56 A FARMER'S YEAR 



going to the door, beckons mysteriously at some individual whose 

 rent is yet to pay. This is generally the signal for the departure 

 of the landlord, and so far as he is concerned another rent audit 

 is gathered to the many which he remembers in the past. 



This year some of the tenants were absent, from death and 

 other causes. Of one of those who did not appear a good story is 

 told, a true one as I believe. Physically a splendid man and very 

 powerful, it is said that he can do, and does, as much hard work 

 as anyone in the county Also he is an early riser and hates to 

 waste time. Normally he breakfasts at five o'clock off a pound and 

 a half of cold pork, but on one occasion, as he had to start away 

 at half-past three on the following morning, he determined that he 

 would not spend any time over breakfast. Feeling, however, that 

 he would need his usual amount of nourishment, he overcame the 

 difficulty by eating his supper, waiting half an hour, and then break- 

 fasting on the fixed ration of pork before he went to bed. He him- 

 self admits, however, that the experiment did not succeed, since, 

 for the first time in his life, his digestion rose in violent rebellion. 



By the way, after dinner one of the tenants kindly fetched 

 from the shop of a neighbouring saddler for my inspection an 

 ancient bridle that had been found in a loft. This bridle has its 

 date of manufacture, 1722, stamped upon it, and the leather, which 

 remains in perfect preservation, is most beautifully worked, while 

 rising from the head-band is a ball-shaped crest of red wool. 

 Evidently this headpiece was part of the harness used upon the fore 

 horse of a team on grand occasions, such as a journey to Bungay 

 fair. I had never before seen a bridle so old or so elaborately 

 ornamented. 



An interesting conversation was started at dinner as to the 

 storage of beet, and nearly all present declared that roots which are 

 placed in the hale dry, ferment much more quickly than if heaped 

 there wet. This seems curious, but I believe it to be true. 



January 8. My first two lambs were born to-day. When I 

 began to keep sheep last year, before which we had not sufficient 



