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FARMERS' REGISTER— HARVEST LABORS IN ENGLAND. 



apparent as the sprinof wheat ripens. The few 

 fine days have already made a sensible difierenee 

 in the appearance of the turnips. AVhere the 

 stitches have been opened by the plough, I have 

 no doubt it will be proved that the earth has reco- 

 vered part of its natund heat. 



'■'■Sepiemhe.r 6ih.'\ The weather relapsed. The 

 warm gleams of sun were very injurious in making 

 the corn heat and sprout. Tliis was a heart- 

 breaking day to the farmer. 



" September 6th.'] Being wet in the morning, 

 the afternoon broke out fine, and did infinite bene- 

 fit to the grain which was cut. Lodged corn will 

 now become every day worse. The first loss Vv'ili 

 be found the least. It is expedient to cut what is 

 in that state, and take the chance, by exposing it, 

 that a part may thereby be saved. Cut above 500 

 etooks. 



" September Ith.] In the night there had been 

 violent thunder sliowers. An unpromising morn- 

 ing. It cleared up at ten o'clock; and 1 began 

 cutting spiiag wheat, a very moderate crop, some- 

 thing better than the last year. I doubt much 

 whether I shall ever attempt sowing it again; cer- 

 tainly not the kind common in this country". Early 

 in the afternoon, a very heavy shower, which put 

 a stop to any further cutting. The wet and heat 

 is most injurious both to the lodged and the cut 

 grain. Seeing the probability of a change, I 

 was fortunate in getting all I had got cut both this 

 and the former day hooded. In such a season, the 

 Jarmer has the choice of difficulties: to wait is de- 

 struction — to proceed is injurious. Prices will re- 

 munerate the farmer; but what will be the situa- 

 tion of the laborer and lower orders, who make no 

 provision for a season of difficulty? The present 

 prospect is as gloomy as possible. 



" September Sth.] A moist daj^, and not a breath 

 of air to dry the ground. Cut two fields of wheat, 

 with four acres of indifferent oats. The warmth 

 of the weather, together with moisture, is most 

 destructive to grain. Since the ploughing between 

 the stitches, the turnips have made some progress, 

 and recovered flieir color. Led and thrashed the 

 winter barley, which, in the moist state of the 

 straw, was attended with difficulty. The situation 

 where it gre^v was veiy low, and imfavorable for 

 barley: a part had been lodged, and suffered. 

 Harvest demands redoubled exertion: an error or 

 omission in this cannot be retrieved. Few can hit 

 the happy medium, uniting energy with sound dis- 

 cretion. To accelerate too much in carrying grain, 

 is subject to loss: to omit a tolerably fiivorable op- 

 portunity may be equally so. In such a season as 

 this, the farmer ha-s only a choice of difficulties. 

 Anxiety to get forward is the rock, I feel, I have 

 to guard against. After endless plague, vexation 

 and loss, I got my hay out of pike into stack. It 

 had suffered less than I expected, though much 

 more than I wished, and has proved a very light 

 crop. Fortunately, disappointments are soon for- 

 gotten; and however adverse seasons may be, 

 upon every failure hope still renews her golden 

 promises. For four days I have anxiously ex- 

 pected to be able to secure a pai't of my crop, hav- 

 ing upwards of 6000 stooks cut. 



" September 9th.'] The morning was dubious, 

 but soon cleared up, and became a fine harvest 

 day. Began to cany rather too soon. The height to 

 which the stacks are elevated, gives them a great 

 fidvanlage. Employed 150 shearers. A few 1 



acres of the wheat in Mealrigs, was much disfi- 

 gured by docks. I cannot account for it in any 

 other way, than by supjiosing the seed was 

 brought in sludge got from a tarn, into which the 

 drainage of the town runs: this wae used as a top 

 dressing, when this part of the field was under 

 clover. I stacked 2000 stooks. In the state of 

 the weather, this must be considered as particular- 

 ly fortunate. . 



'^ Sunday, September lOth.] In the precarious 

 state of the weather, that which would, in all other 

 cases, be inexcusable, becomes an imperious duty. 

 I hesitated not, this day, to employ every hand to 

 secure the grain which was ready for canying. 

 The preservation of life is a duty strictly enjoined 

 us. That cannot be deemed a profanation of the ., 

 Sabbath, which proceeds upon the principle of pre- 

 serving what is necessary for the existence of a 

 number of our fellow creatures. Were it a ques- 

 tion of individual gain, it ought not to be done. In 

 seasons when the weather is generally good, I 

 should not recommend it. But after fifty days, 

 mthout there having been twenty-four hours fair, 

 the omission might hazard an inmiense loss to the 

 public; and no argimient can be fairly deduced 

 from this, to justify any neglect of religious duties. 

 Led 1500 stooks. At twelve o'clock it came on 

 again to rain, and superseded all further proceed- 

 ings. I was glad to see the general exertion that 

 was made by every fanner around to save his 

 crop. The afternoon again cleared up; and io 

 common and ordinary^ seasons, one might reasona- 

 bly hope a fin« day would succeed. The wand 

 has never been steady to any point for fourteen 

 hours; and much of the rain has had tlve appear- 

 ance of thunder storms. 



" September llth.] The return of sunshine, and 

 a fine drying wind, reanimated the farmer's hopes. 

 All was gratitude. Past miseries vanished. The 

 joys of a good har\'est were anticipated. The 

 difference laetwcen the sttite of the grain, at seven 

 o'clock in the morning, and at six in the evening, 

 was scarce to be described. Most melancholy was 

 the appearance when the reapers began. The 

 wheat was not in a state to bind till the aflernoon. 

 Two hundred people were employed in the field 

 between the Schoose and the town. All was gai- 

 ety — so soon are sorrows forgotten. The impa- 

 tience of the day before had led to the attempting 

 too much; and a part of the stacks was obliged to 

 be opened to prevent losses. The wind afibrded 

 an opportunity of thrashing. Ninety Winchesters, 

 or thirty Cumberland bushels, were dressed in the 

 afternoon — the grain very good. 



" Commence sowing the newly enclosed com- 

 mon to-morrow, which should have been done 

 three weeks sooner, if the season would have per- 

 mitted . I do not know I ever felt more real plea- 

 sure than I experienced this day. The melancho- 

 ly presages that the weather had insured, and the 

 apprehensions resulting from the fear of scarcity, 

 gave way to the more pleasing hopes of abun- 

 dance. Good humor and cheerfulness animated 

 the numerous group. To save and secure the 

 ci'op seemed the prevailing sentiment of every 

 breast. I passed eleven hours a spectator of this 

 scene. If I had wanted individual causes of grat- 

 itude and thankfulness, it would have been diffi- 

 cult to have avoided sharing the content and hap- 

 piness that were so \yidely diffused, 



Septembejr 12//i.] A continuation of fine wea- 



