I83DJ 



FARMERS' 11 E G I S T E li 



537 



fit different times, are three times above the 

 amount of the assistance thus oblaineJ; thoush I 

 don'l grudge such expenditure, because I consider 

 every hal.'-penny of it to be weli applied. 



It required a consideraiile litne before I got the 

 farm arranged to my mind, much of it being for- 

 nierly run-rig, and intersected by balks. Howe- 

 ver, by summer-failowing to a great extent, and 

 throwing in plenty of clover and rye-grass, I, at 

 last, got the whole into regular breaks of one 

 hundred acres each. Part is enclosed, and a con- 

 siderable proportion remains open field; but (his I 

 don't view as attended with much detriment, 

 where corn is t lie chief object. The enclosures 

 that I have are good; and this I consider as of 

 more importance than having many of them. 



J\ly method of cropping is very simple, and re- 

 gulated upon this j)rinciple, that the earlh delights 

 in variety; therefore, I chiefly follow what is called 

 the alternate husbandry. As for a regular rota- 

 tion, in the strict sense of the term, I never fbllovv- 

 ed any thing of that kind, but limited my mode of 

 cropping to a sequence of white and green crops, 

 without studying particularly what variety of each 

 was to be cultivated; and abstractedl}' speaking, 

 to take culmilerous and leguminous crops alier- 

 nately, I hold to be the ne plus ultra of good 

 farming. No doubt this plan at times has been 

 broke ihrough, because seasons and other circum- 

 stances have rendered a departure from it neccs- 

 saiy; but where it can be adhered to v,-i;hout ma- ! 

 lerial inconvenience, I am clear that the departure 

 therefrom should be carefully avoided. | 



My last year's crop consisted of 250 acres of j 

 wheat, whereof 100 acres were after summer I'al- 

 lovv, 50 acres after turnips, and 100 acres after 

 beans and peas; of 150 iicres of barley, whereof 

 60 acres were after turnips, and 100 alter beans 

 and peas; of 300 acres of oats, whereof 100 acres 

 were after clover, cut and used in the stable and 

 straw-yard, and 200 acres after pasture grass; of 

 200 acres of beans and peas, most of them drill- 

 ed; 100 acres of clover and rye-grass sown 

 amongst fdlow wheat; and 800 acres of pasture 

 grass. These, with 200 acres in summer fiillow, 

 turnips and potatoes, comprehended the whole of 

 my farm, and in my humble opinion, made the 

 system so complete as almost to ensure a succes- 

 sion of" good crops. 



You will attend, that as I sow grass seeds along 

 with the grain that succeeds summer-fallow and 

 turnips, and also with 100 acres of barley, which 

 followed drilled beans, I am enabled to retain the 

 like number of acres each season in grass; be- 

 cause three breaks of grass, one after cut clover, 

 and two after old pasture, are ploughed in each 

 year. Tliis gives a regularity to labor, always de- 

 sirable; and serves, under a parity of" circumstan- 

 ces, to keep the whole of my farm in equal and 

 unilbrm good order. I by no means, however, 

 adhere to the number of acres in each grain con- 

 descended upon as forming the crop of last year, 

 because I have sometimes taken wheat on the 

 clover break, and at other limes liave substituted 

 barley for wheat on the breaks which had Ctirried 

 beans and peas. JVly aim is to have culmilerous 

 and leguminous crops alternately; and this beinir 

 attained, I am not rigidlj' studious to preserve the 

 quantities of each already mentioned. If I have 

 700 acres in white crops, 1200 acres under legu- 



VoL. VII— 68 



minous crops, and 100 acres in naked summer- 

 fallow, I am perfectly satisfied. 



I hope that a kind of rough view is given of my 

 farming system; and at a future time, shall be 

 ready to afford any explanation which you may 

 suppose to be necessary. I never thought farm- 

 ing a mystery, nor do 1 think that good"can arise 

 from keeping any brand; of it secret and conceal- 

 ed, as attempted by many of our brethren. My 

 opinion is. that the more generally a knowledge of 

 husbandry is diffused, so much more will the pub- 

 lic be benefited; and that the man who has gained 

 wisdom in the school of practical experience, and 

 refuses to impart a share of it to others, acts a part 

 not less inimical to the public good, than he who, 

 having discovered a remedy for a pestilential dis- 

 ease, obstinately keeps the secret to himselfj with- 

 out benefiting society by the discovery. 



The above is the substance of Mr. Jamieson's 

 conversation. I really think him a sensible man, 

 and, although quiet, yet, by an active turn and 

 disposition, eminently qualified for the line of life 

 he has chosen. You may be assured that I shall 

 study to cultivate his good will, being certain that 

 the possession thereof will tend much to my ad- 

 vantage, though equally sure that it is not to be 

 gained unless attention to business is punctually 

 bestowed. 



I forgot to mention, that the first day I entered 

 to business, JMr. Jamieson accompanied me 

 ihrough my several stations, and gave me particu- 

 lar directions how each branch of work was to be 

 executed. He also instructed the men to give ab- 

 solute obedience to my orders, and to act under 

 me will] the like promptitude and discretion as if 

 he were on the spot himself. I am authorized to 

 dismiss immediately any one who acts unfaithful- 

 ly, or neglects his duty ; but this authority shall 

 be administered with prudence, though with justice 

 to the interest of my worthy employer. 



February 2S. — I am sending letters very fre- 

 quently ; but were 1 to do otherwise, one third of 

 what I learn every day could not be communicated. 

 The obligation conferred in sending me there is 

 great indeed ; and assuredly, if I am not taught 

 tiirming in all its branches sulTicienlly, it is not for 

 lack of" opportunities. 



It was stated in a former letter, that Mr. Jamie- 

 son had several head servants, to whom his orders 

 were entrusted. I a.m now well acquainted with 

 them all, and shall attempt a description of each, 

 and iheir respective duties. 



The first is the head ploughman. His name is 

 James Elliot. He is a middle-ased man, is a 

 complete ploughman, perfectly capable of teaching 

 an ignorant fellow to manage the jjlough in the 

 best style, and , in short, qualified to execute every 

 branch of field work. He lias eighteen ploughs 

 under iiis inspection; seldom works himseli; but 

 accompanies ilie plougfis to the field, and sees 

 every thing properly executed. He feeds the 

 horses, has the charge of all work done by them, 

 and of all the implements whicli appertain to that 

 depart meat. 



The second head servant is Ralph Howard, 

 who is a thorough judge of live stock. He lias 

 the cliarge of the. whole sheep and cattle kept on 

 the farm, and attemls markets either for buying or 

 selling. He has six herds and feeders beIo\y 

 him. 



