: ITS BOUNDS, FOOD AND FARMING

he are a people William A.S. Sarjeant Baranduin' (idem). To reach it, they loving 'peace and quiet crossed the ancient Bridge of and good tilled earth,' in that region also which caused Stonebows, whose repair was their favourite haunt 'a both these groups of hobbits to thereafter placed in their charge. Twell-ordered and well farmedmove on westwards. The hobbits who followed the countryside' (I, p. 11). In this paper, The third and most adventurous brothers must have consisted only I shall endeavour to consider their breed, the Fallohides, had lived of their own Fallohide breed and habitation and the good food that farthest north in Hithaiglin. They Harfoots. The Stoors, we are told, caused them to be 'inclined to be made an independent crossing of came 'later into the Shire up from fat' (idem). the mountains, north o f , southaway' and, because of their Chronicler J.R.R. Tolkien tells and travelled southward down the longer lingering elsewhere, us, in the reconstruction o f early River Hoarwell to join up with the retained 'many peculiar names and history presented as Harfoots and Stoors in a region strange words not found elsewhere preamble to The Fellowship o f the surely erroneously named as 'the in the Shire' (I, p. 16). Ring, that they dwelt originally in Westlands o f Eriador' (I, p. 14). It the upper vales o f the great River should have been the Eastlands, for THE GEOGRAPHY OF Anduin. This region gains little Eriador extended to the Ered Luin, THE SHIRE mention in the chronicles but, on the Blue Mountains, close to the The land allocated to the hobbits 's authoritative ocean, while these lands lay far extended 'for fifty leagues, from the map, it is named Hithaiglin. It lies from the ocean. They centred on Westmarch under the Tower Hills between the northern Misty -hill, 'tall and brown' (I, p. to the Brandywine Bridge' - the Mountains and the forest that was 193), an isolated hill east o f The hobbits' name for the Bridge of originally Greenwood the Great, Greenway that then linked Tharbad Stonebows - 'and nearly fifty from later (I, p. 13). The with Fomost. Bree-land was 'a the northern moors to the marshes progressive darkening o f the forest, small inhabited region, like an in the south' (I, p. 15), Its limits and the multiplying o f men in that island in the empty lands round were never shown on the Tolkiens' region, seem to have been the about' (I, p. 160); it was comprised maps; the one detailed map of the causes for the hobbits' westward o f Bree itself and the nearby Shire which we have (I, facing p. migration over the Misty villages o f Staddle, Combe and 24) does not purport to show it all. Mountains into Eriador. Of the Archet, with the Chetwood to the The length o f a league is usually three breeds o f hobbits, it was the east. Here men still lived, 'the taken as equal to roughly three Harfoots 'the most normal and descendants o f the first Men that miles, but it varies. I have striven to representative type o f hobbit' (I, p. ever wandered into the West of the plot The Shire on the map of 13) - who moved westward earliest. Middle-world' (idem). Fortunately Middle-earth (Fig. 1), but the They had lived in the Mountains' the Men o f Bree welcomed the distance from the Westmarch to the eastern foothills. They seem to hobbits; Bree-land became the one Brandywine has forced me to have crossed the Mountains south region o f Middle-earth where men adjudge that an Eriadorian league of Rivendell and had travelled as and hobbits learned happily to co­ was longer than three miles. My far as Weathertop before the others exist. However, it seems Bree-land extending o f the boundaries of the made that perilous crossing. We became rather too crowded for four Farthings echoes the may infer that the third group o f comfort. Consequently, from Bree separation o f the North and South hobbits, the Stoors, lived formerly 'in the one thousand six hundred Farthings by westward and in the most southerly regions of and first year of the Third Age' the eastward extensions o f the two Hithaiglin, their ancestors being a brothers Marcho and Blanco other Farthings close to Bywater, 'cleverhanded and quiet footed little Fallohide set out 'with a great as shown on Christopher Tolkien's people' who resided just north o f following o f hobbits' (idem) to find map (I, facing p. 24), but is the Gladden Fields, loved the Great a fresh place to dwell. This was otherwise arbitrary. River and made reed boats from done with the permission of When the hobbits arrived they which to catch fish (I, p. 62). When Argeleb II, twentieth o f the Kings found a land that 'was rich and the Stoors also moved west, they o f the fading realm o f Eriador - a kindly, and, though it had been followed the path o f the Harfoots lineage destined to end three long deserted when they entered it, but lingered longer in Wilderland hundred years later. King Argeleb it had before been well tilled.' between Tharbad and the borders had allocated to that peaceful Indeed, there had been many of Dunland' (idem) - the region people an extensive, but by then ‘farms, comlands, vineyards and later called Eregion or Hollin. It unoccupied, tract o f land west of woods' (I, p. 15). It was 'a pleasant was probably the increase o f men t h e 'brown River comer o f the world,' where they

33 Mallorn XXXVIIII

FIGURE 1. Suggested boundaries o f The Shire and its four Farthings, superimposed upon Christopher Tolkien's map o f Eriador.

34 The Shire: its bounds, food and farming could ply their 'well-ordered separation o f the Far and White o f turnips and carrots (II, p. 262). business of living' (idem). Downs, and the upper course of the Then there were cabbages (I, p. Topographically, it embraced Brandywine, surely reflect the lines 32), tomatoes (H, p. 21) and a three highland regions. East o f the o f lesser normal faults: these are variety o f herbs (1, p. 135); from Tower Hills that lay beyond the shown, and named, on Fig. 2, along the list of those recognized by Sam limits o f the Shire, there were what with other lesser faults. Gamgee in fragrant Ithilien, we the hobbits, in their parochial Concerning the strata cropping know that these included thyme, fashion, called the Far Downs. out in the Shire, we have little sage, parsley and marjoram (II, p. Eastward of these were the White information. The White Downs 258). Of grain crops, there was Downs, with the village o f Michel were surely o f chalk and there wheat to be ground in Ted Delving. An unnamed extension of was - at least, under Sharkey's Sandyman's original mill (I, p. 15) those downs, o f lesser altitude, lay malign regime - a sandpit close to and, in the North Farthing at least, north o f Scary. Southeastward from Hobbiton (III, 302). Moreover, as I barley for beermaking (III, p. 304). the White Downs was a further have shown earlier (1992), there In the South Farthing around range o f lower hills - the Green Hill was coal to be mined somewhere in Longbottom, there were vines (I, p. Country, with Tuckborough the Shire, perhaps in quarries in 46; III, p. 304) and, in warm, embowered amid the western those unnamed hills north of Scary sheltered places, there grew sweet uplands and the eastern end so (III, 302). The paintings of Tolkien galenas, the pipeweed that was the cloaked with trees that it was depict a topography very like that hobbits' particular contribution to named Woody End. of the southern English - the wellbeing of humanity at large Between the Green Hill so like, indeed, that I am, tempted (I, p. 18, III, p. 304). Country and the White Downs, to think that the greater part of the The hobbits planted, tended there meandered a tributary o f the Shire was likewise made up of and harvested apple, plum and Brandywine which the hobbits Jurassic and Cretaceous strata, such chestnut trees (I, p. 92; II, p. 83; III, named simply The Water. South of as nowadays crop out widely in pp. 303, 296). Hazel nuts also were the Green Hill Country, a second northwest Europe. These strata available from hazel thickets' (III, stream, the Shireboum, flowed vary from clays, through brown or p. 308). The various berries they eastward to join the Brandywine green sandstones and sandy ate - blackberries, raspberries and just north of the Overboum limestones, to limestones of higher strawberries (I, pp. 98, 166; H, p. Marshes. The low-lying lands north purity, culminating in the chalk 21, III, p. 303) - were seemingly o f these marshes were named the itself. both harvested in the wild and Marish and populated mostly by Such a variety of strata would grown in their gardens. This is Stoors. sustain the whole range of wild implicit in Pippin's reaction to - The bounds o f the Shire were plants, and permit the variety of fare, where he savours 'fruit sweet widened when, at an unspecified crops, that we know the Shire as wildberries and richer than the date, Gorhendad Oldbuck o f the supported. It would account for the tended fruit of gardens' (I, p. 91). Marish crossed the Brandywine to low hills and broad vales, for the Some o f these fruits were dried, for found Buckland, 'a thickly marshes and the woodlands. As for consumption while travelling or inhabited strip between the river the coals - well, though there are no during the long months of winter and the , a sort o f colony Mesozoic bituminous coals, brown (II, p. 285). Mushrooms, of course, o f the Shire' (I, p. 108). Since this coals (lignites) are widely present were cultivated in the Marish and seems to have been done without in Jurassic strata (for example, in elsewhere, being a particular any seeking for royal permission, it Alberta). They would be cleaner- passion, not just of Frodo and his probably took place around the two burning, less likely to pollute the companions but of all hobbits - a thousandth year o f the Third Age, pleasant airs o f the Shire. passion 'surpassing even the after the fall o f King Argeleb's greediest likings of the Big Folk' (I, house. Buckland was centred on ITS PLANTS pp. 101, 105,112). Bucklebury and protected on its We are told that 'growing food and All these gain direct mention, eastern side by a thick, twenty mile eating it' occupied most of the time but we may infer three further long hedge, the High Hay (I, p. of the hobbits (I, p. 19) and that crops. Since Bilbo made seedcake 109). 'they laughed, ate and drank often (albeit unwittingly) for the dwarves and heartily' (I, p. 12). Indeed, the to eat (H, p. 18), there must have ITS GEOLOGY rich Shire soils and the variety of been caraways. The fact that some In an earlier paper (1995), I slopes, some sunny, some shaded, hobbits were ropers (I, p. 16) endeavoured to reconstruct the allowed the hobbits to enjoy a wide suggests the growing of hemp; but, geology o f Middle-earth. On my range o f fruits and vegetables. Root o f course, some other material reconstruction, the Shire lies crops flourished - was not Gaffer might have been employed for between two great faultlines, the Gamgee especially knowledgeable rope-making. Bilbo's and Frodo's Evendim Fault to the north and the about their nurture? We have library (I, p. 46) implies paper- Minhiriath Fault to the south. The mention o f potatoes (I, p. 30) and making, perhaps from wood pulp,

35 Mallorn X X X V im more likely from reeds - and maybe 258). We do not know which shrub not identified; and, o f courses the Bilbo's waste-paper basket (1, p. made the hedge at Bag End, so mallom came much later. 46) was also woven from reeds. assiduously trimmed by Sam (I, p. Though vegetables and fruits 45), but its lawns were certainly of ITS PASTORAL FARMING were the hobbits prime concerns, grass (I, pp. 56, 72). Concerning pastoral farming in the they grew flowers also in their The trees of the Shire were Shire, we have remarkably little gardens. We learn of lilies, important to the hobbits; did not information We learn a little about snapdragons, nasturtiums, Sam, following the return from the ponies ridden by the hobbits - sunflowers and daffodils (H, p. 5; I, , concern him self with their own particular breed, small p. 33; II, p. 288) while the names of forestry? They included a variety of and sturdy, slow but enduring (I, p. certain hobbits - Primula deciduous trees - willow, elm, ash, 84). However, the ponies ridden by Brandybuck (I, p. 31), Rosie chestnut, rowan, linden, alder, Bilbo and the dwarves and by Cotton and the egregious Lobelia birch and that flowering tree Frodo and his companions fared ill, Sackville-Baggins - tell us anciently called the auburn, being either taken by goblins (H) or obliquely o f three others. nowadays the laburnum (H, p. 15; driven away by Sauruman's Flowering shrubs were present 1, pp. 52, 80; II, pp. 83, 84, 86), minions (I). Perhaps Sam's pony, (I, p. 45); these are not named, but along with conifers such as the fir Bill, was also of hobbit breed but, the Shire's shrubs likely included (I, p. 81) and, at least in the uplands since he was bought in Bree from tamarisks, 'pungent terebinth', o f the North Farthing, the pine (II, one of the Big Folk - the unsavoury junipers, myrtles and bays, since p. 257). Rather surprisingly, the Bill Ferny - that is not certain. these seem to have been recognized party tree (I, p. 34), so soon to fall Horses, it seems, were brought into in Ithilien by Frodo and Sam (II, p. victim to 's wickedness, is the Shire rarely and only by

FIGURE 2. Tectonic elements o f the geology o f The Shire, based upon the reconstruction by Sarjeant (1995).

36 The Shire: its bounds, food and farming strangers. There is no mention of near Woody End. Perch? (I, p. 97). donkeys or mules anywhere in Evidently rabbits were eaten at The hobbits wore warm Middle-earth. home in the Shire, as well as in the clothing, in part o f leather but The hobbits kept bees and wilds of Ithilien, for Sam Gamgee surely mostly made from wool. happily ate honey and honeycombs was skilled in their skinning and That again suggests, possibly, (I, p. 135), while the Stoors, at preparation (II, p.261). In all goats, more probably, sheep. It is least, had large, fierce dogs (I, p. probability, though, the Shire tempting to imagine sheep being 101). After that, it is hard to know rabbits ran wild and were snared at pastured on the short grasses of the what creatures the hobbits need, not kept. Eggs? Yes, the White Downs around Michel domesticated. Were there cattle? hobbits - and the dwarves! - ate Delving, furnishing the hobbits not Well, since the hobbits consumed them in quantity (H, p.21). The only with wool, but perhaps also yellow cream, milk, butter and mention of 'fowls chattering in a milk and meat. Certainly, when cheese (I, pp. 58, 135; III, p. 303), yard' at Crickhollow (I. p. 120) Bilbo crept up to the feasting trolls, this may seem likely. That the could refer to any domesticated egg he found the odour o f the roasting hobbits knew o f cattle is certain; laying bird; it is highly unlikely mutton 'a fine toothsome smell'! did not Frodo's cheerful, if that the hobbits kept hens, since (H, p. 44). However, with the trolls unfortunate, party-piece at the those birds were confined to distant turned to stone it is not clear Prancing Pony concern itself with a tropical lands until relatively whether , the dwarves and cow that jumped over the moon (I, modern times. Instead the bobbits he ate any of that mutton. So, once pp. 170, 172) and was not Pippin might have eaten eggs of quails, again, we cannot be sure. As for able mentally to contrast 'an old plovers or some other bird, goats, the only oblique reference is cow sitting and thoughtfully harvested in the wild, or in the name of one o f the Big Folk chewing' with 'a bull charging'? (II, conceivably of ducks, wild or tame. of Bree, Goatleaf (1, p. 167); p. 85). One might imagine such There were geese in Bree (I, p. perhaps they were kept in Breeland cattle to be o f a small breed, like 180), but the small hobbits would but not in the Shire. the Shire's ponies. However, their surely have found such large and When Bilbo travelled eastward presence in the Shire is by no aggressive birds too difficult to with the dwarves, in quest of the means certain; all those products handle. 's treasure, and could have been made from the We know that -like when Frodo and Sam, Merry and milk of goats or even sheep. ancestors o f the Stoors fished in the Pippin travelled southeastwards Equally, though the hobbits ate River Anduin (I, p. 62). It is surely and eastwards through the Green bacon (1, p. 105), we cannot be sure likely that the hobbits - the Stoors, Hill Country to the Marish, they that there were pigs; bacon can be at least - fished in the Brandywine saw no domesticated animals - or made from mutton also. Yet pigs quite regularly and that all the so it seems, from the published do seem likely, perhaps finding hobbits enjoyed eating fish: was records. The extent of pastoral pannage in Bradbole Wood in the not the inn at Stock, with its farming, then, in the Shire must North Farthing or in the woods excellent beer, called the Golden remain an unresolved question.

Acknowledgments This paper was first presented at Breemoot IV/Mythcon XXX at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1999 and, in a revised version, at Breemoot V in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2001. Helpful comments by the auditors of these papers drew my attention to certain references 1 had missed. I am grateful for these, and for the help of Trent Mitchell and Jason Sharp in the production o f the paper.

REFERENCES Tolkien's own chronicles are here distinguished by letters or Latin numerals; The Hobbit (H), The Fellowship o f the Ring (I) (II) and The Return o f the King (III). I found no additional relevant information, either in or in the splendid series of volumes edited by Christopher Tolkien. Other references are: Saijeant, William A.S., 1992. 'Where did the dwarves come from?' in Mythlore, vol. 19, no. 1 (Winter, 1993), pp. 43, 64. Sarjeant, William A.S., 1995. 'The Geology o f Middle-Earth', in Reynolds, P. and GoodKnight, G., (eds.) Proceedings o f the J.R.R. Tolkien Centenary Conference 1992 (forming Mallom no. 33 and Mythlore no. 80). Pasadena, California, and Milton Keynes, , pp. 334, 339.

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