AGRICULTURE of Hampton Bishop. Copyhold estates were few, but leaseholds more common, and speaking generally, about two-thirds of the whole county was freehold, and the remainder under the above tenures. The farm-houses of the county were as a rule inconvenient, and ill adapted to the purposes for which they were designed, and the cottages of very inferior construction. One block of ten had recently been put up in the parish of Holmer, each of which contained one room in front, 12ft. by 1 4 ft. and 6 ft. high, with a bed-chamber above of the same size, and there was a shed at the back. They cost ^^32 ioj. each, and are said to have combined ' comfort, convenience and economy,' and were evidently considered at the time far superior to the ordinary run of labourers' dwellings. The consolidation of small holdings into large farms was a marked tendency of the time (as it has been during the whole history of English agriculture), so that landowners were exhorted to arrange their property in a manner which would afford every class the means of improving their condition. Poorer arable land was rented at loj. an acre, meadows of inferior quality at 18s. to 20s., the best arable lands averaging ^^i and the best meadow £2. Tithe was then collected in kind in very few instances, the average composition being from 3J. 6d. to 41. in the £ ; less than in many other places, but lately increased owing to the high price of grain caused by the war. This advance in the price of corn was responsible for the shorten- ing of leases, which hitherto had usually been for twenty-one years, to seven years, which was said to be bad since it checked the tenant's improvements, and limited the amount of capital that he employed. On one estate leases contained a covenant that the landlord once a year should survey the farm buildings, and report to the tenant what was necessary to be done, which was attended with the best results. The following account of the culture of an acre of wheat on good fallow land in 1805 does not show much profit or a very good crop : — Dr. Cr. £ '■ 'i- £ s. d. Two years' rent 200 20 bushels of wheat .... 10 o o Hauling dung from fold . . . o 10 o The straw was set against the Four Ploughings 200 value of the dung ; and the tail Two harrowings 040 end wheat is said to have been Lime 1180 consumed by the family Seed, z bushels 150 Reaping 050 Threshing o 10 o Wages 050 Tithes and Taxes 0150 l9 12 o The small wheat crops were attributed to the quick repetition of exhausting crops, and deficiency of tillage which suffered weeds to usurp the soil. On a farm on good land rented at ^200 a year, the following would be the balance sheet at the same date : — Dr. £ Rent 200 Tithes . 40 Wages, servants 34 „ labourers 24 Extra harvestmeu 7 Tradesmen's Bills 50 Taxes and Rates 58 Malt, hops, and cider .... 60 Lime 20 Hop-poles ... ... 10 Exs. at Fairs and Markets . . 8 Clothing, groceries. Sec, for the family 45 Interest on ^^1,500 capital at 5 per cent 75 Sundries 15 £646 d. o o o o o o o o o o o Cr. 360 bushels of wheat at os. 300 bushels of barley at 6s. . 100 bushels of peas at ds. 20 cwt. of hops .... Sale of oxen, cows, and calves Profits from sheep „ from pigs, poultry, dairy. and sundries £ 180 90 30 60 150 100 so ^660 d. o o o o o o According to this the farmer, even with wheat at ioj. a bushel, did little more than pay rent, interest on capital, and get a living ; but it is curious that a Herefordshire account should contain 411
