APRIL 161 



the shed barley springing among them. The wheats also flourish, 

 but the barleys look somewhat stunted and yellow. In walking 

 across the meadows I found a purple orchis, the first that I have 

 seen this year. 



April 25. To-day we have been setting potatoes on part of 

 the glebe five-acre, No. 38. Mr. Robert Simpson, who is my agent, 

 came over here this morning with the pleasing intelligence that the 

 repairs upon a little farm belonging to this estate at Rumburgh, 

 which produces a rental of about 25/., will cost not less than 957., 

 or about four years' rent. It has been the same story ever since I 

 have had to do with this property, until at times I wonder how 

 there can possibly be anything left to repair. Of course, the 

 explanation is that in the old days farmers were not so particular 

 about buildings ; indeed, they ' made out ' with sheds and hovels 

 that tenants at the present time would not even look at. But 

 then, thirty years ago the land was valuable, and a farmer did not 

 throw up his holding merely because the landlord refused to 

 execute extensive and costly repairs to the buildings on it, for he 

 knew that it might be a long while before he could get another to 

 his mind. Now the position has changed entirely, and just when 

 he can least afford to bear the outlay, the owner of the soil must 

 at any cost atone for the neglect of his predecessors, or lose such 

 tenants as remain to him. 



In walking through the Bath Hills plantation this evening 1 

 observed that my plan of enclosing the hillside with barbed wire is 

 already beginning to bear fruit. I can never remember seeing or 

 hearing so many birds about the place. In addition to all the 

 commoner kinds, I observed a yellowish bird with the shape and 

 general appearance of a hawfinch, with which I am quite 

 unfamiliar ; also green woodpeckers, hawks, nightjars (I think), jays, 

 and many others. 



April 26. Three of the horses have gone to-day to drag 

 waggons loaded with furniture for the house at Kessingland, but 



M 



