206 A FARMER'S YEAR 



in the complaint, which I do not believe, the whole committee is 

 responsible, and not Mr. Holmes alone. 



On turning back to that page of my diary which deals with 

 the beginning of this contest, I see I expressed an opinion that 

 a local man is at a great disadvantage when standing as a 

 candidate, and the result of this fight certainly confirms me in 

 that view. Next time, if I have anything to do with the matter, 

 I shall certainly suggest that unless some gentleman connected 

 with the brewing interest is available, a rich man from London 

 should be asked to contest the constituency, for choice a successful 

 financier. His record, good, bad, or indifferent, would not matter 

 in the least ; what seems to injure a man is that he should have 

 spent an honourable existence amongst those whom he seeks to 

 represent, and during many years have laboured according to his 

 lights and opportunities for the best interests of all about him. 

 Then he may look to be rewarded by an adverse majority of 

 thirteen hundred votes. 



On the 26th I went over to Ditchingham, and found that the 

 weather has been as cold and unseasonable there as it is here by 

 the sea. The crops are backward, owing to the complete absence 

 of sunshine, which everything needs sorely. The trees, however, 

 are coming into full leaf, except the ashes, of which the buds are 

 still black On the 2oth there was a tremendous thunderstorm, 

 with a perfect flood of rain, both of which we had at Kessingland 

 also, and very curious it seemed in such cold weather. The may 

 is only beginning to show in the hedges; indeed, never do I 

 remember summer so slow in coming. On the farm and at 

 Bedingham we have been drilling swedes and white turnips, and 

 the two remaining mares have produced their foals without 

 accident. 



One of the little home-bred steers has been sold to the butcher 

 at the top price which beef commands in our market 7^. a stone. 

 Its dead weight proved to be fifty-one stone, which for an animal 

 little over two years old, that has not been in any way forced, 

 I consider very satisfactory. Two cows have also been sold, one 



