and put on it as much compost as I can from time to time get together.

None of my land requires draining.

I have no orchard. I cannot grow apple-trees in my garden by any means that have yet been tried.

I cannot say much of the manufacture of dung, and I think the less that is done in that way in the yards the better. I endeavour to mix the different qualities as well as I can, and get it into the soil with as little delay as possible. From the time I finish wheat sowing, which is in November, to the time I begin sowing in the following October, I take every opportunity of clearing the yards, and conveying it to the fields for clover, vetches, rape, and turnips as a preparation for wheat, and I particularly desire that not an atom or drop of the excrements of any animal be allowed to drop in the yards or houses, without straw being under them to receive and absorb it.

As to the treatment of labourers, I think I stand tolerably well with them, as I seldom change. I act on the commercial principle of buying in the cheapest market, but do not consider the lowest price always the cheapest. I hire mostly by the week, but my reaping, mowing, hedging, and hoeing is done by measure, and some other work also, as occasion requires. I have for upwards of twenty-five years paid my labourers weekly on Friday evening, in cash separately, so that none should have an excuse to go to the ale-house or shop for change; and although the whole time I had business transactions with the landlord of the inn in the village, and received large sums in each year from him, I never sent a labourer there for wages. During the whole time of my improvements, I superintended nearly always on foot, and assisted in every operation that took place on the farm, and measured the whole of my piece-work (with very few exceptions) myself, and very seldom had a complaint of any mistake; in fact, the men generally preferred my measuring their work, as they then saved their moiety of the expense; and although I have had as many, on one or two occasions, as one hundred persons in my employ at one time, I have never had a magistrate's summons for any one in my service, nor was I ever summoned by one of them on any matter whatever.

If it ever happened that I did not pay my labourers on the Friday, or that I had not change to pay every one separately, it was an exceptional case by no means of frequent occurrence. When they are thus treated, I consider them entitled, on many occasions, to my sympathy and assistance.

Some of my labourers take wheat, but it is at their own request; they were never asked to buy it, nor anything else, the produce of the farm.

My wages have been generally, even from the first year, about 400l. a year more than my predecessors.

As I stated at the beginning, the average of the different crops at the time I entered on the farm in 1837-1 place it again here in juxta-position with the state in which it was in 1857.

The weather in summer is seldom too dry for my land, and the difference in the yield of corn in a dry season and a wet one is often much more than the value of the rent of the farm. Although I had an excellent crop, as before stated, in 1854, in the very next year I only grew 560 sacks 3 bushels, on 77 acres 3 roods 16 poles.

The difference also in my losses of sheep-stock (which is generally great) in a hard winter and a mild one, is very observable. My stock is about 470 ewes and 220 tegs, with a few odd ones to make 700, and in the summer a few over 400 lambs. I have always found it a great advantage to dip my sheep in a solution of arsenic, black soap, &c., which is done in the autuinn of each year. I keep them continually on the arable land, except at the lambing season, when the ewes are brought into a yard by night. My loss has varied, of full grown sheep, from 4 to 10 per cent. Below I have shown the effects of the various seasons in ripening corn and harvesting for the last twenty years. one instance, 1846, I began cutting corn as early as July 27th, and in the year previous, September 1st, showing a difference of 1 month and 8 days; and finished harvest, in the first case, August 25th, and, in the other case, October 15th, showing a difference

of 1 month and 23 days.

In

IV.-The Sheep of the West of England. By HENRY TANNER, Professor of Agriculture and Rural Economy, Queen's College, Birmingham.

IT will be desirable in this Report to embody within the district described as the West of England the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Gloucester, Wilts, and Dorset; for, apart from the fact that it appears to be the district which the term includes, we have varieties of sheep and management in the two former counties which well merit our attention. I therefore proceed to notice

THE NATIVE BREEDS.

Cornwall. The earliest information we have of the original Cornish sheep describes them in very unfavourable terms, as having very small bodies, and wool so coarse as to exempt it from the customary duty on wool. It was known as Cornish hair. Anderson, in his 'Origin of Commerce,' published in 1762, gives the following as the prices of wool at that time :

At the present time the representatives of the original breed are very seldom met with, and then in an improved condition; but these are to be found on the open moors of the west and north-west of the county. They are exceedingly hardy; but the length of the neck and legs, the deficiency of barrel, and the rump, are peculiarities which detract much from their value and appearance. They are kept for four or five years, and then, when fatted upon enclosed lands, weigh from 14 to 16 lbs. per quarter. The meat, from the age and the wild character of the sheep, is exceedingly good, and much sought after.

These have been the foundation from which most of the Cornish sheep have sprung. Rams of various breeds have been introduced, and have improved the general character of the flocks of the county. Some of these rams have been bred in the county, others have been brought from their native districts. The Cotswold, South Down, and Leicester flocks, have all contributed from time to time to their improvement; but the greatest benefit has been derived from the Leicester blood. The quality of the fleece has received much attention in Cornwall, and these weigh from 7 to 10 lbs. in the yolk, which is equal to from 5 to 7 lbs. of washed wool.

Devon. According to early accounts the sheep of this county partake in some measure of the Cornish character. There seems to have been more variety amongst them; and at least three distinct breeds appear to have been kept up in different parts of this extensive county. This has resulted from local peculiarities, and not from any special care on the part of the Devonians. These breeds are known as the Bampton Nott, the South Ham Nott, and the Dartmoor sheep.

The Bampton sheep has long been in favour. Vancouver, in 1808,* speaks of them as producing a profitable class of sheep, which "at 20 months old weighed 22 lbs. per quarter, and sheared 6 lbs. of wool to the fleece. The same sheep, well wintered and kept for another twelve months, will average 28 lbs. per quarter, and yield 8 lbs. of unwashed wool to the fleece." Another writer says:-" They are the best breed in Devonshire, and have existed in the neighbourhood of Bampton from time immemorial. A fat ewe of that breed rises to 20 lbs. per quarter on an average, and wethers to 30 and 35 lbs. per quarter at 2 years old. They are white-faced, the best breed living more like Leicesters than any other, but larger boned and longer in the legs and body, yet not so long as the Wiltshires, by which they have been crossed, nor so broad-backed as the Leicesters." † Such was the original character of this breed. There are many which are sold as Bampton sheep which have no kindred with the original Bamptons. The true Bamptons are in comparatively few hands resident in the district. A large number of sheep, which are simply mongrel Leicesters, are driven to Bampton fairs for sale under this name. The greater part of the true Bampton sheep have been crossed with Leicester blood, -so much so, indeed, that I doubt if there be a flock of the original Bamptons which has not got some Leicester blood in it. Many breeders have so far introduced the Leicester blood that now their flocks may be safely described as Leicester and 1 Bampton. The Bamptons being prolific and hardy, even in this proportion, give a very desirable degree of hardihood and constitution which makes them much sought after on this account. The improved Bamptons, therefore, may be looked upon as possessing the feeding character of the Leicester sheep with much of the hardy constitution of the Bampton. In this way the peculiar weakness of the Leicester is overcome, and a more serviceable sheep is produced, coming to maturity much earlier, and fattening more rapidly than the original Bamptons. At 16 or 18 months' old these wethers will now weigh 22 to 24 lbs. per quarter, and each give 7 or 8 lbs. of good washed wool. But with this the extended turnip husbandry, &c., has had much to do.

-SO

The South Ham Nott is found in the district from which it takes its name, which constitutes a large portion of the fertile land of South Devon. The origin of this breed is somewhat uncertain. They are an inferior description of sheep, and illshaped, carrying heavy but coarse fleeces, and coming to a great weight. Their faces and legs are somewhat of a chocolate colour, indicating some kindred to the Down. These sheep are daily becoming less common, as the introduction of Leicester blood is so manifestly productive of good, that, with very few exceptions, we have cross-bred flocks from these ewes by Leicester rams. This has been accompanied with a decided improvement in form, greater disposition for fattening, a better fleece-but of less weight, and they are ready for market earlier. Generally speaking, these sheep were kept to the age of 28 or 30 months, when they would weigh 24 lbs. per quarter; now they reach this weight in 18 or 20 months. The Leicester blood has become thoroughly engrafted on these sheep, and they now approach the character of the Leicester in a greater or less degree. These mixed South Hams and Leicester sheep extend through the south of Devon, and run into Cornwall. They are well suited to the rank herbage of these parts, and with ordinary farmers answer even better than pure-bred Leicesters.

The Dartmoor sheep is another of the Devonshire breeds. It is a true mountain-sheep in its unimproved condition. The district giving rise to this breed of sheep is an extensive and elevated table-land in the southern part of Devon. Here these sheep range at perfect liberty throughout the year, providing themselves with such food and shelter as will enable them to survive the winter months, and thriving during the few summer months on the natural yet for a short time luxuriant herbage which abounds. In this manner they have an uncertain and precarious living through the winter months, during which many perish; but in the summer they rally again for another period of semi-starvation. It is only reasonable to anticipate that with such treatment none but the unimproved and almost wild breed of sheep can answer, and such is the case. The Dartmoor sheep, therefore, admit of little improvement so long as such a system is carried out. The Leicester, Southdown, Cheviot, and Cotswold blood have been introduced; but whatever improvement has resulted has not been perpetuated, except in a few solitary instances. The Dartmoor sheep is therefore commonly found in its primitive state upon and around the moor.

These sheep may be described as exceedingly nimble and active, small in size, prolific, good nurses, and when fattened they yield some of the best mutton obtainable. The wethers are generally fattened, when 4 or 5 years' old, by the farmers around