636 



F A il IVl iO I{ ^i ' k E CI S T E R . 



[No. 



lo rise from bod at least an Iiour helbre day-li^Iit, 

 I mean at lliis season ol' ihc year. iJy which 

 means, he gets sulIiiMent time lo deliver his or- 

 ders 10 the several head servaiils hclbre work 

 hours commence; but his molhod of doing those 

 things shall he described horcaltcr. 



A lew days aijo Mr. Jamieson siiovvcd mc his 

 farm, whicii, [ believe, contains about (wo thou- 

 eaud acres, apparently ol" excellentsoil; ihougii, at 

 this season of the year, a stranger, especially a 

 novice like me, may I'all into great mistakes. Ii 

 took us four hours on horseback lo survey the 

 whole, so you may figure the dilierence betwixt 

 the extent of business executed here and with 

 you, whose larm may at any lime be |ierambula- 

 ted belbre breakliisl. He told me, in the course of 

 our ride, that he would, at some leisure hour, give 

 me a sketch of his management. In the mean 

 time lie has entered me to business; and you will 

 no doubt wonder that I am capable of a charge so 

 early. Why, then, my business is to oversee the 

 odd men or laborers, that is, the servants not em- 

 ployed at plough or barn-work, or about Uie live- 

 stock. Mr. .Jamieson says he will give me some 

 help till belter acquainted with the men, and the 

 nature o(" their work; but that, alterwards, 1 nmst 

 look sharp about me, and see his orders laithlLilly 

 executed. I intend to use my best endeavors, 

 both on accoimt of honor and interest, because, 

 were I to be negligent, [ Ibresee that my removal 

 would be the immediate consequence,, which 

 would not only be disgraceful to my character, in 

 the first instance, but eventually detrimental to 

 my future prospects. In a word, I have got ten 

 men to superintend, which, lo be sure, is some- 

 thing like a sergeant's command; ami, lo keep 

 them tight and tractable, will require all my small 

 slock oi prudence and exertion. 



The implements belonging to my men have 

 been formally delivered to me willi a catalogue of 

 the whole. When icivrand locar occuis, 1 am di- 

 rected to mark it down, and produce the broken 

 or disabled implement at the end of each month, 

 when the catalogite will be examined, and the de- 

 ficiencies supplied. These 1 consider to be excel- 

 lent measures; and believe that heavy losses, bolli 

 from pilfering and negligence, are sustained by 

 most of farmers from the want of them. 



I shall furnish you with a copy of my catalogue, 

 which, at least, may amuse you. 



10 spades. 



10 liioad shovuls. 



10 narrow do. 



10 picl\s or niauoclvs. 



A complete set of (juarry im- 



pleiiients. 

 10 pair wool scissars. 

 10 liedije hoolvs. 

 fi pair liedgc scissars. 

 10 strong grapes. 



'J'aking care of these articles, and keeping my 

 corps of 10 men at work, 1 am vain enough to 

 consider as suificient for me; at least, I am almost 

 certain that one-half of the larmers in the island 

 have not so much lo look after. 



We must now enter to work. The day after I 

 got my corumission, I went lo ihe office with the 

 other head servants. Tiieie oai h got his orders, 

 whicli Mr. Jamieson, lo |)revent mistakes, deli- 

 vers always in writing. Mine were as Ibllows, 

 and I send il to you us a sample. 



Orders for G'e.orgc Campbell, Feb. 10. — John 

 Jackson, Pelcr Simpson, and James Hay, go to 



10 small do. for siircading dung. 



Id forks. 



10 scythes. 



10 scyllie stones. 



;tO hay rakes, 



10 wheelbarrows. 



10 hand l)arrows. 



hcan drills. 



G turnip do. of diflercnt kinds. 



the quarry; William Hay, and Thomas Kemp, 

 to pbish luidge in Urickfiekl park; Donald Mac- 

 Lean, Alexander Martin, and John Fraser, to 

 lurn compost midilens; Archibald Kiimear, and 

 James JJoils, lo scour ditch at the under end of the 

 Cross-gale park. 



'i'his order, with a memorandum concerning tlic 

 work executed, Mr. Jamieson directed me lo de- 

 liver lo the clerk at night, who then enters it in 

 the books. This you will say is going very regu- 

 larly to work; but where so much is to be done, 

 there is a necessily Ibr method, otherwise confu- 

 sion woiHd be tlie consequence. 



Our head ploughman tells me, Ihey have sown 

 20 acres with peas this day, whicli are all done 

 off and water-furrowed. He says the ground 

 harrowed tolerably well, and left a round clod upon 

 tlie surface. 1 understand that beans are to be 

 drilled to-morrow, six of my men being directed 

 to wheel ihe drill-barrows. 



February 16. — JMr. Jamieson's business now 

 begins lo open upoii me. He really manages a 

 great deal of work, and does every thing without 

 noise or confusion. He is indefaligable himself, 

 and lakes a great deal of liiligue; but keeping lit- 

 tle company, and that only of sober people, he is 

 almost constanily employed one way or other upon 

 his liirm; and when he has visitors, his way is so 

 well known, they never iroul»le liim with bad 

 iiours. lie is an early riser, laying down for a 

 rule, as already mentioned, to have all his orders 

 delivered belbre the working people attend. His 

 house is well furnished, and abundantly supplied 

 with good victuals of all kinds. There is one ta- 

 ble kept for himself and lamily, another for the 

 head servants, and a third in the kitchen; and a 

 fiill supply is regularly presented at each. 



He sent for me last night into the parlour. — 

 Well, George, said he, how do you like your of- 

 fice? Pretty well, I replied, sir, [)roviding I fill it 

 to your pleasure. AVhy, not worse than might 

 be expected from a beginner. Time and attention, 

 1 liope, will produce improvement. But sit down. 

 I promised to explain, some day or other, my 

 mode of management, and, hav^ing a leisure hour, 

 shall be as good as my word. 



'i'his farm contains altogether about two thou- 

 sand acres; and, when it came into my possession, 

 was divided into eight sej)arale fi;nms; but, as I 

 had long entertained an inclination lo try farming 

 on a large scale, I ventured lo lake the whole, 

 ihough at the time in miserable order. Indeed, it 

 has alwaj's appeared absurd lo me, that the occu- 

 pation of a liiriner should, by cu.slo!n, be restricted 

 10 certain bounds, while ihe merchant or manu- 

 laclurer is encouraged lo extend his trade or busi- 

 ness proportionally lo the extent of" his capital 

 slock. With these views in my licad, and a de- 

 cent sum uf money in my pockel, I settled here, 

 and proceeded lo realize my Ibrmer opinions. This 

 house, and all llic adjoining ollices, were erected 

 by me, the old houses and steadings being widely 

 sciillcred over the ground, and of litile use, except 

 such as were preserved Ibr cottages. You see I 

 am tolerably weil provided with accuimnodaliou 

 o\' every kind, buiii Ibr a great number of ser- 

 vants, and a large slock of bestial, which tilings 

 are absolutely necessary, if liu'ming is meant to 

 be carried on with comfort and profit. My land- 

 lord aided me in the buildings, by liirnishing one 

 thousand pound;.-; but liie aunrs; I have cxpendei: 



