THE
FARMER'S tour THROUGH THE
EAST
of
ENGLAND. BEING
The
Regifter of a Journey through various Counties.
of
this
Kingdom, of
to enquire into the State
Agriculture,
&c.
CONTAINING, The
I.
Methods
particular
the Soil, and
of
II.
The
and
C&nducT: of live Stock,
the
modern Syftem
The
ftances
of
Divifion int»
attending
their
State of Population, the
Poor, Labour, Provifions, Sec.
IV. The Rental
Size
and State.
V. The Minutes of above
Breeding. III.
its
Farms, with various Circum-
cultivating the Soil.
and Value of
five
hundred original Experiments, communicated by feveral of the Nobility, Gentry, &c.
WITH Other Subjects that tend
to explain
the prefent State of
English Husbandry. By
CONTENTS THE
OF
FOURTH VOLUME. Letter
TpROM
XXX.
Taunton
Mr.
Bath.
to
Charles TyntV, at Halfwell.
— — Lord Eg-
mont'i , at Enmore,
Page
Bampfield'j,
at
Heftercomb.
-
XXXI. From
Bath
pf Wiltfhire.
to
—
— Mr. — Mr.
Mr. Andrews'^,
Mill' j.
— Mr.
Burke'j.
Earl of Holdernefle\f,
XXXII. Review Carrots,
of
the
Intelligence
XXXIII.
Ditto of Potatoes^
XXXIV.
Ditto of Madder,
Ditto of Sainfoine,
3£XXVII.
Ditto of Lucerne,
XXXVIII.
Ditto of Clover,
XL. XLI.
-
the
-
D///0 of Hops,
— — The
Sir
concerning
113
to
123.
124
to
130.
131
to 140.
141
to
147.
14.8 to 162.
163
-
Ditto of Cabbages,
Ditto of Turnips,
—
93/0112. -
Ditto of Burnet,
XXXVI.
XXXIX.
at
16 to 92.
-
-
25.
Sheep Hufbandry
Barnet.
Clayton'.* Experiments.
John Hoby
XXXV.
i to
CowfladeV Experiments.
Grove. Peat.
Sir
-
to
169.
170/0190. 191
to
194,
195
/a
196.
CONTENTS. Letter
XLII. Ditto of Drilled Crop>x, XLIII. Ditto of Rental,
XLIV.
Ditto of Products of Corn,
XLV.
Dz7/o Products of Pulfe,
XL VI. XLVI
230
to
237.
238
/a
242.
Ditto Quantities of Seed,
243/0252.
-
253/0273. 274/0 291.
I.
XLVIII.
Ditto of Tillage, D///0 0/ &&*#,
2CLIX. Ditto L. Ditto
-
of Cows,
of the Price of Provijions,
LI. Ditto of Firing,
Tools,
&c.
Comparifon
of
292/0300. 301
Labour
LIV.
with Rates
of
36 J
LX.
Tythe,
Ditto of Manuring, S/tf/*
to this
3 66 -
to 384."
385 to 3 8 8. 388/0 389.
-
LVIII. Ditto of the Value of the
LIX.
to
the Particulars of Farms,
LVI. Ditto of flocking Farms, LVII. Ditto of
^334-
and Rife of Labour,
335
LV. Review
307
311 /0317. and Provi/ions, 3 l8
Ditto
to
308/0310.
LII. Ditto the Price of Labour, LIII.
197/0217; 218/0229.
-
$oil,
390/0393.
-
394
t0
454-
proportioned of the Soil in England,
Tour,
-
-
455-
APPENDIX,
-
ADDENDA;
Criticifms anfwered,
470
to
506.
507.
THE
FARMER'S TOUR THROUGH
ENGLAND. LETTER XXX. MATTHEW COOMBS, of Taunton drilling
*
St.
James, has pra&ifed the
of peafe three years
rows equally
he makes his
:
20 inches
diftant,
ufes ten pecks, or three bufhels acre,
four
of feed per
and cleans them by two, horfe-hoeings,
and weeds them.
He
and
alfo
likewife
afunder,
three, or
hand-hoes
draws down the
* In the I
way from Henlade
went out of the
direct
of feeing three places, Vol. IV.
which
B
to Bridgewatet\
road for the pleafure I
had heard of before
THE FARMER'S TOUR
2
the rows of peafe to the fun with rakes y
when
This operation
twelve inches high.
he thinks crop.
bufhels
the welfare
to
effential
The produce
rifes
from 20
Eight acres
per acre.
and 140 bufhels of dry pences of the culture are,
before
I
the peafe,
came
laft
The
peafe.
Hand-hoeing and weeding, Horfe-hoeing, 3
to
year
ex-
1 s.
1 s.
His
s.
into
40
kids fold at market^
yielded him. 40/. for
Drawing
of the
Somerjetjhire:
thefe
are
Bampfield, Efq. Hefterccmb, the feat of Halfivell, Sir Charles Tynte\ and Enmore-Caftk,
the earl of
Egmont\
The
gardens at Hejlercomb are the object a rural fequeftered vale with wood ; much ot the Mr. Bampfield has ground wild and romantic rilled this canvafs in a manner that does honour walk winds around the whole to his tafle. along the fides of the hills, at .in fome places into retired bottoms, and rifes others it dips commanding views eminences, the again over was no water, country. Here diftant of the but it was brought from the higher lands, :
:
A
The and is exhibited in various forms. grounds are finely thickened with wood, which artfully managed, as to make the extent is fo appear vaftry larger than r,
it
really
is.
The
THROUGH ENGLAND. His courfc of crops
3
is,
1.
Wheat and
2.
Drilled peafe, and turnips after.
3.
Wheat fown
ecldifh turnips.
in February.
4. Barley.
Clover one year.
5.
This honeft farmer practice of
his
rifes
much above
and deferves
neighbours,
commendation
for fo doing
fible intelligent
man.
the
:
he
is
a
kn~
About The walk firft leads from the houfe, behind fome thick wood, on the fide of a fine falling valley, to a bench, which is elegantly fituated at the bottom of a bold declivity is a Lke, quite environed with an amphitheatre of hanging wood the varied, waving flopes of green, break into the dark grove in the moil beautiful manner an urn on a rifing knole is excellently fituated, half obfeured by the (hade of the trees a fmall fall of water from out a moffy bank, thickly tufted with wood, enlivens this moft agreeable fcene. Above the whole a hermitage is feen, fituated on a projecting point of the hill from whence it looks down on all the objects beneath. The parts of this view are extremely well connected, though various. The lake at your feet, the (helving lawn, and the thick woods, unite moft happily with the water-fail ; from thence your eye feels no pain in pafling :
;
:
:
B
2
to
THE FARMER'S TOUR
4
About i.
Hal/well, the courfe
Wheat
3.
2. Barley or oats
is,
Clover and raygrafs
2 years.
Alfo, 1.
Wheat
4.
Wheat
2.
Barley
5.
Peafe or beans.
3.
Clover
Wheat bufhels,
peafe
yields
barley
18,
on oats
an
15
beans
20,
turnips,
but
25,
They have fome
14.
average
none to the urn, which is in the very in de of the woods, that thicken quite to the hermitage. Rifing the hill you come to a winding .errafs, from which you look down to the ~ight, on the hollow, with the water at the hotter": the effecl: fine. Between the hills you Catch the diftant country, which is compoPd of rich inclofures. From herce the icene changes totally, to a cool, fequ^ftered vale, almoft wholly ihaded by the thick woods, that hang on the fides of :
the
hills
:
no building or
diftant profpect
is
feen,
but a tranfparent lpring gullies out of a little fpot of rock, mofs and wood, and trickles over the path a pebble courfe through the lawn then leads through a dark wood, and comes out at a ruftic feat, from which you look at once on a cafcade that will rivet you to the fpot with :
admiration.
A falls
bold ftream rufhes from out a rock, and the mod natural manner imaginable
in
about
THROUGH ENGLAND. none
Their
hoed.
5
they perform
tillage
with oxen, 6 or 8 in a plough and one horfe an acre a day good work. chiefly
:
Sir Charles Tynte (a
practice
before
I
them
ufes
thought
in harnefs
had
been
Mr. Cooke of Derbyfiire) one and before another, or abreafl: at pleafure four in than a plough never puts more
peculiar
to
;
move much quicker than
they
yoaks^
in
Four doing draw heavier weights. the work of 6 or 8 and one horfe, is an amazing
and
about
40
feet,
nearly
perpendicular over
a
Never bank was nature lb admirably imitated. The back ground is a wood quite impervious, and as fteep of rock-work, mofs, ivy and weeds.
of the ftream the whole fpot is a opening in a thick wood, and no object to be {ixn but that which engrofTes your atas the fall
:
little
The accompanyment
is as happy as gloomy wood, whofe branches bend about with all the eafe of nature, and exclude every thing but the fun beams, which
tention.
the principal
:
a
fparkle on the falling water fequeftered dell is loft.
thing
is
is
:
floor of this which the water in which every
the
a fmall lawn, in
So complete a fcene, complete, and nothing to offend,
will
not be often feen.
Vol. IV.
B
3
Leaving
THE FARMER'S TOUR
6
amazing faving; and yet that
4
in Sir
and an horfc
A
to 8.
that it
I
:
is
it
it is
certainly a fac%
Chariest team are equal to in the farmers,
6*
and fometimeSj
companion extremely dec-Hive, amazing they do not imitate fo
fuppofe the expence of harnefs, added
to the lofs of laying afidc the yoaks,
deters
them
who had
;
all
for
one farmer
his life
been
I
is
what!
talked with,.}
uied to oxen,j
allowed
this moil agreeable fpot, the walk through a piece of wild ground, which
Leaving leads
contrails
the
more
intereiling fcenes
we
havej
but the ihrubby grafs, fcattered withj j fingle trees, whofe tops unite with the woods! that fpread over the hills, form a retirement; that will not allow you to drop your attention. The path winds from hence up the hillj through a dark wood, from which it breaks fuddenly into an alcove bench, opening at once> on a fine proip^ct over the vale of Taunton:* Crofling the pailure, and again entering thei from Woods, you come to a fmall bench, which you have a very pretty birds-eye landfcape through the branches of the trees, en a. part of the vale of launton^ with the fteeple* of the town: it is managed with talle. Riling the hill again, we next came to the hermitage or witch hou-fc, from the figure of an old witch
palled
1
)
painted
THROUGH ENGLAND. allowed
landlord's
his
that
walking beads than
were
though
his,
many in a plough. There is much rich grazing
7 fafter
he did
not put fo
It is
40 s. an
chiefly ufed for fatting
Devon-
dlemas from 3
hay
in at
Can-
/.
to 6
/.
each, and keep
them
the grafs fprings
till
beaft
a
lets
which they buy
fhire heifers,
at
from 20
to
Bridgwater, that acre.
to
land around
;
then they
which
every acre,
allot
on
pays
an
in the center pannel very genteel compliment to Dr. hanzhorne
painted
:
the occafion of a the.
grounds from
O'er BampfielcTs wood:-, by various nature grze'd, but then that witch is taste. witch prefides
A
!
—
The view from hence fpot
is
the top of a
hill,
is
very ftriking
;
the
which projects boldly
over the vale, and being lofty, the declivity is iteep i the hollow vale, with the lake at the bot-
hanging woods, has a hill, wood and water, romantic. The diftant country above opens to the eye, and renders the whole complete. From hence, the walk leads to a feat, which looks full into a fine hollow, totally furrounded with impervious woods ; not one intruding object but an enchanter feems to have torn up a cafcade, and flung it into the dark bofom of
tom, deep funk great effect
;
in
the
the union of lawn,
;
thele
noble groves.
A B 4
fcene
more
perfectly
picturefque
THE FARMER'S TOUR
8
an average 40 s. profit. Befides this every acre will fatten from one and a half to two wethers in the winter, to 8 s. a head profit this grafs land
There from
is
muft be incomparably good.
a vaft trad, of rich grazing marfh
Bridgewater towards
quite to Axbridge.
It
and
Brijiol,
from 25 s.
lets
to
30 s. an acre 20 of thefe acres will fatten 16 oxen of 50 fcorein the fummer, and 40 :
wethers in the winter.
The
profit
on the
oxen
picturefque
I
have not viewed
never was a
:
more happily united with the vanot an edging, rious fhades of retiring woods or flat bank of trees, or mere back ground, but this is feen deep in the recefles of a woody falling water
;
hollow, and beneath the eye, with the peculiarity of looking down on a water-fall, with a greater effect than eyeing it upwards : a circumftance I
remember no where which fets the pencil at
From
this fpot,
befides.
It
is
a fcene,
defiance.
the path carries
you
to
many
natural openings in the wood, which let
in a
great variety of profpedls, excellently managed they to fet off the preceding fcenes by contrail :
are in general iequeftered, and borrow half their
charm? from the gloomy (hades, in which they thefe are more open and gay \ in fome places you look down on the vale, with the oppofite hills varied with woods and icattered trees ; in others, over the home fields and catch, through 4 are viewed
:
THROUGH ENGLAND. oxen
from
is
4/. to 5/.
9
and 8/. a head on
the fheep.
Hearing there was a great annually in an arable I
was
fiderable
from
fo
rich a fold
of crops regular on 1.
it
Wheat, manured an
its
they muft be
that
kept
at Bridgcivater
of knowing
defirous
fuppofing
field
cattle fair
produces
very ;
con-
the courfe
is,
for with
20 loads
acre.
2.
Peafe or beans.
3.
Clover one year.
Which through the plantations, diflant objects, with ihe opening in various breaks. The whole admirably contrived for the introduction of uncommon variety in a fmall fpace of ground. Mr. Bampfield has ornamented his houfe with feveral paintings of his own performance. His copy of Vandyke's king Charles on horfeback is executed with all the fire and freedom of the original. The landfcape over the chimney in the dining-room, a compolition of his own, is beautiful the brilliancy and warmth of the tints are very pleafing. In the drawing-room is a piece of birds in needle-work by Mrs. Barr.pfield, in which the colours are aftonifhingly fine ; the hen's back is nature itfelf, and the relief unrich vale of Taunton
:
commonly
bold.
Some
fmaller
pieces
in
the
fame
THE FARMER'S TOUR
io
Which
Somerfetfhire
open one)
of this
Wheat,
As
conftantly.
the
part
:
field
(it
is
in
an
is,
i.
reafon to
many
a better courfe than
is
Peafe,
2.
to
give no
they
crops
fuppofe the land
the better for
fair.
Wheat, 20
bufhels.
Barley, 30 ditto. Peafe,
25
ditto.
Beans, 30
ditto.
Clover, 2 loads of hay, and then a crop
of feed. In
fame room, of other birds, &c. are touched with a fpirit and livelinefs, that do honour to the lady's genius.
*
*
*
*
From
Hefier combe to Enmore-Caftle, I took the
road by
Cutherjlone lodge, a very high ground,
'
which commands a moft extenfive view over the Brijiol channel,
acrofs
mountains of Brecknock.
Glamorgan/hire,
The
to
the
channel, with the
is a fine object, and the waving hills and vales around the lodge, cut into inclofures, are pleafing-, but the whole is not equal in beauty to ieveral profpects I have elfewhere The objects are too indiftinct you look feen. over a country twelve miles to the channel, that 21 miles over, then the whole county of is
Holmes,
:
Glamorgan*
In
THROUGH ENGLAND.
n
country they manure as
much
all this
wheat
as they can for
:
fome few
for beans
but no hand-hoeing, and fow the
wheat
after the beans.
Throughout the vale of Taunton and here
they are very attentive to getting
alfo,
their
wheat lands
order
:
into
good hufband-like
think they mind this point more
I
They plough much of their
than any other.
land on to narrow beds from
4
to
10 feet overs.
Glamorgan, and far into Brecknock/hire: this is the eye receives no pleafure from too great chanbeing told, that it fees fourfcore miles. :
A
bottom of the
nel five miles wide, at the
decli-
winding round a cultivated country, with the V/elch mountains riling immediately from the oppofite fhore, would be ten times more linking than Cutherjlon. The view of the Ijl: of Wight channel, from the hill above Coives, vity,
and
much
exceeds this in real beauty.
Excufe avoided,
digrefiion,
this
had
was the noblefc
which
I
mould have
not been told, that this
I
in
view
England.
Enmore-Caftle is fituated on a gradually rifing in the midft of a fine rich country, about
hill,
It is one of the four miles from Bridgwater. peculiar buildings in the kingdom it is a large quadrangular caftle, built of a dark-coloured
mod
ftone,
:
round
a
court.
It
is
furrounded
by
a dry
THE FARMERS TOUR
12
and break
over,
all
the clods that are left
by the harrows, drawing
at the
fame time
the loofe earth from the furrows on to the
beds
they
this
;
and when
all
;
but what
they do not
about
Henlade)
ones
is
too,
they
(as
I
is
have a very
very aftonifh-
to
their
wheat
before obferved
know what
On
!
fields
this attention
lands,
furrow
clodding and hacking,
finiihed, the
neat appearance ing, with
call
wet clayey
a
foils,
water-
and
flat
have no contrivance to carry
This a dry fofle, 40 feet wide and 16 deep. opens all round into the offices under the caftle, and likewife (which is the peculiarity) into a whole range of others under the lawn, which furrounds it ; and among the reft to the (tables, an excellent conwhich are all under ground conveniently near the them have trivance to of conftitutions the agrees with houfe how it :
:
the horfes
I
know
not.
The
principal
way
into
the ftables is at a distance from the caftle, where The folthe entrance is at the fide of the hill. lowing is a lift of the rooms.
The
40 by 28, and 27 high; a gallery but it is too dark. The armoury, 36 by 22. The anti-chamber, 25 by 18. Bed-chamber, 22 by 18. Here are feveral Dreffing-room, 22 by 14.
round
good
hall
it,
portraits.
The
reft offices.
THROUGH ENGLAND. carry off the
of
the
beds,
poilbn
no
flight
furrows half
which lodges
water,
13
in the
and which
muft
of their
portion
crops.
Leaving Brzdgewafer,
took the road
I
paffing within fight of a very
to Bathi
remarkable trad of country, called King's Sedgmoor
on an average nine miles
it is
:
long and two broad ; bog, but fo very
it
is
a flat black peat
rich, that
fome
fenfible
farmers
In the principal itory are,
The gallery 66 by 22, and 19 high. The dining-room 41 by 22, and 19 high. The library 46 by 19. Lord Egmont's
dreffing-room, 19 by 17.
Bed-chamber 29 by
16.
Lady Egmont's
drefling-room 19 by 17. Over the chimney the taking down from the crofs, in the ftile of Albert Barer. There are many figures,
and
ing expreflion.
moft minute, though unmeanThere is neither compofition,
nor any know ledge of the clear obfcure. Lady's wardrobe, 15 by 11. Lady's woman's room, 19 by 13.
Another
The a
r
N
cm, 20 by 19. by 17. So
cabinet, 18
mere waiting room. Drilling room, 22 by
pictures, landicapes
-,
14.
ftill life,
called,
Here
but
are
it
is
feveral
&c. Bed-
THE FARMER'S TOUR
if
formers allured me,
wanted nothing but be made well worth from 20s.
draining to
25 s. an
to
prefent
on an average.
acre,
that the water has
by evaporation yields lcarce
iummers. nation
is
wafte in a
no way
in winter
;
to get is
it
any food, except
What it,
But
at
encompafled by higher lands,
fo
it is
it
to
in
a difgrace to
bu
off,
and
a fea,
very dry
the
whole
have 11,520 fuch acres
kingdom
that
lie
quarrelling about
is
high
Bed-chamber,
hung with
22 by 20
about that part of their manage-
:
ment Near Bath I
much
expect
not
XXXI.
my
mail be particular in
enquiries.
may
the lands, as
*,
be fup-
pofed, are artificially very rich, and
Four miles from thence,
high
rents.
came
to King's
Down.
that neighbourhood rifes
an
The
acre.
Rent of land from
lheep here are
at
let .
I in
I
o s. to 40 /.
all
Wiltfiires :
they
*
The
every day making to this greatly is it to the honour of all thofe concerned in raifing the new ftreets, that they build on a regular plan ; fo that every fide is a complete front. Befides the Circus, which is now finifhed, and is an area no where equalled in the kingdom, there
city
is
additions
uncommon, and
are
a ftreet leads from it to a fet of buildings now be in the form of a crefcent, which
raifing, to
will
have a very noble efFe£t; yet the archi-
tecture
is
not faultlefs
plain walls inftead
3
of
:
the ground-floor being ruftics
is
an experiment not
THROUGH ENGLAND.
27
they fold the ewes moft part of the winter,
with no more hurt
The
profit
them than
to wethers.
they reckon,
Lamb, 10 s. Wool, zs.
Two
to
hundred
to
15 J.
will
fold
an acre
in
a
week.
Farms
are in general
from 100/.
to 300/.
a year. Their courfes of crops, 1.
Fallow
3.
Barley
2.
Wheat
4.
Clover.
And
fome, not
all,
add,
Wheat
5.
6. Barley.
41/0, 1.
Fallow
2.
Wheat
3.
Barley.
There
not perfectly fuccefsful. Againft the principal floor and attic is a regular range of Ionic pillars but the windows of the attic are crowded quite into the capitals of the pillars, which offends the tye. Befides this pile, there are feveral others, whofe magnitude fhews how flourifhing this city is Paragon Buildings, a concave range, York •,
:
Edgar Buildings, &c. amazing editown fupported by pleafure and difThe feat neither of government nor com-
Buildings, fices for
eaie
!
merce.
a
THE FARMER'S TOUR
28
There
fome turnips,
are
and moll of
them hoed; the value from 40
to 3/.
.r.
an
acre.
MeIkflam
From
tenths of the country
is
Devizes ,
the
to
and
grafs,
40 s. an acre; average 25 s. moftly applied to dairies, which rife cows many are let the price ufed 20J-. to
;
;
3 /. but
now
it is
They
4/.
and the
is
3.
Barley
Wheat Wheat yields
4.
Oats.
2.
per acre
;
acre
:
the
they ufe
fix
60
to be
lets
chiefly
and a half
three quarters
barley and oats not
Land
average.
to
is
courfe,
Fallow
1.
It
give four, five
About Rundevey the country field,
from
of milk a day.
or fix gallons
open
nine
lets
more on an
from 15^.
farms large.
to i8j.
an
In their ploughs
oxen, fometimes four
;
and three
or four horfes.
They all
fold their ewes as well as wethers
winter
long on the land
for barley;
while they are lambing they pen them in the farm yard,
and
with the wethers. turnips twice
;
after
that
fold
They hand-hoe
an acre
is
them their
worth from 40 s>
to COJ".
At
THROUGH ENGLAND. At
BiJJjops-Ca?ino?7S
concerning fheep
quiries
•
the cold
any
all
;
do
nor
from
inconvenience
They lamb
the practice.
en-
upon
the year
lambs and
hills,
they ever find
frefh
they here fold
:
through
ewes quite
the
made
I
29
in the fold,
and
dams without any difficulty. Ewes they reckon make more water than wethers but the latter dung the lambs find out their
;
The
molt.
balance of value for
They
they think even. fold
till
leave
folding
them
in the
nine or ten o'clock in the morning
200 fheep
:
an acre in 10 nights.
will fold
Rents here run
at
an
15^.
The
acre.
courfe of crops, 1.
Fallow
Wheat Wheat yields 2.
3.
Barley
4.
Oats.
four quarters an acre
barley and oats the fame.
LABOUR. Ten-pence a day
the year round.
all
Reaping, $s.
Mowing
corn, grafs,
10 d. 1
Head-man's wages,
Next
ditto,
6d. to
J".
20^/.
61. to 7/.
3/. to 4/.
;
and
THE FARMERS TOUR
30
PROVISIONS. Bread,
2
per
d.
Butter,
-
7
Cheefe,
-
3 f per
Beef,
-
2 §
Mutton,
-
31
Pork,
-
Milk,
for
6
a peck.
Labourer's houfe-rent,
their
all
lb.
per pint.
I d.
-
—
8 oz.
3
-
Potatoes,
lb. 1
30.$-.
to
The
Firing, 30J.
40 s. farmers
fell
pea and bean ftraw to the la-
bourers for burning
:
as vile a
piece of
hufbandry as can well be fuppofed. In a few miles more, repeating
about fheep,
quiries
I
my
en-
again found that
they penned them in the farm yards, littered warmly with ftraw, and feed them
with hay in racks
when
till
the lambs get ftrength,
they fold them as
of 300 will annually
20
s.
I
to
23-f.
ufual.
fell 1
and 100
A
00 old ones,
lambs
at
ioj-.
obferved in feveral places in the
to Marlborough^
way of
that they
getting gravel
:
flock at
or
way
had a very neat
they open a hole,
and
THROUGH ENGLAND. fifting the gravel that arifes\
and
31
take out
the ftones, and leaving the earth, &c.
down
lay
it,
grafs
not at
is
practice
1
lets
an
2.0s.
The
2 j.
this
:
courfe
a
is
imitation.
about Overton, the acre,
inclofure
and the open
fields
at
is,
Fallow
1.
fo that the
damaged
all
which much deferves
Land at
the turf again,
in
3. Barley.
Wheat Wheat yields 2.
barley
ing,
;
but few turnips
acre,
their
:
of fheep are about icoo: they fold
flocks
them
quarters
4
an
quarters
3 f
all
the year through, except at lamb-
and then pen in the yard
no lime or marie in
:
they ufe
ma-
country in
this
nuring, only the fold and yard dung.
No oxen
in tillage
four
;
horfes in a
plough.
From Marlborough average rent
is
Hungerford, the
to
about 15J. or 16 s. an acre
:
there are tracts of exceeding rich watered
meadows
ing to Mr. Pop/jam, that 4/.
an acre
twice,
fome belong-
here, particularly
:
let
from 40/.
they very often
mow
them
and get two ton of hay the
cutting, and
from one
to
to
firft
one and a half the
THE FARMER'S TOUR
S2
the fecond
j
after-grafs of
the
fome mea-
dows alone let for 40 s. an acre. Thefe are immenfe rates, and much exceed the in the
grafs
and
fhews
neighbourhood of great
throw It
pleafure over grafs lands.
at
was here
They many
bring
;
uncommon imcommand of water
ftrongly the
portance of having a to
cities
I firft
met with peat
allies.
them from Newbury but buy the peat itfelf there, here; if bought at Newbury, ;
farmers
and burn they Goft
it
burnt here
5^/.;
it
comes
to 6d.
but this extra penny they think well laid cut,
becaufe
Newbury burners mix
the
drofs with the peat
;
fo that
the
quality
more than a penny worfe. They lay them chiefly on clover from 10 to 20
is
bufhels an acre. crop,
and fome
It
to
does great good to this the following wheat
but on the clover in a wet year the effect is
to be
ken
to
ibmetimes fown fpring.
They
an inch.
Peat afhes are
on the green wheat
in
here fold their ewes through
the winter, as well as the wethers
and there a farmer, who lambing on ftraw in the farm yard.
:
here
pens them while
Lambs fell
THROUGH ENGLAND. fell
up
to
crops here
1
5
is,
j.
wool
3
j.
The
33
courfe of
THE FARMER'S TOUR
34
The
common
courfes of crops moft
are,
i.
Turnips
3.
Clover one year
z.
Barley
4.
Wheat.
1.
Turnips
4. Clover
2.
Wheat
5.
Oats.
3.
Barley
1
Turnips
5.
Peafe and beans
6.
mixed Wheat.
2. Barley 3.
Clover
4.
Summer
And
fallow
this laft is
heard
I ever
one year
one of the ftrangeft courfes
of.
For wheat on clover land they plough but
once
otherwife
;
from three
to
five
fow two bufhels and a peck of
times
;
feed,
and reckon three quarters the average
They have an uncommon high
produce.
opinion
of
changing
feed
;
have
large
from Surry, the IJle of Thanety &c. They plough thrice for barley, fow three bufhels an acre, and get four quarquantities
ters in return.
earth,
For oats they give but one
fow four bufhels an acre
rage crop
five
quarters.
They
quarters ftir
;
they
;
the ave-
rife
to ten
thrice for peafe, drill
four
THROUGH ENGLAND. four bufhels an acre, ftant
twice
;
rows equally di-
hand-hoe
they
inches;
15
in
35
them
and a few farmers horfe-hoe them
with the Berkfiire fhim;
They
quarters an acre.
the crop
four
give but one earth
for beans, plant three bufhels an
acre
in
rows 18 inches afunder, and drop them in holes nine or ten inches afunder, and tour
or five beans in a hole, fo that they
up
in bunches.
come
fhould apprehend this
I
crouding the roots together muft prevent the tillering, and anfwer no good purpofe, efpecially
them and
in
twice,
rich
land
they
:
hand-hoe
and reap about four quarters
a half per acre.
In the Vale of White Horfe^ the crops rife to,
Wheat, 4
to 8 quarters*
Oats, 6 ciuarters.
Beans, 5 quarters. Peafe,
Very
No
5 quarters. little
barley.
rape or cole-feed
for turnips they
is
cultivated here
plough from thrice
times, hand-hoe twice, and feed
the 1 /»
land with
us.
fheep
;
6d. per acre.
D
2
the
to fix
them on
average value
Clover they
mow once
THE FARMER'S TOUR
36
once for hay, and get from two to three tons an acre, at 30 s. a ton, and feed the
Refpecling the goodnefs
fecond growth.
of the wheat crop that follows, they do not reckon that there
is
any difference be-
tween mowing and feeding.
Both fummer and winter tares tivated for feeding fheep, and alio ing horfes in the ftable
month;
fix horfes a
week, comes
to
3
one acre
:
this,
at
an acre
/.
:
are culfor foil-
keep
will
is.
a
6d.
good
a re-
turn, confidering the ameliorating quality
of the
tares,
and the plenty of dung
raifed
in foiling.
They have it
on
under
all
of fainfoine, fow
a great deal
poor lands, without regarding the
of the earth
ftrata
a chalk rock
A
every year. tons of hay,
worth 20
j*.
;
at
in
does without
it
5 years, and mown good acre will give three
lafts
:
;
1
30 s.
all,
and an
5/.
10s.
:
after-grafs
a vaft pro-
duce, and on their poor lands too
engage, that
it
much
!
exceeds their
I
will
richeft.
arable.
In regard to manuring, they are excellent farmers in their attention to that part
of hufbandry
;
and here
it
is
neceflary to
begin
THROUGH ENGLAND.
37
begin with peat, for which they are
mod
famous. Peat
a very regular flratum, under an-
is
common meadow
other of a black
deep;
feet deep; but in is
one peat earth
not more than 4 feet thick
ft iff,
fticking
feels
very
no roughnefs in
call
feet
:
I
was
under
looks
peat
like black butter
in
it,
10
in,
it
it
is
marne, a whitim,
The
clay.
much
to 3
1
generally from 7 to
a body, which they
it
from
mold,
itfelf
is
it
under
earth, but generally
there
;
nor any roots
and is
fo that
;
from the peat common of the kingdom, which is a
differs materially
mod
parts
net-work of
common
roots,
a
fpunge of them.
conjecture
is,
peat
that
formed by the deftruction of a whole and
is
compofed of the rotten
are fometimes
found.
The
found
it
peat moors about
Torkjhire, are five or fix flat
in
perfectly
Thome
and regular, and under them
fuch a clay as alfo find
at
whole
quite found
:
whole country
Newbury. trees,
In
foreft,
whole
deep,
feet
was
timber
acorns, leaves, mofs, branches, and trees,
The
in
very
much
them they
and many of them
they are chiefly
firs,
and the
are very defirous of getting
D
3
thefe
THE FARMER'S TOUR
38 thefe
experience
make
to
firs,
it
peat
known of all
is
no inftance
little
The
few ames.
fcarcely
But
this
roots,
and
their decaying.
a fibrous mafs of
yields very
long-
has been found, that they are
almofl incorruptible,
being
by
pales of; for
quality they
both poiTefs of preferving timber,
feems
rather an objection
being
to the real peat
compofed of rotten wood, found
trees are
make
it
fo
efpecially as the
deep in the peat, as to
rcafonable to think they muft have
been among thofe which compofed the mafs;
however,
this
only a conjecture.
is
Moft of the peat in digging is under water, and the peat-fpoon, with which it is
dug,
from the
mould always
be
in the water,
eafe thereby acquired
and throwing
it
drying burnt,
off the fpoon
;
of cutting it
is
fome people
not as
after
have
imagined in heaps, merely for the afhes, but in houfes, like
all
other peat, and then
the afhes are colle&ed. pit is 9 s. for a
and the afhes
waggon are
The
price at the
load of
40 bufhels,
worth half the money
the price 6d. a bufhel.
They burn
in the
peat grounds an inferior fort for the mere afhes,
mixing the upper ftratum of black earth
THROUGH ENGLAND. earth with
and thefe afhes they
;
An
bufhel.
a
2,d.
it
39
fell
ground
acre of peat
at is
worth 200/.
Many for
it.
The is
in
farmers come from 15 to 16 miles
ten bufhels
they ufe
:
March. The red
afli is
it
by
creafed
the moft efleemed
Larger quantities have
have a
common
fowed forty or the
en-
tried
They man who
effects.
here, of a
a Imall quantity over the
to his neighbour's clover,
furprifed afterwards
had judged much his neighbour's
per
bufhels per acre, and
fifty
wind blowing
hedge on
been
without greater
ftory,
is
as 3 to 2.
it,
but
acre
only on clover
only the clover crop; but that
it lafts
acre,
on an
general quantity fpread
he was
to find, that the
wind
better than himfclf ; for
clover
was more improved
than his own.
But the farmers here do themfelves to peat
London^ to
and
acre, at
their
wheat %d.
;
they have from
them very
ferviceable
Soot they fow on
their lighter lands.
their green
an
find
rags
;
not confine
in the fpring,
1
2 bufhels
and they ufe malt duft on
Chalk
barley lands.
D
4
they ufe by
way
THE FARMER'S TOUR
4o
way of mellowing it
plough the
They do their
eafier.
not chop their ftubbles
hay they
In
and making
land,
the
but
home.
flack at
their fences
;
they follow the plafhing
method. Their
befl grafs land
mea-
the watered
is
dow, which
lets at
acre.
They
water
the year, except two
months
it
all
40 s. an
while the crop is growing
mow
they
:
twice,
and get four tons an acre, worth 2 5 s. a ton; and the fpring and after grafs food
worth about 10 s. more. All thefe meadows rot fheep, turn them in when you is
will
except ewes
;
directly
oppofite to the
whole county of Dorfet the
ri2:ht,
rot
water, but the
does foil.
fo difputed as this
The
This
with lamb. practice
and
:
not
if
arife
But there
of the
is
is
of the both
are
from
the
no point
rot.
breed of cattle here
is
the long-
horned Derbyftire cows give 4 or 5 lb. of butter a week, from two gallons of milk ;
produce 4 or 5 /. They do not keep the more fwine on account of
a day cows.
;
the
The
total
winter food
is
wholly hay and ftraw.
THROUGH ENGLAND.
41
In rearing calves, they do not fuck
ftraw. at all.
Swine
from ten
fatten in general
to fifty
fcore.
In
my Six Months Tour
of England,
I
through the North
mentioned a hog being
fat-
tened by Mr. Sehvood to 57 fcore, which is 81 ftone 6 lb. at \\lb. to the ftone. I have
been
much
ridiculed for offering to pretend
Mr. Andrews
to think of fuch a thing.
not recollect the exact particulars, but
did
wrote to Col. Sellw:od; and fince Grove,
had
I
he writes ivood
a
letter
as follows
has
fent
:
me
from him,
I
the
left
in
which
—"
Lieut. Col. Sell-
the
following well-
attefted particulars.
" Pigs
fatted
by Richard
Sellwcod, Efq.
of Bright Walton, Berks.
" March,
a
1752,
hog
that
killed,
weighed, exclufive of the blood, fixty-one fcore twelve
out,
it
pounds
;
when opened and
weighed fifty-feven
cut
fcore
eleven
killed another,
which,
pounds.
" February, 1770,
when
cut
out,
fourteen pounds. I
think thefe
weighed forty-four
fcore
Signed by R. Sellwood." particulars are
a fufficient
anfwer
THE FARMERS TOUR
4i
who
anfwer to thofe,
made
before
at
my
expence.
Flocks of fheep
rife
to 3 or
felves
are
fo
merry
chiefly
breed
-
they
Wiltjhire
The
026
9
-
winter food
turnips,
They
o
{. o 10 -
-
Total,
hay.
:
the profit,
;
Lamb, Wool,
per
400
fheep of the
flock
them-«
o 12
and a
value the fold at
4^/.
little
per night
Relative to the rot, befides the
fcore.
above fact of their meadows effecting they obferve that no fheep will ever
while
it
has a lamb by the
it,
rot,
Springs
fide.
they think have nothing to do with the difeafe,
nor will
wet places
all
watered meadows
will.
This
but
rot, is
all
confonant
with a part of Mr. BakewelPs opinion, mentioned in the rots but
tillage
necelTary for
five
in
that
no water
what flows.
In their
four
volume,
fir ft
1
they reckon five horfes
00 acres of arable land, ufe
a plough,
inches deep;
and do an acre a day, the price 6
Cutting ftraw into chaff
s.
an
acre.
is prac"tifed.
There
THROUGH ENGLAND. oxen ufed
There are fome
;
43
but they
fo well as horfes.
dp not anfwer The time of breaking up ftubbles wheat fowing.
the
with the
ploughs,
is
after
They ufe wheel beam rcfting on very
high gallows, fomething
like
the Norfolk
ones, but not near fo light.
In hiring farms, they reckon five rents neceffary to flock.
Land
30 years purchafe
at
fells
;
land
4 j is 7.5. 6d. Tythes both gathered and compounded
tax at
-
.
5
the compofition ^s. an acre round.
Poor
rates
pound; 20 years In the town of Newbury
4-f.
ago only 6d.
in the
7 s. but not to the
full
amount of real
rents.
The employment of the women and children fpinning. They all drink tea tw ice T
a day.
The
following are the particulars of a
farm
150 Acres in
all
20 Grafs 130 Arable 100/. Rent 8 Horfes 6 8
Cows Young
150 Sheep
30 Swine
40 Acres wheat 40 Barley 15 Oats 15 Turnips 20 Clover
cattle
3 Men 2 Boys I
Maid
2 Labourers.
THE FARMERS TOUR
44
Mr. ton,
Cdwffade, of the Priory at Denning-
has
tried
fome
which
experiments
known. Experiment, No.
well deferve being
To wheat
difcovcr
importance of brining
the
he has
feed,
i.
tried
for feveral years
it
drying with lime; and on comparifon with the feed unbrined, he obferves, that a prefervative from the fmut
;
is
it
corn will
for
be fmutty, that comes from feed unbrined, while that brined is quite free, and the foil the fame. 'Experiment,
Three
acres
wheat, in
No.
2.
were in 1763
with
drilled
18 inches
equally diftant rows,
aiunder, one and a half bufhel feed per acre it
was carefully hand-hoed
the crop three
:
quarters and a half per acre
;
which
is
a
produce confiderable enough to prove the merit of the culture.
Experiment, No.
Two wheat
acres, in
in
afunder it
;
1764, were drilled with rows, one foot
equally diftant a bufhel
and half of feed per acre
was hand-hoed once
quarters and
was
3.
a piece
;
the crop
a half per acre.
of broad-caft wheat
5
three
Adjoining ;
foil,
til-
lages
THROUGH ENGLAND.
45
&c. the lame, fown with 2 bufhels and
lage,
a quarter per acre per acre
this
:
the crop five quarters
;
fuperiority
of the
Mr. Cowjlade
to give
great
broad-caft, induced
up drilling wheat, as the common method was fo evidently better. But he drills all his peafe and beans, and feldom gets per
than four or
lefs
five quarters
acre.
Experiment^ No. 4. Sainfoine this gentleman finds a
mofl.
he has got
at
one cutting
5 tons of hay per acre, which
is
the greateft
profitable crop
;
crop (well authenticated) that I have heard of.
Experiment^ No. 5.
Mr. Cowjlade planted one Batavia potatoe which weighed 2 cz. and it produced 10 lb.
—This
the fort
turn out
mon
is
trial
fhould be purfued,
not generally
known
;
it
for
may
more productive than the com-
ones. *
Near * Mr. Andrews has built a houfe at the grove and orna-
near Newbury^ in the Gothic (tile mented the grounds about it with
•,
The
much
tafte.
ground, backed by out of which rifes a hill crowned with wood Dcnnington caftle. lawn fp reads around the houfe, and falls to a very fine water ; a ftream enlarged O fituation
is
on
a riling ;
A
'
THE FARMER'S TOUR
46
Near Reading the
on
gravel,
The i.
1.
which
foil is
lets
a
at
good
Wheat
3. Barley
is,
4.
Clover
5.
Wheat
fer acre
;
1
or 2 years
6. Barley.
many turnips are fown, it is now and then fallow. Wheat yields 3, or There
loam
las. an acre.
courfe of crops here ufed
Fallow
rich
are not
Barley, 5
;
Oats,
;
when
they
inftead of a 3 §
6
;
quarters
Peafe they drill
enlarged into a river, which takes a winding eafy courfe near a mile long, and of a confiderable breadth ; there are three or four iflands in it, one of which is thickly planted, and affords fhelter to many fwans and wild fowl which fre-
quent the water,
at the
fame time that they add
to the beauty of the place.
Over
the river the
country confifts of corn fields which rife agreeThe lawn is very neat ; the trees and ably. clumps well managed, and the wood, in which the water terminates at each end, finiihes the There is a winding fcene in a pleafing manner. gravel walk through both the groves on the banks of the river, which opens to feveral retired and pleafing fcenes \ at one fpot is a pretty ruftic Gothic temple, built of flint, near a cafcade, which the river forms by falling over a natural The whole place is laid out with ridge of (lone. great tafte.
Plate XXIX. is a plate of Mr. Andrews'taken from a drawing of his own the point of view the grove by the river to the right of the •,
houfe.
THROUGH ENGLAND. drill
equally diftant
in
inches
18
hand-hoe them once;
afunder; 3
rows,
47
the crop
quarters per acre.
I
Farms here
are in general
from 100/.
to
200/. a year.
In their tillage they generally ufe
and a
fes
4 hor-
driver, but fometimes, after feve-
ploughings, only 2 horfes, but a driver
ral
always.
There
The
houfe is a good one; the flair-cafe pecubut agreeable; and the library a large, handfome, and well proportioned room. Mr. Andrews has feveral pictures by fome of the liar,
principal mafters.
An old man's head. Very ftrong : the expreffion of the hands and face
Rembrandt.
fine.
Com. Jchnfon.
Portrait of a
The head
in a
noble
duke of ftile
Auftria.
of expreffion.
A
companion. lady. The colouring and minute expreffion great. Hall. copy from a laughing boy: well Its
A
done.
M.
Angelo Carravaggio.
Unknown. Swaine.
effects
De Neff.
Fruit
:
well
executed.
A fmall portrait of king James. Good. A moonlight piece of (hipping. The A
of the light agreeable.
piece of architecture in perfpective.
Natural. Baptift.
Berghem. Fluent.
Two flower pieces. Cattle.
Two
fmall pieces of fcripture hiftory.
Pleafing.
THE FARMER'S TOUR
48
There
many
are
variations around Mar-*
low and Harleyford,
the
of William
feat
Clayton, Efq. for the particulars of the fol-
lowing account,
I
am
obliged to that gen-*
tleman.
Farms
from 40/.
rife
but are in general about
to 300/. a year
The
100/.
and clay;
are various, gravel, loam, chalk,
the hills
whole
let at
10/. or I2J-.
in general,
meadows
foils
an acre; the
included, at
15^
To Carlo
A fmall head of (Thrift. A piece of ihipping.
Dolc'r.
Swaine.
Two
Vel. Brughle. Collet.
landfcapes.
Small landfcapes with ings.
There
is
a
figures'
and build-
warmth and mellow-
nefs in the colours that are pleafing.
Old Frank.
A
city
taken by florm.
and very ftrong Sir Jofepb Andreivs has
Singular
exprefllon. a feat in
this
neigh-
bourhood, where are, among other pi£hires, a boy by Amiconi, which is executed with a pleafAlfo fix views of Rome ing tendernefs of tints. by Occhiali, of which the colouring is fine the Here alfo perfpeclive good, and well finifhed. is a Wake by Rubens, with many figures of capi-,
tal expreflion
;
there are various attitudes fpirited,
His wife and feme men's heads in a great ftile. in one comer-, a better figure than common with Rubens ; and the back of another woman in Likewife a rethe front ground in fine relief. pair i the mailer unknown ; the group agreeable.
There
are alfo fix pieces
by
Canaletti,
THROUGH ENGLAND. To Henley, it runs To Reading, 1 5 s. To Beconsjieldy js. The
at 15
s.
6d.
courfe of crops
common
I.
Turnips
5. Peafe.
1.
Barley
And
3. Clover,
4.
year
1
49
6.
here*
is,
fometimes add
Wheat.
Wheat Alfo y
Fallow
1.
Barley
3.
Wheat They plough
4. Peafe.
2.
but once for wheat on clo-
fow 3 the crop 3 quarters. bufhels an acre For barley they plough three times ; fow 3 f
ver
4, or 5 times
3,
;
in
a fallow
;
;
bufhels
;
the crop
4
They giv e
| quarters.
fow 4 bufhels an acre; the crop 4 \ or 5 quarters an acre 4 They give two earths for peafe ; fow 3 but one ftirring for oats
bufhels an acre diftant rows,
fhim
;
;
many
;
are drilled in equally
and twice horfe-hoed with the
the crop 3 \ quarters.
For turnips they plough from three to fix times
;
pence of 5 all
hand-hoe them twice J",
and
3
j.
6
d.
;
on the land with fheep.
Vol. IV.
E
at
the ex-
and feed them Clover they
mow
50
THE FARMER'S TOUR
mow
twice for hay,
and get 3 loads an
Winter vetches they
acre.
foiling horfes
They fow much
month. hills
mow
;
acre will keep
1
;
it
afhes once in
for
two
fainfoine
but manure
;
Peat
dreffings.
from Newbury
with
mod on
pur-
they
afhes
and fome
;
it
years.
In manuring they depend chafed
or 5 a
4
on the hay, and get from 1 to 2
hay an acre
loads of
cultivate for
have
&c.
afhes, foot,
are bought at different towns.
But few of
enough
for folding.
their flocks are large
No
ftubbles here are chopt
hay
all their
;
fo the
On
be gueffed.
farm-yard fyftem
their ftrong lands they
buck-wheat, and plough
The Jbire
and they
;
it
cows
may fow
in.
breed of cattle here*
long-horned
fell
is
for
they are not of confequence.
the Derbydairies,
but
Mr. Clayton
cow that has given 12 lb. week; fhe gave 18 quarts of
has a Holdernefs
of butter a milk that
at
Lord Granville had one
a meal.
gave 20 quarts.
Swine
fatten
In their ceflfary for
up
tillage
to
30
ftone.
they reckon 6 horfes ne-
100 acres of arable land; ufe 4 in
THROUGH ENGLAND. and do an acre a day
in a plough,
;
51 they
6 or 7 inches deep ; the price 9 J", an Cutting ftraw into chaff is well acre. ftir
known*
The time of breaking
a fallow,
is
ftubbles for
between Michaelmas and
Ckrift-*
Wheel ploughs chiefly ufed. Land fells at 30 years purchafe* Tythes
was.
Land-tax,
gathered.
are
pound, in the
is
Poor
is. Sd.
pound
;
now
4/. in the
at
rates
were 4^. qd°
only 2 s. 6d.;
and at
the fame time that this deduction has been
made, they have almoft paid off the debt they contracted for building a poor-houfe
and
this
They
meafure
is
what has funk the
allow no tea in the houfe
have had much trouble
The employment very
get
difficult to
is
to effect lace
;
rates.
but they
it.
making;
women, &c.
to
it
is
work
in the fields.—-All drink tea.
There this
are
country;
many
woods of beech in moft of which are in the vaft
hands of the landlords themfelves.
management of them do not take regular
is
fells,
peculiar.
as of
The They
underwood,
let them grow up in fingle items till they young trees they pick them every 6 years; cutting down from the 12th to 7
but are
or
:
E
2
the
THE FARMER'S TOUR
52
the 20th part, at 32 or 33 years growth;
and the whole product and
for firing,
pays
all
is
rived into billets
goes to London:
ioj. per acre per ann.
about
Molt of
thefe
acre in
wood on them,
woods have
more valuable
this
rent.
30/. or 35/.
an
are confequently
in that, than in the fee-fim-
ple of the land.
LABOUR. In harveft, 35^. a
month and
In hay-time and winter,
1 s.
board.
2d. a day.
Reaping, $s.
Mowing The
corn,
is.
grafs,
2 j.
rates
6d.
of labour not rifen in 20 years.
PROVISIONS. Bread,
-
Cheefe, Butter,
Beef,
Pork,
Bacon,
4
-
lb.
.
7
-
Mutton, Veal,
id. per -
4 4
-
5 -
4 -
6
Labourer's houfe-rent, 30/. to 40 s. firing,
roots.
the labour of digging
THROUGH ENGLAND.
53
BUILDING, Bricks per thoufand, Tiles,
Oak
8
1
Am ditto,
1 s.
Elm
1
ditto,
o
s.
1 s.
to 2
s.
d.
6
ditto,
The
6
J".
timber per foot,
Beech
1
d.
and obfervations made by Mr.
trials
Clayton, are highly deferving the attention
of the public
on no fmall ticulars
;
that he pra&ifes
fcale,
will appear
hufbandry
from the par-
of his farm.
550 Acres 360 Wood 80 Grafs
20 Turnips
in all
14 Horfes
Cows 6 Young
10
120 Arable
Rent
300 Sheep
40 Wheat 40 Barley 20 Clover
16 Swine
400
/.
cattle
8 Labourers
3 Boys.
Experiment, No.
1.
Sainfoine Mr. Clayton tried comparatively in three pieces of
ground on the
hills,
fix
ftoney furface 2 feet deep
on
years ago.
No.
1.
A
chalk.
E
3
THE FARMER'S TOUR
54 No.
A
2.
of a
No.
loamy
on
foil
fide
5 or 6 feet deep, on chalk.
hill,
Very fhallow
3.
on the
clay,
but a few
foil,
inches deep, on chajk,
The No.
1.
an
event
has yielded annually 2 loads of hay
worth 30
acre,
grafs 8
No.
2.
No.
3.
But
j.
6
a load
s.
d.
The fame. Has produced it
is
the after-
;
only
1
load an acre,
very obfervable that this
field
has a fharp declivity on both fides intq
a bottom
;
fo that there the foil
deep of the warnings from the this part, the
that
great,
ground
;
it
able one,
it is
1
experiment, which
from 6
a falfe one.
is
a valu-
very evident that the ftratum
feet
furface,
;
is
not at
all
for the product is
than from 6 inches.
that the idea,
fainfoine thriving only is
in
load an acre.
necefTary for the crop
Which fhews
;
the reft of the field
all
of chalk being near the
better
hills
could fcarcely ftand On the
but on
this
6 feet
crop has always been fo
not more than
From
is
common, of
on very fhallow
(oils
3
THROUGH ENGLAND.
55
Experiment^ No. 2.
preparing
In
down
laying
tough, that
a ftrong
to grafs
it
clay
the
;
foil
tools
a fpiky
it,
roller for
Mr. Clayton made
:
which
He
nefs completely.
effected the bufi-
accordingly fowed
with very fine hay feeds
and defigns
;
a nurfery to gather from by hand
gained he purpofes
This
trial
ler is
in
or,
fhews
many
what
how cafes
worfe,
is
proved fo
could not be got into order
by the common
{o
for
field
to
fow
;
it
in
drills.
important a fpiky rol;
the lofing a feafon,
fowing land when not
acre
of
machine.
this
Experiment, No.
An
as
the forts
in proper order, are often confequences
wanting
it
3.
and half of ftoney loam on
clay,
and under that chalk, was cleaned by a
lummer
fallow, and
fown with lucerne (no
corn) in 1765, part broad-caff, and part in drills It
equally diftant,
18 inches afunder.
was kept clean by hand-hoeing;
mown
once,
befides a flight feeding
and ;
but
the produce inconfiderablc.
In 1766
it
was
mown
thrice for horfes
The broad-cad was harrowed
E 4
;
:
but that operation
i
THE FARMER'S TOUR
56
operation being ineffective from the hardnefs of the it
this
foil,
induced him to plough
with a round fhare, and
low
but
;
ftill
that part of
The
kept clean.
left it like a fal-
was not
it
to
broad-caft maintained at
the rate of 5 horfes, from the middle
May
till
be
Michaelmas
\
the drilled
of
4; the
value is. per horfe per week.
1767.
This year the
was cleaned by horfe and the broad-caft by
drilled
and hand-hoeing
;
ploughing and harrowing both the fame as
And
thus
Mr. Clayton
it
the produce of
year.
has continued
ever fince,
tried alfo tranfplanting in
equally diftant, there
laft
;
was no
1
8
inches
difference
afunder
rows but
;
between that and
the drilled. Soiling horfes with lucerne he has for three years oberved to be an infallible cure for botts.
5 Horfes, at 28 4,
At
ditto,
-
j.
-
£-9 -
°
°
740
Experiment , No. 4. In 1767 fourteen acres were laid to grafs after a very clean fallow without corn ; the following feeds per acre.
THROUGH ENGLAND. Cow
grafs,
57
THE FARMER'S TOUR
58
Thefe two experiments prove that land
mould be laid without corn a very few good grafs feeds
and
;
alfo that
are far prefer-
able to the greateft quantity of that rubbifh
commonly
called
hay
feeds.
Experiment^ No. 6.
Peat Mr. Clayton has found in one of his
meadows
;
it
black,
is
but full of roots
burns to a red am, and
on the ferred it
fpot it
;
d.
a bufhel
Newbury pre-
a burner from
Newbury
to
6
fells at
He
afhes.
has tried
on clover; io bufhels per acre; and the
effect is as great as the
Newbury : the
ver, not peated, did not produce fo
as that
on
manured, by
fainfoine, but
as fea-coal afhes
6
d.
a
bum el
at
from London ; and he great
—
the
effect
to
20
always very
fainfoine.
7.
worft weed with which Mr, Clayton
troubled in his grafs-land,
he has
it
much good
from 12
Experiment^ No.
is
alfo tried
they are brought
;
lays
on both clover and
The
much,
for the latter he gives
Marlow
bufhels per acre
He
did not fo
it
;
half.
clo-
tried various
methods
is
mofs
;
and
to deftroy
it
without
THROUGH ENGLAND. without
effect
and that
foot,
:
At
he manured
laft
totally killed
neficial drefling,
do
8.
other manures, this gentleman
has tried woollen rags
was
with
it
it,
Experiment, No.
Among
59
;
that they are a be^
cannot be doubted, but I
knowing on what foils they Common hufbandmen lay them
defirous of
heft.
chiefly
on wet
ftiff foils,
with a view to
keep them open and mellow alferted
much
by fome,
;
but
it
is
that their attracting fo
moifture from the
them
renders
air,
Mr. Clayton
proper only for hot dry
foils.
has ufed them on both
his expreffion was,
"
that he finds
;
them more
on
beneficial
wet cold land, than on hot, dry, gravelly foils.
five
"
;
—This
and
is,
as far as
it
need not add that theory,
I
thefe points,
muff give way
Experiment, No.
Two on
extends, deci-
contiguous
fields
to practice.
9.
of wheat,
fown
ma-
a fallow, were, for a comparifon,
nured
differently;
one
with
bufhels an acre, after the corn
in
lime,
was fown
;
80 the
other was part dunged from the yard, and
3
part
THE FARMERS TOUR
6o
The
part dreffed with woollen rags.
dud: of the but
latter field
was
moll: confiderable,
was much blighted
it
was
one
limed
pro-
whereas the
;
from
that
Thames, Mr.
Clay-,
nearly
free
diftemper.
Experiment, No. 10.
Mud
from the
has
ton
river
on both
tried
from the
land, frefh
and arable
and
river,
fome time, and turned pal
grafs
over.
The
he has obferved from
effect
kept
alfo
princi-
it
is
the
of
production of
an
amazing
quantity
weeds, though
lefs
on
than arable
has
this
of
it ;
grafs
:
him from ufing more fhould apprehend, if it was
deterred
but
I
kept two years, turned over feveral times,
and well mixed with lime, that
As
prove a rich manure. weeds, lay
it
effect
if
it
to the
it
would
producing
then had that efFed,
I
would
on for a hoeing crop, when the would not matter. It certainly is
probable, that
not clear
:
it
the
may
manure, that forces to vegetate.
mud be all
brings feeds, but
its
excellence
as a
in the
land
thofe
THROUGH ENGLAND. Experiment, No.
61
1 1
In 1769, four acres well fallowed were
and fed off
planted with turnip cabbages,
with iheep in April and May, 1770: they kept 60 ewes, 60 lambs, and 30 fat wethers live
weeks and
reckons at 8
/.
5
s.
q.d.
a half,
per week
or per acre
the whole,
is
which Mr. Clayton
2
this
:
/.
is.
amounts
which, upon
a refult favourable to the plant,
as they laft through the feafon, that
moft
critical in
Mr. Clayton
the whole year.
the
them
the hares, and afterwards
grown over with
from the weather.
and been quite This year he
a crop of Reynolds's
cabbage turnip,
iecure
has
is
In a fnow,
obferved fome of
has
down by
eaten
to
which promifes
a
coat,
to be
good fheep
feed.
Experiment, No. 12.
Mr. Clayton had a crop of wheat,
drilled
in equally-diftant rows, five inches afunder;
was kept clean hand-hoed, proved a good crop, but not equal to the broad-
it
caft.
Experiment) No. 13.
Burnet was
of 28
tried in laying
acres, part
of
it
4
down
a
field
with fainfoine, part white
THE FARMER'S TOUR
6l
white Dutch clover, part bird grafs, and part burnet, and the field has at various feafons been fed with fheep, cows, horfesj
and they all eat the burnet quite as as any of the other grades and the
&c. clofe
;
cattle
of
on the
are generally
all forts
net part once or twice a day.
very
This
and fhews that burnet
fair trial,
were
as ray grafs
ground.
;
it is
;
laid
many
down
with
much on
All cattle are fond of
fheep remarkably
it
as early in the fpring
thickens very
it
by
is
Mr. Clayton thinks
Rocque's bird grafs.
a
No. 14.
"Experiment^
a valuable grafs
is
as
no means fo defpicable a plant would have us imagine*
Sixteen acres
bur--'
it,
the
and
fo.
Experiment^ No. 1^.
In
attentive. filver,
Mr. Clayton has alfo been Weymouth pines, fpruce, Scotch
planting,
balm of
Gilead, the
larch, cedar
Lebanon) and the Virginia cedar* feet fquare,
worth
1 s.
of
1
a tree
3 years
now
:
growth the
all :
of
at ten
they are
larch
is
heft,
next the Weymouth pine and fpruce; the
balm of'Gilead does not
thrive at
all.
Mr.
THROUGH ENGLAND. Mr. Clayton plants
all
63
of
forts
trees,
ever-greens as well as others, in November
and December, if not frofty, and has than with fpring had better fuccefs planting.
A
of an hundred years old was
pinafter
blown
down,
and
being
fawn
proved a red deal, but very coarfe
out, :
it
con-
it
tained a load and a half of timber.
Some
Scotch alfo, of the fame age, were
blown
much The
harder
down
:
they were red deals, and
better than the foreign.
and
thin fharp loam near the chalk
foil
a
*.
Sir
* Mr. Clayton
has built one of the moft know, houfes I in a moll elegant fituagreeable ation, and has difpofed the grounds in a manner
A
honour to his tafte. fine from the bank of the river Thames, on which the houfe is built, and has (from the offices being quite hid behind wood) the exact appearance of a large teman effect, which is never completely ple that does great fvvelling
knole
rifes
:
gained
without
An
being
extenfive
uncommonly
agree-
lawn waves
around it, bounded on one fide by the river, and on the Other by a fine hanging grove, which fpreads over the fides of the hill. A finer union of wood, water and lawn, can hardly be imagined. able.
The
THE FARMER'S TOUR
64
Hoby
Sir 'John
Mil/, Bart, of Bijham-abbey
near Marlow, has this year a very important experiment on cabbages, turnips
kind
the particulars of which he
;
was
field
ploughed
this
The
thefe vegetables.
worth
black loam,
and
was
fo
me.
as to give
A fmall
more
carrots,
3
year cropped with
foil is /.
an acre
in October very deep
in the fpring
;
deep
a rich,
;
:
it
was
and twice
the latter of thefe fpring
ploughings was given while the land was
which was very
quite wet,
and
the crop,
prejudicial to
alfo occafioned
fuch delay, that
The wood it
projects
of a dark fhade
is
down
to the level
from
in fome places ; of the lawn ; in
and admits the livelier tints. It crowns the brows of fome of the declivities, boldly hangwhile, on other fpots, ing on their edges ; it thickens over the whole hill, to form a dark, unvaried back ground to the houfe, and conwhich glides the reiplendent ftream, traits through the vale below. others
it
green
among
The well
retires
it,
deeper
its
principal floor of the houfe
difpofed
with an
ellipfis
which the
river
manner.
In
is
exceedingly-
a dining-room, 27 by 21, bow, through the windows of
into
is
this
commanded in a moft linking room is a fmall antique buft of Venus,
THROUGH ENGLAND. that the carrots could not he
They were
Town
till
65 April.
by hand-hoelng.
kept clean
All the expences of tillage, cleaning, &c.
&c.
came
to
4 /.
4/. per acre
;
and the
drawing, cleaning the roots, carting
came
to
1 /.
ioj. per acre
home
the diftance to
;
which they were carted 300 yards. The turnips were fown in Jwie; and hand-hocd twice. The cabbages were planted at the fame time, in rows, 3 feet by 2 and kept clean ;
by hand-hoeing. Early
in
November
I
marked a fquare perch
Venus, and
On
one
feveral portraits
by
Sir Peter
Lely.
opens into a drawing-room, 27 by 18 ; and en the other, into a noble library, of 36 by 1 8, with a bow of 18 by 7. The chimney-piece Doric, the entablature fupported by columns of variegated marble. On the ftaircafe is a very good piece by Snyders. fide
it
The
offices, though near the houfe, are quite by the wood. Lady Louifa Clayton has a neat little ruftic temple in the grove, which opens into her dairy. The whole building agreeable and in tafte. From hence, on the brow of the hill, there is a fine winding terras, which commands various beautiful views of the
hid
river.
Vol. IV.
F
THE FARMER'S TOUR perch of each, and cutting off the tops of the turnips and carrots, and the roots of
the cabbages
the produce
;
was
as follows.
CARROTS. Carrots.
A bufhel baflcct,
No. i.
70
4.
66 50 78
5.
10
2.
3-
lb.
weighed above
A 1
it
\
1
5
67 13
247
274
From hence
57 59
— ~ — —
appears that the carrots
lb.
each.
perch yielding 4 bufhel bafkets and
-6th,
is
in the proportion of
667 per
acre,
each 66 lb.
247 lb. per 96
lb.
per
But
more
perch, are
12 C,
17 tons,
acre.
this
much
produce would have been
confiderable,
had the
tillage
been
given while the land was dry and in good order.
Reflecting the application of the crop,
one porker was fattened quite on carrots two others were confined 1 o days to carrots* and
eat
I
bufhel a day
;
after this,
1
o days
more
THROUGH ENGLAND.
67
9 pecks a day, and barwhen ley-meal 2 bufhels in the ten days
more
at carrots,
;
weighed
killed they
Had
would have fore faved
4
of carrots
;
mount or 12
and 56/^.
6^. lb.
barley-meal only been ufed, they eat 6 bufhels, the carrots there-
which
in value to
s.
this
:
They
bufhels.
is
4
eat 15 bufhels
therefore
are
tanta-
bufhels of barley-meal,
gd. \ per bufhel of 66 lb.
Suppofe 56 lb. the average bufhel of carrots, this
8 d.
is
per bufhel
and the crop in
;
fuch bufhels amounts to 700.
At the lame time will be 10 fcore each,
8
bacon
were put
and fed one month on them,
crop
acre
;
carrots,
after
which
have 4 bufhels of barley each,
but mull otherwife have had
The
to
to the faving
32 bufhels of barley meal; they will
that
ho0
^-*3
v -^
c/;
•>
OvC^
^N
«
.
_
«J
N On
**
c*
r-»
to
^^
C
o
w
fa fe fe ȣ fe
£
"
_ _ — _ _ M *f ci -4- rt O O O v© O O o o c « o
~~0
0000
t>
-2
^*
M
s.
yd.
J
0«*^to
SI
?
weight,
exclufive of
Robert Burdet's, 29 tons 8
-°b
0~O~O O O O C O O
5>
So
average
_•
.
O^ONOuiOr^oOO M
4/.
'
9
t:
o o o
f^ ^-
The
"i
ZS
^,
ditto
o 16 o o 15 16 o
2 2 3
OO O O 3 o
Feeds
his
them tage
;
horfes
to great advar -|
an acre wi
winter a cow.
29. ShoUtf-
loam
o 14 o
fandy
o 15 o
bam, 30.
/V^,
lcam
Buy
lean beafts at
5,
Mickaelmo, about and put them to tu nips
;
9
/.
fat
i'cH
April, at 8
/.
8
i
s.
Three rood wi
fatten a beaft of
(14/i.) c Norfolk wethers. ftone,
THROUGH ENGLAND. fa/
PL
I
Rent.
Soil.
d.
I.
31. Mr mey,
Ra-
300
fandyloam o
32. Beecle.
fandv
Saxwundbam, 34. Mr. Atlon,
ditto
o 12 o 16
ditto
loam o 12
33.
35- Hadleigb, loam 36. Haftead, jclayey 37- Colchejler
Ditto Sundry artvmftneeu
beet oed.
I
193
I.
s.d
10 10 J
S
1
loam
H
o
16
c
One
acre will, in the
field, fatten
a beait
of 40 or 50 fcore.
38. Youngs-
012
clayey &c.
15 o
c
berry,
39. Peterjham, fandy clav 40. Morden,
I
2
IO IO
41. Cbcam, 42. Carjhal-
IO 13
o
o
chalk ditto
ton,
u
43. 5/.
M.
ditto
loam o 14 o
5
©
Cray,
1
I
44. Fe-ver-
rich
loam
i
Jham, 45. Beaksburn,
chalk
OIOO
o o
46.
rich loam
o 17
o o
$ 97^
,the latter; a limeftone at 6s.;
through a large
ivc/l,
;
Doncajier ditto; about that town
1 co s, from Doncajier
.
2 s. 6 d.
tract,
Womb-
about 16
s.
about
;
Warth 18/. Returning lbuthward we come to Retford, about which place average the rents are from 5 s. to 40 s Barn/ley and
;
I \
from Retford^ great
14^.;
Clumber and Thorejby, wafte,
From Durham ...
ioj.
;
call
it
ijs.
is. 6d.
and part
average 12s.
Here ends extent
Lincoln
to
towards
tracts,
a tract
344 miles
proportions,
and
;
of various country, the I
have calculated the
find
the average
13
-
J
.
td.
About Lincoln ivick
6
s.
6
s.
;
6d.;
to
4/.;
Summer
Boot ham \os. cattle,
;
Can-
and about
Lincoln to Sleaford 12
s.
it
This is
THE FARMER'S TOUR
222
a tract of poor land of 50 miles,
is
average of which
At 20 s. Long
12 s.
is
Sleaford begins
about Swineherd, ;
the
the richer country
22
at
s.;
to
Long
Sutton
from Barton, on the Humber, to Sutton, 100 miles, at 20 s.; Long Levering ton
Sutton to
20;.;
thence
to
Lynn i6j. This is a trad: of 149 miles, at 20 s. From and about Lynn to Runcfon 17 s. to Majfmgham 7 s. 6 d.; from Z/y/z# to Snet-k tijham
2s.
thence to fib// j.
1
14 ;
j.
6d.;
about
War ham ;
;
Snettifoam
from
ioj\
Warbam
;,
to
about Biakeney and Sherringham
fome 141. but commons
to Melton,
will reduce
ioj\
to Norwich
i2-r
to
it 1
2
j.
.
to AyljJoam
;
14^.;
about Norwich
;
thence to Bracon AJh
i$s.;
16
s.
Norwich to
Yarraouth 14/.
This
line
of country extends through the
county of Norfolk
;
the
miles, and the average
To 1
2
-
j
.;
Beccles
1
2
s.
;
diftance
6
d.
from thence
to
is
1 1 s.
Toxford
A
about Saxfiiundham 14/.
tract near Woodbridge, (heep- walks,
other lands
about
1
o
s.
1
;
6
J.
;
the average
150;
is
lar«-e
4 j. 6 ^/.
I
Woodbridge to Ipfwich
reckon 1
3
j. ;
about.
THROUGH ENGLAND. dx)ut Bramford lis, 6d.
to
Stow Market 10 s. 6 Haft e ad
to
qs.
from Hadleigh thence 1 1
j.
;
to
s.
;
average
14 .r.;
14 j.;
from
Colcbefter
Witham 1 3 x to Chelmsford thence to Dim/now 12 s, Dunmoia to .
;
,
'ditto to
Dunmow
Tbaxtead and
//^-zn?
to
12
from Lavenbam
;
j.
to
Hockerill 15/.; :
Lavenbam
to
d.
20
to
to Hadleigh 13 s,
;
around that place i$s.\
223
1
to Brainiree
C/^r,?
about
5 J".;
1
5
J".
;
15^.; Horkerill
Youngsberry
iis.\
thence to North Minis 10 s.
This
is
an extent of 224 miles, and the
average rent
13
is
From London to
j.
to Peterjham,
and about Mitcham, 15
j.
40
j.
thence
;
about Cheam^
*
10 j.
Cuddington* i$s. to Carjhalton,
about
»S7.
20
Mary's Cray
Here we
j.
loams on Chalk,
To
to
the
fine
Nort/feet,
Sittingburn y
1 5
many hop-grounds
Feverjbam
but a fmall diftance, fome at
20 j.;
to
10 j. the
MaidftonCy
IJle
10
;
call
20/.
a
I2.r.
to
about
;
ioj^;
average
Canterbury,
of Sbeepyy us,) Canterbury to
fome hop grounds /.
AV/;:
at 3/.
to
s.
Beak/bum much good land at 6
iox,
ias. Darifordy Sec,
enter
chalk.
lys.
i
it
1
5 f.
;
but
at
20/.
and
much chalky
About
Addffiaxi, 6
hill /.
;
to
TH£ FARMER'S TOUR
-24 to the
IJle
of Thanet, by Pre/ion,
St. Nicholas in the ifland, 2 cm.
towards Margate,
1
2
j.
;
:
1
8 s.
at
northward
Minfier
to
;
7
1
j.
the marili land in the fouthern part, 20 s.
;
from thence from Sandwich to !>#/, 1 7 declines much we may; to Dover the foil J".
reckon
at
it
1
o
;
towards Hythe,
s. :
1
about Sandgate the crops are good
may hills
fuppofe 8 J. 6.
at
I
? 'C ^
Sundry circurnftances
2
I
a
1
231
d.
s.
o 10 0*15 24.322423
eatly,
Broad/hvortb, Boot bam,
!
60,15 2o'24 I5 l8j 2436 24^5 Execrable
,o
iO
IO 0[l6
hufban-
dl7I
I
i I
Can-ic.\
;
;,
o
7 623 28 7 0,20 4.0
Wray, o About Summer p Sir Cecil
7
!
20
34;
4
34!
262024I 3° 26
24
caftle,
Majfuigham,
O
8 o
1
Good
29
hufbandry,
light fand.
War ham,
!o
Che am,
|o
Carjhaiton,
[o
Buri'jajh,
jO
8 6 24 36 10 024. 3240 10 0^24 3 2 32| 10 o 24 32
3° Ditto. 29 28
!
Alresford,
o 10 o 24 10 020 52 |o 8 o i6 3032,
Cr it chill, Came,
p p
Milhourn, Milton Abbey,
o 10 o 16 24I24I
Sbejjield Place, \IJle
of Wight,
26 28
|io
Frarr.fidd,
28 26
'o
!
Thin loam on chalk hills.
Beconsjield,
Average,
IO 0:2 2 2432,
p 8
2o'24j
616
24' 2 7
9016
2424
8
o o
017
5
10 20 29 32 21 26
Rents from 10 s.
to 15
j-.
Bujheh. Rent.
Places.
Jjlejbury,
^
ba
C
>i
an
acre*
1
K Sundry circurnftances.
o 14 o
16
'15
15 o jo 12 O
16
16
Very bad hufbandry on rich clay, open fields.
Suckinghamjh. Blijhvorth,
10
2 Sao 4- 2 ^\
THE FARMER'S TOUR
232
Bujheh. Places.
Sundry circumftanccs.
Raa'a rn, For mark, Retford,
Run SI on, Snettijham, Bumham to
Wells,
Sberringbam,
27 5°
Melton, dyljham,
3
i
Very good hufbandry.
Bracon AJh,
Mr.
Be-vor,
Shottejban:,
p
15
'o
15
p p
1
4
c"
33
0J3644
40
Oj3
24
Mr. Fellows, 14 o|28 32J Flegg Hundred, 'o 15 0283240
