USEFUL PROJECTS. 
discussion and experiment), it is 
proposed to keep in view the follow- 
ing principles : 
1. That the cottager shall raise, 
by his own Jabour, some or the 
most material articles of subsistence 
for himself and his family. 
2. That he shall be enabled to 
supply the adjoining markets with 
the smaller agricultural productions ; 
and, 
3. That both he and his family 
shall have it in their power to assist 
the neighbouring farmers, at all sea- 
sous.ef the year, almost equaily as 
well as it they had no land in their 
occupation. 
It can hardly be questioned, that 
if it were practicable to haye,a num- 
ber of cottagers of that description, 
in every parish, it would promote, 
in yarious respects, the interests of 
the public. 
1. Extent of Land necessary. 
Unless the experiment were fairly 
tried, it is impossible to state ex- 
a¢tly the extent of arable landre- 
quisite to enable a cottager to raise 
the articles generally necessary for 
‘the sustenance of himself and fa- 
mly; and to keep a cow, some 
pigs, and poultry. Much must 
depend upon the richness of the 
soi! (though, under the manage- 
ment about to be proposed, almost 
any soil would, in time, become 
fertile), on the nature of the cli- 
mate ; on the size of the cow; on 
the industry of the cottager; on 
the age and number of his family, 
&c. But I should imagine, that 
three statute acres and a quarter of 
851 
good arable land, worth from 20s, 
to 30s. per, acre would be suflicient. 
It is proposed, that the three acres 
shall be under a regular course of 
cropping. The quarter of an acre 
ought, if possible, to be conyerted 
into an orchard, where the cow 
might occasionally pasture, and 
where a pond ought to be kept in 
good order, that it may have plenty 
of water at command. Were the 
Jand of a quality fit for lucerne, per- 
haps two acres and a quarter is 
be sufficient. 
2. Stock and Instruments of Bfoe: 
bandry. 
It is evident that so small an ex> 
tent of land, as either two or three 
acres, under cultivation, excludes 
all idea of ploughing,* and indeed, 
unless the cottager shall manage the 
whole, in the simplest aud cheapest 
manner, there is an end to the whole 
system. It would require, indeed, 
four or five acres to keep a single 
horse, and the expence of purchas- 
ing horses, or even oxen, ploughs, 
and other instruments of husbandry, 
must be far beyond the abilities of a 
cottager ; whereas, with a spade, a 
hoe, a rake, a scythe, a sickle, and 
a flail, which are all the instruments 
really necessary, heis perfectly com- 
petent to the management of his 
little farm. 
3. Course of Crops, Sc: 
The three acres, proposed to be 
cultivated, should be divided into 
four portions, each consisting of 
three roods, under the following syS~ 
tem of management. 
31-2 Under 
* Ploughs might be, perhaps, hired; but, on the whole, the spade culture is in- 
finitely preferable, and f would much rather see a cottager hire persons to trench 
than to plough for him. 
