DISASTROUS WEATHER. 43 



or roots and getting it in order for culti- 

 vation, was the tenant's. 



Thus, what with grubbing, clearing, 

 chalking, and well manuring, I had laid 

 out half the value of the fee -simple of 

 the land, when my first crop of wheat, 

 which bid fair to remunerate me in a great 

 measure for all my outlay, was beaten 

 down from its weight by incessant rains, 

 and became mildewed, blighted, and 

 germinated. 



The first shower fell, I remember, on 

 Midsummer - day, up to which time the 

 weather had been remarkably fine, and 

 scarcely a day passed after, up to Michael- 

 mas, without rain. My clover and grass 

 crops were already for the most part in 

 swarth, and after repeated attempts to cart, 

 and the people constantly on the watch to 

 take advantage of the least appearance 

 of sunshine, all our endeavours to stack 

 the clover were fruitless, and we were 



