Soiling. 41 



would undoubtedly have all been avoided had the 

 land been in a higher state of cultivation. It is a 

 case of " To him that hath shall be given, and from 

 him that hath not shall be taken away even that which 

 he hath." 



Sad and disappointing as was the above result, I 

 have long since looked back upon it as a most for- 

 tunate occurrence, and one of the best lessons in 

 practical agriculture that I ever received. 



From the day I made those disappointing figures 

 dated a complete change in my notions and methods 

 of farming. I had absorbed all I knew about farm- 

 ing, as a lad, while living on and visiting the old 

 place. 



What had become of the old farm that was once 

 known as one of the best in the county? The sun 

 shone as brightly as ever upon it, nor were the 

 clouds less generous or the dews less refreshing. 

 The seasons also came in their usual rounds the 

 same as of old. The land was all there, but what 

 had become of the old farm? It had gone, for I 

 soon discovered that my other crops were in pro- 

 portion to my wheat crop: I was not able to figure 

 out anything but a loss all the way through. 



The old farm as I knsw it had disappeared; its 

 fields were as beautiful, its meadows as peaceful, 

 its woodland as delightful, its brook as charming, 

 and its shady lane as inviting as ever, but the old 

 farm had gone. It had been sold by the pound, by 

 the bushel, and by the ton, peddled out along the 

 wharves of the metropolis, sent away to foreign mar- 



