14 THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARM. 



His letter communicating these particulars is date^ 

 September 23rd. One amusing portion one cannot 

 resist quoting. " On being questioned last year at the 

 show-dinner what nostrum I possessed and used, which 

 enabled me to beat everybody, and having just taken to 

 the hounds (a few farmers being present at the dinner 

 who objected to our going over their land) I told them 

 that beyond the mode of cultivation usually practised, I 

 could only attribute my success to the fact of my making 

 all my arable land my exercising ground for my hunters, 

 and recommended everybody to get their land, on which 

 they wished to do something extra, well trampled in, 

 which, if they wished it, I should be glad to assist by 

 bringing the hounds over it." He mucks heavily about 

 November, after scarifying the wheat stubble in the 

 autumn, there being, I expect, a large portion of dog- 

 dung, in which the bone element is said to predomi- 

 nate ; ploughs in January, then dresses broadcast with 

 6 cwt. of salt and 6 cwt. superphosphate per acre. 



But, botheration, here comes the cook again ! What- 

 ever shall we do ? What with trouble on the neglected 

 soil without, and the vermin-visitation within, oh ! dear, 

 this new farm ! 



""There is nae luck about the house, 

 There is nae luck at a'." 



Can you, dear people, can any one of you give us some 

 recipe — a really effective recipe — to get rid of cock- 

 roaches ? Aren't we entirely in despair ? Didn't we see 

 them the other day by dozens wallowing in the flour- 

 bin, and being fished out of the barm that had been 

 unfortunately left uncovered through the night ? And 

 are not their dismembered limbs all through the loaf — 

 a leg here, a wing there — until it absolutely crackles 



