42 



value in the markets of London, they may be not of less value in 

 our own. 



We have been made acquainted, in our excursions through the 

 County, with many examples of industry, economy and thrift, 

 which it is fitting to our purpose, and would accord Avith our incli- 

 nations, to present for consideration, especially to the young. Of 

 one of these examples, we are permitted to give the following 

 sketch : — 



" In 1831, I bought a farm of ninety acres, for about one-third 

 of the cost of which, I was obliged to run in debt. It had been 

 rented to different individuals for a period of twenty-six successive 

 years, and its condition, therefore, may be easily imagined. The 

 buildings were old, inconvenient and much out of repair. By 

 slight repairs, (thinking much expense on them would be money 

 lost,) I made them answer my purpose until I was able to build 

 to my mind. In 1837, I erected comfortable, convenient, and 

 substantial buildings — the barn forty by fifty feet, with a cellar. 



" When I came into possession of the estate, there was more 

 than a mile of post and rail fence, including my portion of bound- 

 ary fences, on and around the farm, and all of it in poor condition. 

 I commenced repairing the fences, by digging stones and making 

 walls. I made enough walls yearly, to supply me with material 

 for repairing the rest of my wooden fence, and consequently, I 

 have not bought a rail from that day to this. After removing 

 such stones as could conveniently be dug out with bars and levers, 

 I commenced drilling and blasting. And now my fences are gen- 

 erally of stone wall, and on my mowing and tillage there is not a 

 rock above the surface, and but few within reach of the plough. 



" When I bought, there were about sixteen acres called tillage 

 and mowing. I improve about the same quantity now, having 

 increased my fields an acre or more, however, by straightening 

 the fences. The remainder is pasture and woodland. 



" At first, but few acres of the mowing could be ploughed with- 

 out coming in contact with heaps of stones surrounded with 

 bushes ; and these had to be removed. I ploughed no more at a 

 time than could be manured and cultivated thoroughly. I first 

 got from the farm about four tons of English hay, and two or 

 three of swale and m.eadow hay. By buying standing grass, I 

 kept through the winter a horse and five cows. As my crops 

 improved, I was able to increase my stock, and consequently my 

 manure heaps, which, however, before I built my barn, were ex- 

 posed to the weather until applied to the soil. I now keep a horse, a 

 yoke of oxen, and nine cows, and sell a few tons of hay annually. 



" Besides such stones as were suitable for walls, my land was 

 so full of others, that I could in many places fill a cart without 

 moving it. From seventeen acres, I think, more than five hun- 



