178 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



of the land in larger tracts, and to men of larger capital. It is 

 true that the tendency is to increase the rate of wages and 

 give employment to more hands, but it is also evident that 

 by the engrossment of several small farms in one large one, 

 a number of persons must be reduced from the comparatively 

 independent position of small farmers to that of labourers, and 

 I cannot see that for this there is any compensating moral 

 advantage. 



Another evil of the small farms (not exclusively, how 

 ever), is the quantity of land injured or withdrawn from cul 

 tivation by the fences. These are almost universally hedges, 

 and not only are they left untrimmed and straggling, thereby 

 shading and feeding upon the adjoining land, but a great 

 many large trees have been allowed to grow up in them, of 

 course to the injury of any crops under their branches. These 

 are sometimes kept low, the limbs being trimmed off for 

 firewood (in which case they are called -pollards}, or are left 

 to grow naturally. In the latter case, of course, they add 

 exceedingly to the beauty of the landscape, and eventually 

 become of value for timber ; but high as this is here, I can 

 not at all believe it will ever compensate for the loss occa 

 sioned to the farm-crops. Where every five or ten acres is 

 surrounded by a hedge and ditch, the damage done cannot be 

 slight. By way of improvement we have seen where lately 

 some hedges have been grubbed up, two old fields being thrown 

 together. We have also seen a few wire fences in use. These 

 latter were very slightly set up, and could hardly be intended 

 for permanence. We have also seen some fine, low, narrow 

 hedges, taking up but little room, and casting but little shade. 

 When a hedge is thus well made and kept, I am inclined to 

 esteem it the most economical fence. The yearly expense of 

 trimming it is but trifling (less than one cent a rod), and it is 

 a perfect barrier to every thing larger than a sparrow. I 



