128 A FARMER'S YEAR 



APRIL 



April I. — Last night there was a frost, but except for a shower 

 in the afternoon the day has been fine. The meadow harrowing 

 goes on, one plough is at work, and the remaining men are 

 spreading muck for root on All Hallows, No. 29. This is done 

 by throwing the manure between the baulks, which are then split 

 back over it by a plough. I went to see the oxen at Baker's, or 

 rather the eight survivors of them. One or other of these unlucky 

 beasts has been continually ill since I was away, mostly from 

 ' blowing.' My own opinion is that, having been starved for years, 

 they cannot resist the temptation of gorging themselves with 

 good food whenever they get the chance. However, their various 

 ailments notwithstanding, they are without doubt very much 

 improved in personal appearance, less hungry-looking and slab- 

 sided, with better coats. 



At Bedingham this afternoon I found the first sown field of 

 barley. No. 5, and the oats on No. 13, coming up strongly, but 

 the pease upon the same piece are backward. If anything, the 

 winter beans. No. 14, are too close, and in spite of various horse- 

 hoeings tufts of the self-sown barley are still showing among them. 

 The wheats are looking very well, but two of the three pieces are 

 so thick that it has been necessary to thin them by dragging out 

 some of the plants with the harrow. The third piece. No, 9, 

 which it may be remembered was a clover layer last year, is 

 thinner, but I think that there is a sufficient plant. Moore was 

 employed in dragging the meadows, but as we have no patent 

 grass-scarifiers here the work has to be done by an ordinary 

 harrow into which stout bushes of white-thorn are twisted. A very 



