432 A FARMER'S YEAR 



the feeling of the labouring classes when workhouses were first built, 

 about sixty years ago. My friend, who conducted me over 

 Heckingham, tells me that not long ago he visited the House of 

 the Depwade Union, which is situated, I believe, at Pulham St. 

 Mary, in order to inspect the hot-water system in use there, and 

 was astonished to see that it is loopholed for musketry. On inquir- 

 ing the reason, he heard that when it was built, about 1836, the feel- 

 ing among the poor of the neighbourhood grew so bitter that they 

 came at night to pull down the brickwork which had been set 

 during the day. So determined were their efforts that at last a 

 guard armed with rifles was placed behind these loopholed walls 

 to protect the rising fabric. 



The whole question of Poor Law relief at any rate in our 

 rural districts is very complicated, and one which I will not 

 attempt to discuss in the narrow space at my disposal. It seems 

 quite open to argument, however, whether in our days of dwindling 

 population, instead of keeping up these great buildings for the 

 accommodation of but a small percentage of the number of inmates 

 that they were designed to contain, it would not be more economi- 

 cal and satisfactory to institute some well-considered system of 

 local parish homes. 



The mild weather holds, and on the farm we are still plough- 

 ing and carting root. 



December 15. To-day the weather remains very fine, although 

 it has turned more chilly. The sky this afternoon was excep- 

 tionally clear, and through it the sun sank large and red, betoken- 

 ing frost. Seldom have I seen its light look more beautiful than 

 it did this evening on the brimming river and the rich green 

 common, as I viewed them from the crest of the Vineyard Hills. 

 Above the sinking orb hung one long cloud, whereof the upper 

 edge was tinged with fire. The appearance of this wavering line 

 of flame was exactly similar to that of a distant grass fire crawling 

 forward over the African veld at night ; while, to complete the 

 resemblance, against the blue sky above it floated dark streamers of 



