Page images
PDF
EPUB

Plows.-P. 121. "On the authority of well informed men in different parts of the county, I am able to state, that this implement is now as much used to humour the prejudices of the plowman, as because his master thinks it necessary to till his land properly. With a two wheel plough, the holder may stare round him, crack his jokes with the plowboy, or even occasionally ride on the stilts, that the horses may have still a stronger draught; while with a swing or a chain plough, his attention must be constantly directed to his business."

Mole Plow.-P. 124. "Mr. Loveden, of Buscot Park, who is distinguished for the variety and utility of his agricultural implements, has a plough of this kind, by Lumbert, and improved by himself, which is drawn by one horse, and sometimes by women, as occasion requires."*

Thrashing Mills.-P. 129. "Within the last two or three years a considerable number of threshing machines, on different principles, and of different powers, have been erected in Berkshire."

Winnowing Mills.-P. 128. "The common flap winnower, which from its rudness seems to have been invented within a century of the Deluge, is not yet discarded."

MANURES.-Yard Dung.-P. 358. "Yard or pot dung is generally preferred when rotten."

Chalk and Lime.-P. 361. "About Hurley, Wargrave, and other places in the eastern part of the county, chalk pits of a good quality are to be found; and chalk is frequently in use as a manure."

"Lime made from chalk would probably answer where the raw material will not."-This seems to indicate that chalk lime is not in use, as a manure, in Berkshire.

Marl.-P. 362. "Though marl is probably abundant in this county, it does not appear to be much used. Sir John Throckmorton has found it very serviceable. The shell marl, over the peat in the Vale of the Kennet, has not been employed, as far as I know, in manuring."

Peat Ashes.-Berkshire being the principal source of this extraordinary manure,-as set forth in the Reports from Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire,-an intelligent account of it becomes valuable; and the agricultural public are much indebted to Dr. Mavor for the following interesting particulars, concerning "Newbury Ashes." Origin

* A man must be a Stoic whom this could not interest. A valuable implement, whose only demerit, at the time of its being first in use, was that of its requiring eight or ten horses to work it, is now, through the magic of invention, drawn by one horse-even by women!

Orign and Nature of the Berkshire Peat Bogs.-P. 28. "The vale of the Kennet is remarkable for producing a peculiar kind of peat; and along the whole course of the river from Hungerford to Reading, a distance of nearly thirty miles, this valuable article, both for fuel and manure, is found at intervals in different states of perfection, or has been already exhausted. As the outlet of the Kennet into the Thames at Reading is confined by rising grounds, it is probable that the original channel was too narrow to allow the waters a free efflux, and thus being thrown back, they formed a morass for many miles above the obstruction. We learn likewise, from ancient records, that Windsor forest once extended up the vale of the Kennet to Hungerford, and that this track was disforested by charter, in 1226. Hence it is easy to account for the accumulation of peat, by the action of the water on decayed trees and other vegetable matter.

"It should, however, be remarked in this place, for the subject is too important not to be resumed, that this peat is very different in its nature from the fibrous mosses, which grow again, after a certain number of years, from the same causes that produced them at first. Here these causes no longer operate; and therefore when the peat land is once dug out, it must be applied to some other purpose, either to the formation of water meadow or osier beds, according to circumstances and situation. Much is already exhausted, and much more cannot be brought into use, from that bane to all agricultural improvement-the right of commons. The present digging commences within two miles of Hungerford, and is carried on at intervals to Woolhampton, where the stratum approaches close to the Bath road. Such is the value of good peat land, that Charles Dundas, Esq. M. P. assured me, in making some exchanges of property, fortytwo acres of this description belonging to him were estimated at 30,000Z."

P. 358. "Though it is probable that peat, nearly of the same nature as that along the Kennet, is to be found in other parts of the kingdom, its general application as a top dressing to clovers, and other artificial grasses, to turnips, to vetches, and even occasionally on wheat, is perhaps unique in this county :"-and its environs.

History and Practice of burning Peat.-P. 359. “In the year 1745 it was first burnt at Newbury, by a Mr. Thomas Rudd, who at the same time spread the ashes on clovers, for which they have ever since been famous. An acre of peat land at that period sold for 301.: it has since sold, according to its quality, for 300l. and 400., and in one instance reached about 800l. per acre.

G 3

" Over

"Over the stratum of peat, which is about five or six feet deep is a good meadow soil, and under the peat is gravel. The peat varies in colour, but the blackest is reckoned the best, and is used for firing, the ashes of which are most esteemed, and have the reddest colour. What is burnt for sale only, is mixed with turf and other substances, which gives it a pale whitish hue.

"Peat is usually dug with a spade for that purpose, resembling those used in Scotland, from the middle of May to the end of June. It is conveyed from the spot where it is dug, in little wheel-barrows, to a short distance, where it is spread on the ground, and after lying about a week, the pieces are turned. This being three or four times repeated, a heap is made in the middle of the place where the peat is spread, and in the centre of this heap some very dry peat is put, which being lighted, the fire communicates slowly to the rest of the heap. When it is completely lighted, an additional quantity of peat is put upon the heap, and this operation is continued till the whole is consumed, which generally takes a month or six weeks, as quick burning is not approved of. Rain seldom penetrates deep enough to extinguish the fire. The heap is commonly of a circular form, and rather flat at top. At first it is very small; but at last it is sometimes two or three yards deep, and six or seven yards in diameter.

"The ashes being riddled, are conveyed away in uncovered carts, to a distance sometimes of twenty miles, and put into a house, or under a shade, to keep them from the wet, till they are wanted to be put on the ground."

P. 360. "The price at Newbury wharf is from fourpence to five pence per bushel. At Reading, sevenpence or eightpence. With the distance, the price varies of course. Carried to Bisham, the expence of manuring an acre will be about 158."

Sheepfold.-P. 358. "The folding of sheep continues to be almost the universal practice in this county; and on the hills, it is nearly the only manure attainable. On turnips, the sheep are hurdled, and the fold gradually extended for the future crop of barley. They are likewise folded at night on land intended for wheat, on all the light soils more especially; and in this situation it is calculated that their manure is worth 58. per week per score. The horned sheep, or Wiltshires, and the native Berkshire notts, are most esteemed for folding on fallows."

TILLAGE. Fallowing.-P. 160. (The Reporter's section "Fallowing") "It was the observation of the most distinguished personage in this kingdom, and which deserves to be written in letters of gold, "THAT THE GROUND, LIKE

MAN,

MAN, WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE IDLE; IF IT Does not PRODUCE Something useful, IT WILL BE OVER RUN WITH WEEDS."

I must not allow, even an L.L.D. to propagate false doctrine, in Agriculture.-Error and inconsistency, with some semblance of truth and common sense, were never more intimately blended, than in the above quotation.— For, be it known unto all men,-THE MAIN PURPORT OF FALLOWING IS TO DESTROY WEEDS;-not to propagate them; nor to give them an opportunity to propagate themseves-in an "idle" hour!

Try we to illustrate this truth, in a familiar, not a fastidious way. Most men of negligent habits are liable, like neglected lands, "to be out of order;" and to require a puke or a purge, or both, to renovate their health, and enable them to perform their offices, with due effect. Most authors, I wot, and some of their readers, will feel the force of this fact.

In like manner, when lands have been kept in a state of aration, and have acquired a foulness of habit, it becomes indispensibly requisite, to accurate treatment, that a course of medicine should be persevered in, until a radical cure be effected.

The renovating medicine-the sovereign remedy-in this case, is FALLOWING; which is capable of doing more service to agriculture, and of course to the community, in six, twelve, or eighteen months (according to the inveteracy of the case) than can be effected, in as many years, by tampering with the "TULLIAN HUSBANDRY."

After a well directed course of TILLAGE has re-established the wonted tone and exertion of a soil, and radically cleansed it from weeds and vermin,-then, may the children of Jethro amuse themselves, for a while, with their superficial system.

SEMINATION.-Drilling.-P. 126. (Section "Drills") "Sir John Throckmorton, Bart, O. Williams, Esq. M. P., and some other gentlemen, use drill machines for grain as well as pulse; but the practice is not common in this county."-Yet Berkshire, we are informed, was not merely the cradle of Drilling, but the theatre on which it was "carried on and perfected." (). Again,

P. 187. "Sowing broad cast has numerous advocates, and is the prevailing practice in this county; but it is not exclusively so. It is the avowed opinion, however, of Mr. Frost, his Majesty's baliff, that all kinds of grain produce most by the acre when sown broad cast, and I found he was not singular in this belief."

ARABLE CROPS.-Most of the crops that are cultivated,

in English husbandry, are touched upon, in the Report under notice.

WHEAT. This crop is spoken of, at some length, and in a degree analytically.-But, after an attentive perusal of the section, I perceive but few practical ideas that are suitable for transplantation. Many ingenious theories are observable, and many useful practices are noticed; but very few that are singular, or particularly eligible.

Time of Sowing Wheat.-In the subsection," Sort," we meet with the following passage.-P. 185. “It should be remarked, that the later any kind of grain is sown, the the greater quantity of seed will be required, as it has less time to tiller, and therefore the crop must depend chiefly on the principal stalk. This theory may apper novel; but it is offered with diffidence, and solely with the view of inviting inquiry and experiment."

I do not insert this passage as conveying a new idea to agricultural science; it being a received opinion, among practical men, in most districts, that two bushels of wheat, sown in September, are equal to three bushels, sown in November; but to show Dr. Mavor's right way of thinking, and strength of mind, tempered by well-judged diffidence, as a theorist.

P. 190."From the diversity of soils and situations, the seed time varies considerably in this county.

"On the richer soils of the Vale of White Horse, it seldom begins before November, or the corn would be too far advanced before winter. About Faringdon, which, though in the same district, has a less strong soil, if the seed is not committed to the ground before November, it is thought advisable to wait till February, even for lammas wheat. About Buckland, where the soil is still lighter, wheat sowing begins about the middle of September.

"On the downs, it is sown about five weeks or a month before Michaelmas. On very light land as early as August. About Lambourne, which is near the centre of the downs, sowing of wheat is continued from a month before Michaelmas to a fortnight after, except on turnip land, where the vegetation of course is more rapid. That which is earliest sown on the downs and Chalk district in general, is found to be least obnoxious to the blight, and therefore the prac tice is regulated accordingly.

"In the Vale of the Kennet, wheat is commonly sown from Michaelmas to November.

"In the Forest district, the nature of the soil determines the season when the seed is to be committed to the ground; and it extends from the earliest to the latest period, already mentioned."-This I hesitate not to pronounce-masterly

Report:

« PreviousContinue »