FARM. 



dicious management and over-crop- 

 ping. For this purpose, it is neces- 

 sary to ascertain wiiat has been the 

 state of tlie crops lor several years 

 before, how the land has been plough- 

 ed, and whether the crops have been 

 heavy with or without manure. In 

 the mean time, the nature of the 

 weeds which abound on the land will 

 give some clew to its state ; and an 

 experienced person will collect from 

 various minute appearances in the 

 soil whether it has been fairly man- 

 aged or exhausted. It is in general 

 more advantageous to take a farm 

 in a district with which you are well 

 acquainted. It will be a great ad- 

 vantage if you have had an opportu- 

 nity of seeing the land at all times, 

 observing it in different seasons and 

 states of the weather, and especially 

 of seeing the crops thrashed out, and 

 ascertaining the quantity of corn 

 which is usually yielded from a cer- 

 tain quantity of straw, for lands very 

 similar in outward appearance will 

 produce a very different return when 

 the crops are thrashed out. A want 

 of attention to these circumstances 

 is the cause that a man who comes 

 from a distant part of the country 

 and takes a farm on his own judg- 

 ment seldom succeeds so well as 

 might be expected, even with a su- 

 perior knowledge of agriculture. He 

 naturally compares the soil with some 

 similar soil which he has been ac- 

 quainted with. If he comes from a 

 district where the soil is sandy, and 

 where clay is in request, he will give 

 the preference to very stiff loams ; 

 if he comes from a cold wet clay, he 

 will prefer the sandy ; and the chan- 

 ces are, that he is mistaken in his 

 judgment, and finds it out when he 

 has already embarked his capital in 

 a losing concern. Next to the na- 

 ture of the soil is to be considered 

 the convenient situation of the farm, 

 the disposition of the fields, and the 

 adaptation of the farm-buildings to 

 the most profitable occupation of the 

 land. The roads, especially those 

 which lead to neighbouring towns, 

 whence manure may be obtained, are 

 a most important object ; and if there 

 2G6 



is water-carriage, it greatly enhances 

 the value of the farm. The roads to 

 the fields, and the distance of these 

 from the farm-yard ; the convenience 

 of having good pasture, or land easi 

 ly laid down to grass, near the home 

 stead, and especially the situation 

 of the farm-buildings with respect to 

 the land, and the abundance of good 

 water, are all circumstances which 

 must be well considered, and which 

 will greatly influence the probable 

 profits, and, consequently, the rent 

 which may be fairly offered. A cen- 

 tral situation is no doubt the most 

 advantageous for the farm buildings, 

 as greatly diminishing the labour in 

 harvest and in carrying out manure. 

 But there may be circumstances 

 which render some spot nearer the 

 extremity of the land more eligible, 

 and it is only when entirely new 

 buildings are to be erected that there 

 is a choice. The old farm buildings 

 are generally in low and sheltered 

 situations, but it is a great inconve- 

 nience to have to carry the manure, 

 which is the heaviest thing carted on 

 a farm, up a steep hill. The best 

 situation is on a moderate .slope, 

 neither in the lowest nor highest 

 ground. 



" The yard or yards in a large farm 

 should be sheltered on the north side 

 by the barns, which need not be so 

 extensive as used formerly to be 

 thought necessary. If there is a 

 thrashing machine, a single floor to 

 thrash the seeds upon, and to employ 

 the men occasionally in winter, is 

 quite sufficient. Every farm which 

 is so extensive as to require more 

 than one floor to thrash the corn on 

 ought always to have a thrashing- 

 mill attached to it. See Bam. 



"A small yard, distinct from the 

 other, with sheds for the cattle to 

 shelter themselves under in wet and 

 stormy weather, is a great advantage, 

 and may be added at a trifling ex- 

 pense to any set of farm buildings. 

 The cart-shed should be in the stack- 

 yard, which properly occupies a space 

 north of the barn. There should be 

 a sufficient number of stands with 

 proper pillars and frames to build 



