The Book of the Farm
Detailing the Labours of the Farmer, Farm-steward, Ploughman, Shepherd, Hedger, Cattle-man, Field-worker, and Dairy-maid

A detailed description and guide to best contemporary farming practice, including agriculture, dairying and livestock farming, first published in 1842.

Henry Stephens (Author)

9781108024969, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 6 January 2011

706 pages, 202 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.9 cm, 1.02 kg

'This is the classic of Victorian farming: widely consulted at the time, huge in its extraordinary social, economic and technological coverage, and a splendid asset to historians. These three beautifully produced volumes are a major publishing event, of great scholarly and practical interest today.' Professor K. D. M. Snell, University of Leicester

Henry Stephens (1795–1874) was a farmer and later a writer on agriculture. After attending lectures on chemistry and agriculture at the University of Edinburgh he boarded with a Berwickshire farmer, George Brown, and gained experience of agricultural work. In 1820 Stephens acquired his own farm, on which he used modern and experimental farming methods. In 1837 he sold the farm, and devoted the rest of his life to writing guides to farming for the use of inexperienced farmers. These influential volumes, first published in 1842, contain Stephens' detailed descriptions of contemporary farming practices. He describes in meticulous detail all aspects of farming, including livestock care and slaughter, dairying, irrigation practices and crop culture. Arranged by season and including copious high-quality illustrations of farming equipment, these extremely popular and fascinating volumes were considered the standard work on practical Victorian agriculture. Volume 3 describes tasks performed in summer and autumn.

Part III. Summer: 61. The sowing of turnips, mangel-würzel, rape, carrots, and parsnips
62. Repairing the fences of grass-fields, and the proper construction of field-gates
63. The weaning of calves, bulls, and the grazing of cattle till winter
64. Mares foaling, stallions, and horses at grass
65. Sheep-washing, sheep-shearing, and weaning of lambs
66. Rolling the fleece, and the qualities of wool
67. The making of butter and cheese
68. Weeding corn, green crops, pastures, and hedges, and of casualties to plants
68. Hay-making
69. Summer-fallowing, and liming the soil
70. Building stone-dykes
71. Embankments against rivulets
72. Forming water-meadows
73. Breaking-in young saddle-horses
Part IV. Autumn: 74. Pulling flax and hemp, and of the hop
75. Reaping rye, wheat, barley, oats, beans, and pease
76. Carrying in, and stacking wheat, barley, oats, beans and pease
77. Drafting ewes and gimmers, tupping ewes, and bathing and smearing sheep
78. Lifting and pitting potatoes
79. Sowing autumn wheat, and the construction and principles of agricultural wheel-carriages
80. Eggs
81. Rotation of crops
82. Fertilizing the soil by means of manures
83. The points possessed by the domesticated animals most desirable for the farmer to cultivate
84. Making experiments on farms
85. Destroying and scaring vermin on farms
85*. Looking at a farm, its rent – its lease – its stocking – the capital required for it
86. Improving waste land
87. Farm book-keeping
88. The conveniences of the cottages of farm-servants
89. The care to be bestowed on the preservation of implements
Index.

Subject Areas: Social & cultural history [HBTB]