Carrots, and a few garden plants, are only introduced into field cultivation, by gardeners for the markets.

The major part or bulk of the sowing business is done in this county in the old broad-cast way, though drilling has likewise made considerable progress. Of the machines used for this work there are two varieties, either of which delivers several rows at a time, and may be constructed so as to deliver them at any given distance. Seed-time here generally commences in March, and ought to be finished in April; in some places, however, it hangs on through a great part of May. Respecting the system of cropping and round of crops, no general one can be laid down that will apply in all cases, as variations of soil and climate must often render deviations requisite and praise worthy. As something like system, however, is necessary to the proper management of every regular business. Mr. Pitt, in his Agricultural Survey, has given the following courses of crops, as generally practised in this county.

The stiff or strong soils of Staffordshire, under arable culti vation, says this gentleman, are of two sorts; the strong and harsh inclining to clay, and the more mild or friable marl and lcam. Upon the former of these it seldom happens that any other grain, but wheat and oats, are grown. The rotation of cropping upon this land is, 1 Fallow, 2 Wheat, 3 Oats, after which it is laid down with cloyer, trefoil, and ray grass for one, two, or more years. Sometimes on breaking up an older turf, the course is 1 Oats, 2 Fallow, 3 Wheat, 4 Oats, and then grasses as before. On the more mild and friable loamy soil, there is 1 fallow, 2 wheat, 3 beans or pease, and 4 barley or oats, when the land is laid down with clovers, &c. as mentioned above. On this species of soil beans are sown in the beginning, and oats. towards the latter end, of March; barley seldom sooner than May; wheat is chiefly sown in October, but some little of it is much earlier and some later. In the neighbourhood of Eccleshall, and also near Stafford castle, there are a few fields in which a vein of incomparable marl is found so near the surface

of

of the ground that the farmers can easily plow through it. Here good crops of wheat are produced by fallow alone, without manure, so that the dung is usually reserved for the next season, by which means two crops, one of beans and another of barley, is afterwards secured; whereas, when it is placed on the wheat fallow, these crops are seldom productive. This circumstance is certainly deserving of attention as a real improvement, and capable of extensive application.

On the light sandy and gravelly soils adapted to turnips, the order of cropping is the same with the Norfolk system, which is turnips, 2 barley, 3 clover, 4 wheat. The chief time for sowing turnips is from old to new Midsummer, but some are sown both earlier and later. The land in preparation for this erop has usually four ploughings, with sufficient harrowings between. The first ploughing takes place before Christmas, the second in March, the third in May, and the fourth at sowing. The manure in ordinary use is dung or lime, or both, or a compost of dung and soil. In the vicinity of large towns the dung of such towns is frequently used. Near Birmingham, in particular, the parings and shavings of bone and hoof dust are also frequently applied with good success. Some farmers observing that this system of the same crop every four years is hard tillage and exhausts the ground,

give their fields two years rest course 1 turnips, 2 barley, 3 A few totally omit the growth

under grass, which makes the clover, 4 pasture, and 5 wheat. of wheat on light land. Their system is I turnips, 2 barley, and seeds pastured for two or more years, and then sometimes oats, on breaking up the turf; or I turnips, 2 pease, and 3 bar. ley and seeds as before. As in these courses, the great staple, wheat, is neglected; the following order is not uncommon upon land that is continued some years in pasture: 1 oats, 2 wheat, 3 turnips, 4 barley, and pasture for several years.

The hay harvest in this county is mostly in July. On highly forced lands in the neighbourhood of large towns, the meadow grass is somewhat earlier than the artificial grasses, but upon

regular

regular farms the latter generally takes the precedence. Stafford. shire cannot be considered as a feeding district, at least not in proportion to Leicester. Many gentlemen, however, as well as farmers, feed a considerable number both of cattle and sheep. Calves and hogs are kept upon most farms. More cattle as well as sheep are reared, than are necessary for the consump tion of the county. Great numbers, therefore, are sold to dealers who drive them towards the Metropolis.

The cattle of this county are generally of the long-horned breed, the stock of which has been gradually improving for these several years. The sheep are of various breeds. The Grey-faced, without horns, which are natives of Cannock heath. Sutton Colfield and the adjoining commons, are of a moderate size, with fine wool closely and compactly covering the carcase. Those of Cannock, in particular, bear a strong resemblance to the South Down, and are doubtless originally from the same common stock. The black-faced horned sheep are peculiar to the commons situated on the west of the county, to wards Drayton in Shropshire. These have black and long legs, are light in the carcase, but certainly capable of great improvement. A white-faced breed without horns, and having long or combing wool, occupy the eastern parts of the moorlands. Upon the limestone bottom they are strong and heavy, and are thought the most valuable of any on waste land within the county. The breed on the west part of this district, and on the grit and gravel bottom, are a much inferior sort to those on the calcareous ground, and seem to have originated from the ancient moorland breed, continued without attention.* They are of a mixed kind, some having white and some grey or dark faces, with legs usually of the same colour. Besides these breeds a variety of others have been introduced. The old and new Leicester are particularly common on the pasture grounds These have been crossed in various

in different districts.

• Aikin's Manchester, p. 102.

shapes.

shapes so as to produce a great diversity of flocks, possessing peculiar characteristics, and superior or inferior according to the judgement with which they have been managed or bred.*

Kitchen garden stuffs are sufficiently abundant, but fruits fall much short of the consumption of the county. At Téténhall a peculiar species of pear is raised; which shall be described particularly in our account of that parish.

TIMBER PLANTATIONS, and WOODLANDS. This county, not withstanding the vast number of trees which have been cut down within these thirty years, still continues well stocked with wood of every description. The estate of lord Bagot, in the neighbourhood of Abbots Bromley, comprehends several hundred acres of the finest and ripést oaks perhaps in the kingdom. Many of them carry timber to the height of sixty or seventy feet. Some in the park around the mansion house, even contain 400 feet timber each, and are of considerable antiquity, being mentioned by Dr. Plot, as full grown in 1686. The succession woods and young plantations here are likewise extremely flourishing. The estate of Chillingworth may be ränked next to this, for the value of its woods, within Staffordshire. The woods at Beaudesert, the seat of the Earl of Uxbridge, are scarcely less extensive. This mansion is situated on the north boundary of Cannock forest, and is one of the most superb and magnificent in the vicinity. Large quantities of well grown timber cover the pleasure grounds and property of lord Dudley, at Llimley and its neighbourhood. The estate of Teddesley has very considérable plantations. Mansley wood is a large coppice of very fine oak. Wrottesley contains seve-" ral woods of ripe well grown timber, and alsó extensive plan." tations of a later growth. Fisherwick, Sandwell park, Enville and Hilton, display very fine trees of every kind in great abundance. The bishop's woods, in the vicinity of Eccleshall, are said to contain 1300 acres. Besides these there are a variety of other' plantations and valuable clumps of timber scattered throughout

Pitt's Survey, p. 182.

this county. For a more particular account of the whole, the reader may consult Mr. Pitt's Agricultural Survey.

WASTE and UNIMPROVED LANDS. The extent of lands lying in a state of nature in this county is very great. Many thousand acres in different places remain wholly uncultivated, serving merely as pasturage for a few sheep or deer. Considering the increasing state of the country, with respect to popula tion, this is certainly a matter worthy of attention. Mr. Pitt computes the wastes or commons to contain in all, at least 100,000 acres, which, if improved, which could easily be effected, would at a moderate calculation add 1,450,000l. to the national capital.

The chief waste districts in the southern parts are, Cannock heath, and Sutton Coldfield, together with Swindon, Wombourn, and Fradley commons. In the north are Morredge, Wetley-: moor, Stanton moor, Hollington heath, Cavershall common, and Needwood forest, which last, however, has been lately in great part inclosed and cultivated. Many other unimproved spots of lesser extent exist in every hundred..:

ROADS, BRIDGES, &c. The public roads of Staffordshire are in general good, but many of the private ones are abundantly indifferent. With respect to bridges, tunnels, and other works of that kind, they are sufficiently plentiful and in numerous in stances do great honour to the county. The more remarkable of them will find a place in the sequel.

MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE. Manufactures of various kinds are carried on to a great extent in Staffordshire, particu larly in the southern districts. These chiefly consist in hardware articles, nails, glass toys, japanned goods, and potter's ware, with productions in cotton, silk, leather, woollen and linen. The manufacture of glass is most considerable in the vicinity of Stourbridge, where a variety of very lofty and spacious glasshouses have been erected. The potteries are situated rather towards the north division of the county, occupying an extent of ten miles. They have acquired no small degree of celebrity

from