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The Country Gcntkmaiis Magazine 



should be cleaned ; that this field wants drain- 

 ing most terribly ; that that pond would pay 

 exceedingly well for emptying ; and, in a 

 word, a hundred things that plainly ought 

 to be executed. This crowd of business 

 renders him desirous to know what others 

 have done in the same situation : he turns 

 to books, a new world starts upon him at 

 once; all he has been advised is demon- 

 strated to be right, and a million of things 

 besides, he never dreamt of, proved as clearly 

 as any axiom in Euclid. His first half year's 

 rent is not paid before he wants money. 



The truth of the matter is this : every 

 common labourer can point out many things 

 that should be done, the bailiff many more, 

 and books ten thousand times as many as both 

 the others put together. Now, in this im- 

 mense mass of advice, the mischief (to such 

 a gentleman) is, that much of it is very ra- 

 tional and good. If all was absurd the Avhole 

 would probably be rejected, but the best 

 advice upon earth cannot be executed with- 

 out money. It matters not a groat that a 

 work is demonstrated to be expedient, and 

 even necessary, if I have not cash to execute it. 

 The great point, therefore, is the assigning 

 a proper sum of money to the business ; and 

 if a man trades upon his all, to take no more 

 land than he can perfectly manage, with pro- 

 per allowances for his not being experienced 

 in the business. As to the particular sums 

 requisite for given quantities of land, it is 

 impossible to sketch anything of that sort in 

 the bounds of an essay ; but I have treated 

 that matter pretty largely in another work, 

 called " The Farmer's Guide." One hint, 

 however, I shall give here : when the gentle- 

 man has made all inquiries and estimates, let 

 him quadruple the amount, and he will be 

 much nearer the truth. Every consideration 

 that can have influence on a man thus en- 

 gaging himself in agriculture call on him to 

 be cautious in not taking too much land. If 

 he purposes to make his business an amuse- 

 ment, sure there is more pleasure in viewing 

 a few fields in a neat and garden-like order, 

 than in wandering over a great many that ex- 

 hibit no mark of being cultivated by a gentle- 

 man. 



If experimental agiiculture, or the practice 

 of such methods of culture as are recom- 

 mended in books, be thought of, it can alone 

 be practised by having little land, but much 

 money. If a gentleman would shine among 

 his neighbours, if he would farm (as many, 

 by-the-bye, do) that he may talk of farming, 

 he should, by all means, confine himself to 

 such a space as he can absolutely command ; 

 for none of his company would give sixpence 

 to be shewn a parcel of common crops 

 managed no better than by a common farmer : 

 such will not afford him matter for conversa- 

 tion. One acre, cultivated in a masterly 

 manner, will, in this respect, be a much more 

 fruitful source, than a hundred managed like 

 his neighbours. But all this requires plenty 

 of money, which no man can have who o\e - 

 trades himself 



Respecting the providing money, one re- 

 mark is requisite. A person, at the beginning 

 of his practice, who designs to make agricul- 

 ture a trade, should undoubtedly possess the 

 sum he throws into it, clear of all debts what- 

 ever : for borrowed money may be an excel- 

 lent means of advancement to a man who has 

 laid a stout foundation in a handsome sum 

 of his own, and much experience, but a 

 very fatal one where these requisites are 

 wanting. When once a man has really gained, 

 and probably paid for experience, finds that 

 his business, though small, is profitable ; that 

 he could dispose of a sum of money to good 

 advantage, in some addition that he has tried 

 with success ; in such a case money should 

 undoubtedly be had, and if a farmer pos- 

 sesses it not himself, he should borrow it of 

 another. A spirited resolution is as necessary 

 for advancement by husbandry as prudence. 

 In gaining due experience it is impossible to 

 be too prudent ; whatever is doubtful requires 

 much caution, but when uncertainty gives 

 Avay to conviction, real prudence consists in 

 discarding'^caution ; and having once deter- 

 mined a measure to be right, to execute it 

 with spirit and celerity. A situation in which 

 borrowing large sums of money may be the 

 highest prudence. All men, whatever be 

 their business, that act not upon these prin- 

 ciples, want either prudence or resolution : 



