272 Journal. [Part III. 



his crops, and fences to preserve them while growing, 

 before he grows them, than to get the crops first. I 

 have heard it observed that any American settler, even 

 without a dollar in his pocket, Avould have had some' 

 thing growing by this time. Very true ! I do not 

 question that at all ; for, the very first care of a settler 

 without a dollar in his pocket is to get something to 

 eat, and, he would consequently set to work scratching 

 up the earth, fully confident that after a long summer- 

 ing upon wild flesh (without salt, perhaps,) his own 

 belly would stand him for bam, if his jaws would not 

 for mill. But the ca^ is ver^^ different with Mr. 

 Birkbeck, and at present he has need for no other 

 provision for winter but about a three hundredth part 

 of his fine grass turned into hay, which will keep his 

 necessary horses and cows : besides which he has no- 

 thing that eats but such pigs as live upon the Avaste, 

 and a couple of fine young deer (which would weigh, 

 they say, when full grown, 200 lbs. dead Aveight) that 

 his youngest son is rearing up as pets, 



510. 1 very much admire Mr. Birkbejjk's mode of 

 fencing. He makes a ditch 4 feet wide at top, sloping 

 to 1 foot wide at bottom, and 4 feet deep. With the earth 

 that comes out of the ditch he makes a bank on one 

 side, which is turfed towards the ditch. Then a long 

 pole is put up from the bottom of the ditch to 2 feet 

 above the bank ; this is crossed by a short pole from 

 the other side, and then a rail is laid along between the 

 forks. The banks were growing beautifully, and looked 

 altogether very neat as well as formidable ; though a 

 live hedge (which he intends to have) instead of dead 

 poles and rails, upon top, would make the fence far 

 more effectual as well as handsomer. I am always 

 surprised, until I reflect how universally and to what a 

 degree, farming is neglected in this country, that this 

 mode of fencing is not adopted in cultivated districts, 

 especially where the land is wet, or lies low ; for, there 

 it answers a double purpose, being as effectual a drain 

 as it is a fence. 



511. I was rather disappointed, or sorry, at any 

 rate, not to find near Mr. Birkbeck's any of the means 

 for machinery or of the materials for manufactures, 



