i66 Mr. Phllipps's Account of the Improvement of 



by a neighbouring farmer, at 205. an acre. It was at first ploughed one way. The 

 steepness of the ground made it necessary for the horses to drag the unencumbered 

 plough to begin the furrow again upon the " vantage ground." Two acres of it 

 could not at first be ploughed at all. Hand labour was here employed. The dif- 

 ficulty of ploughing proved so great, that I thought it right to make some addition 

 to the stipulated price of 20s. an acre. It was harrowed in June. The whole of 

 the field was cross-ploughed in July; harrowed, and manured in August with 

 5200 bushels of lime; about 250 buhels an acre. The quantity of lime ge- 

 nerally used in this country is about one-fourth less than this. The lime was 

 carted in small quantities and laid upon the land, with the assistance of three 

 men with each team. So many men were necessary on account of the unevenness 

 of the ground. 



The fence, made at my landlord's expence, consists of a wall 6 feet high, 20 

 inches broad at the base, and 14 at the top: it is to be pointed next summer with 

 mortar. The materials were partly stones collected in the field, and partly sand- 

 stone obtained from a quarry opened for the purpose in an allotment to be described 

 hereafter. The fencing is mentioned in this place, because it was in this part of the 

 process that the stones were collected off the land. It was ploughed a third time 

 the first week in October, sowed with wheat, and harrowed. Three ploughings 

 were thought sufficient for the land, because the soil is light and ragged. The depth 

 of soil is here near eight inches ; the substratum is a light yellow rammel, called in 

 this country cat-brain : the sand-stone, which lies next below, does not appear near 

 the surface, except in one small part of this field. 



The wheat sown was 71 bushels, about 3 bushels an acre : this large quantity of 

 seed was thought necessary, on account of the lightness of the soil, and the exposed 

 northern aspect. The plants now, 12th of January, look healthy; they are of a 

 good colour, and equal in appearance, and promise of a good crop, to the wheats 

 upon the best lands in the neighbourhood. 



3. I obtained a like lease for 21 years of another lot of 12 acres from the same 

 landlord, at 10s. an acre. I may here remark, that by an error in laying out a 

 road, nine acres and a half of this field belong to my landlord, the other part be- 

 longs to me as proprietor; but the close is at present imdivided, and all subject to 

 the same management. The aspect is here south-cast, but the situation is much 

 higher than that of the last-mentioned lot. 



