377 



To clear, fence, and sow 62i acres, . . L 250 



Erects a thrashing machine, ... 80 



Builds some houses for feeding stock, . . 20 



Household and other expenses, ... 30 



Sundry improvements about the house, . 40 



L.420 



Has this year the 37| acres formerly cleared, 

 and the 6 2^ cleared this year. 



In wheat, 100 acres at the same rate, L.562 10 



The other 50 acres valued at, ... 120 



L.682 10 

 Deduct for household and other expenses, . 82 10 



L.600 



At the end of the fourth year he has his farm paid for, stocked, and 

 L.600 currency in his pocket.&quot; 



The result of a statement depends entirely on the data 

 which have been assumed, and there is no doubt of Mr Fergus- 

 son s, in the quoted account, being very erroneous. The 

 chief error consists in clearing land, sowing it with wheat, and 

 reaping the crop in the first year, which is an impossibility. 

 The same error is repeated in the fourth year. Thus four 

 instead of three crops are reaped in the time specified. I am 

 aware that land has been let to be cleared, on condition of not 

 being paid for until after a crop has been reaped. Mr Fer- 

 gusson cannot, however, escape from his error on this account, 

 because he does not mention the circumstance, and the cost of 

 clearing being very low, is entered along with the purchase- 

 money of the land, the building of the house, and household 

 expenses of the first year. Three successive crops of wheat 

 are taken from the first cleared portion of the ground, without 

 a falling off in the crop, which is an absurdity, and such a 

 mode of cropping is almost never had recourse to. He has 

 omitted the expense of thrashing and marketing his crops, and 

 also, sometimes, seed for sowing, all of which may appear 

 trifles to the writer of &quot; Practical Notes&quot; although of conse 

 quence to a farmer. He stocks with animals and servants in 

 the &quot; third year.&quot; The former must be valuable creatures, for 

 they live without food, at least the whole produce is charged 



