224 AGRICULTURE. 



With respect to Mr. Rigden's farm, we learn that on 

 the side of expenditure the acreable charge amounted 

 at Martinmas, 1849, within small fractions, to the 

 following sums: rent and taxes, 2L ; tradesmen's bills, 

 9s. 6d. ; insurance, losses, and sundries, 2s. 6d. ; wages, 

 2Z. Sd. ; purchased manures (including an allowance on 

 purchased food), II. , and seeds 3s. 9d. : the whole 

 amounting to 4529Z. " The value of the total produce, 

 on an average of the last two or three years, Mr. Rigden 

 estimates at 9Z. per acre," amounting to 6660Z. (now of 

 course considerably reduced by a further fall of prices), 

 and leaving a balance of 2131L From this gross produce 

 the following items must be deducted: 1st, the value of 

 the portion consumed in the business of the farm ; and, 

 2nd, the interest of 12,OOOL, a considerable portion of 

 which being invested in farm-horses, implements, furniture, 

 &c., ought, for interest, repair, and replacement, to give a 

 return of from 15 to 20 per cent. We have worked out 

 this sum by the aid of the best agricultural accounts w r hich 

 we know to have been published, and of our own experi- 

 ence. We could not give the particulars without defending 

 them by more minute explanations than would be suited to 

 these pages ; but we can assure our readers that they do 

 not present a gaudy result. The impression produced on 

 our mind is, that in no other business, with which we are 

 acquainted, would Mr. Rigden's great intelligence and 

 enterprise, and large capital, have met with a less adequate 

 reward. Mr. Rigden is a very high farmer. His practice 

 is, of course, in some degree modified by his contiguity to 

 a large town. Having seen a portion of his farm last year, 

 we are now confirmed by Mr. Milne's account in the im- 

 pression which was then produced on our minds that 

 nothing which can conduce to success is either omitted or 

 misapplied. In this case the extra manure is for the most 

 part purchased, not manufactured on the farm. Mr. Rig- 

 den has the advantage of getting quite 25 per cent, more 

 than the ordinary rural price for the milk of 21 cows, and 



