26 



The Country GenilemaiH s Magazine 



Now comes the great fox question. Foxes 

 often come into this neighbourhood, and one 

 Saturday afternoon, some years ago, a brace 

 of them killed seventeen turkeys on an ad- 

 joining farm while the farmer'was at market, 

 and buried many of them in the dung-heaps, 

 which were unspread on the fields. A few 

 years ago, a hard run vixen fox ran into a 

 drain near my gate. It was a very cold day 

 (Tiptree nipper), so I invited the hunters 

 (about thirty) to refresh themselves, and they 

 speedily cleared out all mine and my bailiff's 

 bread and cheese, but the sherry held out. 

 This Jed to my fixing a day for a general 

 meet here and a champagne breakfast, when 

 150 red coats made their appearance' on a 

 bright day, and had good sport. A pretty 

 sight it was, and I hope the manly sport of 

 fox-hunting will never leave us. When the 

 said thirty drank my health, and gave the 

 view halloo ! the hounds, finding the hall 

 door ajar, rushed into the drawing-room, to 

 the dismay of the hunters, who feared their 

 dashing through the plate-glass windows, but 

 I tranquilized them by my assurance that 

 plate-glass, if stout, is dog-proof. 



I can readily believe that Air Smythies 

 father (who by-the-by was one of the best 

 judges of cattle in England) did make the 

 remark, " that Tiptree Heath was too poor 

 to hold the scent of a fox," for despite all 

 that unfriendly critics may say or desire to 

 the contrary, it has always had a bad name, 

 and is spoken of contemptuously as poor 

 cold Tiptree Heath, and sometimes " Tiptree 

 Heath, God help you !" Its natural growth 

 is of furze, broom, and ferns, which come 

 spontaneously where I happen to leave a 

 spot uncultivated, and furze fences thrive 

 luxuriously. Still there is no doubt that the 

 land, like most other common land, is im- 

 provable, as proved by my crops, '^ and only 



* On one of these fields I grew, in 1S6S, S qr. of 

 white wheat per acre, and realized from the corn and 

 straw £2% per acre, or £if more than I paid for the 

 fee-simple ; and in 1869 the same field yielded 7>< 

 qr. of Rivett wheat. In 1870, 39 tons of mangold ; 

 and in 187 1, 5 qr. of red wheat per acre ; and it has 

 now a promising growing crop of beans, to be fol- 

 lowed by wheat. Other fields have often yielded 7 qr. 

 of wheat per acre. 



requires drainage, deeper cultivation, and 

 plenty of good manure, made by fattening 

 stock. 



The moral I draw from my farm opera- 

 tions is that example, good or bad, has, after 

 a time, its influence. Thirty years ago I was 

 pronounced to be somebody not very sensible, 

 but now I can compliment many of my neigh- 

 bours upon having adopted the very plans they 

 once condemned. It is really gratifying and 

 almost surprising to see what a change has 

 come over the scene in this immediate neigh- 

 bourhood. Huge fences, green lanes, trees, 

 &c., departed; land drained, clean cultiva- 

 tion, roads improved, new cottages and farm 

 buildings. Even Mr Mechi's 15 feet extrava- 

 gant 25s. iron sheep-hurdles (in wear twenty- 

 eight-years) are now " the order of the day," 

 one firm in Colchester selling one hundred 

 weekly. 



I was the first who introduced hereabout 

 " that 'ere Huano" (guano), as some of the 

 natives called it, and who did not then 

 believe that a mere " peppering " could do 

 the land any good — nothing like "solid 

 muck." Well, it is a pleasant thing, a very 

 pleasant thing, to meet one's neighbours with 

 smiling faces, and a tacit admission that one 

 has done some good ; but the labourers who 

 know what agricultural improvement means, 

 and what it has done for them and their 

 families, express to me, and, I know, feel a 

 deep sentiment of gratitude for the change 

 that has taken place in their condition in 

 this neighbourhood within the last thirty 

 years. 



It is natural that there should be some 

 jealousy and dislike on the part of those who 

 do not believe in modern changes, but cling 

 affectionately to " the good old times." They 

 should, however, try to reconcile and adapt' 

 themselves to this steam age, for the bubbling 

 kettle has upset and deranged many a com- 

 fortable old prejudice or attachment, and 

 made many people angry ; but millions hav e 

 received, and will continue to receive, it s 

 comforts and advantages. It is not possibl e 

 to please everybody, and I never expected t o 

 do so. 



The people of England want more bread > 



