Page images
PDF
EPUB

ing tract alone, cannot amount to less than one thousand tons annually, at the lowest calculation, allowing each cow to produce four cwt."

Suckling.-P. 375. "In some places, suckling of calves is so much the pursuit, that it is difficult to purchase even milk or cream for tea and other purposes.'

[ocr errors]

P. 378. "In the eastern parts of the county, they are chiefly sent to London in carcase. Chalk or whiting is allowed them to lick. In other respects the manner of treating them presents nothing peculiar. Suckling is declining about Hurst, as not being found sufficiently profitable.'-Mr. Nicholls."

SHEEP.-Doctor Mavor has paid much attention to this valuable species of domestic animals, in husbandry; more especially to the various breeds that were propagated in Berkshire at the time of his survey.

P. 381. Berkshire has a native breed of sheep, strongly marked, and though less valued than formerly, still acknowledged to possess many qualities which adapt them to their situation. The pure race, however, is not so commonly to be met with as many would be apt to imagine. By crosses, it has undergone several changes, though the characteristic features of the Berkshire notts, are not easily obliterated; and the name continues to be given to the various mixtures, as long as they have black faces, Roman noses, black or mottled legs, and long tails."

P. 387." In order to do all the justice in my power to a subject so essentially connected with the agriculture of Berks, and to furnish a memorial of the existing breeds, and the purposes for which they are kept, I shall give brief miscellaneous extracts from my notes, in some of the principal parishes of the different districts."

On examining those extracts, which occupy eight or nine pages, it appears that, at the time of writing, the favorite breeds of professional men, in the several districts, were as follow.

"Vale of White Horse."-There, the Berkshire and the Wiltshire breeds were still, as they had long been, nearly in full possession. A few crossings with Berkshire and Southdowns.

"The Chalk District."-Here, the Wiltshire still remained the favorite breed. The Southdowns, very properly, gaining ground. Two parishes "chiefly Southdown." Wiltshire and Southdown a favorite cross for early grass lambs for the London market. Of this district the Sussex breed will probably gain, in no great length of time, the full possession. Chalk Hills are their natural element.

"Vale of the Kennet."-There, the Wiltshire still prevailed; with here and there some Southdown.

And many

crosses

crosses between those breeds. "Some Dorset ewes for forward lamb."

"Forest District."-In this district we probably discover the aboriginal breed of Berkshire:-one of the ancient breeds of the kingdom. I regret that Dr. Mavor has not more fully described it.

P. 394." Forest sheep, or heath croppers, as they are vulgarly" (pertinently)" called; a small breed, ill shaped, and of little value, but producing very sweet mutton. They abound in the parishes which lie within the precincts of the Forest of Windsor. A quarter will weigh from twelve to fourteen pounds. About thirteen fleeces make a tod. The wool of equal value with the South down."

P. 395." Greensward sheep, a breed somewhat larger and better than the heath croppers."

These are, more than probably, the same breed. The Greenswarders being an improvement of the Heath Croppers; through the means of better food and shepherding.See the NORTHERN and the WESTERN DEPARTMENTS, on this subject.

Fatting Sheep.-P. 396. "Sheep are fatted most commonly on turnips and hay, or on good natural pastures. In some parishes, however, oil cake is given them."

Market for Sheep.-See Markets, p. 74, aforegoing.

RABBITS.-P. 406. "George Elwys, Esq. of Marcham, has a rabbit warren, which is well stocked. It has likewise been stated to me, on what I consider as competent authority, for I had not the pleasure of finding the gentleman at home, that Exuperius Turner, Esq, of Challow, near Wantage, has a breed of white tame rabbits, by which he clears a large sum annually. Their skins, which have lately been much used in trimmings, sell for a good price.'

SWINE.-Breed.-P. 403. "Whatever may be said of the Berkshire native breed of sheep, the hogs of this county deserve, and have obtained, unqualified approbation from the best judges; and those who wish to improve their breed of swine, are desirous, from the most distant parts of the island, to obtain one of the genuine Berkshire race, which, for compactness, aptitude to feed, and the size they will reach, are not inferior to any that can be named."-Twenty or thirty years ago, the above might have been more justly said, than it can be, at present.

Food of Swine.-P. 405. "Mr. Nicholls, of Hinton-house, collects the shells of the ruta baga, after the sheep have done with them, and carts them to the yard for his store pigs, to which they appear to be as grateful and nutritious as corn."

Market for Swine.-P. 453. "No fewer than 4000 hogs,

from

from 10 to 20 score each, and upwards, though the ave rage is about 12 score, are killed and cured in this place annually; chiefly by two families, who have engrossed the greatest part of the business. The bacon, which is deservedly in high estimation, is disposed of in London, and along the line of country between this place and the metropolis. From the uncertainty attending the navigation of the Thames, it is obliged to be sent principally by waggons."

POULTRY.-Fatting Fowls.-P. 462. Oakingham “is particularly famous for fatted fowls, by which many persons in the town and neighbourhood gain a living. They are sold to the London dealers; and the sum of 150l. has been returned in one market day by this traffic. Twenty dozen of these fowls were purchased for one gala at Windsor, at the rate of half-a-guinea a couple. At some seasons of the year, 15s. is paid for a couple. They constitute the principal commerce of the place.

They are put up in a dark place, and crammed with a paste made of barley-meal, mutton suet, and some treacle, or coarse sugar, mixed with milk, and are found to be completely ripe in a fortnight. If kept longer, the fever that is induced by this continued state of repletion, renders them red and unsaleable, and frequently kills shem."

BEES.-P. 409." In the gardens of middling farmers, and more especially in the gardens of moderate tradesmen and labourers, we frequently find a few hives, seldom a dozen in one place; though few kinds of stock would be so productive, without incurring any expence.

"A poor man, near Abingdon, in one year cleared 271. by his bees. At West Ilsley, hives have been found to contain forty pounds of honey; but this is considered as a very extraordinary quantity, and only to be expected under favourable circumstances.

6

"In the Forest district, bee-hives are pretty plentiful. About Newbury,' says Mr. Bicheno, bees are not very productive, as a stock seldom yields more than twelve or fourteen pounds of honey.'

FISH.-P. 46. "In the parishes of Oakingham, Hurst, Lawrence, Waltham, and Ruscombe, several gentlemen have natural or artificial fish ponds, which are let to tenants, and produce every third or fourth year a crop, if it may be so termed, of carp and tench. The occupier stocks with yearlings about two inches long, obtained chiefly from Yately, on the neighbouring confines of Hampshire. The breeders are about eight or nine pounds weight; but in the Berkshire ponds they are never suffered to breed, but are sold off to the inns at Henley and other places, when the

ponds

ponds are drawn, which is generally once in four years, and weigh at that age about three or four pounds each."

This is an extention of the Surrey and Sussex practice; which will be noticed in this volume.

PROFIT Of FARMING.-P. 114. "Though this county is distinguished for the number of its intelligent and independent cultivators, and though I was particularly anxious to obtain some accurate estimates of expences and profits, I found it impossible to succeed. Several keep a correct account of expenditure; but on a farm, it is scarcely possible to strike a balance annually, and without this, how vague must every calculation be!

"Besides, so much depends on judgment, industry, and capital, that one person will make double the profit, with those advantages, which another will, without them. It is not always the nature of the soil, or the quantum of rent, that makes a farmer successful or otherwise: under the most favourable circumstances there are failures, and under the worst, there are instances of doing well.

"By the most sensible men who occupied their own property, it was admitted, that an average clear profit of ten per cent. on the capital employed was a fair return."

The insufficiency of that percentage has been shown, -again and again. See the NORTHERN DEPARTMENT, County of Northumberland. And the Review of Reports from other Counties.

RETROSPECT.

Before I put aside the volume now before me, I think it right to say, that, in the analysis and abstraction of it, I have experienced much gratification and satisfaction; and to express an opinion that it is one of the very few Reports to the Board which are entitled to a place in a gentleman's library:-in the library of a man, be it put, who reads for general information, on the useful arts, and who has not leisure and assiduity enough to dig into the depths of practice. He will understand Dr. Mavor, and will rarely be led astray by unguarded assertions, and ill grounded propositions.

[blocks in formation]

MIDDLESEX..

THE NATURAL and AGRICULTURAL distinctions of this me

tropolitan County have been noticed, in speaking of the Department at large.

It contains within its outlines no entire DISTRICT. That part of the Vale of London, which is situated on the north side of the Thames, occupies the principal part of its area. The irregular range of rising grounds which form the northern banks of the Vale, assimilates, as has been said, with the southern margin of Hertfordshire.

"GENERAL VIEW

OF THE

AGRICULTURE

OF THE COUNTY OF

MIDDLES E X,

WITH

OBSERVATIONS ON THE MEANS OF THEIR IMPROVEMENT.
BY PETER FOOT,

LAND-SURVEYOR, DEAN-STREET, SOHO.

DRAWN UP FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF

The Board of Agriculture and Internal Improvement. 1794."

THIS is an original Report, from Middlesex, on quartɔ

paper; and has not been published*.

The QUALIFICATIONS of its author, so far as his profession leads us, we see in the title page. His acquirements, as a Reporter of rural practices, in the several branches of Agriculture,

I have some recollection of a meager Report of Middlesex being, previously to Mr. F's, sent in to the Board, by a Mr. Baird, whose name is mentioned by Mr. Foot.-Whether Mr. B's sketch was printed, or remained in manuscript, I do not remember.

« PreviousContinue »