Stocking Land. 135 



The Valuations. — The first of these was made by myself and 

 my bailiff, towards the end of 1863. It was afterwards revised, 

 item by item, by the late Mr, George Burden of Kerscott, who 

 was esteemed as one of the best farmers, and I must add, in 

 memory of his recent death, one of the best men in North Devon. 

 The second valuation was made by Mr. Mortimore of VVarkleigh, 

 whose judgment and experience both as a farmer and valuer are 

 recognised with great confidence throughout the district. The 

 standard of the two valuations is not, I believe, very different. 

 I mean that the excess of the later valuation is not to be attributed 

 to any exceptional rise in prices, but to the increased value of the 

 animals themselves, owing in the sheep to careful drafting, and 

 in horses, sheep, and bullocks, to the growth of young stock, 

 and to their generally improved condition in consequence of the 

 liberal expenditure on food and attendance. 



The Labour. — This item will appear less exceptionally high 

 if viewed in reference to the capital rather than the acreage with 

 which it is connected. It represents the whole expense of super- 

 vision, attendance on the stock, cartage of manure, haymaking, 

 &c. I have, it is true, paid higher wages than the neighbour- 

 hood, but have, I think, had a proportionate return of cheerful 

 work. In attendance upon stock, it is of course possible to reduce 

 the cost of labour very much by organisation and regularity. 

 In this I acknowledge that I see how very great improvement 

 might be made on my farm ; but I have been much occupied 

 in other matters myself, and the importance of these things is not 

 always perceived, and very seldom enforced by subordinates. It 

 is the coachman only who is likely to see that all the harness 

 is adjusted to the team. The uninterrupted attention required 

 to ensure economy either in a small or large farm is generally the 

 secret of the real farmer's success and the amateur's failures ; in 

 my own case, if I do not quite acknowledge failure, I can see 

 daily that my affairs might have been much more economically 

 managed ; but my only means of controlling waste has been a 

 steady adherence to certain principles. I have thought that the 

 true economy of labour was to be found, not in lower wages, but 

 in a higher quality of workmen. 



The following analysis of my labour-bills may give some 

 explanation of the amount incurred : — 



£. £. s. d. 



I Stables (approximately).. .. 36] 

 Scks-.: :: :: :: :: i lesisn 

 Steam-engine, hay and manure 64 j 



Supervision 40 



Horse-labour (hired) 43 12 9 



Sand. — Passing to the next item of expenditure, the principal 



