The water-meadows are extremely well managed. There are two kinds of water-meadows, those Irrigated by catch-work and those which are flooded. The flooded meadows are those which lie along the course of the rivers or rivulets, and are flat and level naturally or rendered so by art. The water is let on by sluices and channels from the upper part of the stream, and kept in by banks, if necessary, and let off again into the lower part of the stream, or on lower meadows, by similar sluices and channels. It is computed that there are above 20,000 acres of excellent water-meadows in this district.
As the cows in this district are not such objects of attention as the sheep the breeds are very various, and few of them of superior quality. The chief dairies are on the borders of Dorsetahire, whence comes the butter used in the towns, North Wiltshire producing little butter, except whey-butter—its chief produce being cheese. The Wiltshire sheep are a variety of the Southdown, but not in general so pure. The original breed was horned, but this has been almost entirely superseded by the polled breed, which produces a finer wool, if not so large a carcass. The Southdown breed has almost entirely super seded the old Wiltshire breed. The pigs are much the same as in other counties, the Chinese and the Neapolitan breeds having by their crosses improved the original breeds and altered all their qualities.
The north-western district of Wiltshire differs greatly from the southern district. The sub-soil in this part of the county, instead of being chalk, consists chiefly of flat broken stone, called provincially corn-grate. It is tho same 11-4 that of the Cotswold Hills in Gloucester shire. These stones serve for building when they are of sufficient thickness, and the thinner layers to cover houses, instead of elate. The topsoil is a reddish calcareous loam mixed with irregular flat stone, and commonly called atone-brash. lir some places a stratum of clay is interposed between the rock and the top-soil, which may easily be known by the oaks which thrive there, whilst on other parts the elm thrives beet.
There is a very fertile vein of gravel, or rather of small shelly sand with pebbles, covered with a good depth of rich mould, which runs in a broken line from Melkeham through Chlppenham to Cricklade, but extends wider from Tytherton through Christian Medford and Daunteey to Somerford. All this vein is very rich land, especially near Dauntaey. A less fertile vein of sand runs from Redburn by Seagry and Sutton Bengt. to Langley Burnell by Chippenham, and another begins at the opposite corresponding hill at Charlcot, and runs through Bremhill to Branham. The greatest part of the residua
of the soil of this district lies on a hard close rock of a rough irregular kind of spnrious limestone, fit only for mending the roads with : the soil above this rock is mostly retentive of moisture, and consequently cold.
This district is essentially a dairy country, and probably has been so from time immemoriaL The buildings are well suited to this purpose, and placed conveniently with respect to the surrounding fields. , The cheese-lofts are often on a very extensive scale; and all the buildings are kept in a neat and substantial order. Leases arc common for 14 or 21 years, and the tenant is prevented from selling hay or straw, which secures his keeping sufficient stock for manure. The implements are similar to those used in the southeastern district. The common fields hare been mostly inclosed, to the great advantage of the husbandry. Some of the best land has been laid down in grass, and a better system of cropping has been generally introduced, as well as a cleaner tillage. The grass-land forma the greater portion of North Wiltshire, and the cheese made there is justly celebrated.
The bread of mileh-cows is an object of greater attention in this district than in the southern. A. great, many cows are fatted in the dairies. The sheep in this district are much the same as in the southern portion of the county, and although there are not such extensive sheep-pastures, there is usually a flock attached to every arable farm, and folding is one of the chief modes of manuring the fields. Many porkers are fatted in the dairies on the whey, after it has been skimmed and whey-butter made. The breed of pigs has been much improved. There is nothing peculiar in the breed of horses; those used on the farms are mostly imported young from other counties.
There are very few market-gardens or orchards in this district, and no cider is made. Vegetables are only raised for sale near the towns ; every farm having generally as much garden as the family requires, and no more. The woods have diminished greatly all over the county, which was once very well-wooded; There are many excellent markets in Wiltshire ; the principal corn markets are Warminster, Devizes, and Salisbury. Swindon and Salis bury are excellent cattle-markets. Marlborough is a great market for cheese, although most of it is contracted for by factors, who take the whole produce to London, Bath, and Bristol.