THE FIRST FARMERS 



Although no doubt great changes for the better were intro- 

 duced, the spearmen of Wallace of Elderslie close by had their 

 " infield " land, which was practically the sheepfold as above 

 described, and their " outfield **' or grazing commons. Even 

 down to 1745 the above system was practised (see below). 



But when men's minds were stirred up and invigorated by 

 the great Revolution of 1788-1820, all sorts of new agricul- 

 tural discoveries were made. Yet the cornfield on Pennell 

 Brae was probably not drained or enclosed by stone walls 

 and hedges until 1830 to 1840! About 1870, it was more 

 profitable to its owner than it has ever been since, though 

 even now it forms part of our British farmlands which 

 yield, on the whole, a larger amount of oats per acre than 

 those of any other country in the world (except possibly 

 Denmark). 



Let us however look a little closer into the long, long 

 period during which the "fire and stone-axe methods'" of 

 farming prevailed. Before the Romans landed there seem 

 to have been no towns. ^ There was but little cultivation, for 

 the Britons wore skins and lived chiefly on milk and 

 flesh. 



In the time of King Alfred, the increase of population 

 made it necessary to take more trouble about farming, so we 

 find a description of what the good farmer ought to do. We 

 might call this the very first Government leaflet, and it has 

 led to the Agricultural Leaflets published by the Board of 

 Agriculture for Great Britain and Ireland. 



"Sethe wille wyrcan wastbaere lond ateo hin of tham 

 acre aefest sona fearn and thornas and figrsas swasame 

 weeds.'' 



He was to clear off" fern, bracken, thorns, sloe, hawthorn, 

 1 Mr. Chisholm, Geographical Jourrialt November, 1897. 

 ISO 



