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This, is a fair way of tilling such kind of land, provided, the farm has a proportion of good downs, and sainfoin, to keep a large flock, otherwise it would not be enabled, to have so great a proportion, as half of this sort of land in grain.
In the Vale of White Horse, and the country adjacent, where
the soil is a rich deep loam, the general practice is, to take, Ist. 1 8
wheat, 2d. beans, 3d. barley, or oats with seeds, 4th. clover one year, 5th. fallow, vetches, or turnips. After which, the wheat crop comes in succession.
There is still another mode, practised in the common field pa- rishes of this county; where, from the mixed rights that prevail, turnip and vetch crops, cannot be well introduced. After wheat, they sow barley, then oats with seeds, 4th. clover mowed(when it becomes common), Sth. oats, or barley again, and 6th. fallow. This management, though bad, I fear cannot be amended, whilst the land lies in its present state; and although there is a me- thod called« hitching the fields(a kind ofagreement amongst the parishioners, to with-hold turning stock out, whilst particular crops are growing, and by which means, a few brush turnips, clover, and vetches are sown), yet its lying open, subject to commonage, is a bar to all essential improvement, and cramps the spirited farmer, who is disposed to make the most of his land, since he is subject to the caprice of individuals, who are too often deaf to reason, and absurdly say« they have their rights,“ and will give
no oöther answer.
OBSERVATIONS.
It is no trivial consideration with a farmer, when he takes a tract of land, to understand what liberty is granted him, as to cropping. That he is entitled, to an encouraging contract in this respect,(when it is considered how many losses and hazards he is subject to), every one must allow. But self-interest too often urges mankind, to break through the bounds of fair con- duct; and in agriculture we have too many instances, both on the side of landlord, and tenant, what injury may be done, by
For remarks,&c,
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