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Farming - 1920
Internal field hedges and fences were considerably reduced by 1920. The biggest changes probably occurred during the middle years of the previous century when agriculture was in the ascendant. The use of horses instead of oxen meant that a team could plough more land in a day’s work. Machinery was available to help in all aspects of cultivation, sowing, weeding and harvesting. With the exception of Huck's Hill and Roadfields all tenements had been amalgamated into their neighbouring farms. Actual farm boundaries were little changed since 1839, except that Rowe and Rowley were farmed as one unit from the former, Bentley and Naunton farmed as one from Bentley, and Well and Wood Farms farmed from Well.
For the sale of 1920 farm boundaries were in some instances altered to produce more attractive sale lots. Huck's Hill tenement disappeared at that stage. For the first time, woods were included with the farms and not retained in-hand i.e. for the use of the estate.
Between the ‘Golden Years’ of agriculture during the 1840s and the end of the nineteenth century farm rents had fell by up to a half of their value. Following this decline agriculture revived during the First World War only to slip back again after 1918.
It was possibly increased expectations as a result of the wartime boom that led to the withdrawal of farms from the 1920 sale, when they did not reach their reserve prices. In hindsight this was not a good decision for, prior to the second sale of 1925, the general economic depression deepened and the 1917 Corn Production Act, which guaranteed prices, was repealed. Thus in the second sale the remaining farms were 'knocked-down' for, in some cases, less than the corresponding best bids of 1920.
The large area of grassland, 46%, in 1920 was probably due to the pre-war decline in fortunes. During the war various Acts were passed which compelled farmers to plough out grass in-order to increase production is therefore likely that the area of arable shown, 38%, whilst relatively low is still an increase on it's lowest pre-war level. Holt Castle showed the smallest change in cropping regime since 1839, but Hurst Farm was completely down to grass by 1920. About 40% of the permanent grass area would have been put up for hay.
As well as the more usual cereals and roots, the area was already growing a considerable amount of horticultural produce, particularly brassicas.
Orchards were much in evidence and constituted six percent of the agricultural area. They would have included plantings of plums, damsons and cherries. The cherry orchards have disappeared from the two parishes within living memory, a few remnants of the plum orchards still survive near a few of the farmsteads, albeit in a derelict state. Damson trees are still to be seen in hedgerows, particularly along roadsides, but these too are aged and collapsing, and a considerable hindrance to modern hedge cutting machinery. Rowley Farm retains a number of damson trees in its internal hedgerows.
Although the total area of hops in the county increased through the years up to 1920, that increase was almost totally confined to the Teme valley. Only one hopyard, at Holt Castle, remained in the area under consideration here. By 1932 even that had been planted to fruit orchard, as had further areas of Hollingshead Farm along the Worcester-Tenbury road.
Sheep were mainly of the Kerry and Clun breeds, which were often brought into the area in autumn to be folded on crop residues, particularly brassicas and roots. Cattle were probably mainly Dairy Shorthorns and Herefords, which were fetching record prices. The Large White was the most popular pig, with most cottagers having one that was reared on garden, kitchen and table scraps.
Many implements changed little in design from the 1870's or 1880's until the Second World War. Hay making machinery particularly often had the horse shafts replaced by a tractor hitch. There were advances however in the power source, driven by the need to increase food prpduction during the First Worls War. The first true tractor was the 'Titan' manufactured by the International Harvester Corporation of Chicago, Illinois. Introduced in 1915 and in full production by 1916. It was very reliable, and was imported into Britain in larger numbers in 1917. At the same time the Fordson Model F has been developed by Hnery Ford, aslo in the US. The Fordson Model F was without doubt the most influential and commercially important design in tractor history, it's impact still dominates conventional tractor design. Worldwide, three quarters of a million units of the Model F were sold from 1917 to 1928, more than any other tractor before or since.
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International Harvester Titan .................................................................Fordson Model 'F'
Map of Holt and Little Witley as farmed immediately before the sale of 1920
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