1839] 



FARMERS REGISTER 



539 



he m:ikf.p it a rule lo go over it two limes in 

 length, l»elbre he drives (he harrows across; and 

 this is done so as the iurrows may not be pulled 

 back, and the sward brought into its original po- 

 sition, which hurts the crop exceedingly. ! un- 

 derstand that about one half of the early varieties 

 are sown, and the other half of the kinds called 

 Angus and Blainslies. I ventured to inquire at 

 Mr. Jamieson which of the sorts were most profit- 

 able ; and he was so good as to inlorm me, that 

 both had their properties, though as the early ones 

 generally yielded the greatest quantity of grain, 

 he was partial to iheni ; but that as the others 

 produ':ed most fodder, which was an important 

 object with him, he was led to sow them in equal 

 proporlions; and that, in this way, his harvest 

 work was divided, and much hurry and hazard 

 avoided at that period. This, to be sure, is a 

 matter ofimportance, therefore deservedly viewed 

 in that liirht by so celebrated a husbandman. 



Oar turai[)-ftid sheep are all 'Zone of!'; and the 

 field which carried turnips forthwith to be cleared, 

 and the remainder of the crop brought home, so as 

 the ploughs may be entered pi^eparalory to the 

 sowing of barley. It seetns that the charge of 

 topping, tailing, and building of the turnips, is to 

 be entrusted to me, and of course that my squad is 

 to be empio3-ed in these operations. Howard in- 

 forms me, that about thirty of the turnip cattle are 

 still on hand, and that these, and the stock ofewes, 

 will consume all the turnips that remain ; though, 

 he adds, that they are losing their nutritive quality 

 very fast. Mr. Jamieson continues lo favor me 

 with his approbation ; and my fellow servants, 

 particularly Elliot, have shown a steady desire to 

 give me every manner of assistance. In a word, 

 ray lime here is not only usefully but agreeable 

 spent, and I thank you once more for placing me 

 at such a school. 



jlprll 8. — The barley after turnips is at last 

 sown, though the work gave Elliot more trouble 

 than he expected. Owing to a sudden drought, 

 the ground turned up with a heel, as he called it ; 

 so a cross-ploughing was first given ; then, after 

 harrowing it, rollers were applied; and finally an 

 ebb seed furrow ; when it was sown wilh early 

 barley and grass seeds. The field looks well to 

 the eye, being finished in a most husbandman-like 

 style ; but upon talking to Elliot concerning it, he 

 shook his head, and said, he seldom saw good bar- 

 ley after turnips, when the land required to be 

 forced ; and that he will pawn his word that we 

 have better barley upon ihe break that carried 

 beans last year, which he is forthwith lo seed-fur- 

 row. He says that he means to sow this field 

 green, or after the plough, and not allow it to spire 

 and lose brairding sap. The field to be sure is 

 clean, and perfectly free of quickens ; so ! dare 

 say the method meant to be taken is a good one. 

 Fairbairn and his women, for several days, have 

 been gathering stones on the break of clover inten- 

 ded for cutting ; and my corps have digged a 

 number of drains in the adjoining field intended 

 for summer-fallow, into whicli the stones are depo- 

 sited. Three carts are employed to drive the stones, 

 which are instantly put into the drains ; and while 

 Fairbairn superintends the gathering process, the 

 task of filling in and covering up, is committed to 

 your humble servant. We work five hours in the 

 forenoon, and four in the afternoon, and go merrily 

 forward. 



I (Jlciss 2nfl. 



May 9. My residence with Mr. Jamieson con- 

 tinues to furnish me wiili instruction in every 

 branch of rural work ; and nothing has occurred 

 to obstruct or lessen the enjoyment repeatedly ex- 

 pressed in my former letters. My master is kind 

 and communicative. My fellow servants join in 

 promoting his views lo improve and instruct me ; 

 and hitherto the slightest difference has not taken 

 place betwixt me and any of the numerous body 

 of people belonging to this extensive and well reg- 

 ulated undertaking. 



Yesterday Mr. Jamieson desired me to accom- 

 pany him in his ride to examine the winter sown 

 wheats. The break of one hnndred acres, after 

 summer fallow, upon which grass seeds were late- 

 ly sown, looked astonishinfliy well. It had been 

 thinly seeded, a practice Mr. Jamieson is fond of 

 upon well prepared ground, and was tillering or 

 stooling with liie greatest vigor. The ear is al- 

 ready flilly formed ; though Mr. Jamieson says it 

 will not come out of the shot blade in less than a 

 month. He added, that smut or black may be 

 observed in this early stage, — though after the 

 most nttentive investigation the smallest sign of 

 that abominable disorder could not be discovered. 

 The field of wheat after beans appears to be 

 considerably thicker seeded than the one after fal- 

 low ; and the reason assigned by Mr. Jamieson 

 for the difference was, that upon a bean stubble, 

 the plants rarely gather so freelj' as those upon a 

 well wrought fallow fresh impregnated by manure. 

 I noticed, however, that this field was green and 

 thriving — that the blade was broad, and in most 

 places twisted someiliing like a screw. The soil 

 is a heavy loam, which Mr. Jamieson says is bet- 

 ter calculated lor carrying superior crops, both 

 as to quantity and quality, than of the other varie- 

 ties. 



Our lambs were handled last week, and proved 

 lo the satisfaction of the butcher. He marked one 

 hundred that arc to be removed lo-morrow. I 

 think Howard said that twenty score were sold, 

 and that the remainder are to be weaned and hog- 

 ged. They are going with their dams upon rich 

 grass ; and also received rata baga till about the 

 middle of April. 



Elliot has got all the turnip land cross-ploughed, 

 and Is now employed at the summer-fallow. He 

 has already run over some of the bean land with 

 the scraper or Dutch horse-hoe, and has set apart 

 eight horses, and the like number of men, for 

 ploughing and cleaning the bean and turnip crops 

 of this year. The best and steadiest liands are 

 selected lor this purpose, as it requires dexterity 

 and attention. Ol"ihis husbandry, Mr. Jamieson 

 has promised me a full description at a leisure hour. 

 My corps have of late been much employed in 

 scouring ditches tmd cleaning Iietigcs, on which 

 matters Mr. Jamieson bestows much attention. 

 Tlieyare thinned a little by a draft of four! o Elliot 

 lor his bean ploughs ; and these were men who 

 had been in habits of receiving similar employment 

 in former seasons. 



May 15. Hitherto I have said nothing about 

 Mr. Jamiesori's thrashing machine, therefore 

 shall now communicate some particulars concer- 

 ning that noble implement, imparted by my friend 

 Fairbairn; to whom the sole direction and super- 

 intendence of it is entrusted. The machine is 



