1839] 



F A R M E K S ' REGISTER, 



713 



To cover a stack in a neat and sufficient manner, 

 requires a servant of more than ordmary abilities; 

 and it is hardly to he expected that such will be 

 found amonirst the common tribe ofharvesi work- 

 ers. In short, the evil can only be remedied by 

 stipulating, in the lease, ihtTt the wayfi;()inir crop is 

 to be taken at a li^ir valuation by the landlord, who, 

 of course, when he seis the farm, will traiisler the 

 obliaaiion to the incoming tenant. 



Here,! am aware, it m.ay he objected, that a 

 burden would be thrown upon the landlord, or 

 the person who stood in his shoes, and tiiat the 

 advantaije would be entirely on the side of the 

 waygoing tenant. To this, it may be answered, 

 that neither loss on the one side, nor advantage 

 on the other, could possibly happen, were fuch 

 valuations conducted upon proper principles. Hi- 

 therto, to take corn upon valuation, has constantlj'- 

 been not only a troublesome, but also a losing 

 business. These circumstances entirely proceeded 

 from no allowance being ever made lor trouble and 

 risk, and very often from valuing a whole crop at the 

 average fiars — a rate of price never obtained on the 

 best offarms. It is plain, that the man who under- 

 takes the trouble of managing the hiirve^t opera- 

 tions of a iarm, is enliiled to an allowance on that 

 account, and likewise to a certain par centage lor 

 risk, &c. otherwise he must necessarily be a loser 

 when the business is winded up. Notvviilistandinir. 

 it is quite fiiir that such allowances should be made, 

 J never heard of the slightest notice beino- taken 

 of them when a corn crop was valued. The ar- 

 biters value the whole crop upon the ground, and, 

 when the straw is not steelbow, usually allow it 

 for the expenses of harvesting, thrashing, and 

 marketing ; which allowance is certainly far below 

 the mark, when the enormous trouble of harvesiing 

 a crop, and the risks run before it is converted into 

 money, are lairly consiiiered; but even in instances 

 where harvesting, thrashinii, and markelitig, have 

 been suitably estimated, the smallest allowance 

 has not been granted lor trouble an(i risk, though, 

 perhaps, the liirmer, who, in these respects, occu- 

 pies the shoes of another person, would not he 

 overpaid were ten shillings joer acre decerned to 

 him on tliese accounts. 



1 have got in six score of ewes for wintering 

 upon the farm. They are got at this early period 

 with a view of pulling them in good condition be- 

 Ibre tlie tups are admitted ; and this, it is proposed, 

 shall not take place sooner than five weeks frou) 

 this date, so as lambs may be obtained about the 

 end ol' March. These ewes are of a mixed breed 

 — a dash of the Northumberland with the Chevioi ; 

 and promise, with Leicester lups, to produce lambs 

 of good size and qualiiy lor the butcher. I am 

 giving them a clover stiibble at this time, and in- 

 tend to allow a wider range alierwards. Very 

 probably they will be removed into one of the 

 old pasture fields about the e~nd of January, Vv'hen 

 the clover s'ubbles are plouirhed, where tliey will 

 receive turnips, and remain tiil the lambintr season. 

 I mean then to give them young grass, as being 

 the alone best method ot" feeding good lambs, 

 though very likely turnips and ruta baga may be 

 continued so long as these crops are unconsumed, 

 there being no other way of makinir the young 

 grasses carry on a stock in April and May, ade- 

 quate to what they are capable of supporting 

 through the summer season. My fatherstrenuously 

 recommends the ewe and lamb trade to nte ; and 

 Vol. Vll-no 



maintains, that no other mode of consuming grass 

 can pay the larmer so handsomely, so long as ex- 

 isting circumsitmces continue. 



October 6. — The wet weather mentioned in my 

 iastcontmued lor eight days, and occasioned a con- 

 siderable expense to my predecessor, who had 

 sixty or seventy people to mainuun, without ob- 

 taining, any work of the slightest consequence 

 from- them. Repeatedly, betwixt showers, the 

 reapers were taken to tlie ficM, anil asolien return- 

 ed, after perhaps working lor an hour, and being 

 drenched to the skin ; which, of course, was a 

 double loss to him. He to"k considerable care to 

 keep the cut corn upon its toot, which undoubtedly 

 was an useful measure. I observe some of it, 

 however, to be sprouted, especially the head 

 sheaves; indeed, no care can prevent a circum- 

 stance of that kind from occurring, wiien such a 

 length of adverse weaiher prevails. The weather 

 settled about the twentieth of the month, when 

 some fine equinoctial gales came on. A day or 

 two passed before any thing could be done with 

 the cut corn ; but the moment it was dried exter- 

 nally, my predecessor set his whole reapers to 

 opening the sheaves, and very soon got a consider- 

 able quanlily ready for the stack. As all my carts 

 were at his command, the fields were soon cleared ; 

 and the weather coniinuing good, the remainder 

 of his crop was alierwards cut, and in due lime 

 salely deposiied in the slack-yard. 



The whole of his stacks are now completely 

 covered, and the yard makes a very decent figure 

 as to size, notwithstanding of the liigh cut which 

 most of the crop received. At ihe same time, I 

 am sensible that, had he cut as you do, seven or 

 eiiiht stacks more miixhi have been put up. How- 

 ever, this loss must be submitted to ; though next 

 year, I hope, ihe crop shall be cut in a very differ- 

 ent manner. I am hap[)y, however, to see so much 

 bu'k, when the work was so imperfectly executed. 



The remainder of the summer fallow was yes- 

 terday sown with wheat, part of which I purchased 

 from my predecessor ; and as it seems to be of a 

 different kind from the one you recommended, I 

 will have an opportunily of judging next year of 

 the merits of both respectively. 1 noticed, how- 

 ever, when it was in ear this summer, that a vast 

 number of blacked heixds, something like what of- 

 ten appears amongst barley, was amongst it. 

 Perhaps one ear in ten was in this imperlect, or 

 rather useless slate ; and of course, I apprehend 

 this variety will be comparatively unproductive. 

 It sho\ys, however, a good sample, seems to yield 

 more straw than any other, and probablj^ may 

 make up, in these respects, what it apparently 

 wants in others. 



I have soKI the country beasts purchased at the 

 summer markets, and have netted exactly three 

 pounds ten shillings upon each beast, which you 

 will allow is a very decent profit, to speak in the 

 laniruaire of Norihuraberiand. I am going to 

 Falkirk in a few days to purctiase thirty-five slots, 

 if they can be got, iliinking them to be the best 

 port for wintering in the straw yard, receiving a 

 fi'w turnips and ruta bnga in March, April and 

 May, ancl soilins afierwards. I know you always 

 recommend beasts lor soiling to be in good con- 

 dition before I lie irrass season ; therefore trust my 

 plan will meet with your approbation. If you are 

 at Falkirk. I will be happy to receive your advice 

 and assistance. 



