1839J 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



673 



did not exceed (en ploughs ; — I say, when I reflect 

 upon ihese circumstancep, I cannot conceive that 

 five plouizhs will be insufficient l()r working the 

 farm liiai I have undertaken. If I entertain any 

 doubts, it itJ with regard lo the suiiitner work ; be- 

 cause a defect in any part of what may be called 

 (he radical |)roce.~ses, is lelt during the whole of 

 the rotation, ofwhich they form the basis. But, 

 as a supernumerary horse may be uselul, and 

 serve to keep labor agoinij when a casualty occurs, 

 I can, with such an auxiliary, get on with horse- 

 hoeing the drilled crops ; at least, that necessary 

 work may thereby be considerably assisted. Be- 

 sides, as my spring work will not be extensive, 

 the turnip and naked iiillows can be earlier pre- 

 pared than otherwisewoald be practicable. Little 

 more labor will be requiretl for the turnip break, 

 than formerly allotted to the same extent of barley 

 around; and, by performing that labor at an ear- 

 ly period, the work of the season will be thereby 

 greatly advanced. 



I have engaged five married servants as plough- 

 men, and two as laborers at odd work. Each of 

 them is to get 12 bolls of oats, 3 bolls of barley, 

 and 2 bolls of peas, with maintenance for a cow 

 through the year ; the carnage of what coals are 

 wanted, land for sowing a peck of lintseed, and 

 land for planting potatoes to the extent of one-tenth 

 of an acre. The servant who is to sow the corn, 

 gets also a pair of shoes ; and if he continues with 

 me till next year, he is to receive half a boll of 

 wheat, or the value of it, lor stacking the crop : 

 the whole are lo have maintenance in harvest. 

 But as I will not have any harvest work lor this 

 year, it is stipulated that each man is to receive 

 3 firlots of oat meal in lieu of his maintenance. 



The lallow and turnip break left by my prede- 

 cessor, iTot one ploughing from him, according to 

 the lease, Ibr which he is lo receive payment. 1 

 am endeavoring lo engage people in the neigh- 

 borhood to cross-plough the part intended for tur- 

 nips, as soon as the weather permits; and will 

 also try to get the plain fallows cross-ploughed as 

 early as possible. Upon inspecting the fields di- 

 ligently, my father is of opinion, that no more 

 than 12 acres can this season, with propriety, be 

 under turnip crop, there being a hazard that the 

 wround would not in time be suitably prepared. I 

 have offered 12s. per acre for the first and second 

 furrows, and 2s. per acre for each close double time 

 of harrowing; and am in hopes these offers will 

 be accepted. The rest of the work may be delay- 

 ed till 1 am in possession. Advise me what sort 

 of stock will be most eligible for the grass land at 

 Whitsundy. Very likely, as there are no restric- 

 tions upon my predecessor in thai respect, it will 

 at that time be eaten down to the roots ; therefore, 

 to close up the fields for a month may be a pru- 

 dent measure. Ten acres of the grass land were 

 seeded last year, and are not to be touched by my 

 predecessor; so I will not be scarce of horse fooil 

 at entry ; but there is no restriction with respect 

 to the remainder. 



I have given directions to a neiorhboring trades- 

 man 10 make ploughs, cans, harrows, &c. for me, 

 all of the best quality. With regard to the plough 

 horses, my father is clear that it will be best to 

 purchase them at the fountain head, i. e. at the 

 West-country market ; though he says we may 

 look at any roups at the time in the neighborhood, 

 and see if any are there to be procured. In all theso 

 VoT.. VII— «5 



matters I shall be directed by my father. His advice 

 shall never be disreir.irded ; nor will I atanytimeact 

 contrary to his sentiments, lie knows business, 

 and I am only beginning to learn it ; ihouHh, 

 with assistance from hini and my quondam pre- 

 ceptor, I may in time be able lo render similar aid 

 to other people. 



Upon looking over what is said, I find the 

 thrashing machine on the premises has not been 

 notici d. The machine is a good one. and in a 

 complete slate of repair; therefore I have offered 

 to lake it at the valuation of the celel)rated Mr. 

 Meikle ; a person to whom airriculture is undoubt- 

 eilly under the greatest obligations. My preJeces- 

 soragreed lotliis proposal ai once ; addingihal,lroni 

 his personal knowledge oI'Mr. Meikle, he was sure 

 the business was in good hands. Yon are also well 

 acquainted with thai mgenious mechanic; there- 

 fore I inform you, with pleasure, that a subscription 

 has been lately opened in Ins behalf, under the aus- 

 pices of Sir John Sincair, Barl., a genileman well 

 known to you, which promises to secure a suitable 

 reward lor the inventor of ihe thrashing machine, 

 and the members of his family, that remain in an 

 unprovided state. I do myself the pleasure of en- 

 closing one of the subscription-papers; confident 

 that every exertion will be made to fill it np in 

 your neighborhood, so as the last days of a vene- 

 rable and good man may be rendered comlbrlable 

 and airreeable. 



March 16. — So we cannot have your aid in set- 

 tling matters with my predecessor. Surely, my 

 dear sir, more than ordinary delicacy is It'll, other- 

 wise you would nol decline ac'ing as arbiter on 

 my behalf, lor no better reason than that I resided 

 twelve months under your protection. The obli- 

 gation then conferred was on your side, not on 

 mine ; and furnishes no cause Ibr supposing that 

 the strictest impartiality would not be exercised, 

 when the duties of an arbiter were to be dischar- 

 ged. However, I am obliged to you Ibr recom- 

 mending another person for that olTice. and shall 

 without loss of time wait upon him, and request 

 his assistance. 



jlpril 16. — Grass-seeds were sown a {'ew days 

 ago amongst all the fallow wheal upon the farm; and 

 I gave personal attention not only lo the sowing 

 of the seeds, but also to the harrowing process, 

 during its whole continuance. My Hither, when 

 I went lo get that business executed, said to me, 

 ''George, remember to have the seeds well cover- 

 ed, otherwise an imperliict appearance of plants 

 may be expected. 1 never saw a headland where 

 the seeds did not vegetate well, owing entirely to 

 the extra harrowing which that part of the field 

 received ; whereas, I have repeatedly seen other 

 parts, even of the .same field, imperliictly planted 

 from a want of sufficient harrowing." Prompted 

 by these suggestions, i lock care that a close dou- 

 ble lime was given to every ridge; and insisted 

 that the harrows should be driven smartly along, 

 so as the llill etFects of the teeth, in loosening the 

 surface, and covering the seeds, might be obtained. 

 We sowed 40 acres, part with red clover and 

 rye-grass, Ibr soiling; and the remainder with 

 white, red and yellow clover and rye-grass, for 

 pasturage. A greater quantity of seed were giv- 

 en in the last than in the first instance. 



The gentleman to whom you recommended me, 

 undertook at once to act as arbiter in settling the 

 several matters betwixt me and my predecessor. 



