General View of the Agriculture of the County of Derby - Thomas Brown

7/26/2019 General View of the Agriculture of the County of Derby - Thomas Brown

1/88

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GENERAL VIEW

OF

THE

AGRICULTURE

OF

THECOUNTY

OF

DERBY,

WITHOBSERVATIONSON THEMEANSOF ITS IMPROVEMENT.

BY THOMAS BROWN,

OF LUTON IN BEDFORDSHIRE.

DRAWN UP FOR THE CONSIDERATION

OF

THE BOARD

OF

AGRICULTURE AND

INTERNAL

IMPROVEMENT.

LONDON :

PRINTED BY W. BULMESAND

CO.

M.DCC.XCIV.


10/88

a . 1 9

D43

A 49

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11/88

TO

THE

READER.

IT

i s

requested,

that t h i s

Paper

may

be returned to

t h e

Boa r d

of Agriculture, a t i t s o f f i c e i n L o n d o n , with any

additional

re

marks a n d observations w h i c h may

occ u r

o n t he perusal, written

on

t h e margin, as

s o o n

as

may be

convenient.

I t

i s

hardly

necessary

to

add,

that

the

Boa r d

d o e s

not

c o n

sider i t s e l f

r es po ns ibl e, fo r a n y

f a c t

or

observation

co n t aine d

in

t h i s Report,

w h i c h a t

present i s printed a n d

circulated,

fo r

t he purpose m e r e l y of

procuring

farther information r e

s pe ct ing t he

h u s b a n d r y

of t h i s d i s t r i c t ,

a n d

of enabling e v e r y

one, to contribute h i s mite, to t he i m p r o v e m e n t of t he

country.

The

Board

has ad op te d t he same plan, in r e g a r d to a l l t h e

ot h e r

counties

in

t he

united

kingdom

;

a n d

w i l l

be

happy

to

give every assistance i n

i t s

power, to any person who

may

be

desirous of improving his breed of c a t t l e , sheep, &c. or of tr ying

any useful experimen t i n h u s h a n d r y .

London, J ul y, 1 75 4.


12/88

I

I 1.J


13/88

INTRODUCTION.

7e Si r John

Si n cl a i r , Bart.

President o f

t h e Board

e f

Agriculture.

Sir

en I h a d

the

honour of receiving y o u r commands, to draw

up a n Account of the present

State

of

Agriculture

in the County

of D er by , a n d the Means o f i t s Improvement, I f l a t t e r e d myself,

from what

you

informed

me,

that I s h o u l d receive much a s s i s t

a n c e

from the well known

a b i l i t i e s of a

Gentleman, whose local

knowledge of t h e d i s t r i c t would h a ve r e n d e r e d the task much

l e s s a r d u o u s . This Gentleman

being

very much e n g a g e d d u r i n g

the

t im e I spent i n Derbyshire, I could n ot o bt a in

more

t h a n a n

h o ur 's c o nv e rs a t io n with Him ; yet, i n j us ti ce t o hi s politeness, I

h a ve

to

a c k n ow l e d g e ,

that

h e

rendered

me

every

service

a n d

re

c o m m e n d a t i o n ,

which

t he s ho rt

t i m e

h e h a d to spare

c o u l d

po s

sibly lead me to

h op e

f o r .

nder

t h i s d i s a p p o in t m e n t , I l o o k

t o

t he indulgence

and

c a n d o u r

o f

the

Boa r d o f Agriculture,

as well

as to

that

of

t he

g e n t l e m e n

a n d

yeomanry o f D e r by s h i re , to fo r

give

every inaccuracy ,

misinformation,

o r o m is s i o n, t ha t a stranger

n\ust be l i a b l e to in

executing th e

agricultural s u r v ey o f a

county.

In treating

on

t h i s subject, I h a v e e n d e a v o u r e d to fo ll ow t he

instructions o f

t h e Board, by giving

th e

present state

o f

Ag r i c u l

ture i n t h e d e sc r ip ti o n ofhe nature o f

the

s o i lhe climate

The manner i n which the l a n d i s possessedhe manner in

which

the

land

i s

occupied

he

manner in

which

th e la nd

i s

employedhe rotation of cropsr a s s e s cultivatedpecies

of stock;

u n d e r which I

h a v e

m e n t i on e d , i .

cows,

2 . sheep, 3.

h or ses , 4. h o g s

rrigationr a i n s principally

cultivated ;

and

u n d e r t h i s h e a d I h a r e m e nt i o ne d , 1 . c h a m o m i l e , 2. t h e

practice

of

fallowing

m p l e m e n t s

u sed

in h u s b a n d r y ; a s , I .

ploughs,

2 .

harrows, 3 .

c a r t s ,

4 . waggons- D r a u g h t horses

and oxen

eed:

t i m e

and harvest

nclosures

and

commonsPopulation

a

bo ur, and

h o u r s

o f w o r k i n g

r a i n s

and

drainage

Pa r i n g

and.


14/88

[8]

burningPrice o f p r o v i s i o n s State o f roadsState of buildings

and farm-offices

Leases

ommerce

and

m a n u f a c t u r e s .

Under

these

heads, I h a v e introd uced s u c h occasional r e m a r k s

a s o c c u r to a person a c c u s t o m e d to h u s b a n d r y in Hertfordshire.

My s e c o n d object wa s the introduction of s u c h miscellaneous

r e m a r k s as o c c u r r e d on myTour; a n d t h es e a r e pr i nc i pa l ly c o n

fined t o

emarks

on

agricultural s o c i e t i e s

u p er a bu n d a n c e o f

and deficiency in

provision

xports and imports

aking

che e se

aking whey-butter, a n da y i n g barn

f l o o r s .

I h a v e treated with much diffidence

on tenures ;

in which I

h a ve

m e n t i o n e d t he

t e n u r e of what i s called

t h e k i n g' s

f i e l d ; a n d

On t i t h e s .

In respect t o t he se , and other subjects, I h a v e barely

hinted

a n

opinion

on

the means

of

improvement;

and with t h e

same view I h a v e given

some t h o u g h t s

n

th e br ee d o f c a t t l e

On the management o f s o i l s , i . in the f e r t i l e ; 2 . l o w peak;

3.

h i g h

p e a k ;

4 .

lime-stone

s o i l ; 5 .

grit-stone

s o i l ; 6 .

l a n d

ca

pable

o f irrigation, or

being converted t o arable, meadow,

o r

pa s

t u r e ;

7. s o i l

that may

be pared a n d burnt ; 8 . s o i l

that

may be

planted;

nd, i n a l l situations, on the u s e

and

improvement to

be

made

by l e a s e s . The i m po r t a nc e o f

the

subject

i s

a d m i t t e d

. 1 have only to observe, that what I h a v e d o n e ,

the

Boa r d of

Agriculture w i l l

please

t o

consider

a s only

a

syllabus

o f

what t h e y

h a ve to h op e from

men

of greater t a l e n t s , of

more l e i s u r e ,

a n d

who h a v e more l o c a l k n o w l e d g e of the county. From those men

I t ru st fo r c a n d o u r in a n y remark they may please to make, as

s u ring

t h e m , a s well a s

the

Board,

that

I s h o u l d

be

extremely in *

sensible, were I t o o m i t a c k n o wl e d g i n g

the

c i v i l i t i e s a n d

attention

which I received f r o m the

inhabitants

of

every d e n o m i n a t i o n ;

and

which

I shall ever remember with gratitude a n d pleasure,

and

readily a s k n o w l e d g e my inability to render them that j u s t i c e , t h e

Bo a rd that service,

and

t h e

subject

t h a t el u cid a tion,

which

may

reasonably be expected. I h a v e the honour to r e m a i n ,

Sir,

Your most obedient,

and

most obliged humble

servant,

Luton, Bedfordshire,

TH. BROWN.

J u l y ,

1 79 4 .


15/88

'

^


16/88


17/88

C9l

THE

SOIL.

Of the County of Derby i s

various,

as

n a t u r e

in

h e r

most capri

cious mood

could

form

:

o

trace these variations

in agricultural

l a n g u a g e , or to a t t e m p t to mark

them

accurate ly on a plan

of

a bo ut s i x

miles

a n d a n half to an

inch,

ar e

d i f f i c u l t i e s

o f

which

every o n e must be

sensible.

These d i f f i c u l t i e s , though great,

ought no t h o w e v e r to damp

a l l

at tempts t o inv es t iga t ion. Nature

in her most caprickfus mood observes

s o m e t h i n g like

universal

laws ; and we find

t h i s

c o u n t y

demarktd

by what s he ha s t h o u g h t

f i t to elevate and depressi g h

and l owi l l

and vale. These

the

natives of

D er by sh i re h a ve '(taking

a

general

vi ew of

the

co un ty) l on g a g o

d e n o m i n a t e d

High Peak a n d Low Pe a k,

leaving

th e more f e r t i l e parts

o f

the c o u n t y

undistinguished

by

either: so

that,

generally

speaking,

to

make

a

distinction

o f s o i l ,

the

c o u n t y a d m i t s o f three parts, which I

shall

(a s a n i n t r o d u c

tion to observation and improvement c a l l

he Fertile, th e

Low

Peak,

nd t he High

Peak.

I t

i s

h o w e v e r r e m a r k ab l e ,

t ha t in a l l of these, n at ur e h as made some marked varieties in

the n a t u r e

of the r oc k

with which t h i s

c o u n t y

a b o u n d s : t he agri

culturist

distinguishes

them by lime-stone and

grit

:

he

nice

discriminations of t he c h e m i s t I shall leave

fo r

the improvements

t ha t a re t o be made w h e n e v e r t h i s work

maybe

r e n d e r e d of general

use.

F ol l ow i n g

these o ut li ne s, I h a ve

given

two

s ma ll pl a ns

o f

t h e

c o u n t y

; on

the

o n e

I

h a v e

marked

t he principal

roads,

and

on the other the principal r i v e r s ; c h o o s i n g that marked with t h e

roads fo r

myown observations

; and

leaving t he o th er

fo r

th e

ob

servations of those

g e n t l e m e n

who h a ve more

local

knowledge o f

t h e county,

and ar e willing

to a 1- t l , ' s tK. 1 h a v e p u r s u e d

the three leading features of

the

county, and these I h av e s ub

divided

into

lime-stone a n d grit; in t he grit I h a v e marked

where

coals h av e be en discovered. I s h a l l now a t t e m p t s o m e t h i n g like

an

agricultural

description of each.

Ftrtile Soil . i s n o t inaccessible to th e

pough;

i t consists

B


18/88

[10]

principally o f a

red

loam on various

sub-soils,

a ppro a ch i n g ( i r e

patches)

n e are r

to marie, to clay, to black l oa m , t o s a n d or g r i t , or

to

gravel,

as may happen fro m the s ub-strat um, or the atmosphe

r i c a l

exposure

;

a n d

these

s o i l s

a d m i t

o f

o t h e r

variations,

from

their

proximity to s pr i ng s , t o r i v e r s , or to s tagnant water.

Low

Peak i s more d i f f i c u l t

o f access, bu t

in

no

instance

inaccessible

to

the p l o u g h

; i t

i s

h o w e v e r more strongly tinctured

wi t h q u ic k transitions, bu t c h i e f l y consists o f drier s an ds o r g r i t s .

The clays

and

lo a m s h e r e

ar e

in general more valuable (perhaps

from

being more scarce)

; a nd wh er e

they are

no t

too much

e l e

vated,

are

certainly inviting

fo r

t h e

husbandman t o

pulverize and

s ubdue.

Higb Peak i s chiefly

what

the natives c a l l a cor n

loam

;

t h i s

s e e m s to

me

to

consist

of

virgin e arth

i mpr eg na te d wi th

nitre on

the

m ou n t a i n s ,

a n d

l i b e r a l l y

po ure d

down

by

them upon

the happy

v a l e .

Where t h i s c o r n

l n a m

i s i n

s u f f i c i e n t quantity,

a n d m ee ts wi th a

s t r a t u m

o f m a r i e o r clay, i t f or m s a

most

desire-

able f i e l d f or c u lt i va t io n ; bu t i s ever overbalanced

by

the vast

t r a c t s of barren

h i l l s

and

m o un t a in s f r om

which

t h i s s o i l i s w a s h e d .

The sides

o f

these m o u n t a i n s ( f or m i n g

a

considerable

part

o f

the

w hol e ) pr e se n t v e ry l i t t l e s o i l to view, being

chiefly com

posed of rocks. Where the lime-stone f or m s the mountain

(the

f l a t s

on

the tops, a n d w h e r e the s i d e s are n ot t oo

perpendicular

fo r s o i l to lodge), the s o i l , though scanty, i s productive o f t h e

f i n e r grasses whic h form pasturage fo r sheep. Where grit-stone

ab ou n d s , the s o i l i n general approaches near to the n a t u r e of

peat m o s s , in places

f o r m i n g

vast morasses, retentive

of

water,

a n d rendered d a n g e r o u s fo r either man or beast to tread u p o n ,

except i n d r y w ea t he r ;

th e surface

presenting

n o t h i n g

h u t

the

barren,

black m o s s , thinly clothe d with h e a t h nr n g ,

and

every

wh e re yawning o u t a d re ad fu l rock.

In

a l l

these s o i l s ,

very

considerable alteration

i s made

from t he

minerals

o f whic h

the s ub-strat um

consists: bu t in

c o nf o r m i t y

to

my general plan, of only o pe ni ng a n i n troducti on to what

may

be

expected* when

a l l hearts and a l l

h e a d s are

united

in i m p r ov e *

m e n t , a n d when

every

individual

s h a l l

anxiously s t r i v e accurate ly

N


19/88

to describe and

i m p r o v e

hi s own situation ;

I s h a l l

only

r e m a r k ,

t h a t

d u r i n g my tou r I did not d i sc ov er l im e- s to ne , grit-stone,

a n d peat

m o s s ,

u n d e r

the

same

surface;

a n d t h i n k i n g i t material

in

t he fu tu re

improvement

o f

g re at pa r t

o f

t h i s

d i s t r i c t ,

to

add

lime a n d peat m o s s , mixed with

every

o t h er s u bs t a n ce that w i l l

a d d to the q uantity o f staple; a n d with

t h i s

v i e w I

be g

leave to

hint, as

m a t te r

fo r

future investigation,

that i f lime-stone, coal,

a n d peat

m os s ,

are ever

discovered i n contact, I s h ou ld t h in k t h i s

a favoured spot f o r t r yi ng t h e experiment,

-which

I shall hereafter

t a k e the liberty t o suggest,

when

I come to treat o n

H in t s f or

Im

pro ve m e n t.

CLIMATE.

From

the

description

that

has

been

given

of the

s o i l a n d

situa

tion, a f a i n t idea of t h e c li ma te may be inferredn general i t i s

wet and

cold. The degrees o f cold vary more t h a n

are

easily

co n

ceived; a n d a l t h o u g h I am sensible that o u r feelings are not the

proper scale by

which

we

are

to

form

o u r

judgment

o f

the

d i f f e

r en t d eg re es

o f

heat a n d cold, ye t

finding

mine s o s en si bl y af

fected, I

c ou ld n ot

help r e m a r k i n g that in

travelling

from Sud

bury

to

Ashborn I f o u n d

a

pleasing

te mpe ra t u re :

passing

t h r o u g h

A s h b o r n , in my way to

Buxton

(without

a n y

apparent

c h a n g e

in

the

a tm o sph e re) , before I h a d

l e f t Ashborn three miles,

I

fo un d

a n

additional c oa t a bs ol ut el y n ec es s ar y

;

and

t h i s

s u d d e n

transi

tion

i s

every

w h e r e f e l t , on a sce n di n g

into

atmospherical elevation.

The

f e r t i l e

part o f the c o u n t y i s salubrious and temperate, though

inclining

to wet. The m o u n t a i n o u s part

i s

cold,

enveloped

in

clouds, and d u r i n g

t hp wi nt er

mnn'Ht much incumbered

with

snow ; bu t

d u r i n g

my tou r I wa s

n ot

fortunate enough to meet

wit h a n y regular a cco un t kept of t he q u an t it y o f

rain

or s n o w ;

n o r

di d I h e a r

o f

a n y meteorological jo urnals

be i ng k e pt in a n y

part o f

the county.

I h av e l on g been o f opinion, that to ascer

t ai n t he q uantity

o f m o i s t u re

that f a l l s , a n d

abo ve a l l the

propor-

B 2


20/88

[12

]

tion

of

t i m e t ha t t he

surface o f

a n y c o u n t r y i s we t a n d dry, t h e

h ou rs o f sunshine, and

the

h ou rs o f clouds, would i n a great mea

sure

ascertain what t h e n at u ra l p ro d u ct i o ns o f

t h e c li m at e a r e ,

and

f i x

some

d a t a

fo r

i m p r o v e m e n t s

in

a l l

situations.

Eve ry

o n e

may

e a s i l y conceive

t he

e q u a l

distribution

o f

the

sun's

rays,

when h e

c on s id er s t ha t were i t n ot fo r t h e intervention o f clouds, vapours ,

a n d s h a d ow s ,

every

spot on

earth would

be exactly

half i t s

time

u n d e r t he

i m m e d i a t e influence

o f

those

rays ; a n d

must

be

equally

sensible,

that

the re

are h a r d l y

t wo

spots

on

earth

(o f

a n

e q u a l

extent with

t h i s

u n d e r investigation)

that enjoy

t h i s

blessing in th e same degree. I trust I may venture to a d d , that

the

various

p r o d u c t i o n s

of

every

climate,

a n d

of every county, as

well a s the cultivation a n d management o f those

productions,

are

greatly influenced

by

t he o bs tr uc ti on s t he s un me e t s with ; a n d

as every place i s capable o f making a f a i r e stimate o f i t s n atural

a dv an ta ge s o r disadvantages in t h i s r es pe ct , I t h i n k i t m at te r o f

curi ous

a n d

useful information,

and o f

c on s e q u e n c e

as furnish

ing

d a t a

on

which hints

fo r

improvement may

be

f or m e d . Al l

that I c o u l d

learn

from local information

on

t h i s subject, w a s ,

that a t Cha t t e sw or t h

(situate

betwe e n two m o u n t a i n s in t h e High

Pea k) the average q u a n t i t y

o f

rain i s

a bo ut

one-

third

more

t h a n

what

f a l l s in the vicinity

o f

London. If a n y information,

how

ever, has been collected upon t h i s subject, I trust that i t w i l l

be

transmitted to th e Boa r d .

THEMANNER IN WHICHTHE LAND.

IS

POSSESSED.

This c o u n t y

originally

wa s in

the

possession o f p er h a ps as few

individuals a s a n y part of t he kingdom of a n e q u a l extent: wc

are told that at t he time of the Norman survey, i t be l o n ge d w h o ll y

to seventeen

individuals

; and some o f

the

p re s en t p os s e ss i o ns

h a v e l i n e a l l y

d e s c e n d e d from

those individuals down t o t he ir po s

t e r i t y , the present proprietors, bu t with considerable d i m i n u t i on


21/88

[13]

in point o f t e r r i t o r i a l extent. The acquisitions o f th e

c h u r c h ,

u n d e r the Roman

superstition,

t ook considerable

root

i n t h i s soil;

bu t

t h e

distribution

o f

h er

property,

after

the suppression

o f

r e

ligious hou ses, se e m s to h a ve f a l l e n

into

many h a n d s . The en

terprising s p i r i t o f trade,

cherished by

a

wise

a n d excellent c o n

stitution, established

a t t h e g lo r io u s

revolution, ha s diffused

those

Immense possessions, d i vi d in g t h e t e r r i t o r y , a n d hiding what

u s e d

to be t he a nc ie nt g e n t l e m a n i n obscurity. Bu t bywell-concerted

marriages, hereditary

possessions

are

in

many

instances wisely

preserved ;

a n d

in the

c o u nt y

o f Derby we find some r e n t - r o l l s

upwards o f 20,000 ; several upwards o f 1 0, 00 0; many o f

more

t h a n

3,000Those families possessing a

rental

of 1000 pou nd s ,

or

u n d e r that sum

(w h er e

t he re a re

n ot o t h e r resources), risking

their e s t a t e s in t r ad e, a n d bringing up

their

children to

manufac

tures and commerce ; and (what i s too often th e

case)

wh er ev er

agriculture

i s

c l og g ed w it h difficultly

whi ch

require

property

and

t a l e n t s , they carry that property and those

talents

of whi ch t h e y

are possessed into

trade

; leaving the improvement o f the s o i l to

men o f l e s s property,

and

c on s e q u e n t l y o f l e s s power

a t i g u e d

with trade, the mutability

o f

the human

m i n d , previous

to

the

appro ach o f

old

age,

frequently

drives men o f t h i s d e sc r ipt i on t o

gratify

a s e c on d c h a n g e o f sentiment,

and

search fo r

s o m e t h i n g

new in t he s eq u es t er ed vale; a n d

every

w h e r e we find

small ha

bitations d e c o r a t e d

with

plantations,

on a confined s c a l e .

THE

MANNER

IN

WHICH

THE

LAND

IS OCCUPIED.

From t he g en er al division

o f property,

i t i s

easy to conceive

the distribution o f land amongst occupiers in Derbyshire.

The

e s t a t e s

o f

the

nobility

a re well

a r r a n ge d

fo r

occupation,

h a v i n g

l o n g

ago a cq ui re d a basis

f o u n d e d

on

experience.

The intelligent steward readily

discovers what

are t he requisites

to enable

the

t e n a n t to pa y

the

most

fo r s u c h

e s t a t e s as

h e

i s c o o


22/88

C u]

suited

in l et ting ; a n d in

a l l well

regulated

e s t a t e s ,

we find th e a d

vantages of landlords and tenants (a principle I always i n s i s t

upon

as inseparable) m u t u a l l y consultedhe particular manner o f i t s

being

s o , w i l l

hereafter

be

t h e s ubj ec t

of

a

s ub s e q u e n t

chapter.

The

smaller

landholder (provincially

s t a t e s m a n ) , who has not

a

s u f f i c i e n t

capital i n stock,

and

i s

unwilling

to

part

with

h i s here

ditary property, finds

h i s

mind

distracted

how to preserve

h i s

e s

t a t e , as well a s

the

r a n k his father

held, and

how to

imp r ov e

his

fortune on rational principles.

For

want

o f

property, a n d

a

r e g ul a r s y s te m , men

of

t h i s description

wander

i n to l a by ri n t hs ,

where, jf no t w or s e bewildered, we

find

them s i t t i n g down in ob

scurity, content

with the p r o d u c e o f their

land

o u se

their

own

phrase, Sitcb a s God sent.

The

tradesmen's e s t a t e s (the bulk

of

their fortune being o t h e r

wise

e mplo ye d) are confined to small

t e r r i t o r i a l

possessions ; pe r

haps f r o m

h e n c e

arose the n umbe rle s s

misfortunes

whic h

r e

cently s h o o k the v i t a l s o f t h i s

c ou n t r y

; bu t wh e re these

estates

exist on a n y tolerable s c a l e , they are e mblem a ti c of

what

t he face

o f

t h i s

c ou n t r y

would be , i f f a r m i n g

was

e qually

studied, and

on a s

re gular

a s ys te m a s trade ; therefore, generally speaking,

there ar e i n D er by sh ir e fa r ms o f a s u f f i c i e n t s i z e to oc c upy that

capital

which f or m s f u l l

employment

fo r a farmer; much o f

the

county,

however,

i s

occupied

in rather

small

fa r m s

( un de r

100. a

year)

a n d by

men

e n g a g e d i n pursuits

distinct

from

i m p r o v e m e n t s in agriculture :en either p u r s u i n g

the

riches

o f m i n e s ; men employed in t h e m e c h a n i c a l operations of manu

factures

;

or

men labouring

fo r

the

t r a d e s m a n ,

a n d

whose

atten

tion i s more i m m e d i a t e l y e n g a g e d in

the

operative part o f manu

factures t h a n in the improvement of

the

s o i l t h e y occupy. There

are,

h ow e v e r , in t h i s c o u n t y occupiers of a n o t h e r description, very

properly

styled yeomen;

men cultrrating

their

own

estates with

a

s u f f i c i e n t capital, or e m p l o y i n g a considerable capital in t h e oc

cupation o f the ancient

hereditary e s t a t e s

o f

th e g e n t r y

; here we

d is co ve r t h e d a w n i n g s o f s o l i d a d v a n t a g e to

themselves

and th e

community, t h e y

are

r e d u c i n g

the

t he or y o f a gr ic ul tu re i nt o

practice, and the i mpr ov em en ts a nd discoveries made by t h e m ,


23/88

[


24/88

C 1 6]

rerisher o f

th e

land, bu t in the

lighter red loams, i t

makes

excel-

lent pasture, where the land

i s

s tocked with a m i xt u r e o f bullocks

and sheep.

In

the stronger clays t h e y fallow

fo r

wh e a t ; a

c r op

of

beans

succeeds,

and

t h e n

fallow

the bea n stubble. The im

poverishing farmer

w i l l

take several

successive

crops o f w hi t e

corn,

ofwhich oats w i l l make t wo or

thre e;

a n d

when

worn o u t with

cropping, will la y t h e land down with foul

hay-seeds,

and

a mix

ture

of

a r t i f i c i a l grasses ; y et e ve n

u n d e r

t h i s

cruel

treatment, i t i s

wo n de rf ul to see th e

e f f o r t s

t h i s s o i l w i l l naturally make to

recover i t s e l f . In

o n e of t he best

managed

fa r m s I saw, consist

i n g of a bo ut 200

acres, there

are 5 5 a cr es a ra bl e, 40 acres

mown fo r hay, 1 05 acres fe d with cows, bullocks, a n d sheep,

one-third

of

t he 5 5

acres

i s summer fallowed for turnips, cabbages,

o r

clean t i l t h

;

( t h i s gives f u l l

scope

fo r the intelligent farmer to

exercise

h i s

judgment,

and

c on su lt t he

natu re

and

circumstances

o f

the

land to be

followed.) On e - t h i r d i s

wheat, a n d one-third

i s

barley

or

oats.

With

th e barley

the farmer s ows grass se:ds,

u n d e r

which

the land i s rested, a n d i n the n ext ye ar

h e

breaks up

an

e q u a l q u a n t i t y

of that which

i s grazed, where

the

a r t i f i c i a l grasses

a re e xh au st ed , and

the

land most in want o f

restoration

by

lime, manure, and

cleaning.

.1;-.>

. Oa ts j- oats.

. . . . l . f / r . .

Or, according to the n a t u r e a n d condition o f t he la nd f r o m th e

operations of t he season, I wou l d a ga in t ur n the land t o fallow

after the wh e a t stubble. . . t .

\ s - j

Travelling farther north in t h e High

Peak,

w e i : f i n d

h a r d l y

a n y

t h i n g like a re gular

rotation o f

crops ; tbeoquantity

of

land

u n d e r

t i l l a g e

i s

comparatively

nothing,

oh t a k i n g a g en er al view

of

the c ou n t y; o at s, o at s, o at s, o at s, (and

a l a s ,

s o u r

oat

cakes )

a few potatoes, a l i t t l e barley, and s t i l l l e s s wheat, would be

the

food o f the natives, did no t

their

n e i g hb ou r s cultivate

. t h e i r

land

better

t h a n t he y d o. Th e ir m u tt o n, however,

i s

e xc el le nt , a s I

shall hereafter observe.

At

Hurdlow

h o u s e

I wa s

obliged

to pa r

t ak e o f

i t s

g e n u i n e

t a s t e ,

fo r want of either .

bread

or

vegetable;

or,

wait t i l l the

baker

came.

H e r e ,

- ' Fa r as

t he eye c o u l d reach,

n o

trees

wer e s e e r f ,

- :

* Ea r t h

clad

i n

r u s s e t , scorn

d

the l i v e l y green.

Stonewalls, meagre

inclosures, d a r i n g rocks, a n d a f ew m i se r

able animals s i t x j h a s

God

sent,

ar e the only

objects

presented

t o o u r

view.

1 . ' .

. . . . .

. - ' : : . . '

; - ' > . '

m i

I s h a l l , therefore, dismiss t h i s

subject,

t i l l I come to spe a k of

impro ve m e n t s.

.

. .

. > . . . . . .

. 1 .

.

'

.

. ' . . .

.

.

\ .

. : ' R4?SES

aULTlYATED.

; ;

From

what ha s been

s a i H

on die

1

(nation o f crops,

i t w i l l

ap

pear that

the

broad-leaved clover, rye-grass, t r e f o i l , and white

cl ov er, a re

the principal

seeds

sown

fo r

a r t i f i c i a l pastures.

Occasionally

we

find

he re

a n d

there the ribbed grass,

o r plantain,

introduced The meadows p r od u c e a l l t h e n a tu r al grasses com

mon t o

the

s o i l s

a n d situations described.

-

'.'';. . .

- . . '

i - - > ' . C 2 . : .

-

l^ i ; z

J .


28/88

[; *o ]

SPECIES OF STOCK.

The number

o f recent

inclosures, and t h e n atural

t e n d e n c y o f

th e

s o i l

to

g r a z e

c a t t l e ,

h a v e

greatly

i nc re as ed t h e

q u a n t i t y

o f

meadow

and pasture land ; a n d t h i s being c h i e f l y employed in

dairying a n d r e a i r i n g

of stock ;

the

pro d uce o f

t he d ai ry f o r m i n g

the chief a r t i c l e

from whic h

the rents

ar e m a d e ,

t he D e rby s h i r e

f a r m e r very naturally turns his

attention

to

Cows. 1 h a v e alre ady

m e n t i on e d ,

that in

Derbyshire

there

are some good a n d

some

indifferent farmers; i n n ot h i n g d o t h ey

d i f f e r more

t h a n in their opinion ab ou t

c ow s

; a n d in no part o f

their fa n n i n g perhaps (in

point

o f a d v a n t a g e) are t h e y s o n ea rl y

equal.

The original breed o f

cows

in Derbyshire

appears

to

h a v e

been

inferior

in

many

respects

e v e n

to

those

of their

n e i g h *

hours. Th e se , i n many parts of the county, ar e s t i l l held in e s t i

m a t i o n

;

bu t

when

compared

with

the

new

imp r ov ed

breed,

are

fa r

short in excellence

of

shape

and

q u a l i t i e s , bo th as to th e

flavour

of

their

fleshT

and t he f a c i l i t y with

which t h e y ar e

f a r t e d .

To bring

th e

i de a t o the c o nc e pt i o n o f

those

who h a v e n o t seen

the difference, l e t them i m a g i n e the most

awkward,

ill-shaped,

pl od d i n g

hack,

o f eight pounds value, compared with the

highest

bred

blood horse, who

fo r hi s

pedigree

and excellence

i s

e s

t e e m e d a n at io na l treasure. The f i n e blood horse, however, dif

f e r s from t he f i n e

bred

h ei fe r i n t h i s essential

point

:

n

o ld

a ge

the horse

i s

w o r t h

n o t h i n g

; bu t t h r ou g h

l i f e ,

a n d to

th e

ex tre m e

of

o ld a ge , the

cow i s , in

the l a n g u a g e

of

the

breeder, in

a l l

s i t u

ations,

and

u n d e r

e ve r y c ir cu ms t an ce , a l wa ys

f a t .

Those

who

are

n ot

willing

to

allow that t he breed

o f

c a t t l e i s a l l

that

i s

n e

cessary

to make them f a t ,

w i l l however

always f i n d , that wh e re ve r

t h i s well-bred heifer ha s

that pasture

which w i l l

m a i n t a i n

a n y

other

heifer decently, sh e

w i l l

do better t ha n t he old

coarse

breed ;

and i t i s

a n

undeniable f a c t , that i n

th e

pastures

of

D e rby s h i r e the

t i t x e bred heifer w i l l

be f a t ,

a n d f i t fo r the

butcher,

wh il e h e r com

pa n i o n of t h e old

sort i s

l i t t l e more t h a n skin and

bone. Much

praise i s d u e to Mr. Bakewell of Leicestershire for

his

indefati

gable attention

to

t h i s

part of rural economy. Ot h e r s ,

h owev e r ,

t h a t

are

n ot so

universally

known,

are not

wi t h ou t

their merits ;


29/88

n o r

h a ve their e n d e a v o u r s

been

w i t h o u t success i n

point'

o f pub

l i c u ti l i ty .

In

Oxfordshire

there

i s

a n instance o f

e xc e l le n ce t h at

c a n n ot e s c ape p ubl i c notice; a n d in

t h i s

county, i t i s a pleasing

r e f l e c t i o n , that men

o f

much e m i n e n c e fo r enterprize a n d public

s p i r i t , h a v e

carried their researches

a n d

improvements to a

h e i g h t

that

e n t i t l e s them

to

g r ea t c o ns i d er a t io n

among

the breeders

and

improvers o f stock ; and what promises

the

greatest s t a b i l i t y to

their

fame,

i s,

that n o t

only

farmers,

bu t

men

of

th e

f i r s t indepen

d e n c y a r e

e n g a g e d

in t h i s l.iudable pursuit. Improvements i n stock

seem to me in the f i r s t

instance

to

h a v e g o n e

down the throats

o f

Sitch as God s e n t ;

and

t o h a v e made i t s app e a r a n c e i n th e f a t

a n d

well f av ou r e d kine. Through the a n i m a l kingdom there

a r e ^

clear di sti nctio n s between

th e

b l o o m i n g healthy families, a n d the

lean and ill-favoured

;

e t w e e n

t h e nicely proportioned sym

m e t r y

of bone and muscle, a n d the c r o s s - m a d e and

disfigured

a n i m a l

of ev er y species

:

perhaps a

nice

o bs er va nc e o f these

qualifications

ga ve

r i s e

to

a

preference

s o j u di ci ou s ly

made

by

men

o f

experience

a n d

s k i l l .

Though

better s o i l s , I . a ppre h e n d ,

f i r s t

p r o d u c e d these

distinctions,

discerned

by

men

of s k i l l , they

p r o d u c e d the

readiest

s a l e and be s t pr i ce s a t m a r k e t ; and we find

originally t ha t t he

Lan c a s h i r e breed

became e m i n e n t

;

the

i n h a

bitants of that d i s t r i c t , perhaps, wi t h ou t

being aw a r e that t h ey

were

l i a b l e to be r i v a l l e d ,

allowed their

best

breed

to be picked

by

their

more s o u t h e r n

neighbours,

who, more tenacious,

fo r

many years carried on th e improvement, by what they affirm to

f c e a t ' t h i s d a y a gre at s e c r e t , until they p r o d u c e d what i s now

called the new breed ; some of which ar e endowed with a pedr-

gree

a l m o s t a s l o n g as that

pro d uce d by Mr.

Bannister

in

the c h a

racter

of Ca dw a l l a d e r

owever,

w h a t e v e r

merit

there

be

in

th e

pedigree, there certainly i s intrinsic m e r i t in t h i s breed o f animals ; .

that they

will

fatten sooner t h a n any other breed ; a n d t h a t

there

i s

l e s s bone and o f f a l a bo ut them

t h a n in a n y other s o r t

of a n

e q u a l

s i z e in th e kingdom. They

are

e a s i l y distinguished,

even'

in t h e

d a r k ,

fo r

there i s

a softness i n

th e handling,

that

when-

ontra$ted with t h e common breed, i s as different as the f i n e s k i n .

of

t h e

race hqrse

t o

the

coarse

hide o f a boar-stag. The

merit

o f

this

bceed of h o n i e d

c a t t l e ,

as

grazers,

I b e l i e v e , in Leicester


30/88

t 1

s h i r e , No rth a mpto n s h i re , Cheshire, a n d Lancashire, as well a s

most other grazing counties,

stan ds

uncontroverted. Besides t h e

famous breed o f c ows i n Derbyshire, we find

others

whic h n o t

many

years

a g o

were

held

i n

g r e a t

estimation,

and

among

many

o f

th e

ol d

fanners ar e s t i l l e s t e e m e d

(and

perhaps Very d e s e r v e d ^

so )

fo r

the

dairy.

This cow

i s

p r o d u c e d f r o m crosses of t h e ^L a n *

cashire,

W a rw i c k s h i r e ,

a n d

o t h er br e ed s ;

a n d i s

w h a t ' t h e Leices

tershire breeders c a l l th e old-fashioned sort. The merit of t h i s

'

ol d

s o r t I am wi ll in g t o bring to

public

view,

by

relating t h e

following

experiment, a s i t c o m e s from a g e n t l e m a n o f

unques

tionable veracity:

hat h e h a s made

seventeen

pounds a n d a

Quarter o f butter f r o m a cow o f t h i s k i n d m

seven

d a y s ; that s h f c

Was a lwa ys h ea lt hy; bu t never s h ewe d a t a n y a ge much i n c l i r i a *

t ion to become fat; a n d that, a t twelve years old, h e sold h e r to

t he butcher

a t 1 2

pou n d s .

Th i s w o r t h y

g e n t l e m a n

goes on

to re

mark, that nine D e rby s h i r e

:cows

o f

t h i s

br e ed w er e pastured with

nine coWsv o f t h e t t ol de rn es s b r e t d ; t he HoMerheSs cows gave

the - greate st1

q u a n t i t y

o f 1 milk, bu t t he r r l l l k of the Derbyshire

c ows wa s considerably more productive o f

butter

a n d cheese.I

am sorry t h i s g e n t l e m a n

has

n ot f av ou r ed me with a co mpa ri so n

o f

the m e a sU re

o f

milk, a nd we ig ht

of

butter a n d cheese

; a n

ac

q u is it i on t h at

would

be h ig hl y gratifying, bu t

must

be l e f t fo r

m a r g i n a l additions. T e m i l c h c ow s br o u gh t by the d ea ler s t o

Derby

m a r k e t

daririg'the 'spHrrg m o n t h s ; ar e c h i e f l y of the York

shire k i n o / f r o m

tne'fleignttourhood

o f Kotheram

; t h i s the

Der

bys h i re f a r me r s cross With a '

Derbyshire

bull of the old fashioned

s o r t ; *

but

the

'decided

preference

d u e

to

the

bull

o f

the

new

Le i

cestershire breed,'

i s

l i k e l y to

root

o ut the

old-fashibried

sorters-

f i r e l y

; '

a n d

r r i o r e

e s p e c i a l l y a s ' soine

o f

t he br ee de rs

of

t h i s neW

sort f a i r l y

challenge

any1 o t h e r br e e d

o f c ow s to

e q u a l

-them

in

p r o f i t to t r i e dairy, 'and

certainly

W i l l excel them i n g r a z i n g . I t

i s m a t t e r o f much controversy

among

the farmers i n D e rby s hi r e ,

wh e th e r t h i s ne'w breed

bfcows

ca n

be

made equally

productive

in the

dairy

with a n y other species, a n d re tai n the i r decided supe

r i o r i t y a s

grazers.

If this c a n

be

a cc om pl is h ed , e v en t he new

Leicestershire'

breeders w i l l

\ > e a s to n is h ed t h em s el v es ,

a n d

yield

t he

palm

to th e

Derbyshir^cow.

80 fa r a s

my'bwn

experience


31/88

f * 3 3

ha s

g o n e , I confess

this

new breed o f h o r n e d

c a t t l e

may be callei

a new creation

;

bu t s t i l l more beneficial t o the

ooruraun i ty would

these

new species o f

animals be , i f t h e

n u t r i m e n t

a n d

f l u i d s . that

pass

t h r o u g h

their

o r g a n s

could

be

d i re c te d i n to

^wo' channels at

cmce, m i l k a n d f l e s h h a v i n g hitherto been held t o be incompatible.

I be li ev e the idea

o f

their be i n g i n c o mp at i bl e i s n ot altogether

n ew, several unsuccessful at tempts h a yi n g be e n made

some

time

ago.

I

intended

t o h a v e

annexed

portraits of t h i s

breed

; bu t

un

d e r s t a n d i n g

t ha t t he re i s

t o be a

G e n e r a l

R epo rt o n

the

different

Breeds

of

Cattle

i n

the

Kingdom,

be g leave

to

refer

to

that

.Report

fo r further particulars. I s h a l l conclude t h i s description o f the Der

by s hi r e n e at c a t t l e with r e m a r k i n g , that I am

told

the re ar e in th e

c o u n t y of D erby , of t h i s new breed, bu ll s t ha t

a re

deemed w o r t h

300, and cows

nearly

that sum; to impro ve upon t h e m , would

pe r ha ps be to pu t

i t

ou t of the power o f m o s t men to

enter

upon

a

dairy

fa rm

;

bu t

in

the

High

a n d

Low

Peaks,

we

find

a

useful

l i t t l e cow

among

t he f ar me rs and miners, wh ich , with a small

cross

o f the new

Leicestershire breed,

would

i n

a l l

probability

s u i t

their pasture

better

t h a n even

t he h ig he st breed

we

find

in

t he

Fertile

S o i l .

Sbeep. In the F e r t i l e S o i l s we d i sc o ve r t h e new Leicestershire-

s h e ep

more

o r

l e s s perfect,

according as the

g o o d n e s s

of

land, the

i m p r o v e m e n t s

a n d attention

of the

f arme r,

or

o t h e r

circumstances

a d m i t .

These breeds o f s h ee p s e e m to

me

to h a v e had

their

r i s e

from the same cause,

and

i n the

same way with th e cows

I

h a ve

.described ;

bu t

as their origin a n d description belongs more im

mediately

to

th e

c o u n t y o f

Leicester,

a n d

a s

I

d o

not

know

of

a n y

particular improvement

in them that t h i s c o u n t y

i s i n t i t l e d

to

t he

merit

o f , I

s h a l l

content myself

with saying,

t ha t t he w ool

of the

s h a r - h o g usually wpighs between s i x a n d eight po un ds ; a nd to

gain

some idea

of i t s value a n d goodness ,

when.

the f i n e s t

short

wools

are

w o r t h

30s.

pe r

t od o f

z81b. t h i s

usually brings ab ou t

34s.he carcass

i s

o n e c o n t i n u e d pulp o f f a t , from the t ime of

being lambed t i l l

i t

i s slaughtered fo r

th e

t a b l e , whic h i s ge n e

r a l l y before, or s o o n after being t wo years

and

a half

old

: a t t h i s

age, in

Derbyshire,

t h i s s h e ep u s u a l l y .

weighs f r o m

3 01 b. t o 4 01 b.

pe r

quarter, and i s

so

f a t ,

that a

very m o d e r a t e

quantity of

t he


32/88

mutton

will

s a t i s f y

the

keenest a ppe ti te .I wish I could

say

a s much fo r t h e flavour o f

t h i s m u t t o n ,

as I c a n fo r that I

tasted without

bread a t Hurdlow h o u s e ,

which

wa s

o f

t he s ma ll -

h o r n e d

s h e e p

I

meet

with

in

t he

High

Peak,

on

th e

moors

a n d

more ba r r e n p ar t o f

th e

county,

where

t he farmer usually keeps

them to

t he

a g e o f f i v e years, a t whic h t i m e they become

valuable

fo r the parks and tables of

th e

gentry o f

t h i s

and other counties.

I

am

a wa re that the new Leicestershire mutton h a s i t s advocates,

a n d that in some instances,

those

who give

t he

preference to t he

smaller a n d

older sheep, h a v e bee n deceived at t h e

table o f

their

friend : bu t d u r i n g t h e time I wa s i n D e rby s h i r e ( t h o u g h no

epicure) I f o u n d

no

d i f f i c u l t y

in distinguishing

t he flavour, and

giving t h e

preference to

t h e

a ge d small mutton

;

and

therefore

in

this

respect

I am f r e e t o

own, t ha t th e

new

breed o f

Leicester

shire

beef

h a s

a n

a d v a n t a g e

over

the

new

br ee d o f

Leicestershire

m u t t o n .

Taking a general v ie w o f the s h e ep i n

Derbyshire,

from th e most

pure Leicestershire newbreed, t h e y g r a du a l ly lessen i n s i z e a n d value

down to

the small, coarse, hairy-polled~ heep

; and i n the

moun

tainous part o f

the

county, we

find the

s i z e o f the

s h e ep

propor

tioned to the

quality of

the land, a n d n a t u r e

o f

t h e

pasturage

: on

t he commons, many

o f

a l l s o r t s

o f

breed, wh ich I shall c a l l fo

reigners,

f r o m

their being sent to

j o i s t

from different places ; bu t

i n g e ne r a l, in

the

High

Peak, they

c h oo s e the

close woolled h a r d y

sheep,

observing the closeness of t h e wool as a certain pr oo f o f

their being more l i ke l y t o s t a n d th e

r a in y s e a so n s o f

this d i s t r i c t )

and

indeed

I

am o f

opinion

that

they

must

imp r ov e

their

land

be fo r e t h ey

ca n

much i m p r o v e their sheep. In a

large d i s t r i c t ,

n e a r the source o f the D e r w e n t , I f o u n d considerable s h e ep farms

in

what i s

called

t h e Woodlands

(a

t e r m

I think

i l l - a p p l i e d ,

fo r

I s a w very

l i t t l e there)

;

the breed

s e e m s calculated fo r

t he

pa s

ture

;

a n d i n t h i s instance I must

beg

the Leicestershire breeder

will excuse me in differing from him in opinion, when

h e

asserts

that

their s h e e p ar e t o be

preferred,

i n a l l

pasture s, and

a l l s o i l s

and situations w h a t e v e r ,

to a n y

o t h e r

that c a n be

pu t into t h e

same pasture

with

them

I t h i n k

the size

o f

t he s heep, th e

q u a n t i t y

of

i t s

wool, the close texture o f

i t s

f l e e c e , and tht


33/88

[6J

s h ap e o f the

a ni ma l be i ng

calculated to u n d e r g o the

fatigue

o f

searching fo r

i t s

food (w h ia h i n some situations i s

absolutely

n e

cessary) , are requisites w h i c h the new Leicestershire breed do no t

possess.

I

ca n

assure

h i m ,

that

i n t ra ve ll in g

from

G l o s s o p

to

Derwent I wa s ov e r t a k e n by a s h e e p purs ue d by a dog; the

s h e e p I

s uppo se

h a d

strayed

i n

quest o f

f ood ( a n d

w h e r e scar

city

i s ,

s ur el y t h e s h e e p

calculated

to

search,

i s preferable to that

which i s loaded and incapable o f travelling) : this a nima l I ob

s e rv e d e ve r y now a n d

t h e n

stopped to

g r a z e

;

t he dog

s e e m e d

no t

t o

u n d e r s t a n d

perfectly

hi s master's

signals, who h a d placed

him

s e l f

on a n e m i n e n ce , as i f to direct

the

c h a s e ;

a n d

fo r th e

space o f half

an

h o u r

t h i s s h e ep was

in my view, and

ce r

tainly led the dog a d a n c e of two miles. I do not say that t h i s

r a c i n g wa s necessary, bu t I w i l l m a i n t a i n that searching fo r f ood

wa s

next

to

self-preservation

;

and

that

perhaps

t h i s

q u i c k

mo

tion

t h r o u g h

t he ai r

might

s h a k e of f

the

wet,

and

cause the f l e e c e

to

d r y

s oon e r

t h a n

i t

would

h a ve

d o n e

i f confined to

one spot.

And I

would a s k a n y

Leicestershire

breeder, how

his s h e e p

would

h a v e

shifted i n

s u c h

a

situation

?

H or s e s . The

c a t t l e u s e d fo r the

plough

in the f e r t i l e

part

o f Derbyshire, are c h i e f l y bro o d ma re s, o f

the

-strong

cart

ki n d ;

and i n

general

a re e xc el le nt stock fo r

breeding

waggon a n d

d r a y horses, w h i c h

are

in

s u c h req uest

i n

every

part

o f

the k i n g

dom. The o p po r t u n i ty a

dairy

fa rm e r h a s o f

laying

brood m a r e s

in pastures, and ke epin g a

s u f f i c i e n t number

to do the wo rk , a nd

occasionally r e s t , s e e m s t o me a n a d v a n t a g e , by which h e may

avoid the exorbitant e xpe nc e o f horses in the

stable

feeding

on

hayand

c or n

t o

go

to plo ugh . . .

.^ >

The introd uction o f

bro o d

m a r e s to dp the wor k , se e m s to me

o n e cause why we find

no

oxe n employed i n t i l l i n g the

s o i l

; a n d

in br ood

m a re s ,

great

impro ve m e n t s'

h a ve certainly been made,

and

I trust w i l l

continue

to go o n, from th e

co n ve n i e n cy of the

pastures,

and the

f a ir f i e l d they

ope n

fo r

extending and i mpro vi n g

t he breed

o f d r a u g h t horses. Mr. Bakewell's s t a l l i o n s

are

h e a r d

o f ,

bu t not half so

much

as the

show

o f Leicestershire r a m s

a n d

b u l l s . In th e m o u n t a i n o u s part of the c ou n t y , we find a nim

ble, lighter animal, which

h as a lwa ys been habituated t o travej

D


34/88

[*6]

ver rocks

a nd p r e c i p i c e s , and

d r a w i n a l i t t l e c a r t , or carry a kind

of

pannier o n

i t s back ; and

what

I

s a i d

of

the

Peak

sheep,

I am

ready

t o

say

of th e

Peak

draught h o r s e

improve the

s o i l , a n d

then

yo u

may

improve

t h i s

s p e c i e s

o f an im als

;

f o r I

am

of

o p i

nion, t h a t l a r g e r and

b e t t e r

h o r s e s

would

r e q u i r e b e t t e r keep, a n d

b e t t e r roads

t o

t r a v e l upon,

than

what the Peak i n

i t s present

s t a te a f f o rd s .

Hogs

As

a d a i r y country, k

may

be

supposed

to ab o u n d

with hogsIn every dairy farm we f i n d a very good stock of hogs,

an d of a very

go o d

s o r t * such a s i n

the

southern part of the k i n g d o m

a r e k n o wn - by

the

a p p e l l a t i o n of

the

Berkshire b r e e d . The ma

n a g e m e n t of

the

d a i r y being w e l l understood

by

the m i s t r e s s of a

Derbyshire farmer's f a m i l y ,

she

does not neglect her

hogs

; a n d

we f i n d t h a t from the

breeding

a n d

improving of

hogs,

a

p r o f i t

of from twenty t o five-and-twenty

s h i l l i n g s

i s

m a d e from

eacb

cow,

by

t h e

mai nt enance

of

hog s

from

the

o f f a l

o f t h e

d a i r y .

IRRIGATION.

The s i t u a t i o n of t h i s county, c o n s i s t i n g of h i l l

a nd

v a l e - , '

may

n a t u r a l l y be s u ppo s e d t o pr esent u s with great improvements

by flooding

the

land

h a t i t has been

p r a c t i s e d

long

ago,

a n d

that l e s s i s do ne now than formerly, i s observable i n many p a r t s

of

t h i s d i s t r i c t . T aki n g

t h e general s e n s e of the occupiers of l a n d ,

they a r e

not very f on d o f i t . The

s t i l l

brooks t h a t empty

themselves

i n t o

the

Dove,

h a ve be e n

converted

t o

t h i s

purpose

i n s e v er a l p l a c e s .

Bu t the Answers

t o

Queries

d i s p e r s e d i n t h i s neighbourho o d a r e

not i n i t s favour; the ba d e f f e c t being by s o m e (very properly) a t

tributed

t o

l e t t i n g the water

remain too

l o n g -

upon

the land t

from o t h e r s I . r e c e i v e d the

following

answer t o t h a t query

: What

l i t t l e has been

t r i e d , n o

advantage has been r e c e i v e d . The coal

a n d minerals of Derbyshire, a r e c e r t a i n l y strong r e a s o n s f o r the

water

not f e r t i l i z i n g the land ;that

i r r i g a t i o n

i n c r e a s e s the

ve r

dant appea ra nce of the m ea d, a nd the bulk of i t ' s c r o p , i s an u n -

controverted

f a c t , bu t in many p l a c e s , a s w e l l a s i n Derbyshire, i t s

e f f e c t s

a s

a n

improver

of t h e .

s o i l ' become

extremely

problematic.


35/88

Myown

op i n i on

h a s always been, that in f l a t meadow grounds,'

where a

r u n n i n g

s t re a m

i s

applied,

in

process o f

t i m e i t ch a n ge s

t h e n a t u r e

of

the

grasses,

substituting

the

coarser s o r t s . The s i -

t u a t i on where th e most benefit may be expected, i s the declivity

of a

h i l l ,

w h e r e a s m al l q u a nt i t y o f wa te r may be diverted over a

g r e a t surface,

and

readily t a k e n

o f f ;

more especially where

the

wa te r i s i m p r e g n a t e d wit h t he d ra in in gs o f a t own , v i l l a g e , o r

e ve n

farm-yard. Rapid w as h i n gs wi t h clear water, w i l l certainly

f i l l th e pores

o f

the

earth wi t h m oi st u re ;

bu t I find some d i f f i

culty in believing t ha t t he surface o f t h e meadow s c ou r ed w it h a

clear

rapid

stream,

c an a dd

to

t he staple,

o r i m p r o v e the

s o i l

as

a

manure

deposite

s e e m s the

more likely

method to

i m p r o v e

i

and

I am sure that wh e re ve r t he s ma ll deposite o f a c l ea r r iv e r i s o f

a chalybeate nature, t h e growth o f t he plants

gains

nothing'

by

t h e ba r ga i n .

Per h ap s

i t

i s

owing

to

t h i s

that

the

f i n e r

grasses,

whose roots spread nearer

the

surface,

ore

obliged to give way to

t h e coarser

s o r t s ,

whose roots

r u n n i n g deeper

in t he earth,

escape

t h e

poison, and

g a i n an

a s c e n d a n c y

ov e r

those

t ha t a re more

i r a *

mediately expo se d to i t s influence.

That a

considerable

part o f D erby s h ir e may be watered, i s true,

bu t I s h o uld

s t rongly recommend the ex a m i n a ti o n

o f

t he

n a t u re

o f the

water,

before

i t

be a t t emp t ed

on

a large s c a l e .

THEGRAINS PRINCIPALLY

CULTI

VATED.

By

reference to

t he rotation

o f crops, m e n t i o n e d

under th e

head,How the Lund ' e mplo ye d. *

w i l l

appear, that in t he dis

t r i c t d e n o m i n a t e d Fertile,

wheat,

barley,

oats,

a n d beans, are t h e

sorts

o f g r a i n principally

cultivated

n

the

Low

Pe a k, barley,

pease,

oatsnd in th e High Pe a k, chiefly oats. In a l l o f these,

h ow ev er ,

mixtures

o f

o th er s a re

also

t r i e d . We

discover vetches,

l e n t i l s , potatoes, and cabbages. At Br et by , t he g a r d e n s which

formerly

po ure d

on th e tables

of

their i l l u s t r i o u s possessors a l l

t o t

Da


36/88

[28]

profusion w h i c h

the s o i l

a n d

climate

wer e capable of pro d uci n g,

are now e mplo ye d i n raising t he s ee d

o f

cabbages

; a

s o r t

(o f t h e

York species) that

has

been cultivated there with

great

success

fo r

many

years, a n d i s r ema r k abl e fo r i t s size a n d durability in

t h e

winter.

Potatoes being

more

e m i n e n tly a Lancashire produce, i t might

be deemed tau tology to say a n y t h i n g here o f t h eir c u l tiv a tion : I

s h a l l

only

m e n t i o n i h e m , i n order to give

room fo r

m a rgi n a l ob

servations, i f

a n y

i m p r o v e m e n t s h a v e oc c u r r e d to a n y of my

readers

i n the c o u n t y of

De rby.

Bu t

finding

in Chesterfield, and

some o f the

ad joining

parishes,

particularly in that

o f North

Wingfield, i n that d i s t r i c t w h i c h I

d e n o m i n a t e

the Low Pea k ,

many acres planted with

Chamomile,

a n d conceiving i t

not usually cultivated a s a

fieH

crop,

I

shall

begin with

observing,

that

a

loamy

s o i l

i s c h o

sen fo r t h i s purpo se that after the ground i s

well

prepared by

t h o r o u g h cleanings (w h ic h h o w e v e r i s n ot always practised),

ab ou t the

e n d

o f March, the roots o f a n old plantation are t a k e n

u p,

and

divided into small s l i p s , which are planted i n r ows ab ou t

eighteen inch* as under, a n d ab ou t the same distance i n t he rows.

The plants are kept clean by frequent

h o e i n g a n d

w e e d i n g wit h

t he h a n d .

In September, the flowers are f i t to gather;

their

pe r

fection

d e p e n d s upon

their being fully b lo wn , w it h o ut h a v i n g

s tood so long a s t o l os e t he ir

whiteness

; t h e f lo we r in g continues

t i l l

stopped by

the f r o s t s . The gatherings

are repeated a s

often

as

a s u cc es s io n

of

flowers

appears

; t h i s

d ep end s

very

much

upon

t h e

season,

d ry

years furnishing m o r e , a nd we t o r dull w e at h e r f e we r

successions of flowers. When g at he r ed , t h ey are carefully dried,

either i n kilns very m o de r a te ly heated, o r

on

the f l o o r s o f

bo ar d e d r o om s, heated

by

slow f i r e s ; the object

i s

to k e e p th e

flowers white a n d

who le

;

and

t h i s i s

d o n e

only

by

d ryi n g

them

as

slowly

a s pos s ibl e. The

pr od u c e

varies from t wo h u nd r ed weight,

o r e ve n l e s s , to

four,

f i v e , a n d

i n some

( t h o u g h as

I h a v e learned

bu t in

few instances)

to s i x h u n d r e d weig h t pe r acre:

th e

price

has a l s o varied from

40s.

to 7

pe r cwt.

From the

best

a c c ou n t s

I

have

been

able

to obtain, four

cwt.

a t

4

pe r cwt. may be con.


37/88

09]

sidered

a s

the

a v e r a g e

pr od u c e a n d

p r i c e . The plants

usually

stand three years, of which the f i r s t

affords

the smallest, a n d t h e

se co n d the best a n d greatest produce. Sometimes

the

same plants

are

continued

beyo n d

three years,

bu t

the

g r o u n d

gets

f o u l , and

th e flowers ar e

weak

and

bad. The flowers

when dried

are packed

in bags, and

bought

up by

persons

in

the

n e i g h b o u r h o o d

;

by

whom t h ey

are

sold principally to

the

dr uggists i n London.

Some persons h a ve u sed them i n brewing, a s a succedancum fo r

h op s ;

a n d o th e rs c on t ri ve to

mix them with

hops. I

am

i nfo rm

ed they w i l l n ot a ns w er the

Qnd,

a n d that fe w people

a ppro ve

th e

t a s t e , e v e n when

mixed .

From the

information

given m e , I appre

h e n d

that a bo ut

t wo

hundred

acres

of land here

are

employed in

the

cultivation

of

t h i s

plant.

Fallowing. From what

has been s a i d ,

the Boa r d w i l l

pe r

ceive

t h at f al l owi n g

i s

practised

in

Derbyshire,

a n d

I

am

proud

to ad d , by the very

best

practical

farmers. Green crops, s u c h

as

v e tc h es , c lo ve r , cabbages, coleseed, a n d turnips a i e ,

no

doubt,

substituted,

with additional ploughings, i n

l i e u o f f al lows i n

many

parts o f the kingdom, particularly in the n e i g h b o u r h o o d o f great

towns, post roads, or wh e re ve r what I

c a l l

foreign

manures

( such

a s are br ou g h t i nt o a fa rm over a n d above that whi ch annually r enew s

from

the

pro d uce) ar e

procured;

ye t even i n t h i s

situation

land may

be over c r opped a n d rendered unfruitful, fo r

want

o f clean f a l

lowing a n d r e s t . Although

t h i s

may

no t appear a t f i r s t sight,

ye t

so fa r a s my experience

goes, sooner

or l a t e r

the

land

w i l l

be

r e d u c e d to that

s t a t e

of

we a kn e s s

a n d imbecility, in whi ch no

manure,

no has ty stimulus, or

drunken

dressing,

n o r

gre e n

crop,

w i l l

enable i t

t o sustain a n d perfect a beneficial

c r op

o f grain. Ma

n u r e a n d gre e n

crops,

i t i s t r u e , w i l l pr od u c e a

c r op

o f straw, bu t

fo r

want

of

that

v e ge t a bl e a l ime n t , which c a n only be restored by

fallowing

a n d r e s t , the crop of grain w i l l

ever

f a l l short o f

that

farina,

which i s the l i f e and soul of a l l white crops. I

am

aware

that the advocates fo r exploding fallows w i l l say,

why

d o

you.

dress y ou r

land

so much

;

you

must

crop k

oftener,

fo r the

land

i s

too

rank.

F ol l ow

their notion,

and

yo u

will

find y o u r

sys te m

of h u s b a n d r y reduced. to s u c h a

narjow.

b a s i s , be t we e n w ee d s a n d


38/88

[30]

s tr aw, t ha t f i f t y to

o n e

th e

c r op

will

f e l l

a s a c r i f i c e t o the o n e

o r

t h e o t h e r ;

i f

i t h a s the

good

fortune

to

escape the calamity

o f

being

l a i d ,

from t he happy

c ir c um st a nc e o f a

d r y

season,

i t

t h e n

h as

to

struggle

with

the

c h a n c e o f be in g o ve r- ru n wi th

s u c h

we e d s

a s

are n o t c h e c k e d

by d r o u g h t ,

and

frequently,

instead

of

a cr op of wheat, you r e ap wi ld oats. I know

some

land whose

management

i s within my own observation, and

that

fo r t h e

l a s t

z o

years

ha s

n o t

been rested more t h a n o n e year a t a time, un

d er clover, a n d never

experienced

a clean summer fallow ; t he

land i n

my

eye

wa s

l a s t year

sown

with

wheat, after

a very abun

d a n t

c r op

o f vetches

mown g r e e n fo r

horses.

The c r op at t h i s

t i m e i s

i n

sw a r t h s

fo r hay, fo r instead o f a c r op of w he a t , there

i s four to o n e wild oats ; a n d ye t together

the

wh ea t and wild oats

are s u f f i c i e n t l y p r o l i f i c t o y ie ld after t h e

rate

o f two truss bound

load

o f

h a y to

an

acre.

So rooted,

h ow e v e r , i s t he occupier

o f

t h i s

land

(who

by

the

by

i s

also th e

owner

) .

i n

hi s

a ve rs io n t o clean

fallows and r e s t , that h e i s n ot to be pe r s u a d e d from i m m e d i a t e l y

s o w i n g i t

with

turnips,

and

next spring, i f

th e

turnips are

good

and ea t off in time, in a l l probability w i l l again sow i t with

wheat,

c on fi de nt t ha t i t i s so f u l l o f dressing, i t wa n ts n o t h i n g bu t

cropping.

In t h e poorer s o i l s , i t i s extremely d i f f i c u l t ( a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y

very ra re) to bring them into t h i s state o f imbecility ; bu t in

lands by natu re p r o l i f i c I am pe r s u a d e d i t will h a ppe n . And

t u r n i n g o u r

eye

to the

most p r o l i f i c s o i l s

o f eastern

countries,

e v e n t h e land o f J u d e a ,

when

i t s cultivation wa s in

the greatest

perfection,

the

legislator

commanded

th e

husbandman

to

c a u s e

the

land to

enjoy

i t s sabbaths.

IMPLEMENTS IN HUSBANDRY.

Ploughs*Ofh i s i n s t r u m e n t in De rbysh i re t h ey u s e seve

r a l

s o r t s ; the d o u bl e p lo u g h , mounted

on

wheels,

p e r f o r m i n g

two

furrows at once, drawn by three, four, and s o m e t i m e s f i v e o r s i x


39/88

horses

at le n gt h in

t he fu rr ow.his i n s t r u m e n t ,

when well

made, per for ms very

well, bu t

wh e re ve r i t requires four o r

more

horses, a n d a driver, the only a d v a n t a g e I discovered wa s to th e

ploughman, fo r

i n

p l o u g h i n g

two acres,

h e wa lks o n ly

that

length

o f ground which the ploughman,

with

t he single plo ugh , does in

p l o u g h i n g

o n e acre. When I s a w i t s per for ma nc e with four

horses

and t wo men,

and viewed the

n a t u r e

o f t h e soU, I

wa s

s t r uck with

the idea,

that

two o f the Nor fol k wheel-ploughs, two

horses,

a n d with o u t a driver, would per for m more

work with

t h e

same powers, a n d more ease to th e horses; and I

believe

most o f

t h e

farmers that

us e t h i s plo ugh

w i l l

admit,

that

two plo ugh s ,

with two horses in a plo ugh , w i l l per for m

more

labour,

a n d with

more

ease

t o t he horses, t h a n

four

horses i n o n e o f these plo ugh s.

But t h e y

say, that fo r t wo ploughs,

two

drivers are

requisite,

a n d

here

they

do

with

o n e ;

the

a d v a n t a g e

i s

gained,

a n d

the

d i s

a d v a n t a g e

vanishes

w h e n e v e r t h ey may a d opt

the

Nor fol k

p l ou g h ,

and

manner

of plo ugh i n g.he single pio ugh ,

with

two wheels,

i s u s e d here; i s

well

m ad e, a nd pe rfo rm s the operaition well:

t h e y

make them s t i l l

l i g h t e r ,

with only

o n e

wh e e l :

u t

the plough

most commonly in use, i s that of

which

I am favoured wit h t h e

d r a w i n g

(Fig.

I . ) ,

sent to me

by the l i b e r a l i t y

o f Mr. R oc , t h e

d r aw ing - ma s t er o f t he pu bli c sch ool at R ep t on, bein g the pe r

f o r m a n c e

of o n e o f hi s

pupils

in

t h a t f a m o u s

s e m in a r y o f learning.

h i s simple i n s t r um e n t i s e a s i l y procured, and in most cases

performs

very

well. But I ca n n o t

help

suggesting, that wh er ev er

t h i s i n s t r um e n t will

per for m with two horses

and a d ri ve r, I

t h i n k

th e Nor fol k plough

would

p e r f o r m

equally

well, a n d save t he

ex.

pe nc e o f a boy.

HarrowsThey h a ve t h e common light h a r r ow s , made

lighter

o r heavier

a cco r di n g

to

the n a t u r e o f the s o i l , and

g e n e

rally

co uple d

together,

e a ch hor se

d r a w i n g his

own h a r r o w

in

t h e

u s u a l

way ;

bu t in

th e Peak I s a w

a practice o f d r a w i n g two h a r

r o ws

with

two

horses

a t length,

and

the

man

leading the

fore

most

he a wk wa r dn e ss a n d

absurdity

of t h i s

practice,

even t h e

man h i m s e l f

readily

owned

;

bu t

added/

i t i s , what we

a r e

u s e to. . . .


40/88

[-]

C a rt s and Waggons, on

the common

Construction,

ar e

in

u s e a l l over the c ou n t yn the m o u n t a i n o u s part, they h a ve a

light l i t t l e c a r t , drawn by o n e horse ; and h e r e we plainly d is c o

ve r the a d v a n t a g e o f small c a r t s , wh er e o ne man go i n g to the coal

pits with

four,

f i v e ,

and perhaps

seven

o r eight of

these l i t t l e

carts, a n d

o n e

h o r s e

to

each, w i l l certainly bring away more

weight, with l e s s

f r i c t i o n ,

a n d

more

f a c i l i t y , t h a n

the

same num

ber of horses could

draw

in o n e waggon. During my Tour, I

d id n ot discover a n y i n s t r u m e n t that i s no t commonh e cradle

scythe u sed in He rtf ordshi re , o f which I h a v e g i v e n d r aw i n g s

(Fig.

II.),

I t h i n k

would be a n

acquisition

to many farmers

in

Derbyshire. The cradle costs two s h i l l i n g s , and may

be

mounted on

the gra scythe which i s in

common

u s e

in

the

c o u n t y of D erby.

OF

HORSES

AND

OXEN.

The dairy farmers

s e l d o m

pl ou g h much, a n d consequently h a v e

l e s s t o

do

with either horses or oxen ; bu t e v e n the dairy farmer,

that i s alternately br e a k i n g up a n d laying down

h i s

a r t i f i c i a l pa s

tures, a n d

i m p r o v i n g

h i s farm,

finds considerable employment

fo r d r a u g h t

e a t t l e .

This in

Derbyshire, as

I

h a ve already

ob

served, i s performed, I believe,

entirely with horses;

fo r 1

d o no t

recollect

to h a v e

seen

or

h e a r d

o f

a n y t e a m s

o f

ox e n u s e d

by

farmers

h e i r bro o d

m a r e s ,

o f t h e d r a u g h t

kind,

f o r m their

t e a m s ;

a n d

in a dairy country, I am persuaded,

are

well

calculated

to breed

t h e s t r o n g

d r a u g h t

gelding,

so much

wanted

in every

part

o f

t h e kingdom. Suppose

t he

work

of a

fa rm s u f f i c i e n t

to

emplsy

four

horses ; instead of four,

the dairy

farmer

keeps

eight,

and wor k s them alternately : hi s eight m a r e s , l o d g e d continually

in

hi s

pastures

a n d

yards, with very

l i t t l e corn, w i l l

d o the work

. o f four horses, or o f s i x bullocks, a n d rear him f i v e or s i x c o l t s ;

these c o l t s , - a t 1 2 months old, ar e sold from 1 2 t o 18 .pounds

e a c h; i f so , t h i s nearly r e pa ys t h e expe n ce of ke epin g

the

beasts


41/88

C 33 3

o f d r a u gh t n e c e s

Documents

General View of the Agriculture of the County of Derby - Thomas Brown