!
120
To these diminished expenses of the farmer, add the
greater produce of his land, which, in wheat, potatos,
and lucerne, is undeniably greater than in England, —
and it will no longer appear singular, that such high
rents are cheerfully paid for good land in Jersey.
The value of land is on the increase in Jersey ; and
this, in a ratio corresponding with the increased population,
and the rapid increase of wealth among the
farmers and merchants. In the parishes farthest
removed from St. Helier, land has been lately selling
at 117/. per acre ; and an estate of forty vergées, lying
about a mile and a half from St. Helier, was recently
purchased at 150/. per acre. Nor is this considered in
Jersey, too high a price for the best arable land. An
offer was made the following day, to the purchaser,
to rent the farm at 6/. 155. per acre, leaving the purchaser
in possession of the farm-house and garden, the
rent of which, wouW pay him the full interest of his
purchase money at 5 per cent.
I have already mentioned the system of lending-
labour and stock, wliich prevails amongst the farmers.
This applies particularly to the great Jersey plough,
or “ grande querue." which is held in community. At
the time w’hen Mr. Quail made his report, this plough
was in universal use ; nor is it yet discarded, though it
is certainly less in vogue than it appears to have been
in those days. The Norfolk, Suffolk, and Scotch
swing ploughs have now been introduced ; and Jersey
farmers are beginning to discover, that ploughing to
the depth of eleven inches is sufficient in the best husbandry
; and it is probable, that the “ grande queruef
with its eighteen inch deep furrows, and harnessed
with its two bullocks and eight horses,—or with its
six bullocks and sixteen horses, as might once have
been seen in Guernsey, will shortly be seen no more.
When Quail wrote, there was only one thrashing
mill in Je rsey ; now, there are several; but they are
all of an inferior construction. The small size however
of the Jersey farms, scarcely creates a necessity for the
thrashing mill.
All the writers on Jersey, whom I have consulted,
state in positive terms, that tillage in Jersey has
declined, and is declining; and they have assigned
certain reasons why tillage is on the decline. These
reasons do not however, now exist; and tillage has of
late been decidedly on the increase. A great spur
was given to tillage, by the construction of the new
roads. Where great impediments exist in the way of
bringing farm produce to market, tillage cannot well
be prosperous. Twenty years ago, three horses were
required to drag a ton weight of potatos to St. Helier
from any of the distant parishes; and not only so,—
but it was also necessary to send an avant courier to
keep the road clear. Now, a farmer can send the
same weight of potatos with a single horse and a boy,
twice in one day, from the remote parishes to the pier
of St. Helier.
Respecting the general husbandry of Jersey, and
management of crops, I would say, that that important
piece of knowledge,—the rotation of crops, as applicable
to the soil and climate of Jersey, is pretty well
understood. Fallows are seldom or never seen in
Jersey. Wheat harvest, in the warmest situations,
generally commences about the beginning of August;
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