 3 J". - i 16 Rent, tythe, and town charges, four years, 4 8 23 1.5 I Produce. 12 C. ivt.^ at 4/. IOJ-. 54 o Expences, - 23 15 i Clear profit, - 30 4 THROUGH ENGLAND. 281 Account of No. 2. Expences, 1766. Five earths, Tit'js.Gd. £.1 ly 6 One deep ditto, - o ly o 1767. Trotters and afhes, - 3 12 6 Ploughing, - - o y 6 Planting, - - 100 Three hand-hoeings, - i 10 o Rolling furrows with fpi- ky roller, - 008 Horfe- hoeing with fliim thrice, at 8 ^. - 020 Ditto double mould-board plough, four times, at IS. id. |[y68. Three hand-hoeings Shimming thrice, Double mould board plough, four times, /lySg. Two hand-hoeings, - Shim thrice, Double mould-board plough. Taking up, Drying, at 3 j. Four years rent, &c. 0 4 8 I 10 0 0 n 0 0 4 8 I 0 0 0 >•> 0 0 4 8 5 10 0 I 4 0 4 8 0 23 17 2 282 THE FARiMER's TOUR Produce, 8 C. wt, at 4/. los. ^.36 0 0 Expences, 23 17 z Clear prolit, 12 2 i^ Account of No. 3, Expences, J766. Ploughing as before, - 1 14 6 1767. Trotters and aihes, - 3 12 6 Ploughing, - - 0 •7 / 6 Planting, • - i 5 0 Hand-hoeing, and horfe- hoeing as in No. 2. ^ ^7 41 1768. Ditto, - - I 16 8 Weld, feed and fowing, o i d 1769. Pulling, &c. the weld, i 10 oj Taking up the madder, S ^^ ^ Drying, at 3/. - i 10 0 I^'our years rent, &c, 480 24 13 Q ProJuce, 10 C. wt. Madder, at 4/. loj-. • - - 45 o o Weld, - - 36 o o 8| o o Expences, ^ 24 13 o Clear profit, - 56 7 o THROUGH ENGLAND, aSs Suppofing the weld not fown, the ac- count would be ; Madder, - - ^^.45 o o Expences, - 23 i 6 ' Clear profit, - 21 18 6 Comparifon, single rows on 2 feet lands, 3042 Double rows on 4 feet lands, 2 1 1 8 6 Superiority of the former, 8 5 B Single rows on 2 feet lands, 30 4 2 Single rows on 4 feet lands, 12 2 lo Superiority of the former, 18 i 4 Pouble rows on 4 fegt lands, 2 1 1 8 6 single rows on ditto, - 12 2 10 Superiority, - 9 15 8 r ~- ?rofit per acre per annum on the fingle rows on 2 feet, - 7 ^ ^ ^1 Ditto on the double rows at 4 feet, - - 5 9 7^ tto on the fmgle rows at 4 feet, 3 o 8 f tto on the madder and weld, 14 i 9 284 THE FARMEil'^s TOUR ^ot'al of the nine acres. Expellees, Half an acre of No. i. - 11 17 11 Six acres of No. 2. - 143 3 0 Half an acre of No. 3 without weld, - - - 1 1 I o 9 Two acres of ditto with weld, 49 6 0 215 17 8 Produce. No. I. Half an acre, 27 0 0 No. 2. Six acres. 216 0 0 ^ No. 3. Half an acre. 22 10 f fl \ Ditto two acres, 162 0 <3 \ Expences, 427 215 10 ^7 \ Clear profit. 21 1 12 \ Which is, on an average, per K acre, » - - 23 10 If And per acre per ann. 5 17 Obfervations. The great profit in this experiment is b; the fowing weld on the madder; but ii con I THROUGH ENGLAND. 285 confidcring the culture of the latter plant, [this circumftance Ihould be thrown out of the account ; the madder was however da- maged by it, and the weld would have been as good a crop had no madder been on the ground, and probably a better. But a pro- dud by weld of 36/. an acre, for only 2 years, (i'uppofmg a fallow) and the culture not expenfive, appears to be an objed; of capital importance : Probably not many madder crops will pay better. In the comparifon between the modes of culture, fomething fhould be allowed to No. 3. on account of the damage arifmg from the weld. It is extremely evident, that the nearer 'the rows, the greater the crop — at leaft to ■the proximity of 2 feet equally diftaat.' Single rows at 4 feet, are not half fo advan- tageous, which is very remarkable. Two rows on 4 feet are almofi: doubly more be- neficial than the finglc ones ; but though I two rows on a 4 feet land amount in the whole to the fame as equally diftant at 2 feet, yet do they not near equal them in produd; from which it fhould feem that the plants fhould be fpread pretty equally 2 over 286 THE FARMER'S TOUR over the land. If madder is obferved Iri the taking up, it will be found that the principal produce is the large roots which fhoot immediately from the crown ; take a J cubical foot of land furrounding one plant* ^ there will be much more crop in that fpace, than in half as much again, or perhaps double the fpace next adjoining ; w^hich feems to account for rows equally diftant 2 feet, being better than 2 on 4 feet. How much of the fuperiority is to be attributed, to the horfe-hoeing on both fides the rows^j cannot be decided from this trial. . The profit clear of 7 /. i u. od. f per acre I ferann, on the beft crop, Is extremely advaiw^ tageous, and much exceeding the grofs/>rot| du5l of the bell common hufbandry. The] fame obfervatlon is almofl as applicable t® the 5/. 9 J. of the double rows. But the 3/, ^fracre on the fmglc rows may be ex* ceeded by common crops. The profit of the weld and madder, 14/. an acre, is great ; and certainly demand* the attention of all who may have crops in the fame fituation, more particularly as k has been the general opinion that fuch land "vt^as not proper for that vegetable. !^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 287 Experiment^ No. 11. Four acres of an old lay were ploughed up at Michaelmas 1765, fourteen inches deep ; the foil a deep fandy loam. In 1766 it was fallowed ; receiving four earths, the firll of which was alfo 14 inches deep. In autumn it was landed up. In fpring 1767, manured it with 3 quarters of trotters and 75 bufhels of lime f>cr acre ; which were turned in by plough- ing down on to 4 feet lands. It was then planted with dibbles, 2 rows on each land at one foot afunder. The whole was de- ftroyed by the fod or wyer worm ; which mifcarriage was owing to its being an old , ^ay. Expences, 1765. Firft ploughing, 1766. Ditto. Three common earths, Landing up, 1767. Trotters, 3 quarters, - 75 bufhels lime, at 9^. Ploughing down, Planting, Two years rent, I «f. i-o 17 0 0 17 0 I 2 6 0 7 6 I 13 0 0 16 3 ■ 0 / 6 I 5 0 --> 4 0 1 1 9 9 I 4 288 THE FARMER'S TOUR The planting and the value of the fq are the only charges here to be carried to the account of madder ; the tillage andi manuring being fo much value in the land for other crops. ' The held was ploughed up and fown with turnips. This experiment Ihould be a laftlng warning againfl ever planting madder or new land, for moft of it is full of this foe! worm, and it is plain that one" year wil not deftroy them : Land fliould be throwr into one round of crops before the madde is planted ; -in that time the worm's foof\ will be deftroyed, and no danger confe quently remain. Expcrhnenfy No. 12. Four acres of the fame foil as No. i^i were followed through the year 1766, m ceiving 5 common ploughings, and oneJ 12 inches deep, and afterwards landed )pi| in 4 feet ridges. In the fpring of I767.'i| was manured with 3 quarters of trotti and 4 facks of wood-alhes per acre, anj turned in by a common ploughing : it W£ then planted with dibbles ; one row o{ each laud, the fcts one foot afunder ; anj THROUGH ENGLAND. 289 that fummer hand-hoed thrice; fhimmed :hrice; the furrows flruck with double nould-board plough four times ; and the :lods broken by fpiky roller once. In 1768 it was hand-hoed thrice again ; ilfo fhimmed thrice ; and flruck four times. n 1769 hand-hoed twice; and fhimmed ,nd ftruck as often, ploughed up, the crop 2 C, wt. per acre, at 4/4 Expences, 766. Five ploughings, - JC-^ "^7 6 One ditto 12 inches deep, o 17 o Landing upj - 076 767. Manuring with trotters, 3 quarters, - i 16 o 4 Sacks afhes, - 080 Ploughing, - -076 Planting, - - 150 Three hand-hoeings, i ip o Rolling, - - 008 Shim thrice, - 020 Double mould-board plough four times, 048 '768* Three hand-hoeings, i lo o Carry over, - 10 5 !• Vol, IL U o o I o o 2 .yj 5 10 ■■ I 16 4 8 23 10 -90 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, ^.10 5 ,ic Shim thrice. Double mould-board plough four times, 1769. Two hand-hoeings, Shim twice. Double mould-board plough ditto. Taking up. Drying, Four years rent, &c. ProduSi. 12 C.wt. 2X j^L - 48 OK-' E:?cpence&, - 23 io:/| Clear profit, - 24 91 Or per acre per ann. 6 2 '5 Produd: of the 4 acres 192 o,J Ditto expences, 94 o i Profit, - 97 19' Obfervations, If the remark made in Experiment, 1 1, be judly founded, this field was plain THROUGH ENGLAND. 291 n a dlfadvantageous manner ; and yet \vs ind it produce a crop fufficient, at a low nice, to pay more than 6/. an acre clear )rofit, which I need not remark is more ;han common hufbandry can yield : It ap- )ears therefore very plainly from every 'lew we can take of madder, that it much xceeds the farmer's culture. Experiment y No. 13. Six acres of deep black loam were trench loughed from lucerne in March I767> dth Dticket\ trenchirlg plough, 14 inches leep, and on that ploughing planted with aadder in equally diftant rows, 4 feet fundcr. It was that fummer hand-haed hrice ; the intervals ploughed with the fliim nd double mould-board plough thrice; Qd in autumn the furrows were ftruck with hat implement, and the row^s earthed with and-hoes. 1768. In this fpring plants w^ere drawn from it >ur times. It was in fummer hand-hoed our times ; horfe-hoed as before, thrice ; lid the furrows ftruck in autumn. This ground w^as deftincd for a nurfery, U 2 being -92 THE FARMER'S TOUR being of loofe texture, admitting the plailtl to be eafily drawn, which in ftronger lan« is very troublefome and prejudicial to th crop, as many break off fhort, and fh roots fubjed to be much mjured by the in ftrument which muft neceflarily be ufed i fuch land for taking up the plants. 1769. Plants were again taken from it th fpring as often as the laft. The horfe ar hand-hoeing the fame as before, 1770. The crop came in courfe to be taken autumn 1769, but it had received fo damage by having plants drawn fron^ that Mr. Arbuthnot determined to let ftand for drawing more from it in the fp of 1770* rather than damage another as well as this. It was therefore ea up twice in the fpring, and had pb drawn from it as long as the planting f| fon lafted. In Augujl taken upj cip 2 C, wt, per acre. THROUGH ENGLAND . 1 93 Expences, 767. Trench ploughing, £-o 16 0 Planting, I 0 0 Three hand-hoeings, I 10 0 Shim thrice. 0 2 0 Double mould-board plough thrice, 0 3 6 Ditto ftriking furrows, 0 2 6 Earthing up. 0 5 0 J768. Four hand-hoeings. m 2, 0 0 Shim thrice. 0 n 0 Double mould-board plough thrice. C n 0 6 Ditto ftriking furrows, 0 2 6 '769. The fame as 1768, 2 8 0 770. - Hand- hoeing twice, I 0 0 Twice earthing. 0 10 0 fT' Taking up, 4 0 0 '•* Four years rent, (at i /.) f ty the and town charg es, 5 4 0 \ 19 9 0 Produce, ■ 5 C. wt. at 4/. Jx)rs, 8 0 0 II 9 0 Us I 294 THE FAR?>4ER's TOUR V^hizh. 1% per Tizvt pei' an72. {^.z 17 3 On the {^ix acres, - 68 14 o Ohfervations, It has been already remarked, that draw- ing plants injures a crop fo greatly, tha! whenever Mr. Arbutbnot often repeats th( drawing from the fame plantation, he gives up the expedlation of a crop ; knowin that it muft be thereby ruined. The loi upon this account therefore, is no qbjedior to the madder culture ; it is the price a which all the plants drawn from fix acre are purchafed. What principally demand attention on this experiment, is the grea expence at which plants are procured whei they are drawn from a crop in the fpring Therefore, though it v\rould not be prope to leave the whole crop to be taken up i. the fpring for the fake of obtaining plant yet it is advifeable to leave fuch a proportioi of it as will fupply thp required quantit; of plants ; on an average one may reckor if the crop is good, that each ftool will pre duce in the different drawings from '^o t 40 plants, but it is not advifeable to truft t tci THROUGH ENGLAND. 295 ^0 many drawings, as that may carry you )0 far in the fpring, and endanger the new 'Jantation from the drought. 'Experiment^ No. 14. n 1767, fallowed 10 acres of a ftrong y foil ; ploughed it 4 times, 1 3 inches p. In autumn manured \^-stx\. acres of with farm-yard dung, at the rate of 20 ,ds an acre ; covered the dung by ridging e field into 3 f feet lands ; manured the her three acres with trotters, 6 quarters r acre : and left the whole well waters furrowed for winter. 1768. In Aprils planted one row on a land, Yf drawing a furrow with a Suffolk plough tfi the middle of the ridges, about 6 inches leep ; fpring plants were laid in the fur- ows by women and childven, and earth tawn on them by men with broad hoes ; nd the furrows then ftruck with the double Hould-board plough. The rovYS were riand-weeded twice ; and the intervals ihrice ploughed v;ith fhim and double jnould-bQard plough ; and in autumn the \ U 4 furrows* 296 THE FARMER'S TOUR furrows ftruck with the fame implement, The field was then water-furrowed. 1769. This year the plantation was hand-hoe4| thrice, and the intervals ploughed fouc times with the fliim and double mouldil board. In autumn the furrows ftruck deepy 1770. Hand-hoed the beds twice; fhimmetj the furrows twice, and each time followe4 it by the double mould-board plough. Account of the feven acres, Expences^ ^767. Ploughing four times, ^,2 12 Manuring, Ridging up. Water-furrowing, 3768. Planting, Hand-weeding twice, Shim thrice. Double mould-board ditto, o Striking furrows, - o Water-furrowing, - o J 769. Three hand- hoeings, i 6 o o o o o o- 7 I 18 12 2 3 2 I 10 6[ Qi f _ 0! ^ Carry over. \2 IQ % THROUGH ENGLAND. 297 Brought over, jT. 12 10 o Shim four times, - 028 Double mould-board ditto, 048 Striking furrows, -026 Water-furrowing, - 010 yyo. Two hand-hoeings, 100 Shim twice, - 014 Double mould-board plough ditto, - 024 Taking up, - 400 Drying, at 3/. - 250 pour years rent, (16/.) tythe, &c. - 480 24 17 6 produce, %^ Cwf. 2it ^L £xpences. 60 0 24 17 0 6 Clear profit, ■ Which is per acre per annum, Aftd on the 7 acres, 35 2 8 15 61 9 6 7 I $98 THE FARMER'S TOUR Account of the three acres. Expences. Every article the fame as the preceding, except manuring and drying, - - £- 5 ^^ 6[ 6 Quarters an acre trotters, 3 12 Drying, at 3J". - - • i 16 •oduce. II 0 ^ Pr V 10 C. wf. at 4/. - 40 0 c Expences, xcper ann. II 0 t Clear profit, =8 19 , Which is per ac 7 A i And on the 3 acres, 21 14 J Profit by dunging, - 8 15 < trotters, 7 4 i^ I 10 i Weight /^r acre from dung, 15 o " from trotters, 10 o o o -> -» 6 o 33 6 7 8 6 7 THROUGH ENGLAND. 299 Produd of the ten acres, £. 540 o o Expences ditto, - 206 14 o Profit ditto, Which is per acre And per acre per aim, Obfervations, ' The great importance of applying the proper fort of dung is here apparent. Farm-yard compoft, it is plain, much ex- seeds trotters : Top drefTmgs of all forts ire too fmall in quantity, however rich, to Iflft with effect three years ; they want, efpecially on ftiff land, the power of keep- ing it open, and aiding in pulverization, Jhe profit of thefe crops are confiderable, id prove how important this culture cer- linly is. 'Experiment^ No. 15. Three acres of the fame foil as No. 14. were treated exad:lv in the fame manner w the feven acres of that trial. Crop the (iilne. 300 THE FARMER'S TOUR "Expences. Sundries a$ before, • ;^. 24 1 7 6 Produce, X^Cwf. Sit 4I. Expences, 6a 0 24 17 0 6 Clear profit, «• 35 2 6 Or per acre per ann^ And on the three, * 8 15 36 6 7 .a. 9 Experiment y No. id. Seven acres of land planted before with madder, and regiftered in Experiment, No 8. were again planted in 1769: It laid al: winter in very high arched up ridges, aftei taking up the preceding crop. In March it was dunged with 25 great loads an acr< of farm-yard dung, remarkably black, rich and rotten. It was then ploughed intc lands ; fome 3 feet wide, and fome 4 feet ' ^he latter were planted with two rows or each, 14 inches afunder, and 10 inche from plant to plant : on the 3 feet lands fnigle rows at i foot from fet to itt, Th' metho Filling vacancies, - o 15 < 14 13 I Expe?'imc?if^ No. 21. four acres planted with madder in 1 76 (See Experiment, No. 1 1 ,) and deftroyc by the fod worm, were again planted. Tl turnips were fed on the ground by flie(' in the Ipring ; hut finding it much bake, Mr. ArbutJmot ordered it to be brakC-4 13 0 £ Second earth, 0 5 0 Harrowing, 0 I 0 Planting, I 0 0 Hand-hoeing, 0 10 0 Weeding, 0 6 0 Shim, 0 0 8 Double mould-board, 0 2 4 6 18 o Experiment^ No. 27. In 1766, Mr. Arbuthnot fet one plant of madder in his garden. A hole was dug of 3 feet diameter, and filled with the rot- ten mould of a melon bed; as It grew it wi regularly earthed up with the fame mouId|| the vines of the plant being fpread, an( the earth laid on them, leaving out tl points ; continued this earthing during th^ year, and in autumn covered the whol with the melon mould. The two followii years the fame management was obferved in every refpedl. In autumn 1768, dug ij up ; the plants and roots were wafh< clean and drained from water ; the weigj green, \zlb.\ dryed ready for grinding, weighec THROUGH ENGLAND. 317 weighed 7 \lb,\ the dry weight, there- fore, is rather better than a fixth of that green. He has alfo another plant, now growing, which was itx. the fame day, and treated in the fame manner on a black foil near the furface of water, to determine how far it will prejudice the root. Ol>fervations» A fingle plant of madder coming in three years to 7|/^. is a moft extraordinary growth. But it is obfervable that this plant I did not diminifh above 6-7ths, whereas 'the general run of plants diminiili 7-8ths. 'This muft be attributed to the folidity of the plant from its extraordinary fize. This evidently Ihews that ground cannot be made too rich. And though the treatment was not fuch as could be imitated in a field, yet it fhould be confidcred as a leffon to ' madder planters, never to fear exceffive richnefs of foil or manure : it is evident that no manuring is too much for this vegetable; and in all probability this fad: will be found fo extenfively true, that it may anfwer to contradt the attention and ' - cxpcnce 3i8 THE FARMER'S TOUR cxpence of ten acres to a fingle one. Sup- pole an acre planted in the fame manner as in the above experiment, there would be 4840 plants, which at 7 ilk. amount to 15 tons 13 C wt. and at 4/. ioj. per C. wf. to 1408/, If you cover an acre a yard deep with dung or rotten compoft, it will take 4840 loads, of 30 bufhels each, which may be called 3500 farmers loads, and at 8x. come to 1400/. It is clear the experi-l ment on an acre of land would be a lofmg one ; but it is at the fame time aftonifhingj to think how near the firft crop would com( towards paying fuch an immenfe expence But fuppofe the land, in the taking up fuel a crop, to be dug 4 feet deep from the furl face, I foot of the old mould would then ht mixed with the new addition of 3 feet, am on this a new plantation of madder for thrc years more ; the probability of a vaft profit would then be great — and the land would for ever bear the richeil crops. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The culture of this valuable plant has been fo great a novelty in England^ that not one farmer in five hundred knows that fuch a vege^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 319 I vegetable exifts ; even the endeavours, pirlted as they have been, of a very patrio- ic Ibciety, have not done much in extending he culture through this kingdom : a pre- niumof ^/. per acre on all planted, was a neafure that Teemed to infure fuccefs, and 0 promife us the lafting benefit of raifing IS much of this dye as our manufadures equire. But this appearance has been bmewhat deceitful : very many claimants or the premium have difcontinued the uiture from its proving difadvantageous ; nd the general idea has been, that we annot rival the Dutch in this branch of igriculture. The failures that have hap- pened, probably have arifen from a want )f knowledge in the nature of the plant, ind the proper method of treating it — and ioubtlefs much mifchief was done by an .'laborate publication under a celebrated lame, which interdidled the ufe of dung, 3ut to whatever caufe it has been owing, lertain it is that this branch of cultivation las made no progrefs ; the Society's pre- ■niums raifed a temporary purfuit, which las, of late fubfided, and left this important irticle in a fair way to as total a ncglait as ever I 320 THE FARMER'S TOUR ever It was in through the firfl half of the prefeiit century. In this lituation there was little hope oj reviving the attention of the public to mad- der, unlefs fome very fpirlted experiments were made, which Ihould prove how fai the culture is beneficial — what foil is prope; for it — and what treatment requifite ir planting, cleaning, &c. Reports concern ing it were fo vague, that no dependanct could be placed in them ; nothing could b( liftened to but real proof — and not onb reaU but dijinterejlcd proof; for perfon: interefted In the trade of madder, had pro- mifed fuch mountains of profit, that ever) affertlon began to be fufpeded ; until man^ people treated the Idea of It as a profitabb article of Englifi culture, as a chimera. In this critical jundure Mr. Arbuthno gave his attention to cultivating madder and from the moment he began, has profe- cuted it Vv^th a fplrit that does honour, no to himfelf alone, but I will venture to add even To his country. The unremitte( attention which he has given to every mi nutise of the culture, and the fleady perfe- veraiice with which he has attacked ever) dljfficult) tHROUGH ENGLAND. 321 difficulty as it arofe; have been nobly cal- culated for commanding fucccfs. He has (hewn the world that madder Wy be profitably cultivated on foils not of , .extraordinary natural fertility —that thorough iij^ood hufbandry, with rich manuring, will i ;?rove fufEcient ; confequently, that our liiaddcr culture need not be confined to pots unufually rich, but extended over moft jjarts of the kingdom, except on very poor, toncy, or clayey foils. The patriotic ideas of a private indivi- I'liial fo fpiritedly exerted, deferves the itmoft commendation ; but the tcftimony f many hundred perfons to whom this entlemati has fhewn and explained (with he utmoft freedom and candour) all his xperiments, renders any eulogy unneccf- iry. It fliould be cbferved, that the preceding xperiments, which are complete, include- nly the beginning of his culture ; many ariatlons are made, not from experience aving proved them right, (for there has ot been time for the completion of fuch) ut to difcover from the event the moft ad- antageous. They include feveral trials rhich fuffered from a want of that know- VoL. IL , y ledge 322 THE FARMER'S TOUU ledge which he now poireiTes ; and I fhould further add, that none of them nearly equalled, in appearance, moft of his crops at prefent on the ground. By throwing the particulars into view, a clearer idea will be formed of thenaj Experiment, No. 7. The firfi: crop, lofs on one acre, £,'3^ 9 No. 13. Ditto on 6 acres, 68 14 100 3 This fum being the amount of lofs the preceding trials, is the price of the plai when not purchafed ; when they werj bought, the amount is charged in the fpeftive account. 98 Acres have be( planted ; it may therefore be called 20s. acre, as there is no probability of the croi on the ground turning out unprofital The fum of 20^. an acre is therefore be deduced from each crop. Experiment, No. 8. Profit on 7 acres, £.165 Dedud for plants, 7 No. 9. Profit on 9 acres, - 245 Dcdud:, - 9 Profit on 17 acres in 3 years, THROUGH ENGLAND. 323 ). 10. Half an [^acre, - X^. 15 2 i jix acres, - 72 17 o Two and half ditto, 54 16 3 142 15 4 ; Dedu£l, 900 133 15 4 ^. i^. Profit on 4 acres, - 97 19 4 ledudt, - 400 » ' 93 19 4 ip, 14. Profit on ,7 acres, - 245 17 6 jtedud, - 700 238 17 6 iJo. 14. Profit on 3 acres, - 86 18 6 pfedud, - 300 83 18 6 iio. 15. Profit on 3 acres, - 105 7 6 )edud, - 300 102 7 6 refit on 26 acres in 4 years, 652 18 2 Vhich is per acre, - - 25 2 2 md /»^r annumy - 656 Vol. n. 7 2 324 THE FARMER'S TOUR 394 /. IS. 6d, on 17 acres, in 3 years, are />^r acre, jC'^S And per annum, - - 7^4 Ditto on the 4 years, - 65 Superiority, - 18 I need not here be particular in ol ferving, that the profit made by an applica-j tion of the land during three years, beii fuperior to that of four, is a circumftanc decifive in favour of the fhorter time, the land, it is to be fuppofed, might hay^ been applied in the extra year to otl advantage : the profit of three years equ^ ling four, fjiews that the ground, in latter, w^as in a flate that required the pre vious fallovs^, and w^hich it muft have hi for any other crop. It ihould here be obferved, that Arbuthnot is clearly of opinion, that crop requires cleaner ground, from tl great difficulty of extrading root-weed from among the fibres of the plants, whicl confequently would, in three yearS) ge entire pofleffion of the ground. The average profit per acre per ann. 0 a THROUGH ENGLAND. 325 !aJI the crqps taken up, amounting to above 7/. 7 J", is, upon the whole, a degree of advantage, that fpeaks greatly in favour of the culture. It is in itfclf very con- , .fiderable, and much exceeds any thing that common hufbandry can execute ; but " there are attendant circumftances, v;hich (hould, on no account, be overlooked • this average is drawn from the firft crops 'aifed. Mr. Arbuthnof had no guides to follow, but fuch as led him much aftray : he found no directions in books, but fuch as loft him confiderable fiims of money. Under thefe difadvantages, with that uni- verfally adding one, the want of expc_ rience, it is aftoniftiing, that the crops here ' , qiinuted fhould turn out profitable on the I whole, and is, I think, a much greater proof of the advantages of the culture, ihan much fuperior fuccefs hereafter may turn out. If the difHculties attending new andertakings be confidcred, this will not be thought an extravagant idea. Not- withftanding thefe unfavourable circnm- ftances, yet, had the foil been naturally rich, fuch as old hop-grounds for infi ance> the profit would certainly have Ijccu ccin- fiderably greater, probably double. y :> A clear 326 THE FARMER'S TOUR A clear profit of 7/. "js, per acre f6r\ annum, on a plant, whofe culture ame-*i liorates and cleans the foil in a great degree, deferves no flight attention. It will be diffi- cult to find a well-managed farm that pays 40 J. an acre clear profit; but thefe begin- nings in the madder culture return more than thrice as much. It muft be the very per- fedion of common hufbandry to pay two or three pounds per acre ; but madder does it even under very unfavourable circum- fiances, unavoidable at firft fetting out : the one cleans the land, ^he other fills it with weeds. All thefe crops receive 10 s. per acre per ami, in hand-hoeing alone, be- fides numerous horfe-hoeings \ And the extraordinary tillage the ground receives, by taking up the roots, is fuch as no. other hufbandry will admit of, except the fimilar culture of licquorice. It is known about Tomfret, that, by this tillage, they are able to repeat the fame crop ad infinitum : a practice, which, Mr. Arbuthnet is very clear, may be purfued in madder ; whichj indeed, is confirmed by experiment. No. 8 and 1 6. Nor is it to be believed, that this plant, notv/ithftanding the great luxuriance of I I THROUGH ENGLAND. 327 of the growth, can impoverilli the land, las it is well known, that all green fmo- thering crops, to which this is fnnilar, are ; great improvers, provided tliey are not fuffered to perfed: their feed, which madder • rarely does in this country. The crops now on the ground look, beyond all com- parifon, better than thofe which have been taken up ; from which it is extremely evi- dent, that the produd:s will be vailiy larger, although thecxpencesareencreafedbut little. Upon the whole, the advantag-es of mad- der are fo great, that no pcrfon need to , fear a vaft profit, if he pofldTes the proper foil, and will follow the improved practice of this gentleman. Thefe experiments are not only very confiderable in their extent, but the con- clufions to be drav/n from them are un- commonly important ; for we not only find what pradice is befl:, but we alfo difcover why it is beft, from the experience •of contrary meafures. The importance of very rich manuring, and the great mifchief done to the crops by drawing plants from them, are points that have hitherto been totally unknown, but are here proved in the ckareft manner. 328 THE FARMER'S TOUR It fliould be obferved, that Mr. Arbuth^ TtQt has conftantly found the roots of madder to bear exa(!^ proportion to the luxuriance of the branches and leaves : a circum- ftance, which is not allowed to be the cafe by fome, who have written on the fubjed- From a converfation he has had with Mr. Crowe of Fcverjham^ he is deter- mined once more to try winter plants, as the uncertainty of the feafon, when fpring plants can only be put into the ground, renders that practice very ha- zardous. IV. EXPERIMENTS IN THE DRILL CULTURE OF SEVE- RAL CROPS. There is not a part' of agriculture, whi has been more the fubje yielding a very beneficial produce. Experiment^ No. 29, Culture-, expences-f and produce, of eight eicres cf drilled 'wheats 1768. C id t lire. The bean flubble of the preceding expe- Iment was ploughed diredly after harveft, hrowing down the lands. The field w^as hen crols ploughed with little Suffolk .ving ploughs. Five of them did the ) acres in a day; after which it was - idged up again : the ridges two bout iinds, 3 V feet over. They were har^ owed once and drilled ; two rows of wheat )n each, at ten inches afundcr : the quan- . Ity of feed three pecks per acre. After he drilling, the furrows v/ere ftruck with he double mould-board plough, and the i:id left well water-furrowed. In the prlng, ten facks an acre of ma!t-duft were own on the corn ; the ten-inch partition vas once horic-hocd with the fhim, and he intervals five times with the fame in- Iirunient, being followed each time by the double 332 THE Fx\RMER's TOUR double mould-board plough. The h{\ horfe-hoeing was after the bloflbming of the corn, the horfes being muzzled : the rows were once hand hoed with five-inch hoe^. The produA 4 quarters per acre. Expe7jces, J 76 8. Firft ploughing, - ^.o 8 6| Second ditto, - o 4 6| Third ditto, Harrowing, Three pecks of feed. Drilling, - o 8 4 4 o 5 I I I 6 4 5 4 8 Striking furrows. Water-furrowing, Two f:icks of malt-duft, at I J". 4^. " I Shim fix times, - Q Pouble mould-board, 5 dit, o Once hand-hoeing, o Reaping, - - o This is a great price ; but the men would not do it for lefsjon account of its being fprawled about. Harveiiing, Thrafhing and binding the flraw. Carrying out, Rent, &c. ^c. - Total, ^ - TTs 13 I THROUGH ENGLAND. 333 Produce, 4 Quarters, at 52 J. 6^. jT, 10 10 o I I Load ftraw, - i i o o 12 o o Expences, - 5 15 8 Clear profit, - - 6 4 4 And on the 8 acres, 49 14 8 J Obfervations. This crop refleds no flight honour on the Iraill culture of wheat ; and much exceeds ' what is conceived of it in nine tenths of the i, kingdom. The profit of more than 6/. per ; acre is not the only objed: ; the hoeings, amounting to thirteen operations, could not fail being of great fervice to the land, both in ameliorating and cleaning it. The effi- ! cacy of fuch means of cleaning can never be doubted : for here v^as a wheat ftubblc taken out of the hands of a wretched farmer, as foul as pofTible ; by one hoeing crop of f beans it is prepared for wheat ; that wheat ^cept as clean as a garden, and yet pays 6 /, ji' an acre profit : In produd, many broad- €aft crops exceed it, but then the land is ; left in a very different ftate. It 334 THE FARMER*s TOUR It will not be improper to remark, that this mode of drilling leaves an interval ofi- 2 feet 8 inches wide, which is much nar- rower than the fpace recommended by Tully and fo regularly perfifted in by M. de Chat^ eauvietix. It is evident that fuch a fpace is fufficicnt for every purpofe of keeping thq, land clean. The horfe-hoeing in the icF inch partition was with a fraall fhare in thef ihim on purpofe for fuch a breadth* Experiment y No. 30. . ' Culture^ expencesy and produce of eight acrei of drilled beans . 1769. -5 Culture. The wheat ftubble of the lafl; experiment Was ploughed up the beginning of Decern'' ber ; the ridges on which the wheat grew being reverfed : they were then drilled with beans, double rows on each, at 14 inches; confequently the intervals were 2 feet 4 inches. The feed, 2 bufliels an acre. Five acres were the mazagan fort, and three the tick. The culture bellowed on them while growing, confifted of two hand- hoeings, and fix horfe-hoeings ; three with the fhi;n, and as many v/ith the double mould J HROUGH ENGLAND • 3 0 " nould-board plough. The produdl was • 3 quarters pc?' acre. Account of the mcxagan. Expences, 769. Ploughing, - £,0 4 6 Harrowing, - 0 0 6 Drilling, - - 0 I 6 Seed, - - 0 10 0 Striking furrows, - 0 I 2 Water-furrowing, - 0 I 0 Two hand-hoeings, - 0 10 0 Shim thrice, - 0 2 0 ^ Double mould-board ditto, 0 3 6 Reaping, - - 0 8 0 Harvefting, - - 0 3 0 Thrafhing 3 quarters, IS. 2d, ' - 0 3 6 Kent, &c. - - I 2 0 3 iQ 3 Produce, 3 Quarters beans, at 40/, 6 o o Straw, - - o ID o 6100 Expences, 3 10 8 Profit, « 2 19 4 Qn the 5 acres, 14 16 8 336 THE farmer's TOUR Account of the ticks, Expences, As above, except feed, - 3 o J Seed, 2 bufliels, at 3j. 6 1 o« X U CO Si fK n , , Q> . 4-> . 4-> 1^ 00 C/> P< « rt CI C *^ c Si C4 u rt -r: rt-C j^ rC «^ 00 o r^oo c^ d "rt o vO sO vO r^ o *-" H Q < ft. ti .ti '^ o t5 g-s o 3 .a> 4-< O CO '5J L4 -13 O G 3 CO > ac ^ CO c+ij ^ ^ ?^> o o ^ QJ *-» QJ ^- o •»-• fcJO V- J-. W Ch O 6 ^ (J C o ••* § 2 (U ^ <5 ^ r3 -^ rt .S ^ ,0 O o 2 S «^ — w CS era li i I jy THROUGH ENGLAND. 341 is, I. Fallow; 2. Wheat; 3. Oats ; 4. Clover ; 5. Wheat ; 6. Oats. Now it muft be at once apparent to the moft common apprehenfion, that this courfe cannot polfi- bly equal the profit of 3 /. 12 s. 2 d. per acre. But without recurring to an ideal com- parifon, is it not a noble anecdote in the hiftory of drilling, that an annual clear profit of 360/. 16 J". 8^. may be made from 1 00 acres of ploughed land ? — by no means of fuperior goodnefs. If fuch a fact, deduced from the experience of four years, and not on a fmall patch of land, bu,t over a large field, does not abfolutely prove the benefit of this mode of drilling, nothing can, nor is there a fadt in all hufbandry. Rcfpedling the probability of a farmer's fuccefs in it ; it is to be obferved, that what a gentleman profitably executes in large^ may undoubtedly be advantageoufly pradtifed by a farmer ; but if he curtails the expences, (which are high) or deviates from the direded path, it certainly is no fault of the hufbandry, but of the hufbandman. The drill plough with which thefe crops w^ere ; drilled, admits of many variations, and yet is fcarcely ever out of order ; as any one may judge from the circumftance of its Z 3 having 342 THE FARMER'S TOUR having drilled fome hundreds of acres with- out the leaft repair. This fucceflion of drilled beans and wheat, fhews plainly that thofe vegetables may follow one another for any number of years without any fallow — and this on land, as I before obferved, not of the beft quality. 'Experiment^ No. 32. Culture t expencesy and produce of feven acres of drilled beans, ''" 1768. Culture. The foil of this field is the fame as that of the four preceding trials. In 1766, it yielded oats ; the ftubble of which, very foi^ with twitch, was ploughed up early in thfc fpring of 1767. It was fown with hemp, with a defign to clean it, by the advice of Dr. Solander ; but it did not fucceed ; either from the poverty of the foil, from dry wea- ther, or fome other circumftances. It came to nothing ; was therefore ploughed up ia yune^ and afterwards crofs ploughed. Next it was dragged with the great ox- drag, drawn by 6 horfes, going thrice in a place. After this it was ploughed flat, and cut up whole furrow, though the fur-| face of the ground was like dull : this wasj I owina o THROUGH ENGLAND. 34 wing to the exceffive weight of the draught, t then remained in this condition till dry ough to be made fine by harrowing and piling ; ridged up, into 3 f feet lands, the beginning of September. After this, fo much rain came that it was impoflible to drill wheat as intended ; it was therefore water-furrowed and left till the winter. It is here to be obferved, that this difap- pointment was very much owang to the dragging : the draft and the preflure of the tines abfolutely ruined the feafon ; which is no uncommon effed: with this prepofter- ous machine, fo much exceeded in utility on ftrong land by the fpiky roller. The ploughing up whole furrow after this operation fufficiently proves it. In February^ 1768, the ridges were har- row^ed and drilled with horfe-beans, double rows, at 14 inches on each, i bufhcl feed per acre. After which the water-fur- rows were ploughed and dug. In April the rows hand-hoed ; and the beginning G^ May the 14 inch partition was horfe- hoed with a 9 inch fhim, and the intervals with a 1 7 inch one : one horfc did 5 acres a day. The furrow^s were then ftruck with a double mould-board plough. The begin- Z 4 ning 344 THE FARMER'S TOUR ning of June hand-hoed again ; after which it was again horfe-hoed by fliim and double mould-b6ard. When ripe they were pulled by women, The product 3 \ quarters per acre, Expences, it. ?767. Firft ploughing, - £^,0 10 ,0 Second ditto, 0 7 .6 Third ditto, 0 7 76 Dragging, 0 4 A Fourth ploughing. 0 7 fi Harrowing, 0 I fl Fifth ploughing. 0 4 yi Water-furrowing, 0 I i 1768, Harrowing, 0 0 A Drilling, 0 I 6 Seed, , . , 0 3 i Water-furrows, 0 I i Two hand-hoeings, 0 •• 7 ' Shim twice. 0 I A Double mould-board ditto . 0 2 i Pulling, - • 0 6 c Binding, 0 I c Harvefting, 0 4 < Thralhing, 3 \ quarters. at I J. \d. 0 4 ^ Two years rent, &c, 2 4 ^ IM THROUGH ENGLAND. 345 Expences, " - jr.6 I 4 Produdf. Quarters, at 28/. ^^4 ^^ ^ Load ftraw, o o Lofs, 5 18 o 034 Obfcrvations, Mr. Arbuthnot\ plan of culture for thefe telds, was to clean and bring them into teart by drilling : the lofs of the firft year, Irith accumulated expences, was ^vholly ring to his adopting a hint of an ingeni- is foreigner : the fcheme of hemp on land m out of heart and full of weeds was a bad Ine : hemp fo far deftroys weeds as to require ihand-hoeing or weeding; but then itmuft fown on land in heart, fufficient to pufli it to a vigorous luxuriant growth. Inftead If hempen fallow, beans were to have »en drilled, which would, as in the pre- leding field, have cleaned the land, and liaid above 40/. an acre profit; and then |ir]ieat with much greater advantage. This Dfs is therefore no efFedl of drilling. There is another obfervation to be made ire that may have its ufe ; which is the crop 346 THE FARMER'S TOUR crop not being the better for fucceeding fummer fallow. Poffibly it may be a bulhcBjj or two fuperior, but nothing comparable tc the expence : this fhorld be a leflbn to,;; farmers to make their drilled beans the fel-- low; and never bellow a preparatory one. Experiment^ No. 33. Culture, expejices^ and produce offeven acre of drilled wheat. 1769. Culture. The bean jflubble of Experiment, No 32. was ploughed up diredly after harveft the ridges being reverfed, and harrowec once. It was then begun to be drilled ; i lands were done with double rows, at i. inc. 3 pecks feed ; but fuch a deluge of rail then came, that the reft of the field wa afterwards forced to be fown broad-cail and the feed covered by arching up th lands with a double plough, an inventioi of Mr. Arbuthnot\^ going once in a place a man, a boy, and two horfes, did 5 acre a day : the quantity of feed ufed, i f buflic per 2Siit. 15 Sacks an acre of rabbit dun wer THROUGH ENGLAND. 347 lere fown over the whole field, except the i ridges. The double mould-board plough )jllowed the double plough in the furrows id ftruck them. In Mai-ch the 8 ridges were manured, at t e rate of 1 5 facks an ^cre of rabbit dung. ] April they were hand-hoed, and the itervals horfe-hoed with fhim and double jould-board plough. In May all thefe cerations were repeated; and the two lafl (ice more in '^une. The broad-caft was imd-weeded once. Product />^r acre, of ic broad-caft, 18 bulhels ; of the drilled, ' I bulhels. A load and half of ftraw to e firft, and a load to the feccnd. „ Account of the broad-cajl per acre. Expe?ices. rft ploughing, . - j^. 0 7 6 arrowing, - _ - 0 I 0 2ed, » - - - 0 9 0 |>wing, «- - - 0 0 3 Bipond ploughing with double 1 'plough. 0 I 3 5 Sacks rabbit dung. 0 19 0 ts?iking furrows with 3 horfes. 0 2 0 /ater-furrowing. 0 I 6 Carry over, - 21 348 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, - jT .2 16 Hand-weeding, 0 60 Reaping, 090 Harvefting, - : - 0 40 Thrafliing i8 bufh. at 4^/. U 0 69- Carrying out, . - - 0 I,| Rent, &c. &c, - I 3, 4 la Produce, 2 Quarters 2 bufhels, at 40 x. 4 10 I f Load ftraw, at 25/. I 17 6 7 Expences, ^ - 4 loj Profit, i : - I 16 Account of the drilled per acre, I Expences^ i Ploughing, - - - 0 f Harrowing, - - - 0 I DrilUng, 0 I Seed, - . .^ - 0 4 Striking furrows. 0 2 Water-furrowing, 0 I 15 Sacks rabbit dung, Q 19^ Two hand-hoeings, - 070 Carry over, 2 4 THROUGH ENGLAND. 349 Brought over, - ^T. 2 4 o lim thrice, - - - 020 ouble mould-board plough ditto, 036 caping, - - - 076 arvefting, • - - o 3 9 hrafhing, 17 |, at 4^. f, -067 •arrying out, • - 016 ent, 6cc. : : • 120 0 0 0 OS 4 10 10 Quarters i at 40 J. Load ftraw, Produce, bufhel 2 pecks, • 4 7 J 5 6 0 5 12 6 Expences > ^ - the broad-caft, the drilled, y of the former, 4 10 10 Profit, I I 8 Profit by Ditto by Superiorit I 16 I I 0 15 9 8 I Qbfervatio?is. The balance of this account is not a clear •periority to that amount, becaufe the Ind in one cafe muft certainly be left in -tter order than in the other-— probably to 5 the 350 THE FARMER'S TOUR the amount of this balance. As to pro- du6ls, the drill- has the advantage, for ti faving in feed exceeds the fuperiority product by one peck : this may howcvc be called an equality. , .1 'Experiment^ No. 34. Culture y expencesy and produce of f even ctOH^ of drilled beans ^ 1770. Culture, In OBober the wheat ilabble was th^b^i down arid wate'r-furrOwed. In N-overAh^ 5 acres Were drilled with mazagarl' b^Sm 3 bulhels/^r acre, in double rows, at ii inches ; and again water-furrowed. 4 February the remaining two acres weJri dibbled in the fame manner with the fami bean. They were hand-hoed once in April and horfe-hoed with fhim and doubl mould-board. The crop found on a tiia of thrafhing to be 3 | quarters per acre or an average of the whole : but the Febru4\ feafon not equal to November by 4 bufhc Expences* Ploughing, - : >C-^ 7 Water-furrowing, o 1 Carry over, o 8 b ,en THROUGH ENGLAND. 351 Brought over. £-0 8 6 )rlllingy 0 I 6 leed, - - - 0 12 0 :JV'ater-furrowi ng, 0 I 0 land-hoeing. 0 5 0 »hlm, - - - ^ 0 0 8 )oubIe mould-board 0 I 2 ^ulling and binding, 0 10 6 ■larvefting, 0 4 0 fhrafhing, at I j. 4^/. 0 4 8 ^ent, - - - I 2 0 1 . * 3 10 6 \k ■"• Produce, Jrl Quarters, at 40/. 7 0 0 ^Load of ftraw, - I 0 0 ii 8 0 0 Expences, - • 3 10 6 , Profit, 4 9 6 On the 7 acres, 31 6 6 Obfervations. The regifter of this feven acred field luring four years, has not, On the whole, irned out near fo advantageous as the pre- ceding field of 8 acres. This vvrill appear from throwing the whole into one view, as I before pradifed v>'ith the field above-men- tioned. 352 THE FARMER'S TOUR u <2 o O CO M S2 u o ex. {24 o 6o \Q N •* O o M ON M CO M r>. -e- ►^ M »- ^ \r)0 wi o CO M o NO o o ON ^ OvO 60 M o o N i. M .-; T3 ^ ^ ? 2 o\ J. "O S o -^ ^ s s c J2 .a •-- O i5 ^ "^ vO t^ 53 ^ , fO r^ 6 j! ==* § CO 'i- '^ ^ - ^ M ^'J «^ S CO Ot to >w in unt f uinea c ^ o fcJC ]^ O .^ ^ ^ /^ .. ^i 00 CO 00 o ?f ^ •£ 3 •^ '" CO fO a greater profit he heavy expenc irs to one, chang ^ - ^ H ^ -3 »» § >> .• ^ a t/> ^ 5j ;>^ 3 indee( THROUGH ENGLAND. 3:3 l|j|deed, it is more than one farmer in an Mindred makes. If two profitable crops ; jc fubftituted in the room of the unprofitable )ne of the two firfl years, which would lave been the cafe, had not the hemp oeen fown, the account would, on the vhole, have been very advantageous. General obfervations on experiments 28, 29, 3^> 3i> 32, 33» -'^i^tl 34.' Mr. Arbuthnot threw theie tw^o fields ito the alternate hufbandry of beans and heat, to difcover if the land could pro- . tably be kept clean without a fallow : ths . ffirmative is proved very flrongly in thefe ials ; for the fields are both much cleaner . lan any farmer's ftubbles in the country, id the bean one again ready for wheat, it was thought proper to fow that grain ; at having condudled the trial through courfe of four years, the conclu- ons are as clear, as if it was extended r* fourteen : for the difadvantages, 'hich have occurred in the lafl regiftered eld, are greater, in all probability, than fould happen in any fucceeding four. 'hat land may be kept clean, thcre- )re, by the courfe of beans and wheat Vol. II, A a alternately 354 THE FARMER'S tOUR alternately, both being drilled, and the profit ariling confiderable, cannot for 2 moment be doubted. But, at the fame time that this gentle- man is well convinced of the fad:, yet h( is of opinion, that it would be more pro- fitable to crop fuch land in a differen manner. He purpofes throwing one c thefe fields into the following round I. Cabbages. 2. Windlbr beans. 3. Oat; 4. Clover. 5. Wheat. Which he apprc hends will turn out more advantageous and in this he is certainly right : for tl" quantity of manure ariling from the cattl which are maintained by the cabbages ar the clover, will enrich the land to a vei^ great degree j and in the condud: of fu a courfe, if all the dung arifing from field was duly returned to it, the ei advantage of it would be found, wl otherwife cannot be. Experiment^ No. 35. CuIturCy expences^ and produce y of Jive ac of drilled wheat, 1768. Culture. The foil of this field is a light loam, not light enough for feeding turnips THROUGH ENGLAND. 355 In 1767 it yielded peafe, the flubble of which was ploughed up in SeptemheVy and then thrown on to lands 3 \ feet wide : harrowed in 3 quarters per acre of Iheep trotters, and drilled each land with double rows of wheat, at 14 inches, ufing one buHiel per acre of feed. The rows were once hand-hoed, and twice horfe-hoed with fhim and double mould-board plough : the product 2 I quarters per acre, Expences, Firft ploughing, - ^.086 Second ditto, - 076 Harrowing, - -010 Three quarters of trotters, 170 Carriage ditto, - 030 Sowing ditto, - - 016 Drilling, - 016 Seed, - - 056 Water-furrowing, - * 010 Hand-hoeing, - 040 Shim twice, - -014 Double mould-board, - 024 Reaping, - *- o 8 o Harvefting, - 036 Thrafhing 2 1 quarters, *• 076 Carrying, - 026 Rent, &c. - - 120 » ' A a 2 Total, 578 356 THE FARMER'S TOUR Produce. Two qrs. and a half, at 52 /. 6 i. 6 11 Straw, one load, - I 5 ^ Total, Expences, 7 5 16 7 ' Profit, • - 2 8 ' Ditto on the five, 12 2 I Expe7'imcnt, No. 36. Culture, expences, and produce, of Jive acre of drilled 'wheat. 1768. Culture, The foil a- flrong loam, tending to clay the tillage, feed, hoeing, &c. the fame i No. 35. The produd 3 quarters per acra Expences. As before, except thrafhing> Thrafhing, Total, Produce. Three quarters, at 52/. bd. Straw, one load. 5 o| 0 8| * 5 8-1 •'i< 1 ' 7 17 I 5-' Total, - 92 Expences, - - 5 8 Profit, - « 3 li THROUGH ENGLAND. 357 Experiment^ No. 37. [Culture^ expencesy and produce, of /even acres and three roods of drilled wheat. 1770. Culture. The foil of this field is a ftrong loam, on a brick earth. In 1768, it yielded t;ares, the Hubble of which was ploughed ip in Septemher^ twelve inches deep. In Mayy 1769, it was hunted, and foon after crofs-ploughed, and rolled with fplky roller. Ridged up half the field in Aii^ mft, in 3 -f feet lands, and harrowed the )ther half with ox-harrows twice. Drilled he ridged half with a bufhel an acre of Ijcheat, 4 rows on each land ; and, as foon i^ it was finiflicd, the furrows were ftruck ^ith the double mould-board plough. The jther half was fown broad-caft, 2 bufliels ^er acre, and ploughed in, after which the ^)^o\Q. was water-furrowed. '■In February, 16 facks an acre of rabbit lung fpread over the whole. The drilled lalf was once hand-hoed, and the broad- aft hand-weeded. The produdls — the .Irilled, three quarters, feven bufhels, one icck and f per acre ; and the l>road-caft 4 jHarters. A a 3 Account 358 THE FARMER'S TOUR Account of the drilled. Expences, Firft ploughing, - £.0120 Water-furrowing, - 010 Second ditto, - -076 Third ditto, twelve inch, - o 12 0 Spiky roller, - 02c Fourth earth, - o 5 ^ Drilling, - •.016 Seed, - 066 Striking furrows, - 0 12 Water-furrowing, - o i c Rabbit dung and fowing, i 2 K Hand-hoeing, - o 5 ^ Reaping, - - o 10 c Harvefting, - o 3 ^ Thrafhing, - - o 12 < Carrying, - - o 2 < Rent, &c. &c. - 2 4 < Total, - - 7 9^ Produce, 3qrs. yb. I f p. at 5o.r. 9 ^^ ' ' Straw, two loads, at 25.?. 2 10 • Total, - ^-^ / Expences, - 7 9 Profit, - - 4 17 THROUGH ENGLAND. 3 59 Account of the broad-caji. Expences, Firft ploughing:, - ^• 0 12 0 Water-furrowing, 0 I 0 Second earth, 0 7 16 Third ditto. 0 12 0 Spiky roller, 0 2 0 Harrowing, 0 3 0 Sowing, 0 0 3 Seed, - - " 0 13 0 Fourth earth, 0 5 0 Water-furrowing, 0 I 0 Rabbit dung, I 2 10 Weeding, 0 5 0 Reaping, 0 10 0 Harvefting, 0 3 6 Thrafhing, 0 12 0 Carrying out. 0 2 0 Rent, 2 4 0 Total, Produce, Four quarters, at 50/. L.Straw, two loads. Total, ^-Expences, profit, 7 16 10 0 0 2 10 0 12 10 0 7 i^ I 4 13 II 36o THE FARMER'S TOUR Profit by the drilled, - jT. 4 1 7 o Superiority, broad-caft, 4 1 3 1 1 The equaHty of the two methods is here! very remarkable ; but the fupcriority may be fairly, according to this account, given the drill, on account not only of the 3J. but alfo the fuperior tillage the land receives in it. A hand-hoeing is far more bene- ficial than a weeding. Obfervations on the preceding crops of drilled wheat, Thefe experiments in drilled whe include feveral feafons, various foils, au< *ome difference in the methods of culture hence they cannot fail difcovering nearl the merit of this hufbandry for wheat, fhall throw the trials into one view, thai a clearer idea may be formed of the refult. Experiment: THROUGH ENGLAND. 361 ^ Tt" CO 00 r^ t> o »^ "^ r^ M CO ro r^ o ,^ O O c^ O O ►-< . CO O »-r> 0 CO .,. CO CO -^ 0 CO CO h^ >♦ U-> Vo ^ *0 »^ I> ^ vO t-- co »^ C> I-" CO *^ \0 t"^ CJ CO CO CO CO CO 6 C3 g • 1-1 6,1, *^ o fcJO OS > < 4^ CJ • • r3 1— • ^ r> CJG 4-* C 'OJ ^ 4-1 0 ■J-J 0 r1 ^ •-* 1 r— 1 C3 C3 t-\ r^ fcJO .S 0 r >-* '-~' CJ c '%-! ^ 0 rt •^ ■1— 1 .0 0 0 0 ^ t— 4 1—* 1— I 3 0 > 3 0 ^ r-i CJ d 0 rj Cj ■W CJ 0 OD r-< "Tj 0 Vh 0 c W ^ OJ • ^^ CJ 0 ^ rj l-i 4-> a 0 !-H 'u «o 0 rt ^ V4 0 "u TS 4-» C' "^ 9 9 o 12 8 Double mould-board. 0 I 2 land-hoeing. 0 6 0 billing and binding, 0 10 0 iarvefting. 0 3 0 "hrafhing. 0 5 0 lent, - _ - ! I z p Produce, [1 1 Quarters, at 32 j-. traw, I I load, Expences, Profit, 3 9 7 740 I 10 o — " ' 'f 8; 14 O 3 9 7 5 4 5 Experment^ No. 43. 'dturc^. expencQS^ and produce of three acros of drilled beans, 1770. Cidture. The foil a very ftiff yellow clay ; crop- d with wheat in 1769; the ftubble Dughed at Chrijltnas and harrowed. In B b 2 February 372 THE FARMER'S TOUR February it was fet with mazagan beans 3 \ buihels per acre. It was hand-hoec once, and horfe-hoed with fhim and dou ble mould-board once^ Produce, 4 I quar- ters per acre. Expences, Plonghing, Harrowing, r Setting, - Seed, ' » ' Hand-hoeing, 1 Shim, Double mould-board, Pulling and binding, - Harvefting, - ^ Thrafhing, • •. Rent, &c, - i- Produce, 4 f Quarters, at 32 /. Straw, one load, Expences, : Profit, 2 .0 7 0 I 0 7 0 H 0 10 0 0 0 I 0 10 0 iO 0 5 I 2 n, rii 4 8 bui 7 4 I O; 8 4 4 3 15 THROUGH ENGLAND, 373 ^f Experiment^ No. 44. Culture t expencesy and produce of four acres \U- vf drilled beans, 1770. Culture, The foil a good fandy loam on clay: cropped with wheat in 1769; the ftubble Jtrench ploughed with Ducket\ plough, 1 0 inches deep, in OSlober. In November it was harrowed, and drilled with mazagan beans in double rows, 14 inches afunder, with 1 8 inch intervals : 4 bufhels of feed. In April they were hand-hoed, and then immed ; and the beginning of fune nd-hoed and fhimmed again. Produce, 4 \ quarters per acre. L, Expences. !*loughlng, - - JT. o 12 o Harrowing, - - 010 Drilling, - - - 016 Seed, - - - - o 16 o W/^ater-furrowing, - - 013 Twice hand-hoeing, - 086 Shim twice, - - - 014 Pulling and binding, - 0100 H^rvefting, - -' - 040 Carry over, - 2157 B b 3 S74 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, - £'^ ^5 7 Thrafliing, - - - 050 Rent, i I .12 0 427 Produce, 4 f Quarters, at 32 j. ^ 740 Straw, I I load, • r 150 890 Expences, ; z 427 r Profit, - - 4 6 J General ohfervations, Thefe experiments on beans including many variations of foil, culture, and fort^ the conclufions to be drawn from ihem will appear with the greater clearnefs, by form' jng a table of averages as before done witl^ the wheat crops, q r, •tf 1 ' I THROUGH ENGLAND. 375 , %* »- OS CO o\(x> o f^^^ -^ vovo I f^ P v2 crj J- 00 ife,oooooooo6oo j^ c^^rrjCOCOcocococrjTj-''^-';!- o )8 vo oo ^vo vo O <-• « t^ "+ t^ ' i-i « M « Cn O "H O VO VO *0 C\0O N ii>« ^r) C^VO c^POVocofrjcrjT}-'^^ c E i4 B b 4 Q VO '"^ 0 0 0 0 x^ 0 ■ acre of dwarf marrowfat peafe. In \lay they were hand-hoed, and horfe-hoed ;ith fhim and double mould-board plough. 11 "June thefe three operations were repeated* The crop 14 bufhels /Jdr acre. Kxpences. 'irft ploughing. - - £ .0 12 0 harrowing. - - 0 n 0 iecond ploughing, - - 0 1 6 iarrowing. - - 0 I 0 Third ploughing. - - 0 6 0 harrowing, - - 0 0 6 drilling. - - 0 I 6 [ \ Bufhel feed, - - 0 12 0 Two hand-hoeings, - - 0 10 0 Shim twice. - - 0 I 4 Double mould-board plough ditto. , 0 0 8 Hooking, - 0 6 0 Harvefting, - 0 4 0 Thrafliing, 5 r 0 2 4 Carry over, 3 8 10 378 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, - ^.3 8 k Carrying out, - - o i c Rent, &c. - - I 2 c 4 II ic Pro/luce. 1 4 Bufliels, at 6 J. 6 ^. - 4 ^^ I Load ftraw, at 15 J, !• o 7 (j 4 JS ^ Expencesj ^ ^ 4 i i ic Profit, - - - 068 Experiment J No, 46. Culture^ expences^ and produce of two acrei of drilled peafe, 1767. Culture, The foil a fandy loam on a brick earths fummer fallowed in 1766, when it received four ploughings and two ox-harrowingy|J being left on the 4 foot ridge by the laft earth' in autumn. It would not have been fum- mer fallowed, but was dcfigned for madder? only the plants fell Ihort. In April the ridges were reverfed by a ploughing, 10 inches deep. It was then harrowed ; and about THROUGH ENGLAND. 37^ ibout the end of May drilled with 2 bufliels in arre of bhie union peafe, in double rows, )f 14 inches, and 2 feet 10 inch intervals, fhcy were once hand-hoed, and horfe-hoed vith fliim and double mould-board once. fhey were fold green in September, The )rodu£i 10 facks ^tr acre, at 7 J, a fack. Expences. 766. Four ploughings, - Two ox-harrowings. £ I 0 12 2 6 0 767. Ploughing, Harrowing, 0 0 10 0 0 6 Drilling, - 0 I 6 2 Bufhel 3 feed, 0 14 0 Hand-hjeing, Shim, 0 0 6 0 0 8 Double mould-board, 0 I 2 Rent, Produce. • n 4 0 5 12 4 0 Sacks, at 7^. £-3 10 0 traw, I 0 0 4 T r\ 0 r - 1 U Lofs, I 2, 4 38o THE FARMER'S TOUR Experiment, No. 47. Culture^ expencesy and produce of four acre of drilled peafe. 1768. Culture, Soil, a fandy loam, was cropped witi oats in 1767; the ftubble of which waj ploughed up in January, Crofs ploughec the beginning of April, and harrowec twice. Manured it with i o loads an acre of London dung, which were ploughed ir and the land harrowed. It was then landec up on to 3 -i feet ridges, harrowed, anc drilled with dwarf marrowfat peafe> i \ bufhel an acre, in double rows, at 1 4 inches with intervals of 2 feet 4 inches. The} were once hand-hoed, and horfe-hoec twice with fliim, and once with the doubk mould-board plough. The crop was fold or the land for pods, at 3/. an acre, but ex- tremely blighted. Expences, Firft ploughing, - jC* ^ 7 ^ Second ditto, - 076 Harrowing, - - 02c I o Loads dung, (54 bufhels each) at los. - - 50c Third ploughing, - 04^ Carry over, «• t i ^ I THROUGH ENGLAND. 381 Brought over, - /^. 6 i 6 Harrowing, - - 006 Fourth ploughing, - 046 Harrowing, - - 006 , Drilling, - 016 I i Bufhel feed, - - 0106 Hand-hoeing, - - 050 Shim, - - ~ o I 4 ■ Double mould-board plough, o i 2 Rent, &c. - - 120 8 8 6 produLC, tCrop, - - /;. 3 o o IStraw, - - o 15 o ' Lofs, - - 4 13 6 General obfervations. The fuccefs of drilling peafe has proved very bad in thefe trials, and yet the atten- tion given the crops was by no means de- ficient. The mofl proper fields in the farm were chofen, and no omiflions were made in the cleaning them while growing. The ; event does not condemn the drill culture of this vegetable, becaufe the trials are not numerous, and were confined to two forts of 382 THE FARMER»s TOUR of pea only; neither of which is much cultivated any where, except in the neigh^ bourhood of London. Experiment, No. 46. Lofs, ^.i 24 47. Ditto, 4 13 6 5 15 i<> 45. Profit, o 6 Sf ■^ Total lofs, - - 5 9 # Average, - - i 16 4 mi i\ i 11)1 It would be prepojFterous to affert, frpn) the above experiments, that thefe peaf^ cannot be profitably cultivated : at the fame time it fliould be remarked, that the great advantages to be-expeded depend on acci- dental circum.ftances, particularly on the price being high at market. But even in that cafe, the gentleman, who cannot attend the fale, muft not exped the profit? of gardeners. This laft circumftance, at- tended with the uncertainties of the cropi' has made Mr. Ari^utbnot determine to leave it out of his courfe, and fubilitute beans,' which he can confumc himfelf, or always find a ready market for. He entertains no doubts concerning the propriety \\ THROUGH ENGLAND. 383 'ftpriety of drilling peafe from the pre- ing ill fuccei's ; on the contrary, ia (fe he cultivates them in future, he is illy determined never to fow then^ i any other manner ; not only from 1 e conviction of his reafon, but alfo from irious oblervations. He recorrimends for ;iall peafe, double rows, at 14 inches, - ith 2 feet intervals ; the two rows fhould, hile young, be thrown fo much together ' the double mould-board plough, as to em to form but one row^ : but great care aft be taken to do it early enough to raid breaking the haulm. The ^^ecds |(id better get up, than the vine be dif- ,rbed when of any growth. TURNIPS. Experiment, No. 48. filturCy expencesy and produce of four acres of drilled turnips, 1768. Culture. The pea ftubble of Experiment, No. 47. as ploughed up imjned lately after gather- ,»g : the whole Vv'as then dunged again ith 10 loads aa acre from the farm yard; fhich was then turned in by another S plous;hing, 384 THE FARMER'S TOUR ploughing, throwing it on to 4 feet landsj ^fter harrowing they were part drilled ; 01 acre with common turnips broad-caft, aiiJ 3 acres drilled with Reynold's turnip ; dou- ble rows, at 14 inches, with 2 feet 4 incll interval ; both the beginning of AuguA They were once hand-hoed, but horfel hoeing was prevented by wet. The conaj mon turnips were confumed by ewes ai lambs, and were worth 3 /. The oth were fed off in April \ the 3 acres kept i^ ewes and 140 lambs a fortnight; worf 3 ^. a couple per week. They eat then greedily ; when pared down to the groiriii they were taken up with turnip hooS ™ and the fheep eat them clean. The wei of the plants did not exceed | of a lb. top and all : The fhoots were 2 feet high th middle of April. Account of the turnips. Expences. Furrowing, - - £-03 Manuring, 10 loads, at 6^. - 3 o < Ploughing, - ' 07 Harrow^ing, - - -01 Sowing and feed, - - 01 Hand-hoeing, z - 06 ^ 18 i\ i THROUGH ENGLAND. 385 Brought over, total expences, X^. 3 1 8 6 Produce. Value of the crop, • - 300 Lofs, - ^ * 0 18 6 Account q£ Reynold s\ turnips Expe'nces. ■urrowing, - - 6 3 0 ♦Manuring, " * ~ 3 0 0 'loughing, * * 0 7 6 iarrowing, ^ - 0 I 0 )rilling, - - - 0 I 6 eed, - - ** 0 I 6 land-hoeing, - »- 0 7 0 Produce* y keeping 140 fheep 2 weeks, at 3^. 3/. 10 J. ; the third of which 18, - - 134 Lofs, - - 2 18 2 ♦itto by common turnips, o i 8 6 xcefs of the former, - i 1 9 8 Vol. II. C c 386 THE FARMER'S TOUR Obfervations, This experiment is not ofFered as a fulL- comparifon between the two plants, be- caufe Augujl is too late for either, and particularly fo for the cabbage turnip, which is directed to be fown in March^ and planted in ywie ; it had not therefore a fair trial ; but it is of no flight confe-^ quence to know that the common turnip will yield fo large a produce as 3/. an actfC from fo late a fowing ; and at the facjf time that the other plant will then prcjQ duce but a trifling crop : this is evident proved : a crop of turnips of 3 /. aftCi peafe of the fame year, is highly bene ficial. Experime?it, No. 49. Culture, expences^ . and produce, of twv acres of drilled tiumips. 1768. Culture, Two acres of ftrong loam, on brj^ earth, yielded drilled peafe in 1767; tl ftubble ploughed in OElober^ and the laa water-furrowed. In April it was fliirre again and harrov>^ed. After this, it w 2 l€ ' THROUGH ENGLAND. 3S7 l^t till June, when, it received another ploughing and harrowing : the 30th, frilled It in double rows, at fourteen ches, with two feet ten inch intervals. Ks foon as the plants came up, fix facks er acre of wood afhes were fown over hem, not only as a manure, but to pre- srve them from the fly. They were hand- oed twice, and horfe-hoed with fhim nd double mould-board plough as often, .""he confumption of the crop was as fol- ws : an high head-land on one fide the dd was ploughed twelve inches deep, and e fheep folded on It, after being well |ttered with flraw : the turnips were then iven in cribs : the two acres kept 1 64 leep and lambs fix weeks and two days j |iey were turned out of the pen at noon : € value of the keeping 2 ^. a w^eek. Expences. irft ploughing, I- 0 7 6 i/^ater-furrowing. - 0 0 3 5cond ploughing, - 0 6 0 farrowing, • 0 I 0 ^Tiird ploughing, ■«• 0 6 0 Carry over, I 0 9 C 2 388 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, - ^. I 0 9 Drilling, o I 6 Seed, o 0 4 Wood afhcs and fowing. o 6 0 •Hand-hoeing twice. o 8 0 Shim twice, . o I A Double mould-board plough ditto. o •2 0 Carting to the fold, o 15 ^ : Rent, I ^ ^fe Total, . 3 18 Produce. Keeping 164 fheep fix weeks and two days, at 2d. 4/. 2s. ; the half is - - 11 Lofs, - - ^ ^7 Experiment^ No. ^o^ Culture^ expellees^ and produce^ of thru \s\^s four feet afunder, in which madder was planted, on a dreffing of rabbit dung, 60 facks per I acre. The beginning o^June it wa^ taken up again, the plants being wanted for an- other place : the i6th of Julyt Scotch and Norths £-0 O 398 THE FARMER'S TOUR 'Northamptonflnre cabbage-plants were fet ii the furrows after being new drawn ; th' rows four feet by two from plant to plant they have been horfe-hoed with the fhin ^hrice, and with the double mould-boarc wice, befides two hand-hoeings : the lal was for drawing in the earth, after th double mould-board, to the plants. Exfences, Firft ploughing, Harrowing, - - Manuring, Drawing furrows, Planting, Shim thrice. Double mould-board twice. Two hand-hoeings, Hent, &c. Total, 'Experiment^ No. 56. Culture and expcnces of cne acre cabbages, 1770. Culture, The foil a deep black mould, failowec' in 1769, being ploughed five times ; agaii o o o o o I 7 I ID O 5 2 i 1 6 i: 5. 15 i,^ THROUGH ENGLAND, 399 1 April, 1770, when it was alfo ox- arrowed four times in a place; ftirred gain in May, and again harrowed ; an- ither ploughing in June, and two har- owings ; manured with nine loads an acre f yard dung ; ploughed it in, and har- owed again ; ft ruck the furrows, and )lanted with cabbages three feet by two. rhey have been twice hand-hoed, and himmed once. Expences, 1769. Five earths. >C.i 10 0 1770. Sixth ditto, 0 6 0 Harrowing, c 4 0 • Seventh earth, 0 6 0 Harrovv^ing, 0 4 0 \ Eighth earth, 0 5 c Harrowing, 0 I 0 Manuring, 0 15 6 Ninth earth, 0 5 0 Harrowing, 0 I 0 Striking furrows. 0 I 6 Planting, 0 8 0 Hand-hoeing, 0 6 0 Shim, 0 0 8 Rent, &c. Total, ;: . 2. 4 0 s" 17 _8 400 THE FARMER'S TOUR BARLEY. 'Experiment^ No. 57. Culture, expences, and produce of four acre: and a half of drilled barley, 1767. Culture, The foil of this field is a very ftrong clayey loam : it was cropped with whea In 1766, the ftubble of which was ploughec up at Michaelmas, In April it was flii down and harrowed, after which it waf landed up in four- feet ridges, and drilled., double rows, at fourteen inches, on each ridge ; one bulhel and a half of feed per acre. It was twice horfe-hoed with fliim, and thrice with the double mould-board plough. The produd two quarters and a half per acre. Expences, Fir ft ploughing, - ;C. 0 8 6 Second ditto, - 0 6 0 Harrowing, - 0 I 0 Third ploughing. - G 4 6 Drilling, ■k 0 I 6 Seed, w 0 4 6 Carry oyer, THROUGH ENGLAND. 4.01 Brought over, £ . I 6 0 Shim twice, - 0 I 4 Double mould-board thrice, 0 3 6 Reaping, •y • 0 5 0 Hcirvefting, - 0 0 0 6 riiraihing. - 0 4 2. P.cnt, &c. - I 0 0 "arrying out, - 0 0 6 Total, r 370 Produce. two quarters and a half, at 26/. 350 ^traw, one load, - - 0160 Total, - 410 Rxpences, - 370 [rofit, - * o 14 o Exparmenfy No. 58. ilture^ expencesy and produce cf two acres i 1767. Culture. "The foil a ftrong loam ; yielded oats in .'66 ; the ftubble ploughed in lands in Itumn ; in the fprlng the lands were l/erfed, and one acre drilled, double Vol. II. D d rows, 402 THE FARMER'S TOUR rows, on three-feet ridges, ufing one bufhel of feed ; the other acre was fown broad-cafl, three bufhcls per acre ; the drilled was once hand-hoed, once weeded, and horfe-hoed twice, with fhim, and as often with double mould-board. Produd of the broad-caft twelve bufhels j of the drilled ten. Account of the broad-caft, Exfences, Firft ploughing, - £.0 10 i Water-furrowing, - 0 I ( Second earth, * 0 7 Sowing, •• 0 0 Seed, - M 0 9 Mowing, - 0 2 Harvefting, - z 0 4 Thrafhing, - 0 2 Carrying out. » 0 I Rent, ^odiice. I 2 . Total, . 2 ^9. P; Twelve bufhels, at ■ 50 J. £-^ 5 Straw, one load, » 0 16 ! Total, 3 I- Expences, ^ 2 19 1 Profit^ I 0 2 — , . - .__ tHROl JGH ENGLAND '. 4<^3 ij Account of t^e drilled. ii Expences. - ■ Firft and fecond earth, and water- furrowing, - £■0 i8 6 Drilling, " » O I 6 leed, m O 3 0 iand-hoeingj m o 4 0 Veeding, - o 4 0 him twice. - - o I 4 >ouble mould-board ditto, o 2, 4 eapingj - o 4 0 larveftingi - * - o 3 0 hrafhing, - o I 10 arrying out, - o o 10 ent, • •« I 2 0 Total, 3 6 4 Produce. 1 Bufhels, - - i 17 6 aw \ load, o 12 0 Total, 2 9 6 i,S ^pences. 3 6 4 ^ oduce, 2 9 6 5' Is O 16 10 > jfit by broad- caft, ^ o 2 0 0 'Wocriority, o 18 10 ^ D d 404 THE FARMER'S TOUR Objervations. This is a very fair comparifon of the twc methods in the culture of barley, and the refult clearly decilive in favour of the broad- caft; but the extreme poverty of the pro- duce not exceeding 12 bufhels an acre which for barley is a paltry crop, fhew that drilling at thefe diftances will by means ani'wer. Inftead of 12, the coi mon hufbandry ought to have yielded threj times 12 bufliels. If barley is drilled, certainly muft be in very clofe rows, or cannot anlwer. This crop was in the pr^ portion of fmgle rows at 18 inches, width perhaps fufficient for beans. T| profit of No. 58, at a wider diflance, fomewhat an exception to this remar] but 14J. an acre bears no proportion to advantage of a good broad-caft crop. ExpiTiment^ No. 6a. Culture, expences and produce^ of Jive ac of drilled barley, 1767. Culture, The foil a ftrong loam on clay ; fii iner fallowed in 1766, receiving ,] ! ploughings. In Aprils }1^7-> birred ag£! ,^, iir^d after twice harrowing, drilled v\; —^'-^ - bar) THROUGH ENGLAND. 405 bftrle7, double rows, at 14 inches, on 5 I feet lands, ufing one bufhel of feed per acre. It was once hand-hoed, once weeded, and horfe-hoed with fhim and double mould-board four times ; product two quar- ters an acre. Expences, 1^66. Five earths, J 767. Sixth, Harrowing, Drilling, Seed, Water-furrowing, Hand-hoeing, Weeding, Shim four times, Double mould-board ditto, o Reaping, Harvefting, Thrafhing, Carrying out. Rent, Total, - 644 Produce. a Quarters, at 32 j-. - 340 Straw 3 quarters of a load, o 12 o Total, - - 3 16 o D d -. /:-i n 6 0 7 6 0 I f) 0 I 6 0 0 D 0 © 0 6 0 5 c 0 5 0 0 0 8 to, 0 4 8 0 5 0 0 0 :> 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 2, 4 0 4o6 THE FARMER'S TOUR Expences, - r £.644 Produce, t r 3 16 o Lofs> - r - r 284 Obfervations, Every pcrfon muft be fenfible, that fuch excellent tillage as this field received, would, in the broad-caft method, have yielded a very confiderable crop of barley ; but all thefe advantages are unable to do it with drilling at wide intervals. It is fufficiently evident, that this mode of cul- ture is improper for barley, unlefs the rows are very near each other. Mr. Arbuthnot concludes from thefe trials, that barley muft be excluded from the lift of drill crops, unlefs in very narrow inter, vals, which will juft admit the hand-hoe. POTATOES. 'Experiment^ No. 61. Culture^ expences and produce^ of three roods of potatoes, 1769- Culture, The foil a ftrong loam on clay ; yielded leans in 1768, on land 3 \ feet wide. Slit them THROUGH ENGLAND. 407 them down in O^ober very deep ; the end of Afj;T>6 ploughed them back again, and har- rowed anddunged the furrows with 15 loads an acre of yard dung. The land would have been planted early, but Mr. Arbuthnot could not get the Howard potatoe till the beginning of May : he then had a fack of them from Mr. Howard oiGreyfiock. The fets were laid on the dung, one row in a ifurrow, and one foot afunder ; covered :them with the double plough, turning a furrow from each fide the land, which was fufFered to remain till the fhoots i appeared. When a few inches above ground, the land was ploughed down to them, which was repeated till the centers t)f the old ridges became the furrows. After this they were once hand-hoed, horfe- hoed thrice with the fhlm, and thrice with ithe double mould-board plough. In Oc^ 4ober they were dug up with prongs ; pro- Idud 102 bufhels, each Zolb. Many of Ithem were very large, and the fize in general improved : They w^ere fent to Covent-Gardefi and other markets ; but ffiobody w^ould purchafe them. It w^as MTerted, that the fort had been tried, and ■they would not boll v/cll. Some were D d 4 however '- 4o8 THE FARMER'S TOUR however fold at laft for fets, the reft given to cov\''S and hogs : the cows had them inftead of hay, and eat them very greedily. Porkers were fattened on fome, boiled and mafhed, with a little barley meal mixed. In ftating the proportions per acre, I fhall fuppofe a value for feeding cattle ; for inftance, 2s. Gd. a bufliel. Expejices. Eirft ploughing, - jC* ° ^ $ Second ditto, ^ ->■ 046 Harrowing, - - 010 Manuring, - - 4 10 o Five bulhels fets, - 0126 Slicing and'planting, - o 5 0 Covering, - - 026 Earthing twice, - 050 Hand-hoeing, - - 040 Shim thrice, - - -02c Double mould-board ditto, o 3 -Digging up, - -r 08 Carting home, &c. - ^ 5 Total, Ilent, &c. eec \k m 7 II 6 I 0 ^ 8 13 I THROUGH ENGLAND. 409 Produce. J36Burnels, at 2J-. 6^. - C- ^1 ^ o Expences, - 8 13 6 Profit, - - - 8 6 6 Obfervatiojts. There can be little doubt but potatoes are worth zs. 6d. a bufliel, of 8o/<^. for feeding cattle; and at that rate, the profit of this experiment is very confiderablc. - .The expences run high from the manuring land fuch repeated cleaning ; which are cir- cumftances very advantageous to the fuc- ceeding crops ; and yet the balance is 8 /. '6 s. 6 d.; far more than could have been gained by any corn crop. But there is another circumfl:ance much worthy of not- ing, which is, the crop being planted fo- late as Mdj; a feafon utterly improper for [planting potatoes : this was undoubtedly a great drawback from the produ(fl:, which from an earlier planting would certainly have been more confiderable. As to the root not being fo marketable as other forts, (fuppofing it true) I eflecm it a matter of fmall confequence : the great objcd: in cul- tivating potatoes is not Cccejit Garden^ but the food of cattle : the firft is very con- fined, but the latter is univcrfal, 4IO THE FARMER'S TOUR V. EXPERIMENTS TO ASCER- TAIN THE BEST COURSE OF CROPS. In the range of experimental hufbandry, ^^ there is nothing demands greater attention ' than the courfe of crops : the adapting a proper fucceiTion to each foil, is the great object of rural ceconomics. It is of very little confequence to be able to cultivate any crop fingly, ever fo well, unlefs it unites properly with others to form a courfe beneficial upon the W'hole. When many fields have been cropped extremely different, and rcgiflers kept of them ; there muft appear from a general view, ftrong reafons for concluding feme courfes much more beneficial than others. To afiert that the arranging of cropjP muft be a matter of chance, accident, or caprice, Tvould be abfolutely abfurd : It is true, no man can fay, I will, in fpite of feafons, fow a field with fuch or fuch grain; but in thirty nine inftances out of forty, he has it in his pow'er to chufe. A field is fowing with barley — (hall I throw in clover, or let it alone ? A field has yielded wheat ; fhall I take a crop of barley, or 4 turnips ? i THROUGH ENGLAND. 411 irnlps ? If a man knows not which courfe , mofl advantageous, what egregious lunders will he commit ? We fee thefe lunders committed every day through 'hole counties ; and all for a want of pof- :iling the requifite knowledge in this ma- :rial point. They who fow four or five icceffive crops of white corn, know not lis part of hufbandry ; but furely we may Tert that there are fixed and determined Durfes, not a little worthy the attention f fuch men ; inftead of fuppofing that the /hole is a matter in which farmers will ceceffarily judge right. The method here purfued, is to flate the lops yielded by certain fields ; and after triking a balance of profit and lofs, to corn- are them together, to difcover which ^elds have been mofl: profitable, and in rhat degree owing to variations of crops. Experiment^ No. 62. Courfe — Grafs ploughed for 1. Peafe 3. Fallow 2. Winter tares 4. Wheat. three acres : the foil a flrong: loam on day. 'to 412 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1767. Ploughed up the lay for peafe ; the crofi 10 bufhels an acre. Expences. Ploughing, - - ^.086 3 Bufhels feed, - - 090 Sowing, - -« 003 Harrowing, - - 016 Water-furrowing, - o i 0 Topping thirties, - 006 Cutting, - - 030 Harvefting, - - 020 Thrafhing 10 bufhels, - 034 Jlent, &:c, • - 120 2 n I Produce. 10 Bufhels, at 30J. £.1 17 Straw, - - o 12 Lofs, 'y r\ rk ■■ ^ y y m 017 1768. Sowed winter tares ; eaten by horfes in foiling in the ftable ; began in yune : the three acres kept 10 horfes 6 weeks, at 7/. per horfe per week ; which 7 s. was calcu- lated by the faving in oats and hay. THROUGH ENGLAND. 413 I Bulliel of oats, - ^.026 3 i Trufs of hay, - - 048 7 ^ Expejtces, Ploughing with 4 horfes, - 090 Sowing, - - - 003 Seed, 2 bufhels, • - 0100 Harrowing, - - 016 Striking furrows, - - 009 Water-furrowing, - 010 \ Mowing and carrying. N, B, This was done by the carter, there- fore coil nothing ; but as he might be employed about other work, where the food dry meat, I charge - - 050 Rent, - - - 120 Produce, Keeping 10 horfes 6 weeks, at 7 J". — 111.- the three acres, or per acre, - 700 Expences, - - 296 Profit, . * ." 4 10 6 r:vi 414 THE FARMER^s tour 1769. It was then intended for wheat, but the black bent came fo thick after ploughing, that it was ridged up for fome other cropi, From the middle of April till June, the black bent was fed with fheep, by lodging them in it from a common. After this it was fallowed, and in OBober fown with ^ wheat; the crop 4 quarters an acres. '^^ Expences^ < I Firfl ploughing, * * ^ 7 ^ J Harrowing, - - 010 Landing up with double mould-* board plough, - - 021 Water-furrows, *- o i o Second ploughing 12 inches deep, 012 o Third, hunting down, *• o y 6 Fourth, crofs ploughing, - o 9 o |'' Ox -harrowing twice, - 020 Fifth ploughing, - * 076 Landing up the fixth, - 039 2 Bufhels feed, - - o 12 o Sowing, - - #30 Sixth earth ploughing, • 039 Water-furrowing, - 010 Reaping, - - o 10 o Harvefting, - - 036 Carryover, - 467 'k THROUGH ENGLAND. 415 Brought over, - jC«4 ^ 7 rhrafliing, at 3^. /^d. - o 12 4 Carrying out, - - 020 [lent, - - - 240 7 4 II Produce, \. Quarters, at 5 j. 6 ^. - i o i o o Straw, 2 loads, at 2 1 j-. - 220 12 12 O Expences, - - 7411 Profit, - - 57 Recapitulation. 1768. Winter tares : profit, 4 10 6 1769. Fallow, 1770. Wheat ditto, - 571 9 17 7 [1767. Peafe : lofs, - 017 Profit, - - - 9 16 o Or per ann, - • 290 Obferuations. This courfe is by no means an advanta- geous one. The pea crop not advifable by 4i6 THE FARMER'S TOUR any means. Had oats been harrowed in^ probably the balance would have been J?l confiderable profit inftead of lofs ; and t fallow year, in all probability, might ha" yielded a profitable crop of beans, fucceededl by wheat; but this is uncertain. How- ever, the profit of 2/. 9J-. an acre clear, Is by no means to be defpifed. It much ex- ceeds what th^ farmers in general make. Experiment^ No. 63. Courfe-— I. Fallow 3. Wheat 2. Spring tares 4. Oats. Three acres : foil, a jlrong loam on clay, but not deep. 1767. Fallowed for fpring tares ; the crop mown and given to flicep in a pen. The three acres kept 80 ewes a month, at 2^. a week. During which time they made 20 loads of dung from 2 loads of flraw. Expe?2ces. Two ploughiiigs, . - .. >C*o 9 ^ Third ditto, - - 09 Part of it 12 incTies deep. Landing it up into 3 bout lands, 076 Water-furrowing, - - 010 Gathering 2 into one in May^ 076 Carry over, •» i 14 ol L k #i J ki THROUGH ENGLAND. 417 Brought over, - ^. i 14 o iowing, - - 003 Bufliels of tares, - -090 {arrowing, - - -016 itriking furrows, - - 009 lowing and giving the (heep, &c. 050 cat, &c. - «. - 240 4 14 6 Produce, eeping 80 Sheep 4 weeks, at Q.d. 3. fheep, 2/. i3J-. 4^. the third of which is, - ° ^7 9 Lofs, - - 3 16 9 1769. After the tares wheat was fown; the odudt 2 quarters per acre. IExpcnces, oughing, - - - £.0 y b hrrowing, - - -016 Lsd, 2 bufhels - - o 11 o ' wing, • - - - 003^ 1 Sacks per acre of rabbit dung, and fovv'ing, ^ 0190 ( rriage ditto, - - 026 ^ iking furrows, - 009 Carry over, - 2^6 Vol. 11/ E e 4i8 THE FARMER'S TOUH 1 i ^; i Brought over, iC.2 2 6 Water-furrowing, 0 I 30 Weeding, 0 6 ct Reaping, c 8 0 Harvefting, 0 3 6 Thrafhing, 0 6 Q Carrying out, * - 0 I 0 Rent, &c. -! ■• I 2 c 4 10 c Produce, 1 2 Quarters, at 44 s. 4 8 ^ . Straw, I f load. I 10 < 5 18 1 ^ Expences, • 4 10 ( Profit, I 8 «i ». — i 1770. Ploughing, 0 5 Harrowing, 0 I < 3 Bufhels oats. 0 8 Sowing, 0 0 Striking furrows with doubl e \ mould-board plough, 0 I : Water-furrowing, 0 I Mowing, 0 ^yy Carry over, im 0 ^9 1 THROUGH ENGLAND. 419 Brought over, - £,0 ig i Harvefting, - - 046 Thralhing, • - 046 Pent^ f • - . Tf-. 'I -:)«?. 'io Total, - - 2 10 I Produce, 3 Quarters of oats, - 300 "Straw I i load, - j 10 o Total, - 4 10 o Expences, r- - 2 jp i Profit, - - I 19 J I Recapitulation. 1768. Tares, lofs, - 3 16 9 1769. Wheat, profit, ^T. i 8 o 1770. Oats ditto, I 19 II • 3 7^1 Lofs, - T 0810 Or per annum, - o 22 Obfervations. This courfe is as difadvantageous, as can well be imagined. To give a complete fal- (ow for a crop of fpring tares, is what no ftcrfon would willingly do, unlefs he fore. E e 2 fees 42© THE FARMER'S TOUR fees a great want of food for his ftock: this occafioned the firft lofs, ^nd a poor crop of wheat facceeding, rendered the' whole uncommonly difadvantageous. The principal profit here, is reaped from fowing oats after wheat ; bad hufbandry in general, but clover was fown with this wheat, which mifcarried, and that was the reafon of fow-js jng the oats. Experiment^ No. 64. Courfe. '■' 1. Barley 3. Clover 2. Clover 4. Wheat, — Three acres ; the foil a ftrong loam oa day. 1767. Sown with barley ; the produce 2 quarw ters and a half per acre. Expences. Firft ploughing, 12 inches deep in winter, 1766, - ;(f . o 12 Slitting down in April, Two bufhels barley. Sowing, - - Harrowing, Striking furrows, Water-furrowing, ^ Carry over, •• Sfr THROUGH ENGLAND. 42Y Brought over, I . I 9 0 Mowing, 0 I 6 Harvefting, 0 4 6 Thrafhing, 0 4 6 Carrying out, 0 2 6 Rent, I 2 0 Total, 3^ ^4. 0 Produce, 2 \ quarters, at 30J. 3 15 0 Straw one load, I 0 0 Total, - 4 15 o Expences, - * 3 4 Q Profit, - - I n Q 1768. Clover was fbwn with the barley; it iras mown twice for hay, and yielded h f loads ; the firft mowing the loth of vfune^ to cut off the black bent, that it |inight not fhed : the fecond was the be- ginning oi Auguji, Expences. bo lb. Seed clover, - 034 Bowing, - * 003 lanuring in January 12 loads an acre yard dung and coal afhes, at 7 J. - 440 Carry over, • 477 E e 3 42?t THE FARMER^s TOUI^ I 1 Brought over. Spreading, - - - Mowing twice, Making twice, Carting and flacking ditto. Rent, -^ - X.4 0 0 0 0 I I 6l 4 » 12 0 10 0 2 0 :"; ^ Total, ^ 6 17 I« . _ Produce, sl' toads, at 3/. Sheep feed. 10 - 0 10 6 5 -o^' Total, Expences, ■• 10 6 15 « 17 i< 1 . Profit, • ii 3 17 a m 1769. Mowri once > produce i :^ Expences, Mowing, Making, - -1 Carting and flacking, ., Rent, 1 load. 0 0 0 I r ^ A 6 G 2 ^ y few eap fen Total, I .5 e 'V hit, Traduce THROUGH ENGLAND. 423 Produce, I I Load hay, at 3/. - £.4 10 0 After-grafs, - - 0 15 0 Total, • 5 5 0 Expences, - I 15 6 Profit, - ••396 1770. Wheat harrowed in on one trench- Lploughing ; produce 3 I quarters per acre. hxpences. ^Trench-ploughIng with Ducket^^ \ I. plough in September^ 0 13 0 ' ' Seven pecks feed. 0 9 0 Sowing, 0 0 3 Harrowing, 0 3 0 Water-furrowing, 0 I 0 Striking furrows. 0 0 6 Weeding, 0 7 0 Reaping, • 0 10 0 Harvefting, 0 4 0 Thrafhing, - • 0 10 6 Carrying out, 0 I 9 Rent, I 2 0 Total, 4 2 0 E e 4 424 THE FARMER'S TOUR Produce. 3 I quarters, at 50^-. Straw, 2 loads, at 24J. Total, Expences, Profit, Recapitulation, 1767. Barley, profit, 1768. Clover, ditto, 1769. Ditto, 1770. Wheat, ditto, Total, " ■ - Or per ann, - 3198 Obfer"uations, This courfe is perfedly confident with the beft ideas of modern hufbandry, and we accordingly find it very profitable : there cannot well be a llronger argument for adopting a beneficial courfe of crops, than the refult of this. Near 4/, per acre clear profit per ann. fhews what the foil is ca- pable of when properly managed. The material point, which calls for a particular remark, is the leaving the clover two years THROUGH ENGLAND. 425 y^ears on the land. It is here evidently noft excellent hufbandry, notwithftanding he black bent appeared in it fo early. A :lear profit of 3/. 9 J. per acre, on the fe- :ond crop is an objeO: of no trifling nagnitude; and the great produce of vheat following fhews plainly, that that rop did not fuffer the leaft from the clover ying two years inftead of one. Another point, which I fliall beg leave o obferve, is the fuccefs which here at- ends trench-ploughing the clover-lay for vheat. This is an uncommon practice ; mt it is evidently an excellent one : it is vhat the farmers are fearful of, tho* plainly '/ithout reafon. Experiments No. 65. Courfe. . I . Tares and flax 3 . Tares .2. Fallow 4. Wheat. Six acres ; the foil a good mellow loam In brick earth. 1767. In 1766, it yielded wheat, and one half Roughed afterwards for tares : they were |ut for horfes, and kept eight a month. flax was fown on the other half, which ^as pulled in Aiigujl^ and came to 4 /. per )cte. 426 THE FARMER^s TOUR Account of the tares, o Expences, Ploughed 12 inches deep, jT. o 12 In April a fecond earth, - 07 oP* 7. Bulhels tares, - 09 oJ^^l Sowing, - - 00 3 to Harrowing, - -016 Mowing and carting> - o 5 ^ Rent, - - 12 o Totali - - 2 17 3 Produce, Keeping 8 horfes a month, at 71. II L 4 J. the 3d of which is 3 14 Expences, - - 2 17 3^ Profit, • - o 17 5 Account of the fax, Expences, Ploughing, - - ' o 12 Oj 2 Bufhels flax feed, - o 9 ^j Sowing, - - 003 Harrowing, - 020 Pulling, - - -08c Binding and bringing home, 05c Watering, - - 03c k- Carry over, -• i 19 3 THROUGH ENGLAND. 427 Brought over, - ^.119 3 Sodding and unfodding, 030 Spreading on grafs, - 050 Turning, - - 026 Gathering, binding and carting, 080 Rent, - - -120 Total, - 3 19 9 f .5:i on&^ 1 ; Produce, ii^^flt ?ielded per acre, - 400 Expences, - - 3 19 i Profit, • • o o 1 1 1768. Ploughing 12 inches deep in autumn, - o 12 o BWater-fur rowing, - 010 '^ Hunting down in May, • 076 In jftme crofs ploughing, * 076 Fourth earth in Jtify, ftirring, 050 Ox-harrowed in Augujly 030 Defigned for wheat ; but fuch a deluge of rain in Septembery that could not go on ; but fur- ^^naH rows were drawn in the low places, - - 006 Water-furrowing, - 010 Carry over, .- .1 17 6 428 THE FARMER^s TOUR ^ «■ Brought over. £.1 17 ( In May trench-ploughed, 0 13 ^ 2 Bufhels tares. 0 9 « Harrowing, 0 I c Rent, I 2 c Total, 4 2 t Produce* Sheep fed. worth per acre. 0 5 c Lofs, 3 17 c ■h^ 1770. r i Trench-ploughed it in Augufiy 0 13 < 1 / 70 Ox-harrowing, 0 3 ' / Landing up in Septembery 0 5 <: Harrowing, 0 I c 2 Bufliels wheat. 0 10 t Sowing, 0 0 3 Ploughing in, 0 5 c ;& Water-furrowing, 0 I q i^; 15 Sacks rabbits dung. I 0 c Sowing, 0 I m Weeding, 0 6 4 Reaping, 0 s i Harvefting, 0 3 ^ Carrying, 0 I sf Thrafhing, 0 7 6j 0 I 2 OT s ""'■ Total, 5 8 6 THROUGH ENGLAND. 429 Produce, j2 \ quarters, at 48 /. - jT. 6 o o 'Straw, I I load, at 25 J. i 17 6 L Recapitulation, -^ 1768,9. Tares, lofs, - 3170 1767. Tares, proHt, X-o 17 5 J770. Wheat, ditto> 290 Total, Expences, Profit, i ' 5 17 8 6 6 0 9 0 ___ '^ 6 5 :> - 0 10 7 - - 0 2 7 Lofs, Or />^r ^/z;?. 1768,9. Tares, lofs, - 3170 1767. Flax, profit, o on 1770. Wheat, ditto, Lofs, Or fer ami» 2 9 0 9 II I 7 I 0 6 9 ition s. •1 :V An unfortunate feafon in preventing the iWheat fowing, rendered this courfe almoft 3 as 430 THE FARMER'S TOUR as bad a one as could have happened Tares here paid nothing for an extraor- dinary expence beftowed on them. Hac beans been fown inftead of the fecond croj of tares, the account would have been verj different. Flax anfwers very badly in this trial the crop is not large> but the expences rui very high. It is here however to be oh- ferved, that this field is exceflive poor, anc }iad not received a load of dung of 20 years Experiment^ No. 66. Courfe, 1, Oats 3. Fallow 2. Peafe 4. Wheat. . Three acres ; the foil the fame as No. 65^ 1767. In 1766 it yielded clover, ploughed U]^, and harrowed in oats ; the crop 4 i qua^ ters an acre. \ ^ f. 'Expences, ) Ploughing, - - £.0 9 J 3 Bufliels oats, 0 6 Harrowing, 0 I '^ Water-furrowing, G I Mowing, 0 I H^vefting, 0 4 6 5 £ s^i Carryover^ ^^^m I \ 5 , THROUGH ENGLAND. 431 Brought ovpr, jC- ^ 4 5 Thrafliing, - - 069 Rent, - r r 120 ,^ 1 " ' Total, T 2 13 2 If ■ .- — Produce, 4 I Quarters, at ijj. - 3 16 § Straw j[ f load, at 16 J-. - 140 Total, - -506 Expences, - •* 2 13 2 Profit, - • 274 1768. ploughed up the oat ftubble in January^ - -076 aBufhels I peck peafe, at 5 j*. 6^. o 12 3 ffiowing, - -003 (Harrowing in m February <, o 16 Alfq I o facks kilr^ duft, » I O b Carriage of ditto, - - 026 SCowing, - -016 I'Striking furrows^ - 009 Topping thiftles, - o 04 ^Cutting, - -018 "'Harvefting, - - o '^''^' 6 Thrafhing, -. • 030 I i., Carryover, ' -B X'--- 2 14 3 432 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, ^.2 H 3 Carrying out, 0 0 9 Rent, I 2 0 Total, 3 17 6 Produce. 12 Bufliels, at 36J. £.2 14 0 Straw, 3 quarters load, 015 0 f^ /"^ D 9 0 Lofs, P 8 6., 1769. Ploughed in autumn. 0 7 6 Water-furrowed, 0 I 0 In the fpring the black bent came ' thick ; it was fed by fheep 1 till the middle of May^ then hunt- ^ ed down. 0 5 ^. Crofs ploughing, 0 7 6 Stirring, 0 5 p Ox-harrowing, 0 3 9; Landing up in Augujl^ 0 5 0: 2 Bufhels wheat, 0 II 0. Sowing in OBol?cr, 0 0 3 Harrowing, - «. - 0 0 6 Water-furrowing, 0 I 0 In February 15 facks of rabbit • dung. I 0 0 Carry ov^r, • 3 6 9 THROUGH ENGLAND. 433 U , ' Brought oveFj ^Sowing, Reaping, Harvefting, - Thrafhing, Carrying out> Rent, - - - Total, Produce. ^n; I quarters, at 48 s, |)traw 2 loads, at 25/. Total, Expences, Profit, B.ecaphulation, 1767. Oats, profit, 1 770. Wheat ditto, Total, [768. Peafe, lofs, Profit, Or per ann. O I o 8 o 4 o 10 O I 2 4 9 6 o o 6 9 o 6 16 6 880 2 10 o 10 18 o 6 16 6 274 416 6 8 10 086 604 I 10 I [ 1 ) \ 0^/ervaiiom, A pea crop to prove unprofitable is not jicommon ; but to be neceflitated to fuc- VoL. II. F f ceed 434 THE FARMER'S TOUR ceed it with a fallow, was a circumftance that could not fail of making this courfe indifferent ; yet the profit amounts tc I /. lOJ". per acre per ann, which is vaftl) more than one would at firft fight imagine indeed it is fo much, that it is difficult t( allow the courfe to be fo bad as it appears Probably it would have proved more ad vantageous, had not the whole field beei peftered with the running fow-thiftle extreme bad weed. 'Experiment^ No. 67. Courfe, I. Beans. 2. Wheat. 3. Tares. One acre and three roods ; the foil a ftron yellow laam on brick earth. In 1766 was a very bad old weedy lay. 1767. -^ Dibbled with beans ; the produd fi and a half quarters an acre. Expences. ^^ Deci 3?ll Ploughing in January^ - ^. o 1 1 Harrowing, - -01 Dibbling, - - -05 2 I Bufhels tickbeans, - 08 Harrowing, - -01 Striking furrows, - 00 Twice hand-hoeing, - i Q Carry over, -• 28 ter-j siiiii ^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 435 Brought over, z.^ 8 0 topping, Leaping, iar verting, "'hrafhing, lent, &c. a. te - 0 0 0 0 I 0 8 3 6 0 6 0 6 5 0 Total, "Produce, \ quarters, at 25/. hraw 2 loads, at 25^. 4 8 5 6176 2100 Total, 976 Expences, 4 8 5 Profit, 1768. 4 19 I Ploughed the rtubble once, an .d harrowed wheat : the crop 4 quarters an acre. Expences, ioughing, 090 harrowing, 016 wo bufhels feed, 0 12 0 .)wing, 00 3 ^ater-furrowing. -010 eaping, 090 irvefting, 036 ihrafhing, 0120 arrying, 020 cht, I 2 0 Total, 12 3 F f 2 436 THE FARMER'S TOUR Produce. 4 Quarters, at 5 2 J". 6d. Straw 2 loads, at 251. Total, Expences, Profit, £• 10 10 2 10 13 o 3 12 9 7 , 1769. Ploughed the wheat ftubble once, a; harrowed in winter tares ; cut green li ^^ foiling horfes ; they kept eight four week Expences. Ploughing, - - 09 Two bufhels tares, - 010 Sowing, - - GO Harrowing, - - 01 Striking furrows with double mould-board plough, Water-furrowing, Mowing and carrying. Rent, o o o I prn: Total, Produce. The acre and | kept 8 horfes 4 weeks, at y-r. which is per acre, - - 6 Expences, - 2 ireai H Profit, 3 il THROUGH ENGLAND. 437 1770. Ploughed up the tare ftubble in Sept em- fer, and harrowed in rye ; the beginning pf March^ and in part of Aprils eat off :he rye with Iheep. It kept 20 couple five veeks ; it was then ploughed four times, d planted in Aitguji with cabbages, in bqually-diftant rows, 2 f feet afunder. Rxt)ences. 'loughing, - - X^. o 7 6 Two bufhels rye, - 070 sowing, - - 003 HLarrowing, - -016 Striking furrows w^ith double mould-board plough, 012 ^Vater-furrowino;, - 01 o l^loughing ten inches deep, 010 o drofs ditto, - - 090 Jtirring^ - - 076 Iplling with fpiky roller, 020 Vlanuring with night foil, 7 loads /»^racre, - 3 17 o 'Spreading, - - 013 !)x-harrowing, - 010 ploughing, - - 076 Jpiky roller, - -020 Harrowing, - 010 Planting, - - o 10 o Horfe-hoeing, fhim twice, 014 Hand-hoeing once, - 040 ilent, • -120 Total, • 8 14 o 438 THE FARMER'S TOUR Recapitulation. 1767. Beans, profit, jf. 4 19 i 1768. Wheat ditto, ^ • 979 1769. Tares ditto, - 3 18 i Total, - 18 4 II Average, ^ - 617 "t»..- ^\ Exper intent^ No. 68. Courfe. 1. Drilled beans 3. Drilled beans 1 2. Drilled wheat 4. Winter tares. * Five acres ; the foil good ; a ftrong loatc on clay. 1767- This crop of drilled beans is minuted Ir Experiment t No. 38. Produdt, 3 quarters, at 2 5 J". 315 < Straw, - - I o ( Total, - - 4 15 c Expences, - - 3 16 ^ Profit, - - o 18 ^ 1768. This drilled wheat is that of Experiment No. 36. Produ(51:, 3 quarters, $is, 6d, 7 17 ^ Straw, - - I 5 < I 02-^ THROUGH ENGLAND. 439 Prodaa, - - /; Expenccs, Profit, 1769. Thefe drilled beans regifiered rtmentj No. 40. Produce, 3 quarters, Straw, Total, Expences, '' Profit, 926 5 8 II 3 13 7 in Expe" 3 15 0 I 5 0 500 3 6 II I 13 I 1770. In October the bean ftubble was ploughed iup with 2 horfes, 8 or 9 inches deep, and a bufliels per acre of winter tares harrowed in : the crop mown for foiling horfes, and Ikept 12 two months. Expences, ^'Ploughing, - 0 5 0 iSeed, •^ » 0 10 0 iSowing, •■ 0 0 3 IHarrowing, - 0 I 6 IStriJking furrows. I 2, 0 1 Water-furrow ing. 0 0 3 iJMowing and carrying. 0 5 0 iHent, &c. Total, • ^ I 0 0 0 5 ^ 440 THE FARMER»s TOUR Produce. Keeping 12 horfes 8 weeks, at yj-. 6d. — 36/.; the fifth is £."] 4 o Expences, - 252 Profit, - - 4 18 10 Recapitulation, J 767, Drilled beans, profit, 018 6 1768. Ditto wheat, ditto, - 3 13 7 1769^ Ditto beans, ditto, 113 i 1770. Winter tares, ditto, 4 18 10 Total, - - II 4 o Which is per ann, - 216 Obfervations, Both the drill hufbandry, and that of winter tares, figure very advantageoufly in r this courfe, which is upon the whole un" cxceptionable : the vafl produce of a goo4 crop of winter tares renders them remark- ably profitable. Experifnenf^ No. 69. Courfe. 1. Oats, ftubble left 3. Drilled wheat 2. Fallow 4. Drilled beans. Three acres ; the foil a ftrong loam on clay. 3 THROUGH ENGLAND. 441 1768. In autumn, 1767, the old ftubble was |)loughed up, 12 inches deep, and tilled through this year, and in autumn fol- Jowing. 1769. Drilled with wheat, double rows on three- feet lands, three pecks of feed per acre. In the fpring it was manured with twenty li^cks per acre of rabbits dung; it was 'hand-hoed once, weeded once, and horfe- hoed twice, once with fhim, and once with :the double mould-board plough : the crop ;two quarters per acre. Expejices. Ploughing, - £ . 0 12 0 I'Hunting, - 0 7 6 ICrofs ditto, - 0 7 6 IStirring, - 0 7 6 Ox- harrowing. - 0 4 6 Landing up with double mould- board plough, - 0 ^ I [Drilling, - 0 I 6 •Seed, - 0 n 6 •Striking, - 0 I ^ Bwater-furrowing, - 0 I 0 ^Kabbit dung. - I 8 6 ^feand-hoeing. - 0 6 0 ^Bhim, - 0 0 8 Hpouble mould-board plough. 0 I 2 Carry over, - 437 44i THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, - jf . 4 3 7 Weeding, - - 060 Reaping, - - 080 Harvelluig, - -036 Thrafhing, - - 060 Three years rent, &c. - 360 Total, - - 8 13 ip^o Produce. 1 Quarters, at 44^. 4 8 o Straw, * - 100 5 8 6 Lofs, - - 351 From this crop it is extremely evident, that the mere refting land is of no benefit without tillage ; the crop could fcarcely fail being unprofitable with fuch an accu- mulation of expences. It fhould however be remarked, that this field, when firfl: Ma Arbuthnot had it, was remarkably foul and poor. 1770. Thefe beans are minuted in Experiment^ No. 43. The profit per acre 4/. i\s, 8^. Recapitulation. 1770. Drilled beans, profit, 1769. Wheat, lofs. Profit, Or per ann. This field is now drilled with wheat. :£pt lop 4 3 II 5 I I 6 7 0 6 7 THROUGH ENGLAND. 443 Experhnent, No. 70. Courfe, 1. Fallow 3. Wheat 2. Drilled beans 4. Drilled beans* Three acres ; the foil a ftrong clay ; taken in miferable order, quite foul and poor. 1767. In 1766, yielded oats, the flubble of which was ploughed up in May, I7^7i and hemp fown ; but the crop mifcarried : it was then landed up for the winter. 1768. In the fpring, drilled with horfe-beans, kept clean by hand and horfe-hoeing; the crop 3 quarters per acre. Expences, [jFirft; ploughing, - ^.090 Harrowing, - -016 Crofs ploughing, • 076 Landing up, - -076 (Water-furrowing, - o i o {Drilling, - -016 tHarrowing, - -006 I Bufhel and a half feed, ~ ^ 5 3 Water -furrowing, - - o i o Hand-hoeing, - - 050 Shim, - - 008 ,Pouble mould-board plough, o i 2 Carry over, ^ ;i i 7 444 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over. £■-- I 7 h Ditto both again } " 0 I 10 f£ Pulling, . 0 7 0 b Harvelllng^ - 0 3 0 Ha Thrafhing, . . 0 4 6 1\ Rent, - 2, 4 0 Re Total, Produce. 5 I n 3 Quarters, at 3 OS. 4 10 0 h I Load ftraw, I 0 0 k Total, 5 10 0 Expences, - 5 I u Profit, 0 8 I 1769. Ploughed up the bean flubble In au^ tumn ; ploughed it again in November ; in 'January landed up, and in March fowcd with wheat, and with It 20 facks an acre of rabbit dung. It was weeded ; the crop 2 quarters and a half per acre. BiXpences. Firft ploughing, - -076 Secodid ditto, •» 076 Water-furrowing, - 010 Two buftiels feed, - 0130 Sowing, - - 003 Carry over, «- 193 THROUGH ENGLAND. 445 Brought over. Rabbit dung, &c. Weeding, Reaping, Harvefting, Thrafliing, Rent, &c. - £■ I I 0 0 0 I 9 8 6 8 :> 3 2, 2 0 6 9 0 Total, 5 0 8 Produce, Two quarters and a half, at 44^. <; 10 o Straw I load and a half, at;25J-. i 17 6 Total, Expences, Profit, 1770. This crop of drilled beans Experiment^ No. 42. Profit per acre 6/. oj". ^d. Recapitulation. , 1767. Fallow. 1768. Drilled beans, profit, J 769. Wheat ditto, 1770. Drilled beans ditto. 1 7 5 0 6 8 2 6 10 IS that 0 8 2 6 6 0 of f lO 5 : Total, 8 i5 4 1 Or per ann. 2 3 10 446 THE FARMER'S TOUR 'Experiment y No. 71. Courfe, 1. Drilled peafe 3. Beans 2. Wheat 4. Wheat. Five acres ; the foil a fandy loam. 1767. This is the crop regiftered in Experiment^ No. 45. Profit 6 s. Sd, 1768. This drilled wheat is minuted under Experiment, No. 35. The profit 2/.Ss.jd, per acre. 1769. Drilled beans. See Experiment , No. 41. Profit 2/. 5J-. 7^. 1770. The bean ftubble ploughed diredly after| harveft, and after harrowing, and hunt-^ ing, fown 1/ioad-cafl: with wheat. In Fe- bruary manured with rabbit dung. Pro dudl 2 quarters per acre. Expences. Firfl: plouglilng, - jT. Harrowing, Second ploughing, Harrow! nir, Two bufhels feed. Sowing, Carry over, «• Lo IhLKUUUJHL HiNUJ ^Ai>Jl J>. 447 Brought over. Ploughing in gathering up, Water-furrov^ing, 15 Sacks rabbit dung. Weeding, Reaping, Harvefting, Thrafhing, Rent, - - - Total, Produce. 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 I 12 5 I I 5 8 3 6 2 3 0 0 6 0 0 6 0 0 5 4 3 a Quarters, at 48 j. I Load ftraw, 4 I 16 5 0 0 Total, 6 I 0 Expences, 5 4 3 Profit, 0 16 9 Recapitulation. 1767. Drilled peafe, profit, 1768. Ditto wheat, ditto, 1769. Ditto beans, ditto, ;i770. Wheat ditto. G /-» 2 0 6 8 5 16 8 7 7 9 Total, 5 17 7 Or per ann. I 9 4 This field was alfo extremely foul and poor : it is .low winter tares, fucceeded by a baftard faiiow. 448 THE FARMER»s TOUR Experiment i No. 72. Courfe, 1. Drilled beans 3. Ditto beans 2. Ditto wheat 4. Ditto wheat. Eight acres regiftered in the Experitnentt 28, &c. Average profit per annum of the foui?i years, 3/. 15^. 2^. Experiment^ No. 73. Courfe, 1. Fallow 3. Ditto wheat 2. Drilled beans 4. Ditto beans. See Experiments^ No. 32, 33, and 34. Average profit of the 4 years, i /. ij-. i i ^. Experiment^ No. 73.* Courfe. 1. Oats 3. Fallow 2. Tares 4. Drilled wheat Seven acres and 3 quarters ; the foil ftrong loam on brick earth. 1767. Yielded clover in 1766, ploughed it in fpring, and harrowed in oats ; the crop 4 quarters per acre. Expences. Ploughing, - - ^. o ID o 3 Bufhels oats, - 069 Sowings, - -003 Carry over, « 0170 THROUGH ENGLAND. 449 Brought over, - £ Harrowing, Water-furrowing, Mowing, Harvefting, ThraChing, Rent, . 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 17 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 5 Q 6 0 2 0 Total, 2 ^5 0 '^ Produce. \ Quarters, at i6j-. I Load flraw. 3 I 4 0 12 0 ' Total, Expences, 4 2 i(» 0 15 0 Profit, 2 I 0 i 1768. Ploughed up in Ja?imry^ and 1 tares ; but they nearly failed ; ot more than 8j. an acre, loughing, Bulhels feed, larrowing, Iwing, f ater-furrowingj - («nt, Total, • Produce. )^alue of food, Lofs, Vol. IL G g harrowed the value 090 080 020 003 010 120 2 2 3 080 I H-i 450 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1770. For this wheat, fee 'Experiment^ No. 37 J Profit 4/. 1 7 J". Recapitulation. 1767. Oats, profit, - >r. 2 I ol 1770. Wheat ditto, - 4 17 o Total, - - 6 18 o| 1768. Tares, lofs, - 114 Profit, - - 5 3 ig or ^ ~ ^ ^' Or per annum y - i 5 11 "Experiment y No. 74. Courfe. I. Oats. 2. Drilled Peafe. 3. Barley. 1769. Four acres and a half; the foil a lighff' loam on brick earth ; the crop of oats fivj-' ^' quarters and a half. Expences, Ploughing, Three bulliels feed. Harrowing, Sowing, Water-furrowing, Mowing, Harvefting, Thrafhing, Rent, Total, 6 6 2 17 3 3 8 3 THROUGM ENGLAND. 451 Produce. Quarters and a half, at I7j-. ;(^. 4 13 6 raw 2 loads, - - i 12 o Total, Expenees, Profit, 1768. For this crop of drilled peafe, fee Expe-*' \ent^ No. 47. Lofs 6/. 8/. 6^. 1769. Ji -^r// ploughed it with double coulters, fs ploughed it and broke the clods, which ve very rough, with the fpiky roller J af r the roller ox-harrowed it with fix kfes. Without the ufe of this roller, a b^ey feafon could never have been made. It ;vas fown with three bufliels ail acre : ai r fowing and harrowing clods remain- it was again rolled with little fpik^/ 0 !r : the produdl 4 quarters per acre. IIl Expenees. rfighing, Cr"s ditto, Sf:y rolling, 0: harrowing. 0 7 6 0 7 6 0 •-» 0 0 3 0 Carry over, G g 2 452 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, Three bufhels feed. 0 0 9 ' Sowing, Harrowing, Striking furrows, Spiky rolling, Mowing, 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 I I 0 2 Harvefting, Thrafhing, 0 0 4 6 Carrying, Rent, 0 I I 2 Total, 3 7 '' Produce, 4 Quarters, at20J-. Straw 2 loads. £.4 I 0 12 1 Total, 5 12 ;i. Expences, 3 7 Profit, 2 ^D Recapitulation, 1768. Drilled peafe, lofs, 1767. Oats, profit, £.3 8 1769. Barley, profit, 2 4 6 3 7 Mi 1' U ^ 'wo Lofs, — 5 0 1 ^ —■ lo Average, ^ - 0 t. . THROUGH ENGLAND. 453 Experiment^ No. 75. Courfe. 1. Fallow 3. Madder 2. Madder 4. Madder. Seven acres ; the foil a fandy loam. Reglftered in Experiment^ No. 8. Profit I the four years 165/. qs, 6d. or per acre 3 /. lis. 6d. Per acre per ann. "jL 17/. id. Experiment^ No. 76. Courfe. 1. Fallow 3. Madder 2. Madder 4. Madder, Nine acres ; regiftered in Experiments o. 9. Profit on the nine, 245/. i s. which \per acre 27/. 9^. and per 2izxt per ann. Experiment, No. 77. Courfe. 1. Drilled barley 3. Potatoes. 2. Ditto beans Two acres; the foil a flrong loam. 1767. For drilled barley, fee Experiment^ No. ►. Lofs i6x. 1768. "'jBrilled with tick beans, double rows, on ree-feet lands ; product 2 quarters i Ihel per acre. G g 3 454 '^HE FARMER'S TOUR o Expences. Ploughing in autumn, Water-furrowing, Prilling in Marchy Two bufhels feed. Striking with double mould-board plough, Water-lurrowing, 'jf wo hand-hoeings, Shim once, Double mould-board plough ditto, o Pulling, - p Harvefting, - _ o Thrafliing, - - o Rent, - - I Total^ Produce. 2 Quarters 2 bufliels, at 251. Straw half a load, Total, Lofs, 9 I I 6 I I 10 o I 4 2 7 2 13 |Sc o 10^ I, 3 7 o 4' 1769, For the potatoes, fee 'ExperhnerA^ Y Z 61. Profits/. 6/, 6^, THROUGH ENGLAND. 455 : Kc capitulation, 1769. Potatoes, profit, ^T. 8 6 6 1767. Ditto barley, lofs, o 16 o 1768. Beans, ditto, .040 , 100 Profit, - - 766 Fcr anniim^ - 2810 Experiment^ No. 78. Courfe, I. Drilled barley 3. Turnips. 2. Broad-cafl: beans ^...-Soil the fiime as No. 77. 1767. : The drilled barley the fame. 1768. Sown with tick beans ; the crop 2 quar- ters per acre. Expences, Ploughing, Water-furrowing, 0 0 9 I 0 0 Sowing, Three bufhels feed. 0 0 0 9 3 0 Harrowing, Striking furrows. 0 0 2 I 0 0 (Water-furrowing, Two hand-hoeings, Carry over, Q g4 0 0 I 10 0 0 J 13 i 1 4s6 THE FARMER^s TOUR Brought over, PulUng, Harvefting, Thrafhing, Rent, Total, Produce, Two quarters, at 25 j. Straw three quarters of a load, Total, Lofs, >C-i 13 5 - 0 7 0 Q 4 Q 0 2 4 I 2 q 3 8 9 2 10 0 0 15 0 3 5 Q 0 3 9 1769. Well tilled and manured for turnips ; the crop 3/. 3J. />^r acre. Expences. Ploughing, Water-furrowing, 0 9 0 I c c Hunted in May, - 0 7 6 Ox-harrowing, 1 7 Loads yard-dung, 0 3 5 ^ G C Spreading, Twice ploughing. -02 0 10 c Harrowing, - 0 I c DriUing with the cag-plough, Seed, - ^ 0 0 0 0 f r Hand-hoeing, Rent, - 0 10 1 2 c c Total, -» 8 8 e THROUGH ENGLAND. 457 Expences, - jT. 8 8 6 Produce. food, -> - 330 • Lois,. Recapitulation. 1767. Drilled barley, lofs, 016 o 1768. Beans ditto, - 039 J769. Turnips ditto, -* S S ^ Lofe, - - 653 Per ann. - w 210 Experiment, No. 79. Courfe. r. Oats. 2. Beans. 3. Tares. One acre and three quarters ; the foil a ftrong clay. In 1766 it yielded wheat. 1767. The ftubble of which was ploughed up in Marchy and oats harrowed in j the crop three quarters per acre. Expences. ploughing, - o 10 o 'Harrowing, -« - 020 Seed three bufhels, - 069 Sowing, - - - 003 Water-furrowing, - 010 Mowing, - 018 Carry oyerj « 118 458 THE FARMER'S TOUR Brought over, Harvefting, £.1 0 I 8 4 0 Thrafhing, 0 4 6 Rent, &c. I 2 0 Total, 0 12 2 Produce. Three quarters, at I5J-. One load and quarter ftraw. 2 I 5 0 0 0 Total, 3 5 0 Expenccs, 2 12 2 Profit, 0 12 10 1768. Ploughed up the oat ftubbl t in JanTtaryy arid harrowed in tick beans j the crop two quarters per acre. Expcnces. Ploughing, - -* 0 10 0 Sowing, Three bufhels feed. ■^ 0 0 3 9 9 Harrowing, 0 4 0 Hand-hoeing once, - - 0 7 P Pulling, Harvcfiing, Thralliing, 0 0 0 7 0 4 P 3 0 Rent, r I 2 0 Total, 3 7 0 THROUGH ENGLAND, 459 Produce. Two quarters, at 25^. - /^. 2 10 o 3traw one load. 100 Total, Expenccs, Profit, 0 0 10 0 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 1769, Ploughed the beaa ftubble in Marc/jt and harrowed in tares in May; the crop came but to little, not worth more than ^s, an acre. "Expence:. Ploughing, - - o 10 o Sowing, - *^ o 3 Seed two bufhels, - o 10 o Harrowing, - -016 Rent, - -^ 120 Total, Produce, ^ 3 ^ 5 9 0 I 18 9 Lofs, "Recapitulation, 1769. Tares, lofs, - i iS 1767. Oats, profit, ;^. o 12 10 1768. Beans ditto, 030 _o_£5_io I 2 II Lofs, 46(5 THE FARMER'S TOUR Objervations. Mr. Arhiithnot has had fuch a variety of undertakings in the hufbandry way, that all his fields could not poffibly receive equal attention. The lofs on this field has been firft fowing oats after wheat, and afterwards always fowing it on one earth, which on a ftiff clay cannot be right. It is a proof, that the common management of thefe lands yield a very poor advantage at beft. '^ Experiment^ No. 80. Courfe, 1. Fallow 4. Wheat 2. Drilled barley 5. Oats. 3. Tares Five acres ; foil a ftrong loam on clay . fallowed in 1766, and in 1767 drilled with ^ barley ; for which crop fee Experimejit^ No. 60. Lofs 2/. 8 J. 4(7. 1768. Harrowed in tares on two earths ; mown for foiling horfes ; kept ten three weeks, and yielded thirty ihillirigs worth of fheep fee4 b^fides. p THROUGH ENGLAND. 461 Expences, Firft ploughing, Water-furrowing, Second ploughing, Harrowing, Two bufhels tares. Mowing and carting, Rent, is is at .0 0 0 0 0 0 I 7 0 7 I 10 5 2 6 6 6 6 0 a 0 Total, ^ 14 0 Produce, Keeping ten horfes four we( 7J-. 6d. — 15/.; the fifth Sheep feed 30/.; the fifth 3 0 0 6 0 0 Total, Expences, 3 2 6 14 0 0 Profit, 0 12 0 1769. Harrowed in wheat on one ploughing; produce three quarters per acre. Expences. Ploughing, - - 076 Harrowing, - 016 Two bufhels feed, - o 13 o Striking furrows, - o p o Water-furrowing, - '■W-- i^'^o Reaping, - - 086 Harvefting, - -040 Carry over, - 1163 ^•1 i6 3 o 9 0 o I 6 I 2 0 3 8 9 6 12 0 I 5 0 7 17 0 3 8 9 4 8 3 462 THE FARMEPx^s TOUR Brought over, Thrafhing, Carrying, - Rent, Total, Product'. Three quarters, at 44 -f. One load ftraw, Total, Expences, Profit, ^77°- Harrowed in oats on one earth : clover "was fown on the wheat, but it mifcarried, which Avas the reafon of ibwing oats ; for clover was wanting, under which crop it now is, and very fine. Produd: 3 quarters p^r acre. Exj)e/2ccs, Ploughing, Harrowing, Three bufhels feed, - Sowing, \Vater-f*u rrow i ng, Striking water-furrows, Mowing, - - Carry over, - - 0 ■5 0 0 2 0 0 7 6 0 0 3 0 I 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 17 1 ; THROUGH ENGLAND. 46: Brought over, Harvefting, Thrafhing, Rent, - - £■0 0 0 I 17 5 4 0 u 0 6 0 Total, Producf, Three quarters. Straw one load. Total, Expences, Profit, Recapitulation. 1768. Tares, profit, 1769. Wheat ditto. 1770. Oats ditto. «» /> 9 5 3 0 0 16 0 0 3 2 16 9 0 5 I 0 - 4 I 6 12 8 6 7 0 3 7 Total, [767. Drilled barley, lofs. Profit, Per ann, m 6 6 2 8 3 18 10 4 6 0 15 8 "Experiment^ No. 81. Courfe. i. Madder. 2. Ditto. 3. Ditto. 4. Ditto. Six acres. For the crops, fee Experi- lent^ No. 13. Vol, II. J4 8 Lofs, 00 464 THE FARMER'S TOUR Lofs, - - ^. 68 14 o Which is per acre, 11 90 And per ^cre per ann, 217 3 This lofs is iiowever but in appearance : fuch numbers of plants were drawn from it, that, if reckoned, as they are elfewhere, the profit would be very great. Experiment^ No. 82, Courje, I. Madder. 2. Ditto. • 3. Ditto. Nine acres : the crop regiHered in Expc^ rwienti No. 10. Proht 211/. I2j-. 4^.,, /^t-r acre 23/. 10 j". '^d. Per acre per ann^^, ' ^l, ijs. 6d, Q Experiment f No. 83. - Cotirfe,. ' 1. Fallow 3. Madder 2. Madder d. Ditto. ft Ten acres. See Experiment^ No. 14, Profit 333/. (ys. which is per acre 3 3 /J. 6 J", jd, and per acre per ann. 8/. 6/, '^d\ ■ Experiment^ No. 84. Courfes. . \. 1. Fallow • 3.. Madder '' 2. Madder 4, Ditto. Three acres. See Experiment^ No, 15' ^ / 7 ( Profit, - £. { Or per acre, - . 35 2 ^ ^er 2lQVQ per ^m, - 8 15 ; THROUGH ENGLAND. 465 Experiment^ No. 'i^. Courje. •i. Turnips. 2. Turnips. 3. Turnips. . Two acres ; the foil a black rich loam. " Trench-plou 1767- . ghed fome lucerne, and harrowed in turnips : they were drawn for [heep, at 4/. an acre. ..■, Expejjces. French-ploughing with Ducket\ plough, - - >C- 0 13 0 Harrowing, - 020 Jowing, Seed, - - - Twice hand-hoeing, lent, &c. 003 006 0100 160 Total, - 211 .9 ^y fheep feed, lixpences, FrodaSi. 400 211 9 Trofit, - 1 8 3 1768. Trench-ploughed it again, and harrowed 1 turnips, fed on the land by ilieep, 3 /. ih acre. Vol. IL H h 466 THE FARMER'S TOUR Expe?ices. Ploughing, - • >c. o 13 0 Harrowing and lowing, 0 2 9 Seed, - - 0 0 6 Twice hand-hoeing, 0 10 0 Rent, Sec. Produce, I 6 0 Total, 2 12 3 Sheep feed, - - 3 0 0 Expences, - - 2 12 0 Profit, 0 8 0 1769.^ Trench-ploughed again for turnips, as before ; fed with fheep, 3/. lox. per acre. FrodiiB. Sheep feed, - - 3 10 o Expences as before, except but one hoeing, - 273 Profit, 129 Kecapitiilation. 1767. Turnips, profit, 1768. Ditto, ditto, 1769. Ditto, ditto, I 8 3 0 8 c 1 2 9 Total, 2 19 c Ter a7inu7Jty 0 19 8i THROUGH ENGLAND. 467 But in addition to this profit is that Very great one of feeding on the land by fheep, which is certainly more than 19/, 8^. a year. Experiment^ No. 86. Courfe. 3. Madder 4. Madder, regiflered in Experimefit^ 1. Fallow 2. Madder Four acres ; No. 12. Profit, - £.gy ig Per acre, - -^ 24 9 Per acre per" annum^ 6 2 Experiment^ No. 87. Courfe. 4. Lucerne 5* Lucerne. 4 10 1. Lucerne 2. Lucerne 3. Lucerne Twelve acres. See Experiment^ No. 5^ Profit per acre ^^r ann. 61. 4^. 4<3'1 General Obfer'vatvms. In order to draw thofe really uieful con- clufions from the preceding regifter of courfes, which they certainly will afford, it is neceffary to flate them in one complete Tiew, retainino- no other xircumflances fltlian the crops, and the clear profit or ijofs. H h s 468 THE FARMER'S TOUR Courfes that have proved pro fit able. Expert- Expi tuenty No. 1. 62. I. Peafe, 2. Winter tares, 3. Fallow, 4. Wheat, o 64. J. Barky^2. Clover, 3. Clo- ver, 4. Wheat, - 4 66. I. Oats, 2. Peafe, 3. Fal- low, 4. Wheat, - 2 67. I. Beans, 2AVhcat, 3. Tares, 3 68. I. Drilled beans, 2. Drilled wheat, 3. Drilled beans, 4. Winter tares, - o I. Stubble, 2. Fallow, 3. Drilled wheat, 4.Drilltd beans, - i 1. Fallow, 2. Drilled beans, 3. Wheat, 4. Drilled beans, i I. Drilled peafe, 2. Drilled wheat, 3. Beans, 4, Wheat, 2 I. Drilled beans, 2. Ditto wheat, 3. Ditto beans, 4. Di to wheat, - 2 I. Fallow, 2. Drilled beans, . 3. Ditto wheat, 4. Ditto beans, - - o 73.*!. Oats, 2. Tares, 3. Fal- low, 4. Drilled wheat, 1 I. Fallow, 2. Madder, 3. Madder, 4. Madder, 76. I. Fallow, 2. Madder, 3. Madder, 4. Madder, I. Drilled barley, 2. Ditto beans, 3. Potatoes, 80. I. Fallow, 2. Drilled barley, 3. Tares, 4. Wheat, 5. Oats, o I. Madder, 2. Madder, 3. Madder, - - 3 83. I. Fallow, 2, Madder, 3. jMiiddcr, 4. xMadder, ^ 6 69 '?o. 72. 73 75 // 82. )endec //« mure s. ^/. 0 0 5 6 5 18 6 3 0 0 8 6 8 2 13 0 lo 0 19 0 2 10 10 0 10 0 10 0 0 0 12 6 0 0 Profit per' acre per annum. I. s. d, 290 3 19 8 1 10 I 617 2 16 0 067 2 3 10 I 9 4 3 15 2 I I II 1 5 II 7 17 2 9 :^ 0 2 8 10 0 15 8 5 17 6 II 10 7 THROUGH ENGLAND. 469 Courfes that Lave proved pj-ofdahle, continued. ■ _'>ert- mti Expended in manure. >. L s. d. 8 I. Fallow, 2. Madder, 3. Madtler, 4. Mr-dder, 3 12 O 8 1. Fallow, 2. Madder, 3. Mad 'er, 4. Madder, 600 8 I. Turnips, 2. Turnips, 3. Turnips, - 0 0 0 S( I. Fallow, 2. ^'T adder, 3. Madder, 4. Madder, 240 % I. Lucerne, 2. Lucerne, 3. Lucerne, 4. Lucerne, 5. Lucerne, - O O O Profit per acre per annum. I s. d. 7 4 11 8 15 7 o 19 8 625 644 Courfes that have been attended with lofs-. Manure. Lofs, 6, I. Fallow, 2. Spring tares, 3. Wheat, 4. Oats, I I 6 o 2 6. I. Tares and fiax, 2. Fal- low, 3. Tares, 4. Wheat, i i 6 o 6 7 I. Oats, 2. Drilled peale, 3. Barley, - 6 15 O o 5 1 \. Drilled -iarley, 2. Beans, 3. Turnips, - 5 4 O 2 i 7'! I. Outs, 2. Beans, 3. Tarts, 00007 8 I. Madder, 2. Madder, 3. Madder, 4. Madder, 000 2 17 Fhc firft object that ftrikes one here is, t vafl profit attending ample manurings; l" dividing the table, this will appear de- c ve. Vol. II. H h 3 1 the lall line of the preceding page, for 11/. 10 j-. 7 /. •>-^8/. 6i. jd. 470 THE FARMER*s TOUR Courfes manured for above 3 /. a7i acre. Profit, No. 64, - - /^- 3 19 67, - - - 6 I 75, Madder, - 7 ^7 76, Ditto, - - 9 3 77> - - - 2 8 82, Madder, - 5 17 83, Ditto, - 8 6 83, Ditto, - - 7 4 84, Ditto, - - 8 ^5 Total, - - 59 14 I 74, Lofs, £.0^1 78, Ditto, 2 I 9 2 6 Total, - - 57 7 Average, - - 5 4 Courfes manured for under 3/. an acre. Profit. No. 66, - - - I 10 69, - - 06 70, - - - 23 71, - - I 9 - 3 15 II I 5 86, - - -625 Total, - 17 Jf5 3 63, Lofs, -022 65, - 069 /-J 8 I Total, - - i7___6_4 Average, - - i 14 I THROUGH ^SN^L AND. 471 XJnmanured crops ^^'■'^"''^ No. 62, Profit, - jT. 2 9 o 68, - - 2 16 o 80, - - o 15 8 85, - - o 19 8 Total, - - 704 79, Lofs, ^.077 81, Madder, 2 17 3 D 4 10 3 15 6 o 12 7 644 Total, Average, Lucerne profit. Madder excluded tbe account will be thus. Manurings above 3 /. an acre, 3 19 S 617 2 8 10 No. . 64, Profit, 67, - 77> Total, 74, Lofs, 78, Ditto, Total, Average, b ^ 12 10 I 2 611 10 3 2 ion H h 4 472 THE FARMER'S TOUR Manurings under 3 /. an cere. Average profit, as before, ;/r. i 14 7 The U77mamircd crops. No. 62, 68, 80, and 85, 704 79, Lofs, - - 077 Total, - - 6 12 9 Average, - 166 Manured for above 3 /. - 207 Under 3/. - i 14 7 Superiority, - o 6 q Above 3/. - - 207 Unnanured, - - 166 Superiority, - o 14 i ^'^ Under 3/. - - - i 14 7 Unmanured, - - 166 Superiority, - 08 Lucerne is excluded? which is fo un- commonly profitable without manuring^ that it would overturn all conclufions. From this view of the crops, with ari eye to manures, it is very evident, that profit depends very much on manure^ and ^hat lat for k THROUGH ENGLAND. 473 that the degree of the one is very niti- mately conneded with the other. This Is a general refult ; but not fo Important as a more particular one. From examining the courfes, it appears, that very ample ma- nurings will be but lofmg, unlefs the coiirfe is good : thus, in 74 and 78, drilled peafe and drilled barley are introduced, both crops Improper for this foil ; fo that ma- nuring of 6/. 1 5 J", and 5/. 4^. are attended only with lofs. No. 68, though unma- nurcd, pays 2/. i6x. profit; whereas No. 80, unmanured, pays but \<^s. 8^. This Is owing to drilled beans being in one, and drilled barley in the other. The moft profitable courfes are ; No. 64. I. Barley, 2. Clover, 3 . Clover, 4. Wheat : it pays >C- 3 ^ 9 S No. 67. I. Beans, 2. Wheat, 3, Tares, - - 617 No. 72. I. Beans, 2. Wheat, 3. Beans, 4. Wheat: all drilled, 3 15 2 Hence it is evident, that the mofi: pro- fitable method of manuring thefe foils is to make clover, beans and tares, the fallow crops, and to have wheat the only white corn one. This will be further illuflrated by leledlng the next rank of profitable crops. 474 THE FARMER'S TOUR No. 68. I. Drilled beans, 2. Ditto wheat, 3. Ditto beans, 4. Winter tares, - - ^T. 2 i6 o No. 70. I. Fallow, 2. Drilled beans, 3. Wheat, 4. Drilled beans, - - 2 3 lo No. 77. I. Drilled barley, 2. Ditto beans, 3. Potatoes, - 2 8 10 The drilled barley was unprofitable ; this profit was therefore on the beans, &c. This fcale of profit fhews evidently the beneficial courfes ; as to barley, oats, and turnips, they are comparatively contemp- tible to the fuperior crops of clover, beans, tares, and wheat. Potatoes are but once tried ; but they bid extremely fair for gx^ ceeding any. Wheat appears to pay very well for a complete fummer fallow. If a hint is taken from thefe courfes, fuch an one as the following may probably be found uniformly advantageous. I. Fallow 8. Winter tares 0 Wheat 9. Beans 3. Beans drilled 10. Wheat 4- Oats II. Potatoes 5- Clover 12. Oats 6,. Qover 13. Clover / * Wheat 14, Wheat. It THROUGH ENGLAND. 475 It may be fuppofed I introduce the oats merely as an introduction to the clover, and for the fake of fome ftraw, in cafe it could not be bought. A farm thus difpofed would be, Fan- FourtC( =nths in Wheat. Two Ditto Oats. Two Ditto Beans. One Ditto Tares. Three Ditto Clover. One Ditto Potatoes. One Ditto Fallow. I mention nothing of cabbages, becaufe they are not yet experienced on this farm. Eight fourteenths, cleanfe and ameliorate. Six ditto, foul and exhauft. The land therefore muft always be clean and in good heart. This for common hufbandry ; but the great profit is to manure very richly, and plant madder. The clear profit of the madder courfcs far exceeds the common ones ; but lucerne, without any manure at all, comes nearly to madder with great quantities. VI. MISCELLANEOUS EXPE- RIMENTS. Mr. Arbuthnofs attention to hufbandry has been in no refpedt confined : fome ob- jedls, 47^ THE FARMER'S TOUR jedls, as may be eafily conceived, have demanded more fplrited efforts than others ; but very few have been negledted. It will, for the fake of clearnefs, be requifite to throw thofe enquiries, which have not been made in fo extended a manner as the reft, into a divifion by themfelves. They w\\\ | lie properly arranged under the following heads. 1. Manures y. Carrots ^ 2. Draining 8. Deftroying 3. Deep ploughing thiftles 4. Velvii wheat 9. Black bent 5. Growth of wheat 10. Sheep 6. Feeding wheat 11. Planting poplars MANURES. This gentleman, in his culture of mad- <+er, • which at 3 ^. i come to, for 3 acres, - - ^.2184 Carry over, - 2184 'Vol. II. I i .482 THE FARMER'S TOUR 1- J Brought over, - jf . 2 1 8 4 Drawing furrows, - 018 |q T^iree acres, - 300 Which is per acre, 100 if-wo loads of thorns, fuppofe ^v ^5 o Total per acre, - i 15 o Experiment, No. 99. The expence of the above drains being ;ci fpmething coniiderable, and good hands' it ufed to the work, not being always to be bad, Mr. Arbuthnot deferred the draining; ,( his w^hole farm, until he could invent a plough that would perform the operation. In this defign he fucceeded, and with thci u plough drained 26 acres of grafs land, the \ drains 2 perch afunder, as above, 17 ■ inches deep, 2 wide at bottom, and 8 | at top. Filled like the others with thorns ; but from the cuts being truer,, and narrower ; at bottom than they can be dug, i load oi 1: thorns filled 70 perch. Twelve horfe>= were ufed, and the whole expence ol ploughing^, filling, .&G.^ cam« to \ d. pa e perch. ' " ';r. f'; '-: -^ -200 Perch, at i d.on 3 acres, £, o 16 8 \ WhicTi'Ts /rr'-'acrp, - 056; '' THROUGH ENGLAND. 483 Brought over, £. o 5 61 One load thorns, •* 076 I This is fomething over the truth. ' Total pe?- acre, - 013 ok Expence per acre with the fpade, 115 o With the plough, ^ o 13 o| Superiority, * i i 1 1 This prodigious faving, w^hich, in a few acres, Vv'ould at once pay the expence of the implement, fhould call the attention of all, who have any quantity of land to drain in this manner. With this noble implemeat the trouble and expence of covered drains are reduced to a trifle, to much lefs than Bne crop of any fort would pay. But here I fhould obferve, that this ex- periment was made with the plough, before it was perfected by adding wheels of five feet inftcad of the former ones of two feet : he has reduced the draft four horfes ; fo that it is now worked with only eight, confequently will do its work cheaper than mentioned in the above calculation. For an explanation fee plate XV. DEEP PLOUGHING. This part of hufbandry Mr. Arbuthnot bas pra6tifed upon the largsft fcale, and I i 2 with 4^4 THE FARiMERV TOUR with very great fuccefs. His foil is chiefly a ftroag loam, never ploughed befoi-e more than five inches deep : he has ftirred it 12 inches, and the additional feven are aftrong brick earth. He ahyays begins with a winter fallow, and leavevS it through the jv.i,ijter^fp^ beans, on one fpring ploughing. No manuring, except fome with lime. The beans very good crops : much too good to give the leaft reafon to fuppofe them the woffe for the deep ploughing, efpecially as the ground was in general very foul and poor. The beans have been followed by various other crops, none of which have indicated any ill effed: from deep ploughing. He makes it a rule, never to fow any fibrous-rooted crop for the firft after this operation. He ohte fowed barley on it and laid down to clover ; the barley a poor :crop; but the clover took perfectly well: it-was dunged, and yielded a very large pro- '4ud ; alfo one' the fecond year, after which *&' was fed; and trench-ploughed for wheat. The crop four quarters an acre, though ii 'appeared to. hie- much hurt by the worm, and v^ras fed bare with Iheep in March, THROUGH ENGLAND. 4S5 VELVIT WHEAT. 'Experiment^ No. 100. In 1768, Mr. Arbuthnot gathered* tix ears of this wheat, from the down' on'1t attradting this notice ; and carrying it"tb market, the farmers remarked that they knew it, but had loft the fort, and called it velvit v/heat. This induced him to fow it feed by feed in 1768. He took off the tillers and tranfplanted them, which <5pe- ration he repeated, and planted thein""iri the middle of a field of beans, to avoid blending the different farina of the wheats. In doing this he obferved, that the tranf- planted plants run away for feed before Uheir own tillers came into ear ; fo that if this method was pradtifed in common, there would be a fortnight difference in the ri- ipeningof the ears of the fame plant ; for which reafon it is a mere matter of curiofity. V The producl of the fix ears was 14 quarts, which were drilled on one acre, in four rows, eight inches afunder, on four- feet lands : fome of it in double rows, 1 4 inches, on the lame fize lands : they were jiboth hand and horfe-hoed fufliclently, to ;ikeep them quite clean. In harveft, the produds of the two ways of drilling were I i 3 blended 486 THE FARMER'S TOUR blended together through hurry ; but the total was three quarters three pecks ; -which quantity, from lefs than two pecks of feed, - he juftly efteems a very great produce, ^' and attributes it to the fort of wheat. The ic ,land had been ploughed 14 inches deep P for madder. Such a crop fhews the good i« effect of both deep ploughing and madder, in preparing for wheat. He propofes fowing it all this year, 1 after which the fort will be fully regained, a GROWTH OF WHEAT. i Experiment^ No. Id. '^^ Mr. Arbuthnot^ receiving a hint from Dr. Fordyce, on the different fucceflion of the roots of plants, and finding the fame clearly laid down in a manufcript, faid to ' be written by Dr. Cullen^ ProfefTor of Che- 'P' tniftry at Edinburgh^ who explains the na- ture of the roots of all culmiferous plants 1 «" in the following words : *' Culmiferous i lir plants have three fets of fibres : the firft | n fet is formed on the radicle, the fecond fct i im is formed above this, at a knot on tkcj im plumula ; the third, at a knot in the plumula, above the fecond : this the dif- covery of Bennet, Upon the due formatio n qf thefe three knots an4 fets of fibres, \ , ^j, judge ' \ THOROUGH ENGLAND. 4S7 I judge the tillering of frumentaceous plants I does entirely depend : that if thefe knots ^ are imperfe whether on jt,h,e head-lands or middle of the field? fu^ii p^vvis have been moft fubjeiSt tq fmut, .^wivigs ,fVS he t)eli;evcs, to the: furface of the earth not being pervious enough to I admit THROUGH ENGLAND. 489 admit the laft fet of fibres, which it is to be obferved firft (hoot from the piimula into the open air, and then introduce them- fclves into the furface, frequently at the 'iflance of three quarters of an inch. ^ his fadt Mr. Arbiithnot has many times remarked, in examining the roots ot field wheat. FEEDING WHEAT. Experiments No. 105. This gentleman, from obrerving the efted: of feeding wheat in the fpring, ap- prehends it to be very beneficial to a thin crop, and as prejudicial to a thick one : the feeding makes it tiller ; but then it ihould be -done by turning in a fiock, that will eat it down in two or three days, and not by a few, who will pick and cull the fhoots. * In March^ '^11^ y ^^ turned his flock •into one half of a wheat field, intending to eat that half quite down to the ground, -and to leave the other untouched. Wet coming on, obliged the fheep to be re- moved ; nor could they afterwards be put •in again, as the wheat began to Tpine. The *fide of the field fed appeared rather the ^better crop of the two. 49© THE FARMER'S TOUR CARROTS. Experiment y No. io6. Sowed carrot feed in March, When the plants were 2 inches high, fome were trans- planted ; it was about the middle of May, In drawing them up, the ends of the tap- roots were broken off. This idea of trans- planting carrots arofe from the great ex- pence of hoeing that crop, much of which would be faved by this practice. One of the plants taken up at random in September^ weighed 3/^.; the top \lb, the XQot ilb. The principal root for 4 inches deep was 4 in diameter ; and then branched into five fine ftraight roots. 'Experiment^ No. 107. Mr. Arbuthnot having obferved in Eafi^ Frizelandy that it was the cuftom to fow carrots in the fpring on wheat and rye, and to harrow the feed in, he was induced to try it in 1768. The field a ftrong loam on clay. In May he drilled a row of carrots l^etween two of wheat, at 14 inches, on 3 k feet lands, and alfo broad-caft over fevcral acres. The feed was mixed with bran, in which manner his drill delivered it very regularly. After the wheat was reaped, they were hand-hoed^ the produce 40 buiheb THROUGH ENGLAND. 491 bufliels per acre. And this pradllce he thinks may turn out profitable on light deep foils. In Frizeland it is the cuftom to plough them up and houfe, or to turn their hogs into the field, and eat them on the iajod, Obfervations. --^h -^^ The carrot being a tap-rooted plant, in all probability the damage they do the wheat is inconfiderable, or at leaft not to be named with a product of 40 bufhels an acre. Carrots are very well worth I J", a bufhel in feeding cattle; 40 j. an acre, added to the wheat, is an object of no flight magnitude ; befides, it i s obfervable, that thefe were drilled fo late as May^ which is at leaft two months too late; alfo, that the foil is very ftifF, inftead of being light, ivhich is what the root delights in : upon the whole, it is fairly to be prefumed, that the practice may prove beneficial on manj foils. Another circumftance is the plough- ing, which the land gets at Micbaelmas iov raifing them, which it other wife perhaps would not have. ^3!: DESTROYING THISTLES. Experiment^ No. 108. rtDiriw nt In a large field laid to grafs, the land jiaving been very foul, innumerable thiftles gfterrr 492 tn^ VA^iAi^^'rbxjR afterwards appeared ; they were repeatedly fpudded without any effedl — they were re- peatedly mown with no better : after this they werefufFered to ftand till jiifl going to blof- fom ; the heads only were then cut off : this appeared to weaken the plants. They put out lateral fhoots only from the ftem, whereas fhofe ' that were fpudded put out numberlefs tillers ; but ftill they were not deftroyed. Mr. Arbiithnot having remarked, that rolling in the fpring, while the land is wet, was fatal to the crop of grafs, deter- mined to roll this land when very wety with an heavy roller : he accordingly did it, and the effect has been fo great, that (ince this operation fcarcely a thiftle has appeared ; but he fpoiled his crop of hay. In other- fields he has mown, and then bruifed them Vvith the heavy roller in dry tveathcr, but VN^ithoiit any efFerorth with the faggots is. In all \is. .lod. No. 2. The worfl, 12 | feet of timber, and the top worth I J. In all 10 s. ^d. Average, lis. ^jd. An acre planted in fquare$ of 8 feet would contain 680 trees, which, at lis. ^ d. amount to - - - £. 393 o «> Expences, Suppofe the trees bought or raifed at 3^. each, - ;(^. 8 10 o Planting, - - 050 Filling vacancies by death; fup- pofe 50, - - o 12 6 Fencing repairs, - - o 10 o Nine years rent, fuppofe at 30 j. 13 10 o Total, - - 23 7 6 Produd, - 393 o o Expences, - - 23 7 6 Profit, - 369 12 6 Which is /N^'?* acre /^r ^?/;?. 41 14 No liufbandry or gardening in the wcarld will equal this vaft profit. It is aftoniiliing that more plantations of fuch quick-grov/ing trees THROUGH ENGLAND. 497 trees arc tiot made. This Toil is a black, rich, low grouud, near water. Kxperiment^ No. 3. • Some willows planted at the fame time land diftance, nieafured on an average 18 feet of timber, worth 6 rt^. a foot, and the tops IS. 6d. 680, at IOJ-. 6^. - J^'dSI ° ^ Expences as above, - 2376 Profit, - « 333 12 6 Or per acre per ann. 37 From which moft confiderable return there is no flight reafon to fuppofe the common idea, that this tree fhould for profit have ;he head cut off, is an error ; for it is a ]ueflion, whether the produdl by faggots .Yould equal half this. But in fituations, vhere poles fell well, Mr. yfrte/6;zc^obferves, hat you may cut them every fxx years, nd fell at an am-azing price, but not for aggots. He likewife remarks, that the )ody of the willow tree rives into pales* diich are admirable for fences, hardening 11 the air, and arc nearly as durable as )ak. Vol. II. Kk 498 THE FARMER'S TOUR VII. IMPLEMENTS. If a perfon, the leaft fklUed in agricul- ture, looks around for inftruments that de- ferve to be called complete, how few will he meet with ! Every day brings to light new pliins of culture, for the profitable execution of which peculiar inftruments are neceflary : it is often the want of thefe that cafts a damp on beginnings, which would otherwife turn out highly fuccefsful ; but being liable to numerous mifcarriages, and great expences, for want of the proper machines, the modes of culture are them- felves condemned. The new hufbandry, among other inftances, may be quoted, which abfolutely depends on the merit of the implements ufed. Mr. Arbiithnot^ on his beginning this courfe of trials, experienced the inconvc-i niences here mentioned; and this induced" liim to invent a great variety of moft ex- cellent machines fubfcrvient to hufbandry, with which he has been enabled to carry feveral branches of culture to a perfedion unknown before; and, at the fame time,}) at a much lower cxpence, than was pof-j fible to be effcded with the tools before iiii' ufe, I will venture to aflert, that the fol-i lowiuG: rialelX.pag:e495). THROUGH ENGLAND. 499 lowing implements will do honour to their inventor. Plate IX. The great Wheel Plough, References . From I to 2 1 0 Feet 0 Inches. I to 3 — 3 2 3 to 4 — 2 8 4 to 0 — 4 0 5 to 6 I 8 7 to 6 2 0 6 to A I 2 7 to 8 — 2 I 8 to 9 — I 7 9 to 10 — 2 9 II to 12 3 3 7 to 10 2 10 13 to 14 — 3 but variable* 4 to 15 3 ditto. 13 to 15 3 0 16 to I — 5 0 The gallows 1 7 inches wide. The beam 6 inches fquare at the coulter hole, rounded to 3 at the end. Diameter of the little wheel 2 feet 4 inches. Ditto of the larger 4 feet. This is the implement, with which Mr. Arhuthnot performs all his operations of deep ploughing ; he ftirs 1 8 inches deep with it, the draft 8 to 12 horfes. It per- forms the work in the beft manner, K k 2 500 THE FARMER'S TOUR Plate X. Fig. I. ^he ffjiall fpiky Roller, References. a to b — 10 Feet o Inches, b to c — 3 o b to e — 2 lo e to f — 30 g to i — I 8 g to n — 2 o k to I — 2 3 i to m — « o 6 Inches broad at bottom, 15 a- bove the axle. Diameter of the cylinder i foot 8 inches. This roller, being drawn through any furrows, whether thofe of beds in fallow- ing, or the intervals of drilled crops, &c. is of very great ufe in pulverizing them, when no horfe-hoe will ha\^ any effedt. Plate X. Fig. 2. T^he Berkjhire Shim, References. a to c — I o Feet o Inches. a to b — 5 4 c to b — 4 6 d to e — 2 10 b to g — I 7 a to f — I 7 h to i — I o Diameter of the wheel 14 Inches. The PlateXTv'ol.ll .pa . J o o. tat' i THROUGH ENGLAND. 501 The fhare 14 inches long at cutting part, and 10 at top ; the bottom 4 inches wide : but fhares of any fize may be fixed in it. The block 4 inches thick by y inches deep. The beam 3 inches fquare, rounded. As the fhim is here reprefented, it is 2 feet from the top of the block to the ground, and from the top of the beam to the ground, at the wheel, 20 inches. The fhare rifesor finks at pleafiire through the block, as does the wheel through the beam. It will not here be improper to remark, that this tool is in Berkfiire no longer a common one, and that feveral gentlemen, who had tried it, laid it afide as a bad inftrument ; which has arifen from not attending fufficiently to the variations of the wheel. Mr. Arbiithnot has improved it, by fetting the fhare into the earth, in- ftead of leaving it flat, by which means the cffe(5l in cutting is much flronger. He has found a fliim of incomparable ufe in anfwering the purpofe of the hand-hoe, cutting through all the weeds, and leaving them to die in the fun. It is fimple, and very expeditious. The price 2 /. 3 J". K k 3 502 THE FARMER'S TOUR Plate XI. The double mould-board Plough. References, Fig. I. A perfpeSiive view of the Plough. A. The fhare, 22 inches long and 16 inches broad, rifing with an angular creft on the middle of its upper furface. B. The coulter, its extreme length is 3 feet 2 inches, its breadth is 3 inches in the blade, and i f inch in the fhank ; inclining to the horizon about 40 degrees, and is 4 feet 2 inches diftant from the point of the beam to the inner fide of the mortife. C. The falfe coulter and tuck, with an iron key or wedge driven through a mortife in the upper end of it. D. The breaft-plate, its height from the . fhare to its upper or angular point is 2 feet^ and at its back edge 1 8 inches ; its breadth at the top, is 4 inches, and at the bottorn 9 inches, inclining to the horizon about 45 degrees. E E. The mould-boards, or iron wings» are 1 8 f inches broad on the upper ends, 1 9 f inches broad at their under ends, and I of an inph thick. F. The beam, is 6 feet 9 inches long from its fore end to the ihoulder of its tenon 5 the thicknefs of the beam is 4 1 inched r/rrtr Xl.pcfffe Jcz. Vo/ .IF. r/nr, xi./uii/e .VI . iw.jr. THROUGH ENGLAND, 503 inches by 3 | at the fhouldcr of its tenon, which is inferted into the beam poft H. The whole length of the plough from the fore end of the beam to the extremity of its handles is 1 1 feet 2 f inches. G. The fheath, is 2 feet 4 inches long, 5 i broad, and i f thick ; its back edge is 1 1 ^ inches from the fhoulder, of the beam, inclining to the horizon 40 degrees. H. The hind fheath is 3 feet 2 I inches ^ong, 4 i inches broad, and 3 inches thick; its under end is mortifed into the chip, but the beam and handles are faftened to the hind fheath with wooden trundles, wedges, and nails. I I. The handles of the plough, are z feet 8 i inches diftant from each other a^ their points or upper ends. K. An iron caliper, whofe fore ends are faftened with iron pins (fee fig. 8) h h, to the inner fides of the mould-boards, or bended iron wings ; the outer ends of the caliper are pierced through with holes to receive the hook L, which ferves to fix the caliper, &c. to the degree of expanlioa required. L. An iron hook faftei^ed to the hind iheath H, K k 4 M. An 504 THE FARMER'S TOUR M. An iron ring 3 inches diameter, which . pafles loofely through a hole in one of the arms of the caUper, and is laid over the other arm to fix the caliper, when the mould- boards are opened to their full extent. N. The perpendicular fliank of the gage plate. O. A flat headed iron fcrew, which paffing through the ftaple P, and perpendi- cular fliank of the hind gage, fcrews into the end of the chip S, and ferves occa- fionally to elevate or deprefs the gage. P. A flat fl:aple, which embraces the perpendicular fliank of the tail gage, and the flat headed fcrew O, with which the gage is fixed as need requires. Q^A horizontal iron plate or gage, 5 inches fquare, and | inch thick, with a perpendicular fliank pierced through with hoks to receive the iron fcrew, with which it is fet to a proper degree of elevation for the purpofe intended. R. The chip, is 3 feet 3 inches long, ;- I broad, and 4 inches thick; the ex- treme length of the plough from the point of the fliare A, to the end of the chip R, is 4 feet 4 inches. S, Two fcrews and nuts, with which the fliank THROUGH ENGLAND. 505 fhank of the lliare is faftened to the chip. N. B. Only one of the fcrews and nuts appear in this view of the plough. T. Around-headed iron bolt, 16 inches long, I- of an inch thick, with a hole through its upper end, for a pin or fcrew to keep it in its place ; this bolt paffes through the eyes of the four iron plates or hinges, u u u u, which are properly fitted and rivetted to the breaft plate and iron wings or mould-boards, and ferves as a fpindle for them to turn on. U U, &c. Four iron plates or hinges, 3 inches long, 2 | broad, and r'-s of an inch thick, rivetted to the breaft plate and iron wings. V. The flat-headed iron pin or fcrew, which paffes through the upper end of the bolt or fpindle, to keep it to its place. W. An iron hook, faftened to the upper fide of the beam, and is occafionally fet in the holes of the curved gage, to regulate the depth of the furrow. XXX. Three clamps or iron plates, faftened to the beam, to prevent it from fplitting. Y. An iron gage or regulator, being a fegment of a circle, pierced through with holes; 5o6 THE FARMER'S TOUR holes ; this fegraent is about 2 feet 3 inches long (exclufive of its fhank) two inches broad, and | of an inch thick ; its fhank is 3 feet 2 inches long, and one inch fquare> with a hole at its extremity for the hook. Z. A flat-headed iron bolt or brace, which pafles through the chip, beam, and iheath ; it is faflened thereto with a nut and fcrew, to ftrengthen the ■plough. a a. The carriage wheels, are two feet diameter, and two inches on their pe- riphery. b. An iron axle-tree, 20 f inches long, and I f of an inch fquare in the middle, with a fmall ihoulder on each face for the under end of the fegment to bear againft, to which it is faftened with a feathered bolt or wedge through the axle-tree, c c c. Three wooden wafliers, 4 inches diameter, and one inch thick ; the ufe of thefe wafhers is to fet the carriage wheels at a greater or lefs diftance from each other, as need requires. d. An iron hook, which pafies through a hole in the end of the fhank of the gage, and ferves to fix the axle-tree, gage, &c. to THROUGH ENGLAND. 507 to the beam, to which the hook is faftcned with a ftrong wood fcrew. e. An iron plate, 14 inches long, 2| broad, and I of an inch thick ; this plate is fixed in a horizontal pofition, clofc under the caliper ; its fore end is turned down flanting, and fattened to the iheath G, and its tail end is turned up flanting, and faf- tened to the fheath H. In the middle of the plate there is an aperture 13 inches long ; its ufe is to guide the iron pin f, and regulate the motion of the caliper, &c. This plate ferves alfo as a brace or flay to ^he hind and fore flieath. f. A round-headed iron pin, wuth which the caliper is connedled to the directing plate c ; the under end of this pin pafling through the aperture in the plate, is thereby diredted fo as to procure a regular motion to the caliper, mould-boards, &c. g g. Two iron plates, with two hori- zontal ears rivetted to each of them. Thefe ears embrace the fore ends of the caliper, and are connected thereto with the iron pin h h. See fig. 8. N. B. Tiie plates are rivetted to the infide of the iron wings or curved mould-boards ; but there is only one of them fecn in this view of the plough; 5o8 THE FARMER'S TOUR plough ; the other is indicated by the dotted lines on the outfide of the left wing. h. An iron pin, with which the caliper is connedted to the plate, 6cc. as before mentioned. A. Fig. 2. The plough fhare. e. Fig. 3. The directing iron. h. Fig. 4. The axis of the carriage wheels. Y. Fig. 5. The curved gage. Q^ Fig. 6. The bind gage plate ; P, the flat ftaple; O, the flat-headed iron fere w. K. I'ig. 7. The caliper; e the direding plate; fthe round-headed iron pin, with which the caliper is connected to the di- recting plate. g. Fig. 8. A fquare iron plate with ears, which embrace the fore end of the caliper ; h an iron pin, with which the caliper is connedtcd to the ears. T. Fig. 9. The round-headed iron bolt or fpindle, which pafTes through the hinges ' u u, &c. V a flat-headed fcrew, which ferves to keep the bolt in its place. This plough Mr. Arbiithnot chiefly ufes for earthing up plants in rows, and ftrik- ing furrows. It works in light or well tilled land with two horfes, on other oc-. cafions , THROUGH ENGLAND. 509 pafions with three. The mould-boards expand at pleafure, according to the diftance between the rows, and have fuch a fweep> that they will earth up a row of plants to any degree or height required, even to burying them on the top of an arched ridge. The variations of depth are equally fimple, being by the fegment of a circle which goes vertically through the end of the beam. But as the accuracy of the per- formance depends on this gage always retaining its exact form, care fhould be taken in turning on the head-lands, not to throw the plough on one fide, as prac- tifed with the common wheel plough. As I have myfelf ufed this implement and with uncommon fuccefs, I beg leave to hint J that in various works I have found it of incomparable ufe: in the operations of horfe hoeing, earthing up the rows, it equals th^ exa£teft hand work : another ufe, in which it is peculiarly important, is forming riJges out of fine tilled fiat lands. If furrows are drawn with a fmall fwing plough, on a level furface at every 4 feet> *and the double mould-board goes in them, Vidges of that breadth will at once be formed, 5 arche'd 5IO THE farmer's TOUR arched at will by the degree of expanfion in the wings. At 5 or 6 feet the fame, only at wide diftanccs it will not archy but leaves a fmall cavity along the center of the ridge : this is of excellent ufe for cab- bages, &c. the fides to be drawn to the plants by hoeing. I have alfo ufed it for drawing water-furrows on well-ploughed land, and find it executes them extremely well. After two bout ridges are drawn out in half ploughing, with defign to finifh, this plough does double work in finishing. The price 8/. iSj. Gd, The hint taken from a plough con- ftruded by William Craik^ Efq. of Arbig" land, Plate XII. The Drill Plough. References, A. Is the frame of the carriage. B. The fhaft^, which are movable on a bar, to fuit different fized lands, or hang on occafionally in front, 'when fowing flat. C. The great lanthorn wheel ; it is 8 inches in diameter, is immovable on the axis, and has 6 flaves. THROUGH ENGLAND. 511 D D. Are two of equal diameters, which may be taken off when only two hoppers are wanted ; they have likewife fix ftaves : thefe three wheels turn with the axis, and lift the ends of the levers I. EE. Are the wheels of the carriage, which go on fquare on the axis, and may be fet at any diftance to fuit the lands. F. Is a fquare plank, two inches thick, which Aides in the two fides of the frame; there are two feed hoppers fixed on the upper fide, and on the under are the two Ihares, one in its work marked G, the other reprefented by fig. 2 : thefe ihares Hide in the plates marked H H, in which there are holes at an inch afundcr for fcrews, to fix the fliares at the required diftance ; the openings at the top of the ihares are bevel, to catch the feed, which comes through the fquare holes in the plank, whichever way you move the ihare ; in the center of the front plate of thefe two fhares is a hole, and another at half an inch diftance : thefe correfpond with the fcrew holes in the plate H, which are an inch afunder : this anfwers the fame purpofe, as if the holes in the plate H were 512 THE FARMER'S TOUR were only half an inch afunder, which would have weakened tliat plate. II. Are the levers, which are fixed by a center pin in the hoppers, as reprefented in fig. 3 ; thefe ends are lifted up by the ftaves of the lanthorn wheels, which con- fequently lower the tongue R, to deliver the {ced; thefe tongues work againft a brulh K, w^hich i-s fet at the diftance fuit- able to the fize of the grain. L. Is one of the fide hoppers, to which the fhare is fixed, and which has an iron plate M fixed at the bottom, which Aides in the plates N N. In the plate M:, there are three holes, at an inch and a half afunder, for a fcrew to fix it at the proper diftance : thus, when each of the middle fhares is fhifted half an inch, the outward ones are fliifted an inch and half, which * keeps them all at equal diftanccs. O. Is an iron bar, fixed into the plank at P ; it goes through the end rail of the frame, and ferves to move the plank with the hopper forward, to fet it into work, and to draw it out of work at the ends of the lands ; the fix holes are gages to af- certain the quantity of feed to be fown ; a pin THROUGH ENGLAND. 513 pin IS fixed into either of them, which flops againft the rail, when the fpring Q> on the other fide of the rail, catches in the correfponding notch ; the further the hop- pers are advanced to the wheel, the more feed is delivered, as the levers I are lifted liigher by the ftaves of the lanthorn wheels* Fig. 3. is one of the outfide hoppers, rwith the ihare faftened to it, all which Hide together on the plate M. R is the tongue, which lets out the feed, when the end I is lifted up, and clofes the bottom. of the hopper, when forced down again hy the fpring S. K is the brufh, againft hich the tongue works ; the elafticity of the briftles prevents ftoppage or bruifmg f the grain ; it is fet by the gage fcrew T, according to the fize of the grain. U is a fcrew, which goes through the iron bar, that fecures the hoppers at the diftance they are (tt. Fig. 4. is an iron box, with wires faf- tcned in it, which interfcdt each other ; thefe are occafionally put into the Ihares, when wheat is fown, to difperfe the grain, and prevent its falling in lumps. Fig, 5. is a triangular piece of w^ood, [hoUov/ underneath, and on the fides; it is Vol. IL ' LI placed 514 THE FARMER'S TOUR placed ill the hopper, a little above the tongue ; this lufFers the feed to fink gra- dually, and prevents its laying too heavy* which often makes it arch at the bottom of the hopper ; and being hollow at bot- tom, there is room for the feed to rife by the fpring of the lever : thus the feed is kept in motion, and is delivered more equally. Fig. 6. is a Aiding box, which raifes or fmks the wheels to fow deep or fhallow. ^ is a fcrew rivettcd at bottom, to the top of the frame b, which flides up and down in two grooves c c. ^ is the axle of the wheel, which runs in the box ^, and is faftened in by the pin^ ; this was necefTary to get the axle into the box, as it is fhouldered on each fide, to prevent its Aiding either way ; the fcrew a works in the nut g to raife or| fink the whole. Plate Vo/.ir.raijt^.^ij. rut-f xm. Yo/. IT. pai^&.^iS Plate JOH. THROUGH ENGLAND, ci Plate XIII. Hhe 'Turnip Drill, with a manure Hopper^ References, I to ^ 2 F eet 6 2 to 3 — 6 ^ 4 to 5 1 10 5 to 6 — 'I TO 7 to 9 I 8 9 to 10 o 10 II to 12 o 4 I I to 13 I c 2 to 8 o 1 1 17 A movable flick, with a forked end for ftirring the manure, In cafe of choaking. The cags, or little barrels, 9 inches long, and 6 diameter, movable on the axis 13. The front wheels 15 f inches dlameten and 2 inches thick. The hopper is fupported by the brace 14 14, and fixed by the peg 16 16. The wheels 30 inches diameter. The box 15 is ic § inches fquare, and contains a fluted roller of wood, 8 inches diameter, turned by the axis of the wheels, and delivers the manure, which would fall perpendicularly, were it not for two fmall boards, which expand at pleafure by a hinge, which throws the manure oyer the jows. See A. Si6 THE FARMER'S TOUIt 1 to 2 — I Foot I Inch. 2 to 3 — o 41: 3 to 4 — o 3 5 to 6 — o lo This is an iron fpindle running through the hinge to fix to the bottom of the box 1 5. B. Reprefents the harrow, which is hung on behind. C. The teeth ; i i a front view ; ( 2 ) an oblique view of one. D. A reprefentation of the roller in pro- file, and A fixed for ufe. The great ufe of this implement, which is perhaps one of the moft fimple ever in- vented, is to depofit the manure diredly on the turnip or lucerne feed, i>ot by way of enriching the land, but to quicken the growth while young, juft fufficient to en- able the plant to efcape the fly. A fmall quantity laid diredly on the feed thus, anfwers a very large dreffing in the common manner* The proper manures are foot, malt-dufi, all forts of allies, lime, dung rotted to powder, pigeon's dung, &c. * * The hint of delivering the manure taken from a drill plough invented by Dr. Gule^ of Kc-xv Efigland^ improved only in the variation of the diilances. Vcl.JI.Pa/re' Si j. Plate Xir. THROUGH ENGLAND. 517 Plate XIV. Fig. i. T^he Turnip DrilL This tool, which for fimpiicity in the invention has infinite merit, is ufed on land that is worked very fine ready for tur- nip feed, and is drawn by a man or boy along the top of each ridge, or on the flat, at pleafurc. It is unneceflary to obferve, that it is cheap, eafily repaired, or even made by a ploughman, and performs ac- curately and well. Plate XIV. Fig. 2. "The Double Plough, References, I to 3 — 6 Feet 3 Inches. 3 to 4 — 3 8 4 to 5 •— 2 o 6 to 2 — 3 2 7 to 8 — 2 2 9 to LO 2 2 From tail to tail i foot. Height from the ground 1 8 inches. The ufe of this plough is to head up from the flat, leaving a little fpace between each head, to be divided by the double mould-board plough. The advantage is, that the middle of thefe narrow lands, which is the beft of the field, and which pught to be in the lighteft condition, is L 1 3 trampled 5i8 THE FARMElVs TOUR trampled by the horfes in backing up the firft furrow in the common method. Two horfes work it comxpletely, doing double the work of common ploughs. Plate XIV. Fig. IIL A fmall barrel drill, which fixes to the tail of any plough, and delivers turnip feed ; the fimplicity of the conftrudion, its cheapnefs, and other circumflances render it of more than common value. Plate XV, l!he Drain Plough, References, I to 2, — 5- Feet 0 Inches. 2 to — 0 6 3 to 4 4 6 4 to 5 '> --> 5 to 6 0 7 7 to 8 2 10 2 to 9 0 6 9 to lO — 0 6 10 to 1 1 — I 3 I I to 12 I 8 13 to H I 8 II to 15 0 9 ID to 16 0 6 i6 to 17 I 0 i8 to 19 I 8 19 to 20 I II 20 to 21 — I 9 22 to 23 I 0 24 to -5 — 5 8 yol.JI.PUt^XV.;?a.JjS. M gism ^in.ir. «i!ll VfllJl.l'laIr XXpa.Jil!. c THROUGH ENGLAND. 519 5 to 26 ■ 26 to 27 2 I 4 5 27 to 28 I 0 27 to 29 30 to 31 — 25 to the beam hole bottom 3 3 0 0 6 6 32 to 33 — 34 to 35 — . I lower fliare 2 I I I 2. 7 4 inches wide; the The tipper one 6. The beam at 24, is 5 inches fquare ; and the fame, but rounded to 4 inches, at 4. Standards of the gallows, 6 inches by 3. Wheels, 5 feet diameter. This machine cuts the drain 16 inches deep at one ftroke, on grafs or clover, and requires no cleaning after it, but accident- ally; wants no furrows to be drawn out for it to w^ork in ; delivers the turf 8 inches thick on one fide of the trench, and the other 8 inches on the other fide, which of courfe facilitates the work in covering in : it requires 8 ftrong horfes, i holder, and 2 dri- vers ; leaves the drain cut in a cleaner and more regular manner than poiTible for a fpade; and if the ground is ftrong, brings up the bottom of the furrows in as regular a form as if caft in a mould ; and the turf being L 1 4 regularly 520 THE FARMER'S TOUR regularly turned in one piece of equal thick- nefs and dimenfions, makes the covering particularly expeditious. Among other trials of its performance, fix acres were drained in 3 hours, i f rod afunder, which amounted to 720 rods* or 1920 in the day's work of 8 hours, with 1 2 horfes ; but it is to be obferved, that by giving wheels of 5 feet, Mr. Arbuthnot finds 8 horfes juft as efFedual as the 12. The following fl^etch will fhew the ex- pence. Twelve horfes and 3 men, accord- ing to the price of the country, j^. i ■ 10 o The proportion of which, in 3 hours, is, - - o 1 1 3 720 rods, at that price, is not a farthing a rod. Notwithftanding which, Mr. Arbiithiot thinks this is not a tool to be generally recommended ; becaufe it requires an ac- curacy in the conflrudion, and reparation, if out of order, particularly in fixing the four coulters, not to be expedled in the generality of country workmen. That it is alfo expenfive, coming to near :io/, Vo/Mpa.^ixj. mutjaz THROUGH ENGLAND. Plate J XVI Fig. I. Thefpiky ' Roller. References. a to b — [2 Feet o Indies. b to d — 7 3 g to f — 3 6 g to e 2 o n to o — 6 9 h to i — 2, % e to m — 2 4 p toq 6 lO b to c — . 2, 6 5^1 The fquare of the end braces g, h, ^ inches by 7 |. Ditto of the ftandards e, m, 3 by 7. Length of the cylinder, 7 feet 6 inches, The wheel axle, 5 f inches fquare. Diameter of the cylinder, 18 inches. Ditto of the wheels, 12 inches. The fliafts at q are 3 inches by 5. The crofs bars, 3 f inches and 4. 256 Teeth, which weigh 512 lb. However rough a fallow may be, the fpiky roller will reduce it at twice going ; five horfes and one man do 6 acres a day, once in a place; it will be perfe£lly ef- feftual when harrows or drags have no ef- fect. Clods may be left to roaft for de- ilruction of root weed^, with certainty I that 512 THE FARMER'S TOUR that they may be at any time reduced to pul- verization. The only caution to be obferved in its ufeisjthat it muft never go on the ground till perfedlly dry. Mr. Arbiithnot under that circumftance never knew an inftance of any mould adhering to it, but on the con- trary, when by chance it has been carried oatoo foon, it immediately clogs. Plate XVI. Fig. 2. T^he Turnwrejl Plough. . This is an idea of Mr. Arbiithnot\ : it has not yet been executed, but he intends it as foori as his numerous avocations will allow him time. His objection to all the common turnwrefts is the neceffity there is of the fhare being fo narrow that it cannot cut the furrow; and the impoffibility of fixing a proper mould-board; both which objed:ions will be here obviated. This gentleman having, as the reader niay judge from the preceding implements, given uncommon attention to the conflruc- tion of all forts of ploughs, I was very defirous of having him lay down explicit rules for the inftrudion of wheel-wrights in building a common plough; on re- oueftinG: him to explain his ideas on thi^ fubjed, he was obliging enough to draw THROUGH ENGLAND. 523 up the following paper, accompanied with feveral very accurate drawings : I infert it here with the utmoft fatisfad:ion, under the firm convid:ion, that fo clear and decifive an account of the principles of con- ftruiling a plough never yet was laid beforQ the publick. As different counties have adopted ploughs of different confLruftions, feemingly more from chance, than the expediency of foil, or other circumffances, I fhall in the following effay endeavour to explain the principles on which the fwing and Vv'heel-ploughs fhould be con- flrucled to the greateft advantage, and fhew, wherein the management of the one effentially differs from the other. Secondly, I fhall attempt to prove in v/hich part of -the plough the point of refinance is, from which the different lines of tradlion muft tend to the horfes fhoulders, in different ope- rations, and foils ; and by explaining, v/herein the direftion of the line of draudit to the wheel- plough differs from that of the fwing-plough, prove the fuperior advantage of the wheel- plough, where the nature of the foil will admit the ufe of it. Thirdly, I fliall defcribe the form of the Ihare and fweep of the breait and mould-board, which have appeared to me moll likely to diminiih the fridion and adhefion of the earth on thi^ ufe- ful but as yet imperfedt machine. Laftly, I fliall attempt to give an eafy mecha- nical rule to wheelwrights, by which they may lay down a phm for any form of a plough, which their mofl inferior workmen may execute, and 524 THE FARMER'S TOUR and which will likewife enable thcin to prefervc the form and proportions of any plough they are ordered to copy, though the plough fhoukl be required to be of different dimenfions. I fball only further obferve, that what I fhall advance, is founded on experiments profecuted with the greateft attention. I Iliall begin with the fwing-plough, which is poifed by two levers -, the one of which is the handle, and afts as a lever of the firfb kind, the fulcrum being at the heel of the plough, between the power at the handles, and the weight on the fhare. ' The other lever is the beam, which is of the fecond kind ; the end of the beam being the point where the power is applied, the weight being on the fhare, and the heel of the plough the fulcrum. When thefe powers are properly applied, the fwing-plough is a very good in- ftrument -, and in the hands of ploughmen, who are ufed to obferve the proper aequilibrium, will perform its work to any reafonable depth. As in the circumfbance of the weight being on the fhare, I differ in opinion from a very ingenious author, the Rev. IVIr. Dickfon, it is neccffary I ihould give my reafons, and the proofs whereon they are founded, more efpecially as the length of the beam and handles, and application of the draught, entirely depend on this pro- pofition, as will appear hereafter fully explained, in afcertaining the lineof tra(5tion. I do not pretend to fay, that the natural center of gravity of the plough is on the fhare i but when I confider the additional weight of the j3.1rt of the furrow to be lifted, though fep?.rately the Center of gravity of each is in a different point, yet when they become one body, they jiluft have a common center of gravity, which, in THROUGH ENGLAND. 525 in my opinion, muft be in a perpendicular line, nearer the point of the fhare, than when the plough was a body by itfelf. And when I further confider, that the power of cohefion in the body to be lifted is much greater than its gravity, and that the feparatioii of fuch body is firft to be effected by the point of the fhare -, and further, that the refiftancc of the earth againft the coulter, wliich is very confiderable, is above the point of the fhare; I cannot but believe, that, in proportion to the folidity of the body to be feparated, the weight and refiftance is advanced nearly towards, if not quite to that point. This feems to be confirmed by practice •, for, when ploughing in loam, if the point of the (hare touches on clay, the plough will immediately fuck into the ground, and fome- times require the whole weight of the plough- man on the handles to prife it up. But to fatisfy myfelf as to the fa6l, I have often (when my plough has been working to my mind) flopped the horfes fuddenly, and then fixing a flick in the ground, to the height of the tug at the horfe's fhoulder, and removing the earth from above the fhare, without altering the pofition of the plough, I always found, that a line extended from the top of the flick to the point of the ihare, interfecled the notch of the copfe to which the draught was fixed. But as the ftooping of the horfe, when, at his pull, will lower thofe ends of the draught chains, and the other ends being fixed to the beam will carry the direction of the line, of traction a little backward, I will not contend, that the draught is immediately from the point of the fhare, but from a point an inch or tv\'o behind it ; however, from the above mentioned experi- 526 THE FARMER'S TOUR experiment, I fhould be induced to call that point, the center of refiftance, nor do I conceive that the center of gravity of a plough can be in any point of the line of traclion, though I believe in the combined weights of the plough and earth, their common center of gravity is near it, at leaft on fome part of the fhare j for as that part of the . furrow, which is fupported on the mould-board, is on a much more inclined furfuce, than that part of the furrow, which refts on the more horizontal furface of the fhare, their centers of gravity diftindly muft fall in different lines, and indeed the lateral furface of the board rifcs fo fuddenly, that the center of gravity of that part of the mould muft foon be out of a line with the plough, confequently the medium of the weight of earth, is probably pretty forward on the fhare ; but as I mentioned before, the power of cohefion being greater than the weight, m my opinion puts it beyond a doubt. •' That the length of the handle, which is the long arm of the bended lever, fhould be to the length of the bottom of the plough, which is the ihort arm, as the weight on the fhare, and tendency of the point into the ground, are to the power, which is applied at the handle, is felf-evident, and it is made fo by moft wheel- wrights. But I cannot fay, that the ether part of the plough, which conftitutes the lever of the lecond kind, has been fo well confidered and attended to, though it is by far the moft effential: firft, as the application of it is not folely to the ftrongeft povv-er of the horfe, v>'hich is that of drawing, but partly to his power of lifting. For when the line of draught is nearly parallel to the plane whereon the horfe goes, he will dr^w a much greater pioportion of his v/eight, than he 4 ^-'fi THROUGH ENGLAND. 527 can carry. Hence it appears, that the proper length of this lever requires the greatefl attention •, but the other, provided it is long enough, cannot be amifs, as the whole weight of the ploughman is the required power at the utmoft. The only rule I have been able to lay down, is, that a line drawn from the tug at the horfe's iboulder to the point of the lliare, fhould inter- fe6l the notch in the copk immediately below the end of the beam, as that pitch admits of the moil variations j it muft be obfcrved, that the tug at: the flioulder of a fuU-fized horfe is about four feet four inches from the ground, and the length of chains neceflary for him to work freely about nine feet ; but, as I faid before, when the horfe fmks to his pull, I think it muft ne- ceflarily carry the line of tra for in the laft you raife the handles to give the point of the fiiare more tendency into the ground, and prefs upon them to prize the fhare out of the ground, which fliev/s the neceflity of giving more depth to the point of the fhare of the wheel-plough ; for, as i;i the fwing-plough, by raifihg the handles, the inclination of the fhare 2 will THROUGH ENGLAND. 543 Vill have a greater tendency into the ground, and that in the wheel-plough, as the beam is fnpported by the carriage, the point of the fhare is kept uniformly to the pitch it is fet at, it is evident that care muft be taken to give it fufiici- ent depth •, if too much depth is given, that is to be remedied by raifing the beam, as will be fully explained in its proper place. This evi- dently points out the utihty of the carriage-, and the fteady going may be accounted for, Plate XVII. Fig. 9. by the tendency of the plough into the ground in the diredtion A C, being balanced by the refiftance of the carriage againit the beam (which is in the direftion A B) to that tendency j and thefe being equal, and in different directions, it is plain that the progrelTive motion of the plough muft be in the direftion A D. But to explain this eftablifhed fa6l by a familiar, though trifling inltance, I jfhall compare it to the childrens play of (hooting cherry ftones, by prefling them between their finger and thumb ; when thofe prefiures are equal, being in different diredions, they will ihoot them very ftraight, otherwife they fly off obliquely : this muft be the fame with the plough j for though the pro- greffive motion of the plough is occafioned by the draft of the horfes, yet the refiftance of the earth on the fhare, and that of the frame againft the beam being in different direftions and equal, the progreffive motion muft be in a ftraight line between thofe two powers of refiftance. Many people obje<5l to the wheel-plough, as being heavier than the fwing-plough : but when we confider, that notwirhftanding the additional weight of the carriage, for which you muft likewife add a little more than a third part for friction, in fuch a rough machine as this, the 544 THE FARMER'S TOUR the whole being carried on wheels, the fridion will be lefTencd in the ratio of the fquare of the diameter of the wheel, to the diameter of the axle. The v/eight of the earth upon the plough being in a gj^at meafure fupported by the carriage, reafon plainly tells us, that the wheel-plough will be more eafily drawn than the fwing-plough, and experience has confirmed that it will. There appears alfo to be an additional advantage to the horfe, which is, that the line of direction of the draught is not from his fhoulders to the point of the iliare, but through (or rather even wjth) the center of the wheel ; which of courfe is not in lb oblique a direflion, and confequently the advantage to the horfe will be in proportion to the length of the lever, or radius of the wheel. I do not mean, that the power of the lever has any influence or advantage in drawing the body of the plough j for that cannot be, becaufe neither B nor F in fig. lo, plate XVII. have any greater progrelTive velocity than the plough it- felf has •, but only that its length is an advantage to the horfe, by making him draw more pa- rallel to the ground line, and makes a big wheel eafier to draw than a fmall one ; that the fricStion in the wheel will be in proportion to the radius, and that the great wheel will furm.ount obllacles v;ith more eaie than the little one. The carriage of the Norfclk plough feems preferable to all others, on account of its Iiigh wheels, the advantage of which I lliall endeavour to explain by fig. lo, pLte XVII. Let A be the point where the power is ap- plied, that draws the wheel H C along the plane D C G, and B the center of the wiieel -, then DBA is the line of tradtion, which makes the anofle of tradion A D G. Now if v/e confider B C as a' lever, whole tulcrum, or centre or ii:otion THkOUGH ENGLAND. 545 motion, is at C, the line of traflion being ob- liquely applied to this lever at B, the drawing power will be of no greater advantage, than if the line of traction were applied at E to the Ihorter lever E C, to which it is perpendicular ; but if tlie fize of the vrheel be increafsd from H C to that of I C, and the power continues to . afl or pull at A, then F will be the center of the wheel, and FA the line of tradion, which being p>;rpendicuiar to the lever F C, the power will adt with the greateft: force or advantage on that lever, for drawing the wheel along the plane D C G, both on account of the greater length of lever, and pulling at right angles to itv And thus the effective power of the horfe will be as . • much greater on the wheel I C, than on the wheel H C, as the radius F C is longer than E C. So that the highe.- the wheels are, the more eafily they will be drawn, provided their axes are equal, and below the level of the horfe's fhouldcr, when, funk down by exerting himfclf at the pull. Though this eftablifhed fact may be fufRci- ently explained and underftood by many, yet by others it may be deemed a mere ipfe dixit. And as the conitruclion of all wlicel carriages and rollers d^'pends on the following propofition, which, to the beft of my recollection, has never been taken noiice of in any book that treats on inftruments of hufband.y, I hope it will not appear improper, if I infert it here, v/ith an attempt to deinoadrate it by a very familiar expe* riment on the ftcelyards. Firfl, I fay, in a wheel moved along any ' plane, a lever is to be found, whofe fulcriun or center of motion is that point in the periphery of the whejl, which is in immediate contail Vol. li. N n with 546 THE Fx-^RMER's TOUR with the plane •, and if the line of diredion of the draught to the other end of the lever, which is the center of the wheel, is not horizon- tal with the plane, it will form an angle of traclion, as in the prefent cafe, A D G, and the power applied in the line DBA, to the long lever C B, to which it is oblique, will be re- quired to be as great as if it was applied to the fhort lever E C, to which it is perpendicular ; in like manner, if the power was applied in the horizon al line B K, the power required would be as much lefs, than if appii'^d in the oblique diredion D B A, as E C is fhorter than C B ; for in this cale ihe power drawing at right angles, will be to the power drav/ing obliquely, as the fine ccmp. of the ancle of traclion is to the radius -, and E C being perpendicular to B D, the hy- pothenufe of the right angled triangle D C B, the triangle B C E mull be fimilar to B D C, which is hmiiar to A D G, becaufe B C is pa- rallel to A G. This I Ihall attempt to demonflrate by the fteelyard, that is, why the acting diilance of a power mud be at right angles with the end of the lever, and that whatever length the lever is of, if the power is applied in an oblique line, it will only ait as a tangent to a circle, cf which the radius is at right angles with fuch line -, but as in the fleelyards made for the ufe of families, the center of motion is below the points of fufpenfion, and confequently will not remain long enough in equilibrio to fliew the experi- ment, I made one to explain this fafl to my wheeler, v/hich has the center of motion imme- diately above the line, in v/hich the points of fufpenficn are. If the three points we;e exuflly in a line, equally proportionable weights would lufpend each other in any pofitiv:n of the Lcam. ■ 1 men lion THROUCH ENGLAND. ^47 mention thefe circuniftances as a hint to any- one, who may chufe to try the experiment. Fig. II, plate XVII. is the fteelyard I con- ftructed, having the beam A B 20 inches long, with the center of motion C, 4 inches from the point A, and 16 inches from B. At the point A fulpend a weight W of 4 ounces, and at the point B, on the long arm C B, being four times as long as C A, hang the weight P, of one ounce, which will counterpoife the weight V/, the beam will be horizontal^ and the weiglit hang perpendicular to the beam. If you extend the beam four inches longer to D, and hang the weight P at D, it will overbalance the v/eighc W; but if to the center C you fix the oblique arm C E, equal to CD, with the point t per- pendicular to B, and hang the weight P at E 5 it will hang obliquely to the long arm C E., and have no more efied; on the weight \V, than if it hung on at B, the end of the Ihort lever C Bj to which it will hang perpendicular. In like manner, if you hang the weight P at D, and bring the firing over a pin at E, it will hang obliquely to both the long arms C D and C E, and have no more efteft on the weight W, than if it hung on at B, to which it is perpendicular. Further, if you hang the weight P at B, and place the ftring over the pully F, the weight P, which fuipended W in equilibrio, when hanging perpendicular at B, will now, in the firft inllance, be no more effedlual, than if pul- ling at G the end of the fliort lever C G, to which the line F B G is perpendicular, which v/iil be as if the weight P was hung on the hori- zontal beam at H, as proved by the above pro- pofition : but the weight P hanging at H, n.')t being fufficient to fuipend the wtight W, the beam A C B will become a C b, to which the N n 2 line 548 THE FARMER'S TOUR line of direction of the power F b will be per^^ pendicular. In this cafe, the exact proportions of the weight will be preferved^ the weight W will hang obiiqucly to C a, perpendicular to K, as P will hang obliquely to C b, perpendicular to I, when C K will be to CI, as C A is to C B. It is evident, to try this experiment, that the fhort arm A C mult be made to counterpoife the reft of the fteelyard, when no weights are hung to either. This experiment plainly fhews, that in fig. lo, plate XVII. the power applied to the center of the wheel H, in the direction B K, will be as much more effedual, than when applied in the oblique diredion A B, as E O is fhorter than B G, and therefore the power applied in the ob- lique dire6tion A B D, to B C at the point B, of no more effed than if applied to the fl^iort lever E C, at the point E, to which it is per- pendicular ; confequently, as the power is by fuppolition at A, and the line of traction A F is parallel to the plane D C G, and at right an- gles with E C, perpendicular to the plane, it is the moit advantageous line of direction of the power, both on account of the application of the power, and that the fridion of the weight of the wlieel and carriage v/ill be diminifhed, in pro- portion as the diameter of the wheel is to the diameter of the axis, with this additional advan- tage in favour of the great wheel, that it will go over clods and ilones, with much more eafe than the fmall wheel, and not fink, into cavities, which Would bury the fmall wheel. However, what has been proved above, is only ftridly ap- plicable CO weights over puUies -, for, as the ^rer of the horfe does not folely confiit in his '^t, but in the exertion of his mufcles, it leceiTary, that the line of tradion fnould 2 incline THROUGH ENGLAND. 549 incline a little from his fhoulder to the f^round, that he may have a firmer reliftance of the ground, to enable him to exert his miifcular ftrength. This long digreflion from the dcfcription of the plough, which only was a,t firft intended, may be criticifed ; but as a do6trine in favour of low wheels has lately found its way into the world, and as, in confequence of it, I have heard myfelf condemned by fome for the height of my v/heels, and have been applied to by others for my opinion on the fubjed, I thought it might not be improper to introduce it in this place, for the confideration of my brother far- mers : indeed, the only apology I can make is, that I never found that this fubjecb v/as ever touched on, even in the flighteft manner, in any book that is likely to fall into their hands ; otherwife it muft betray more than llupidity, to offer to advance an explanation of a faft, that (lands felf-evident in the mind of every one the leaft converfant in mechanics. The beam of the wheel- plough feems to be as little underftood as that of the fwing-plough. The reafon of its being raifed fo high in the Norfolk plough, may be accounted for by the height of the wheels : but as I havefeen the fame pitch of the beam applied to low wheels, I fhall endeavour to point out wherein I think this lafl method erroneous. Firft, I lay down as fad:, that the end of the beam, which refls oa the bolder of the carriage, muft be affecfed by the wheels, when they are put out of theu* per- pendicular pofition by clods of earth. Now, as the center of motion of the carriage is in a perpendicular from the end of the beam, between the wheels : the higher t!ie end of the beam is above the wheels, the larger the arc will be, which the end of the beam defcribes by N n 3 , the 550 THE FARMER'S TOUR the wheels being put out of their perpendicular. f ofition ; and confequently the body of the yluugh will be proportionably affeducd -, that is, the arc, defc/ibed by tlie point of the fhare en the horizontal plane, will be to the arc de- fcribed by the end of the beam, as the length of the bottom of the plough from point to heel, is to the length from the end of the beam to the heel, which is the common fulcrum. As to the alteration on the vertical plane, it muft be equal, Avhether the beam is pitched high or low, only that the afcent and defcentof the point of the fhare will be more gradual with high v heels, than low wheels. Some thmk, that by pitching the beam fo high, the plough will go clofer at heel ; but the car- riage acting, as a fixed pc rpendicular prop, will Support the beam equally Iteady at any height ; and if you delrribe a vertical arc, by the end of the beam, the nearer it comes to a horizontal pofition, the further that part, which refted on the bolfter, will go beyond the perpendicular from the point whereon it refted j conlequently, if the frame be carried forward to that point of tliQ beam, the power will be appUed nearer at right angles at tliat point in the lever, and in luch proportion a lefs degree of power will be ilifficient to counteract the reliftance •, or in other \.ord,s, a lefs weight will be on the wheels. And therefore if the firft application of the car- riage v/as fufncient, a iliorter beam v^'ill do, v/hen pitched nearer to a horizontal pofition, with the additional advr.ntage of the plough being ftroriger, as the frame v;ork is more compact. To elucidate this more fully, I Ihall endeavour to explain it by fig. 12, plate XVII. A B is the high pi:ciied beam, C the center of the wheel, • vvhofe perpendicular frame fupports the beam at f^.'>" ^\U i''S tl^ b^ftai or U'ver A B is oblique tQ the THROUGH ENGLAND. 551 the prop C B, it acls with no greater power in fupporcing the weight, than the lliorter beam A F, which is nearer at right angles with C F ; but if the beam A D is defcribeJ equal to A B and E, the center of the wheel of the carriage, which fupports the beam at D, the prop E D will be nearer at ri^ht angles with the beam A D, which i> equal to A B, and in that proportion the greater advantage of the lever is obtained. Thus it is evident, that in the beam A D the preiTure is lefs on the center E, than it would be in the beam A B on the center C ; confe- quently, if the weight is not too great at C, a fhorter beam is fufficient in the direction A F. I have endeavoured to afcertain the anjjle which the beam ought to make with the hori- zontal plane, as likewife the angle which the point of the fhare ought to make with the fame plane ; but as the diverfity of foil, and the dif- ferent condition the fame foil will be in from wetnefs renders it impofTible to fix certain data, I found it impra6licable ; the only obiervation I have been able to make is, that when the end of the beam, thit reds on the bolder, has been within ten inches of the axle of the wheels, if the point of the fliare tended fuiHciently into the ground, the plough has gone as clofe at heel, as when the beam was mouiited higher, and infinitely Readier, for the realons before men- tioned; therefore this muft be determined by the height of the wheels, and by the different depths you wifh to plough •, if ihailow, reafon points out, that the beam need not be pitched fo high ; but if deep, allowance muft be made for lowering the beam on the carriage. The beam of my plough, which I frequently work 18 inches deep, makes an angle of 1 8 d^gn-^es with the horizon: as to the dipping of the fhare, I N n 4 fear S52 THE FARMER*s TOUR fear that muft depend on the nature of the foil and judgement of the ploughman. If the plough does not go clofe at heel, and that this imper- fedlion in tl^e going of the plough is not occa- fioned by the width of the heel of the mould- board, which in that cafe will ride on the furrow, efpecially in Itrcng land, you may depend on it, that the point of the Ihare is not let deep enough. Very little alteration will fometimes produce the defired effect ; therefore it fnould be done with caution ; for if fet too low, the beam muft be railed on the bolder of the carriage till the diagonal of the parallelogram compleated from the tendency of the Ihare, and pofition of the beam, becom.es parallel to the horizon. The only part of the wheel-plough, which now remains to be confidered, is the chain, which faftens the plough to the carriage. In regard to the pofition of it, different countries have their different practice •, they all indeed agree in this, that the end, which is made faft to the carriage, Ihould -be hooked on a little below the axle of the wheel-, but the application of the other end of the chain, differs according to the cuilom ot the country j in fome places they fix it round the near- handle, immediately above or below the heel of the beam ; others fix it over the beam, behind the head of the flieath •, and in ibme parts of France they uie no chain, only have a wooden collar, which goes over the fore end of the beam, where it is conhned by a wooden pin, which goes through the beam, and under the end of a piece of wood, which goes through the axle-tree of the wheels, to which it is likewife confined by a wooden pin. Now thefe three methods are as oppofite as pofTible ; yet when the plough is well conilrudted, I never could difcover any difference arifingfrom the diflerent applica- tion THROUGH ENGLAND. 553 tion of the draught ; the firft indeed evidently ieems beft calculated for the ftrength of the plough, as the chain goes round the whole body of it; but in this cale, the chains are generally lailied up to the beam before the coulter. There are two reafons for this -, the one is, that in ploughing deep, the chain hanging lb low, would prevent the mould from rifing; the other is that, if the heel of the beam is pitched low, the chain wiliincline upwards to the carriage ; whereas, I believe, it is proper that the chain fhould have this different direction, as it v/ill draw the plough into the ground, v,;hich tendency, as I have explained before, will always have fufficient and fleady refiftance in the carriage, againft the iseam. The French method is certanly bad, nor could it proJuce the defired effedc, was it not that their beam is excedive Itout, not ad- mitting of any elafii.city. Cheapncis is un- doubtedly their motive ; but it could not pof- (ibly anfwer in fiirong work : for my own part, I prefer the placing the cham over the beam behind the Iheath : but I ufe this precaution in my large ploughs •, I have a long link which goe^ from the end of the chain on the beam round the heel of the plough, immediately below the heel of the beam •, this confines the whole body of the plough together, though tiie draught in fad is from the top of the beam. As what I liave faid above is in part to prove, that the pofition of the beam cannot affecl the plough, in regard to its going clofe at heel, I fhall juft mention what I have proved to many, which is, thai unlef a plough is narrow behind, \t cannot go clofe at heel, but will ride on tiie furrow; and that unlefs the. point of the (hare has a fufficient tendency into the ground, tiK plough cannot go level 4t bottom. I haye 554 THE FARMER'S TOUR I have already declared (what I believe will be allowed) that different foils and different ope- rations, require different ploughs : but as there are many farmers who cannot afford to have variety of ploughs, I fhall venture to recom- mend one for general ufe, which feems to anfwer the feveral purpofcs much better than any I have yet conftru6ted. The conftituent parts are put together in the manner of the Rotheram plough. See plate XMII. lig. 2. The fhape of the breaft, from the point of the fliare to the throat, is the arc of half a femi-ellipfis, whofe femi-conjugate diameter is 16 inches, and the focus's at 17 inches diftance from the common center. See plate XVII. Fig. 8. the outward fueep of which, A L C, is the above-mentioned form. As to the form of the mould-board, I Ihall not dogmatically pro- nounce it the beft that is •, but as it is the bell I have yet made, I fliall venture to give the defcription of it, obferving, that as I made it by the e)'e, and completed it in the field by attending to the afccnt and delivery of the furrow, I took the dimenfions of all the different curves, and Lid them down on paper. I fhall defcribe the method by which I did it, not without hopes of its leading to a difcovery of fome eafy pradieal rule for the ufe of workmen, who have at pre- fent no other guide but their eye, to form the fweep of a curved board, which is tedious, and confequently very expenfive ; and therefore I fuppole the rcafon that the llraight board is fo much in ufe, having no other recommendation than cheapnefs. Plate XVIII. reprefents the frame work, and dimenfions of the different parts of the plough without the mould-board. A B is the beam, 6 feet long, having the under part of the two ends j^ inches from the ground line : C is the Iheath, 7 inches THROUGH ENGLAND. 555 7 inches wide, where it is mortifed into the beam •, it is 3 inches thick, and bevilled off in the breaft, from the land fide, to anfwer the curve of the mould-board : the front of the fheath at C is 18 inches from A, and 16 inches perpendicular from the, ground line. D is the near handle, into which the end of the beam is mortiied at A ; it fliurs clofe at bottom to the hind part of the fheath, and is faftened to it by the wooden pin E, and fpikes at the bottom. F is a triangular piece of wood which fhuts on the lower part of the handle D, and is faflened to it by the pin G, and fpikes at bottom •, this triangular piece makes the heel of the plough. H is the fhare, 18 inches long, from the point to the top of the buck P, having the fin Q^ 14 inches long, and 9 inches wide. This width k^ right in free land •, but in ftony land it will require a point at the end, nor muft the fin be wide : indeed fome lands are fo ftony as not to admit of any fin : it goes on upon the end of the Iheath, as in common ploughs it docs on the eliip j the land-fide is continued the whole length, and drops at the heel about l of an inch below the triangular piece; this forms the arc at bottom, from the point of the Ihare to the heel : it is faftened on by a fcrew-bolt, which goes through the triangular piece at I. The heel of the plough relts folely on the heel of the iron plate, without fullering the wood to touch the ground; which, for thereafon given in page 540, muft diminifh the friftion ; but this indeed is more effecftually accomplifhed by Mr. Moore\ very ingenious thought, of placing the vertical wheel in the body of the plough, which ferves as the heel of the plough : but in ftriking up the 1 ill furrow cf the land, I have experienced the advantage of the iron heel, as by its cutting into the ground it prevents the plough flippino- ^way irom her work, K is the coulter, fixed in the 556 THE FARMER'S TOUR the beam with wedges 8 inches before the {heath. L is the off handle, to which the hind part of the mould-board is fattened by the large wooden pin M, which goes through the mould-board, handle, and triangular piece at the heel : the ends of both handles ftand level when the plough is upright, to render it difficult for the plough- men to hold the plough over on the land- fide. The ends at N are 2 feet 9 inches from the ground, and 4 feet 2 inches rrom the end of the beam at A : the perpendicular from A is 6 inches behind the heel of the plough: from the heel to the point is 3 feet : from the point of the {hare to the bottom of the end of the beanv at B, is 2 feet 9 inches. O is the Suffolk cople- with the cat-head, as defcribed in plate XVII. fig. I and 2. R and b are too wooden pins which fallen the breafl of the mould-board to the Iheath. T U two wooden pins that fallen the tenon of the {heath into the beam. The fram- ing of this plough, which is the fame as the Ro- theram^ appears much ftronger than the comm.on one, and admirably well contrived to prize the weight of earth on the fhare, without a poflibility of racking the tenons of the {heath and beam ; for you will obferve that the handle which refts on the triangular piece at the heel, prizes up the lower end of the {heath on which the weight of earth is ^ forcing it up to the beam, and thus, by lifting the beam, prevents the tenon, which is mortifed into the handle, from being drained -, whereas, in the common plough they are always pulling aiunder, requiring a falfe coulter and tuck to keep the beam and chip together •, and as this plough requires none, it Ihcws how much ftronger the conilrudion is. Plate XIX. reprefents the compleat body of the plough ; the horizontal lines on the miould- board, marked aaaaa^ are fquare, with parallel THROUGH ENGLAND, ssi lines on the land fide of the plough, which arc all 3 inches afunder, except the under one, wh.ch is only i f inch, trom the fecond being I \ inch clear of the bottom of the furrow : as, in this, I difier with many, Ihall give my rcafon, whi h is, that when the plough is working in land that cuts up whole furrow ; if the bottom of the board, or ground-wrefl, touches the fur- row that is turned over, it mw^ prefs it in at bottom, which will naturally make it fall back again at top, or at leall fct it on edge-, and, if in looic moukl, by fqueezing in the bottom, tlie upper mould muit fall back into the furrow, having no bafe to fupport it : my rule is, that the heel of the board ihall juft flide againft the furrow, without difplacing it from the form it fell in. The perpendicular lines ^^^i'i'^i' are fquare, with parallel lines on the land-fide, which are 6 inches aiunder where the lines interfe6l; I took the dimenfions of the thicknefs with callipers, as marked on the boards which correfpond with the marks in Plate XIX. fig. 2. which reprefents the perpendicular, or bird's-eye view of the mould-board : the curved lines aaaaa in this figure, correfpond with the horizontal lines-, and the perpendicular lines hhhbhhb with the perpendiculars : where thefe lines interfed, the figures Ihew the diitance from the line A B, which is fuppofed to be the land- fide of the plough : thefe correfpond v/ith the dimenfions taken by the callipers, as marked on the upright board ; they are both drawn to one fcale, of 3 inches to the foot. As it is neceffary that the breaft of the plough fhould hang over a little to the land- fide, I was obliged to raife a perpendicular board, fqu^re with a line drawn fi-om the point to the heel : by this means I was enabled to fix the callipers, taking off the difference of the thicknefs 5^8 THE FARMER^s TOUR ' thicknefs of the board from each meafuremeiic. I have been the more prolixin the defcriprionof thefe figures, beingunwilling to omit any circum- ftance which might explain them, as, at leaft, it is a certain and eafy method for a wheelwright to take the exadl dimenfions of any plough lie is ordered to copy, and by making moulds from the curved lines in Plate XIX. fig. 2. and applying them (according to the following directions) to the mould-board, when hewed out to near the fhape j he will eafily bring it to the required form. Let A B be a line drawn from the heel of the plough to the point of the fhare ; extend the line from A, 15 inches to C: and at D, 23 | inches diftance from A, raife the line D E, which reprefents the hanging over of the breall of the mould-board on the land-fide ; making an angle of about 83 degrees with the plane of the hori- zon. Then place the mould of the lowermoft curved line, to the angle of the buck and fin of the fhare at F ; which is 6 f inches diftance from the vertical plane of the line AB; and 10 inches diftance from the fame plane at G ; ex- tending 3 I inches beyond the upright fquare of the heel A. The end of the mould at G, mufl be I f inch from the ground ; but at F it will be but about an inch and a quarter ; rifing gra- dually to the end of the buck, as reprefented in Plate XIX. You mufl then apply the upper- mofl mould at E, which is 12 inches perpendi- cular from the ground, and 14 inches from the perpendicular of the heel A. The mould-board mull then be worked with the fpoke fhave, till the other end of the mould, when held quite horizontal, will touch at H ; which is likewiie, of courfe, 12 inches from the ground j and 17 i inches from C, on the vertical plane of CAB, extending 15 inches beyond the fquare of the heel A. " Thefe two curves being fitted, cut off the I 1 77 '-' OL # Vrt MPl.lti SIX A-XXfaJ^e S^ /. _i-:- ■— ---^ — " -— ^^^^ IZ /■= ,»rt ~^_ 1 ,f./ ^ ^ *^.„ Fi^.i. ^% $^. • jr -. .« n ,.-, /"> '\„ JS- - ' ^ S ^1^^. <^ i #*i Hi ■■■l ■■l^^ iiiiiiimiiniii ■ ■■■■Ml ffliilllll m c ' THROUGH ENGLAND. 559 the heel of the mould-board in the hne G H* You then proceed to fit the moulds IK, LM, and D N, dropping each curve 3 inches perpen- dicular ', when the curve D N will be 3 inches from the ground, but only 1 l inch from F G : This was done to take the moft curves, where the greateft twift of the board is required. With the above defcription and drawing, my wheelwright has madeexad copies of this plough, without having the original plough to work by. I therefore flatter myfelf it will be fufficiently explanatory for the ufe of workmen. — My mould-board, indeed, rifes about two inches higher •, but as thefe were the only curves requi- flte for turning the furrow, I thought it needleis to infert more lines, which the workman may do at his pleafure ; having the fweep of the brealt E D, and the heel of the board G H, for his direction. There is likewifethis farther advantage, that by varying the fweep of the curved lines ia Plate XIX. fig. 2. a workman may lay down any Ihapehe thinks proper, and be certain his Vv^ork will anfwer the drawins". As I mentioned that this plough performed the work much better than any I had made, I mull remark one particular circum- ftance ; which is, that all the curved lines nearly interfecl each other in the center of the board. This was merely accidental, having formed the board entirely by eye ; but may ierve as a hint, and probably will prove, that their meeting exadtly in the center, is the proper form for turning the furrow. I have realon to believe this was fo ; having worked the board Ibme time without plates, till i found it to my mind : pro- bably it may have been worked a day or two too long, and by that m.eans be hollowed out alittle too much in the middle of tlie bjard. I Ihall conclude, by oblerving that a plough may be made of any dimenfions, by the drawing 4 ox 56o THE FARMER'S TOUR of Plate XlX.fig. 2. If it is required to bcfmalkr, I'/z.of 2 feet 6 inches at the bottom, and the reft in proportion -, the only alteration necefiary to be obferved is, to confider the fcale as of :? | of an inch to the foot, inftead of 3 inches : if, on the contrary, it is required to be larger, viz. 4 feet long, and the whole in that proportion, the fcale muft be then confidered as being of 2 | inches to the foot, inftead of 3 inches. Ravejijbury^ 0£i. 2, 1770. On this very fenfible and truly pradical eflay on the conftrudion of a plough, I fhall only obferve, that its utility muft be appa- rent to the moft fuperficial obferver. Of what confequence is it to form one perfed: plough, if you have no rules by which to e:^ecute another ? The following are the particulars of this gentleman's farm. 297 Acres in all 12 Labourers 126 Grafs " 3 Boys 171 Arable 37 Acres wheat jr.200 Rent 18 Oats 13 Horfea 17 Beans 6 Cows 80 Madder 300 Sheep 10 Turnips 4 Young cattle 5 Cabbages 40 Swine 13 Fallow. 1 Man End of the Second VolUxME. 5ra\if\L M ■IVTFf.: i ■i