whom God had given him as his natural fol-lowed his footsteps-sed longo intervallo-in the lowers and allies, to make Norfolk the garden of England and the admiration of Europe. That man was Thomas William Coke-a name honoured by tenant-farmers above all other names long before a patent of peerage was annexed to it. Under the precepts and the protection of this excellent man, who united in himself the justice of Aristides, the courage of Cato, and the tastes and pursuits of Cincinnatus; and of whom it was once triumphantly asked, in reference to Walpole's libel upon all public representatives, "What is his price?" under this man John Hudson commenced, and for many years carried on, his practical and improving farming, until it has reached that point of excellence which commands the respect and admiration of the whole agricultural community. Mr. Hudson was born at the village of Grinston, near Lynn Regis, in the county of Norfolk, on the 14th of June, 1794; and is accordingly just entered upon his fifty-fourth year. After finishing his education at Lynn in 1809, he began to acquire some knowledge of farming by going through the practical part of it under the tuition of his father, who, the previous year, had taken a farm of light land, called "Walton field," at East Walton, near West Acre, belonging to the late Anthony Hammond, Esq., which farm he continued to occupy for fourteen years. As illustrative of our previous observations on the then unfertile state of Norfolk, it may be remarked that for the first two years Mr. Hudson senior, cultivated this farm, so poor and barren was the land that the produce of wheat sold from it did not in either of those years exceed fifty quarters. Such was the ordinary state of a great part of Norfolk when the truly noble Coke began to shed the light of his countenance and give the force of his example to a better system of cultivation. The annual meetings at Holkham called "The Holkham Sheep shearings," had commenced, when a princely mansion had its hospitable doors opened to all comers, both British and foreign, interested in agriculture, for three days in succession. Mr. Coke had commenced his encouragement to tenant farmers by granting leases of twenty-one years, building for them good houses, out-houses, and other appropriate premises, and offering them rewards for agricultural improvements, both in the breeding of stock and the better cultivation of their farms. In fact, alone and unassisted, this prince of landlords commenced and carried out in Norfolk what the Royal Agricultural Society is attempting to do throughout the whole kingdom-the improvement of practical agriculture. Another good landlord, the late Christian Curwen, M.P., a warm friend and pupil of Mr. Coke, fol county of Cumberland; and instituted the Holm Cultram Agricultural Meeting, in imitation of that of Holkham, but greatly inferior in extent and magnificence. Let it be hoped that many more individual landlords, stimulated by the great success of the system, if not by higher and worthier motives, will "go and do likewise;" and thus prove that they understand the true principles of "protection to agriculture," by being fathers to their tenants, and the best friends, because the greatest producers, to their country! Mr. Hudson and his father constantly attended the Holkham reunions, and profited well and largely by what they saw and heard. They zealously and perseveringly put in practice all those improvements they considered adapted for the farm they then cultivated; and in a few years" Waltonfield," which had been little better than a rabbit warren, produced a large and rapidly increasing quantity of wheat; so that the original fifty quarters in the first two years of the lease were succeeded in the last four by an average of 600 quarters, with a proportionate increase in the number of stock kept upon the farm. In the year 1820 Mr. Hudson married the only daughter of Mr. Thomas Moore, of Warham, near Holkham-a highly esteemed tenant of Mr. Coke. In 1822, when many farms changed occupiers, Mr. Coke offered to Mr. Hudson the farm of Castle Acre, which he still occupies; and the same year Mr. Hudson, sen., hired the one adjoining, called "The Village Farm." In 1834 advancing years incapacitated the old gentleman from those active exertions in which he had long delighted, and induced him to surrender "The Village Farın" to his son, since which both farms have been united; and to give our readers some idea, though a very inadequate one, of the mode and success of Mr. Hudson's system of cultivation and carrying on farming business, we shall present them with the following extract from a Treatise "On the Agriculture of Norfolk," by Baruch Almack, Esq., published in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, vol. v. part ii. Mr. Almack says: "The farmer whom I shall select is Mr. John Hudson, of Castle Acre, one of the principal tenants of the Earl of Leicester. Mr. Hudson names as his model or "tutor" in agriculture the justlycelebrated Mr. Blakie, late agent at Holkham; and I could not avoid observing that many others of the best farmers of the district are doing precisely as that gentleman recommends in his publications. The two farms at Castle Acre occupied by Mr. Hudson contain about 1,500 acres, the soil being a "sandy loam on clay or chalk." He also has a farm of low land, at Seech, near Lynn, about 200 Ploughing five inches deep (or as deep as may be without turning up dead soil) with Ransome's wheel-plough, drawn by two horses or oxen. And, as there is no instance of more being used at one time for common ploughing in any part of Norfolk, I shall not think it necessary to state the number used in any other ploughing herein described. acres. When he first took the land at Castle Acre, | case done during September or the first half of Ocin 1822, he only kept about 30 head of cattle and tober. If no such opportunity offers, these will not 800 sheep: he now grazes "about 200 beasts, and be performed; but the whole of the land will be from 2,500 to 3,000 sheep annually." He has prepared for turnips in the following manner :doubled the produce of barley, and nearly doubled the produce of wheat. To account for this change, he uses yearly about 100 tons of rapecake and bones for manure, and about 200 tons of linseedcake for fattening cattle and sheep; the whole of the land has been clayed or marled, and, where necessary, drained. Here, as on most other large farms in West Norfolk, a bailiff is engaged for each farm, to superintend the different operations. Now, Mr. Hudson objects to cross ploughing each let us suppose that these have received Mr. Hud-time, because it cuts the land into diamonds, and son's instructions, and commence operations, and renders it unlevel; he therefore always ploughs it that the farmers of Norfolk generally are aware of twice in succession in the same direction-that is, what is going on, and give their opinions occasion- if he has turned it out from a furrow, he turns it in ally (neighbours and others sometimes will) as to the next time. In districts where fallows are the policy of the modes adopted in the particular ploughed in very wide pieces this objection to cross situation; also how and when they ought to be va- ploughing each time does not apply so strongly; ried under different circumstances. but, as Mr. Hudson's are only 20 yards wide, it is in his case well founded. These latter I shall insert as seems convenient and necessary. Ploughing the same depth as before, and in the Mr. Hudson's Course at Castle Acre (or the Com- same direction or otherwise, as may be consistent mon Four-course Shift). 1. Turnips; 2. Barley; 3. Clover; 4. Wheat. Preparing Land for Turnips, Mangold, &c. FIRST YEAR. Immediately after harvest, if the weather is too dry to plough clover layers for wheat, it will be particularly well adapted for the work of clearing and preparing part of the land for turnips next season; thus with the above rule. This may probably be done in February if the first ploughing was performed early; but that ploughed for the first time in December will not be ready before the end of March or beginning of April. Scarifying with Blakie's grubber or Biddle's scarifier. He considers some scarifiers to be good harrows, but bad ploughs, and therefore ploughs oftener than some of his neighbours. Well harrowing with heavy harrows (two drawn by three horses). Ditto, occasionally afterwards, to destroy the annual weeds, &c. Rolled as occasion may require. Any rubbish which the land contains may now be supposed to have come to the surface, and is picked off by hand for 6d. per acre it formerly cost 20s. A "clean earth" (the third ploughing), called the "stirring earth." Harrowed with the three-horse harrows, followed by the light ones as before, and rolled if necessary. This supposed to be about the end of April or beginning of May. Mr. Hudson prefers ridging to flat work on such soil as that at Castle Acre. He thinks the land more certain of bearing a crop if ploughed about ten days before sowing, in doing which his aim is to leave the soil light, and as finely pulverized as possible.† By skeleton-ploughing the wheat stubbles about three to four inches deep, all the soil is cut, but not turned over; therefore, the stubble, &c., will be left on the surface. This is done by Ransome's Suffolk plough, without its "plat," or mouldboard. Scarifying across with Blakie's grubber, or some similar instrument, usually drawn by two or by three horses; well harrowing with heavy harrows, two of them being fastened together when at work, and drawn by three horses. They are considered at least twice as effectual at this stage as those which could be drawn by one horse each, and therefore the work progresses more rapidly by the use of them. Harrowing afterwards with lighter harrows, two horses drawing a gang of three. In performing this operation it is usual to drive the horses much more rapidly, by which each harrowing becomes more effectual than it otherwise would *During the last spring and summer I have be. The stubble, &c., raked into rows, carted into used Biddle's improved scarifiers to great advana heap, and afterwards carted into the yards, as tage, and certainly saved a ploughing by using opportunity offers, that it may be used for litter in them for barley, as well as for turnips.-J. HUDwinter it is never burnt. SON. †The strong land on Mr. Overman's farm at These operations only apply to that part of the Weasenham is thus prepared for turnips: In Noshift which there is time to get through during vember ploughed deeply, the ploughs having such a period of dry weather as prevents any more "short plats" (or mould-boards), that the land may valuable work being attended to, and are in that be more exposed to frost; in the spring scarified A 2 The land is marked for ridging by an implement for the purpose, drawn by one horse, the markers being somewhat similar to the coulters of a drill. It makes five marks at a time, the rows 27 inches apart, and one of the coulters returning on the mark last made by itself, whilst the others go on fresh ground. The land being thus all marked for ridging, that operation may be commenced at any part of the field. Two of Ransome's, or similar double-breasted Northumberland ploughs, will set out eight acres per day. The land being measured, so as to know exactly how many ridges make an acre, tumbrils with muck immediately follow the ridging-ploughs, each load being made to go the whole length; so that they take any number of rows, according to the length of them, &c. Two men unload-one in the cart with a fork, the which he drilled 20, and dibbled two. The latter were the only failures: therefore his mode of sowing it is precisely the same as when sowing Swedes or white turnips, in all the particulars I have described; and the only variation is in the time of sowing and the quantity of seed. His practice at Castle Acre is to sow mangold the last week of April or the first week in May, swedes from the 1st to 20th of June, decanter or bell-turnips about the 15th of June (being for early consumption by cattle or sheep), and he would sow white turnips, intended for the lambing season, about the 6th of July. Quantities of seed per acre-white turnips, 3lbs.; Swedes, 4lbs.; mangold, 7lbs. Mr. Aylmer was surprised to find 18 inches flat heavier, as a crop, than 27 inches ridge, by 1 tons per acre; the latter looking much the best. He describes the soil as loam, and subsoil chalk. Notwithstanding this, Mr. Aylmer is inclined to ridging; so that the evi other behind it with a crome. This last is the dence of his actual experiment is of the more im ก team-man. Six women, or strong youths of fifteen or sixteen years old, spread the manure with light three-pronged forks, the rows being divided into three equal lengths; they work in pairs, 2 2 2 WOMEN WOMEN WOMEN portance. Many of the best farmers of the thin soil chalk districts drill their turnips on level at about 18 or 20 inches apart, exactly in the same manner as those of the Wolds of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Mr. Overman, of Burnham, is an instance of this; and he is said to be one of the best farmers of the county. Those of other districts, who have a geological map to refer to, will find that Burnham is on the chalk. This only confirms the opinions of others in different districts, who are cultivating similarly thin soil resting on chalk; and whoever happens to occupy such, in whatever part of the kingdom it may be, should bear such evidence as this in mind, in order that he may try the experiand the ground being equally divided, ment, if he has not already done so. I found the they know the part they have to do. same soil at Massingham, where the drilling is on Other two similar ploughs follow imme- the flat. It is the same also at Quidenham, where diately after the spreading of the manure, I could have thought myself in a Lincolnshire or a and plough it in before the gases escape. Yorkshire turnip-field, Mr. Coulson's management The drilling of the seed immediately fol- of his eighteen-inch flat-drilled turnips is so similar lows that, not rolling first; but, to prevent the ne to the common practice of those counties. Where cessity for that, a flat mould-board is attached to the soil is deeper, and yet not wet, I found the the shafts of the drill, and therefore precedes the turnips more generally ridged; but Mr. Hudson, coulters, taking off the tops of the ridges, and of Castle Acre, and Mr. Overman, of Weasenham, moving the clods, if any, into the furrows. Besides both say they should not ridge on wet land. Mr. the usual quantity of about ten three-horse tum- Tingey, of Scoulton, says, "I object to ridging brels of muck, from ten to fourteen bushels per turnips on heavy land, because I cannot prevent acre of bones (or bones and rapedust in equal the clods from rolling to the top of the ridge. quantities, mixed) are drilled with the seed. Care Therefore the seed gets deposited in the clods; and is taken to put the bones, &c., as near the farm- unless there comes a heavy rain soon after the seed yard muck as possible. A small fork A, attached is sown, the turnips come up very patchy; for if the behind the drill manure-coulters, slightly covers seed is not covered with loose mould, it cannot the bones, &c., before the seed is deposited by the grow.' "" "I also find that, when turnips are sown other coulters of the same drill. The seed is depo- on ridges, the land becomes flat from hoeing," so sited not more than an inch deep, and is covered that it is often difficult to find a season in which by a loose chain attached to a cross-bar of wood. the carts can be taken upon the land without beMr. Hudson has sown mangold 22 years, out of coming a means of injuring the barley crop by compressing the soil so as to turn up, after plough with Biddle's scarifier, and afterwards ploughed and drilled, being generally sown the last week in May or the first in June. Mr. Overman has this land in twelve-furrow, or three yards, "stetches" (and there are few good farmers in the county who have wet land in much wider pieces, or "stetches," than four yards). He is of opinion that the less such land is ploughed the better, so long as it is kept clean. ing, "whole and livery." 66 Again, I can grow to food of so opposite a nature to what they have more weight of turnips per acre on the flat-work, had before. This is continued about six weeks, 17 inches apart, than I can on the 27-inch ridges.' the quantity of turnips being increased, as the Mr. Tingey adds, "My system of growing turnips sheep become accustomed to, and acquire a liking on heavy land is this: I spread seven loads per for them. In doing this Mr. H. takes six rows and acre of yard manure, plough it on twelve-furrow leaves 12 to be fed off on the land. In October, ridges (three yards), drill six rows on a ridge, with puts the lambs on turnips, cutting them all with ten bushels per acre of bone-dust, taking three Gardiner's turnip-cutter. The sheep are kept in by drills up one side, and three down on the other, the hurdles and nets. Mr. Hudson prefers hurdles horses walking in the furrows. By this method I between the flocks, nets before and behind, also on am most certain of plant, and can grow the greatest the sides of the folds. Where there is little game, weight per acre; and the land lies in a much better nets become proportionably more suitable. Each form for keeping itself dry at Michaelmas, or when sheep is allowed half a pound of linseed-cake, and you want to get the turnips off, than when it is two or three pints of cut clover-hay per day, in hoed flat from the ridge system. It ploughs lighter addition to all the turnips he will then eat. Cut and in a better state for barley, and will work turnips are given to the sheep in troughs. Onemuch better and more like light land in the spring, | third of the turnips intended for cattle, &c., is drawn if you can plough it up soon enough to have the topped, tailed, and loaded on carts; the remaining benefit of the frost. By this plan I can get two or two-thirds "placed" for 4s. per acre on the whole three coombs more barley per acre than when my quantity; the turnip-tops are thrown on wheat land has been ridged." stubbles for store cattle. Three sheep-feeders (a On Mr. Hudson's Farms' a few days after the man and two boys working together) top, tail, and plants appear the land is horse-hoed by an imple-cut the turnips, move the troughs, nets, &c., for ment which takes one row and two half-rows at a about 1s. a score per week; thus, if the sheep are time; a little buck-wheat is now sown at wide in- fed on turnips twenty weeks, each sheep will cost tervals (about 60 yards) for the game, which is about 1s. for attendance. Mr. H. gives his sheep covered by the horse-hoe. The young turnips are salt, either common or rock being always by them. hand-hoed with 9-inch hoes for 28. per acre, at which work the men earn from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per day. After a few days the turnips are singled, and the weeds picked from around the plants for 1s. 6d. per acre, many persons only giving 1s. per acre. Horse-hoed a few days after that, and as soon as possible hoed a second time, breaking up the soil and drawing it round each turnip, for 3s. per acre. Horse-hoed again, with a triangular hoe, three rows at a time, drawing or "crowding" soil to the plants. Sometimes another horse-hoeing. I met with several extraordinary instances of difference in opinion on important points, but none more remarkable than this, as to the distance at which turnips should be set from each other in the rows. Mr. Marsham of Stratton Strawless, Mr. Hudson of Castle Acre, and Mr. Blomfield of Warham, are supposed to be as good authorities on agricultural matters generally as any other persons in the whole county, yet Mr. Marsham hoes his turnips with a 4-inch hoe, Mr. Hudson one of 9 inches, and Mr. Blomfield leaves his 18 inches apart in the rows, or two in a yard. All three sow them on 27-inch ridges; but Mr. Blomfield sows only Swede turnips, Mr. Hudson nearly all Swedes, and Mr. Marsham rather a large proportion of white turnips. This in some degree accounts for their difference in opinion. My own opinions on this subject are already known to the Society.* In September Mr. Hudson begins to draw off white turnips for lambs on second crop clover or wheat stubble, in order to gradually accustom them "Prize Essay on the Drill Husbandry of Turnips."-R. A. S. J. Vol, iv. Part 1. Mr. Turnips are all drawn out of the ground by hand before frost sets in; as evidence of which, there were none left on the land in the state they had grown, when I rode over Mr. Hudson's farms about Christmas Day, 1843. Turnips are taken to the yards in light carts drawn by two horses. If intended for use in November or December, they are put in turnip-houses; and for January and February they are laid on heaps, the tops being cut off, but the roots left on, as they are found to keep better so; that is, they are not so liable to become musty. Those for March and April are placed in beds on wheat stubbles or other convenient situations which seem suitable for the purpose. Overman, of Weasenham, draws off about half the early-sown white turnips for cattle in the yards, or throws them upon the wheat stubble for them, previously to their being put into sheds or yards to fatten ; the remainder he eats off with sheep where they are grown. The Swedes are pulled, topped, tailed and put into heaps (about eight heaps per acre), which are covered with a small quantity of straw and mould to preserve them from the frost, and to have them ready for use in any weather. This system of pyeing turnips is a very common one in Norfolk, aud it is difficult to decide whether the majority of good opinions is in favour of it, or rather of the other method, which is, "placing" the turnips from several rows side by side, so as to leave at least nine-tenths of the land vacant. Mr. liar to himself at present, but not unlikely to extend Overman has a practice which seems almost pecuin that district. After part of the Swedish turnips have been carted off and the remainder put in "pies," the turnip-tops, and "offal" are consumed on the land by his flock of ewes. Mr. Hudson cuts them for cattle, with Gardiner's, Wedlake's, or Man's slicers. The cattle have each about 3 bushels of turnips per day, and from 7lbs. gradually increasing up to 10 lbs. per day of oil cake, besides hay. Mr. Hudson does not approve that sainfoin has been sown by many first-rate agri of cut hay for cattle; he thinks they do not ruminate so well with it. He also thinks that long hay is a means of cleaning the mouths of the animals, otherwise clogged by eating oil-cake. Sheep finish the turnips by the second week in April. Mangold is pulled, topped, put in carts, and packed on heaps, for 5s. per acre; and it is considered very important to have this done before the frosts. Mr. Milnes's plan of packing mangold-wurzel is, to throw up the main body of the pile roughly (so as to be laid open), but to pile, or place straight by hand, the outside. The heaps are covered with straw first, then with soil to the thickness of four inches, except the top, which for about a month is left open, for the heat, &c. to evaporate. Mr. Hudson observes, that mangold is not in season before February; it is better in March, still better in April; and that all cattle eating inangold should be kept warm, and have hay with it. Cattle should be gradually accustomed to mangold, the allowance of it being increased from day to day, thus: one peck the first day, two pecks the second, three the third, and four the fourth; then increasing more largely, to six pecks the ninth day, &c. Mangold suits best in warm weather, and as it is more relaxing than turnips, it requires a more liberal supply of hay to correct the bowels of the animals. They eat less cake with it, and fatten more rapidly upon it. Mangold is very useful to carry on wheat for hoggets in March. By consuming about five tons of it per acre, and a little linseedcake, the wheat is greatly improved. It is made more free from poppy and other weeds, the straw stiffer, and the grain heavier and better. This, it must be remembered, applies to dry land. Mr. Hudson first covers the bottoms of all his yards with sand or mould, to absorb all the liquid manure. The cattle are fed in yards with open sheds fronting the south, and affording shelter from the cold north winds; these are spouted round to carry off water from the manure, Mr. Hudson (like many other Norfolk farmers) takes out his manure from horses and cattle alternately, to mix them in the hill about half a day's work of each before changing. SECOND YEAR, Barley. culturists for one year only; the wheat is much better after it (scarcely a case known where wheat has failed after it); a friend of his has grown it thus many years, and intends this year to lay down fifty acres with it, for one year only; he had the same quantity last year, and grew three good loads per acre of hay; the after-grass was a foot and a half high; upon this he turned his lambs, and they became the best in the neighbourhood. Some say, plough in the "eddish" for wheat; he thinks it better to buy other manure, as the value of the crop for sheepfeed is more than equal to that cost. As in Norfolk generally, Mr. Hudson's seeds are varied in each course, so as to have red clover only once in eight years, thus: first course-16lbs. of red clover, 4lbs. of white, and half a peck of rye-grass, per acre; second course- 12lbs. of trefoil, 8lbs. of white clover, and a peck of rye-grass, per acre. This last is intended for feeding on the land. The clover, (in the first course) is for mowing once, and afterwards to be fed by sheep. Seeds covered by light harrows, and the land rolled, to make it level. Barley is weeded for 5d. per acre. In preparing for barley, Mr. Brown, of Thrigby, always keeps from the land in wet weather; sows, a few days after the barley, small seeds with machinery, covering them with very light harrows. Mr. Blyth (S. F.) says, "The turnip-land is generally ploughed twice towards the end of the season, scarified once or twice, and then once ploughed; drilled about six inches, beginning about the 25th of March, and sowing three bushels per acre." Mr. Coulson, "when the turnips are fed off early in winter, first skeleton ploughs by taking off the plough-breast), then harrowing in spring, and ploughing clean. Where later fed, ploughing once, and harrowing; drilling at 7 inches, from two and a half to three bushels." The barley is mowed by a set of harvest-men, paid for the harvest, not by the week; therefore they receive the same, whether it is of long or short du 1st. "That one-fourth of the seed is saved." 2nd. "That, by all the seed being deposited at an equal depth, the plants retain a much firmer root in the soil during the winter." 3rd. "That the grass-seeds may be drilled across the rows of barley some time after the corn is up, and not only be better covered by the soil then they would be if no coulters were used, but the barley itself may be improved, at the same time, by this slight breaking of the surface soil." After the turnips are off, the land is ploughed "fleet," or about 3 inches deep across the ridges, with a skeleton plough; in February, scarified, if the weather is favourable; harrowed, and if cloddy, rolled, ploughed again, but not across, for reasons before In addition to the saving of seed, as before named, stated; harrowed, and rolled with light rollers, this gentleman's clover was better last spring than &c,. drilled, with from 3 to 34 bushels of barley per he ever had it before, and he believes that, if the folacre, according to the state of the land; rows 7 lowing season had been an average one, his seeds inches apart. Mr. H. sows none but Chevalier would have carried at least one-third more stock barley. It is harrowed in with light harrows (three than usual. This improvement he attributed solely for two horses). Sows clover and other small seeds to the drilling. The drill he uses for this purpose with a horse-machine, that it may be more equally is 6 feet wide, having twenty-four coulters, and respread over the land than is possible by hand, espe-sembling a corn-drill, except that it is much lighter. cially in windy weather. Mr. Nurse, junior, states It is drawn by one horse. * I could not find that the plan of drilling cloverseed in rows had been tried in Norfolk. A gentleman of great experience in Lincolnshire recommends It on the following grounds: Knowing the high estimation in which this plan is held by some farmers in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, I take this opportunity of alluding to it as a general answer to those of my Norfolk friends who made inquiries respecting it. |