TAKING REINS IN HAND 



With the stones which were in and about the 

 yard, I converted its lazy slope into two level 

 courts; and so arranged the surface, that the 

 flow from the upper should traverse the lower 

 one; from which, in turn, the joint flow of 

 fertilizing material fell through a few tiles in 

 the lower terrace wall, upon the head of a 

 long heap of compost, which was ordered to 

 be always replaced, as soon as removed. The 

 leakage of the water trough being cured, its 

 overflow was conducted to the pasture below, 

 where the second overflow, — for the stream was 

 constantly running, — would do no injury, and 

 would be available as a foraging mudpool for 

 the ducks. By this simple re-adjustment of 

 surface, and of the water flow, I have no 

 question but I fully doubled the yearly value 

 of the manures. 



I still further mended matters by carrying 

 the cow stables along all the northern frontier 

 of the yard, in such sort as to afford an ample 

 sunny lee ; and extending this new pile of build- 

 ing over the eastern terrace wall, I gained 

 an open cellar below for my store pigs, who 

 range over the ground where the burdocks 

 so thrived before, with occasional furtive ex- 

 amination of the compost heap which receives 

 the flow from above. 



I do not name this disposition of buildings 



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