FARMERS' REGISTER— HARVEST LABORS IN ENGLAND. 



65 



ther, with a drying north wind. Led 1500 stooks, 

 and thrashed three hundred Winchesters of the 

 Park wheat, which turns out admirable. Began 

 sovving wheat. TJiirteen pair of harrows upon 

 tlie new enclosure. Employed a hundred and 

 sixty persons shearing.. The ground slill as wet 

 as during any part ot" the winter. An evident im- 

 provement in the turnips. The country resounds 

 with thechecrtid voices of the harve.stcrs. Every 



Quarter presents a scene ot" activity and bustle, 

 ►ne very principal object in detailing the transac- 

 tions ol" harvest is to show to those who have not 

 the experience, what arc the dilficultics, what the 

 anxieties, which liirniers must encounter. Though 

 honey may be extracted from i;u-ming, it is very 

 often gathered off the point of the thorn. Every 

 kindness and indulgence is due to the industrious 

 jarmer. 



" September ISth.] A tolerable day; but gave 

 early appearance of change. Cut out a 16 acre 

 field, adjoining Gilderskill, which had 1021 stooks, 

 on clover lea. It was but a moderate crop. The 

 Schoose field, 60 acres, had 4340 .stooks, or 72 per 

 acre, after potatoes. My iriend, Mr. Ponsonby, 

 was solicitous the grain should stand till the Meet- 

 ing, as the most convincing proof tha,t could be 

 given of the excellence of the drill husbandry. 

 Stacked eight hundred stooks. Reduced my shea- 

 rers to eighty, as some part of the spring wheat is 

 scarce fit to cut. Employed forty boj's weed- 

 ing Avild mustard fi-om the cole. The dilficulty of 

 fixing the attention of cliildren is great. Force 

 cannot be applied, as there is no delegating such a 

 power. I hit upon this method to expedite the 

 work. Four leaders were selected; and each had 

 ten boys under him, who were chosen alternately 

 by the captains, and a shilling was to be given in 

 the moroing and afternoon, as a reward tor that 

 company which performed the most in the best 

 manner. Work at once changed its nature. Em- 

 ulation fired each youthful mind; and that which, 

 the day before, was an irksome labor, became a 

 work of inclination. It was surprising what was 

 done. As the best deserving, where all were me- 

 ritorious, could not be decided, it ended in each 

 company receivmg a reward, over and above their 

 wages. 



" The farmer, whose servants have his interest 

 at heart, possesses a real treasure. Hours ought not 

 to be regarded- in seasons of difficulty. A crop 

 may often be saved by continuing work a I'sw 

 hours beyond the regular fixed times. And this 

 is no more than justice; for, how often does the 

 weather interrupt the regular portion of labor? An 

 honest man keei^s this in mind, and amply com- 

 pensates for it in harvest and seed time. 



" September 14th.'] A wet day. The ad^'an- 

 tage ot' bejnof situated near to a town is very con- 

 siderable. When -the shearers cannot work, the 

 farmer incurs no expense. In places distant from 

 towns, where the harvest people are hired into the. 

 house., it tails very heavy, and adds much to the 

 expense and difficulty of a bad season. Finished 

 sowing 72 acres of wheat. Could the drill ha\-e 

 been employed, it would have saved one pound 

 per acre. 



" September loth.l A fine morning but no wind. 

 The ground has, hitherto, dried very little. The 

 distress of farmers cannot fail of being great, from 

 ♦he prodigious failure of the turnip crop. I do not 

 flatter myself with seeing mine average ten tons 



per acre. Had the season proved tolerable, they 

 should have reached near forty, from the condi- 

 tion of the ground, and the pains that have been 

 taken with it. It is greatly_to be feared the pota- 

 toes will, in many places, likewise be a very de- 

 fective crop. Combining these two things, I look 

 with very considerable anxiety of mind to carry- 

 ing on my daily, which is now become a very es- 

 sential source of support to numbers. In order to 

 make every possible provision for supplying the 

 delect, I have ordered thirty tons of oil-cake. This, 

 when ground and boiled with chaff and cut straw, 

 must be • the main support of my milch cows. 

 This was the warmest day, with the most power- 

 fal sun, we have had lor many weeks. The 

 ground want.s heating to produce vegetation. In 

 no year within memory, was there so poor an af- 

 termath, which is entirely owin^ to the ground 

 being so cooled by the continual rains. Stacked 

 eight hundred stooks from IVlealrigs. Employed 

 six pair of oxen, ploughing single, which, though 

 difficult at first, wiU soon be accomplished- 



" September I6th.} A great fall of rain during 

 the night: Cleared up at ten. Employed a hun- 

 dred and twenty shearers in the afternoon. It 

 takes five women, on an average, to cut an acre 

 per day: Four good shearers will do it. Drilled 

 grain is much easier to cut than broadcast The 

 hopes of any continuance of fine weather grow 

 daily less. I now lament I had not begun to house 

 earlier the day before. If the night be fair, I shall 

 feel myself compelled to employ all my strength 

 to-morrow. 



'^ Sunday, September 17//i.] Six o'clock, the 

 morning unpromising. Began at seven to make 

 every exertion, as there was a strong appearance 

 of change. The rain kept off till four, when w-e 

 had fortunately concluded the cariying 3000 stooka 

 of wheat, which finished the Schoose field. The 

 order, regularity, and decency of those employed, 

 marked the work as one of necessity, not of choice. 

 On such occasions I incur a debt of obligation. 

 Whatever remuneration I feel it proper for me to 

 give, is bestowed as a free gratuity. Those who 

 rescue the crop, have a strong and undeniable claim 

 upon it, in ca.se of necessity. The heat of the earth 

 has advanced some degrees in the last two daj's. 



" September ISth.] I shaU here conclude the 

 details of the harvest, already, I fear, extended too 

 far. I have given a faithful representation of my 

 own feelings, from whence may be calculated 

 what must be those of farmers, who have more 

 at stake than credit. Frequentl}^, their whole 

 means are embarked, and dependent upon their 

 crops. If it has the good fortune to create an in- 

 terest and consideration for this most respectable 

 body, it answers the purpose I have in view. The 

 exertions of yesterday saved 3000 stooks of wheat. 

 The deluge of rain which has fallen this day, must 

 do most material injury to the grain. With resig- 

 nation and hope, I still look to a return of good 

 weather, not only to save the crop, but to prei)are 

 for that of a succeeding year. It would be distant 

 from my wish to deter any one from the practice 

 of farming, by a recital of its difficulties. Let it 

 be remembered, tlierc is no honor without dan- 

 ger; no j)uvsnit exempt froni anxiety and disap- 

 pointment: These give zest to success. Unin- 

 terrupted sunshine, ardently as I now pray for it, 

 would prove equally destructive. 



" September 19th.'] The v- rlcnce and length of 



