Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-06-09
A BIG ENGLISH FARM.
HER LARGEST ONE is VERY SMALL
By AMERICAN STANDARDS.

Only z, 500 Acres-The Farm Occupies an
Entire Parish-The Method of Cultivating
the Crops-Everything Clean and Neat.
1t may not generally be known, but
it is a fact that the largest farm in
England is in Lincolnshire. Five miles
from Louth, on the Louth and Lincoln
line, is the parish of Withcall. The farm
occupies the entire parish, and its
area is upward of 1850 acres. Nearly
1000 acres are under the plOw, and
from that may be gathered an idea OF
the number of horses required to work
this large undertaking.
The farm is so large that three yards
are needed. They are named the
north yard the south yard and the
home yard. There is also smaller
supplementary one-the New Farm
stead.
Ten cottages form the homes of the
laborers at the north and south yards,
while near the home yard is situated
Withcall house, the residence of j. w.
Ward, the lessee of the farm. The
railway runs close by. Near are also
the church-a prettily built edifice and
pleasantly situated-the rectory and
the schools. The district is very hilly
and in consequence of this there have
been made two large cuttings SO as to
form road to the north farm. In one
of them may be seen a thin bed of full
ler's earth.
Down the valley, which is crossed
by an embankment formed of the
chalk taken from the cuttings, may be
seen small reservoir. This supplies
the whole parish with water.
Some years ago the owner, Mr.. Clay
ton, caused pipes to be laid all over
the farm, so as to supply both houses
and cattle. The water is forced from
the reservoir by a very ingenious con-
trivance consisting of a water wheel
and donkey" pump. There are
roughly speaking about six miles of
water pipes. The water is exception
ally good and throughout the driest of
summers there is always constant
supply.
There are large number of ami
mails on the place. including about
seventy working horses, upward of
500 beasts, 1000 sheep and the pigs at
the last census numbered 100. The
farm is made up of large fields, eight
of which are over a hundred acres in
area
A few years ago the owner caused
one of the fields to be cat up, for its
area was over five hundred acres. A
part of the same field now measures
130 acres. A steam cultiyator, with
two powerful locomotives, is constant
ly at work, while twelve horses may
often be seen plowing in one field.
The cattle are sent into the mar
shes" for the summer and brought
home in the autumn. Everything is
clean and neatly kept and it requires
no great dscriminative power to know
when the limit of Withcall farm is
reached.
A great feature is the plowing, for
the boys" take a perfect pride in
their burrows, and if any one wants to
see furrow quarter of a mile long
and as straight as dart let him in
spect the work on this expansive
farm.
Agricultural depression does not
seem, outwardly at any rate, to effect
this district to any remarkable de-
gree. The average wage is IS. Sd. per
day for six days, all of equal length,
no Saturday half-holidays being al
lowed hereabouts.
Potatoes are largely grown by the
laborers, who by the kindness of their
master are enabled to have a large
plot of land in the fields, besides their
own gardens. Scientific farming there
is none here, but all engaged have
long experience on the land, and know
how best to derive from it the great
est benefit.