THE DAILY LIFE OF OUE FARM. 117 



remember that bit of a rocky breast near , that 



was planted with larch as thick as it could stand — in 

 nothing much better than stones, too. Why, they had 

 to carry the soil here and there, to have place to plant 

 in. Why, that 'ere bit of wood sold for £320 by public 

 auction. There was some from forty to fifty feet high, 

 and about four feet apart. Them was used for sleepers 

 and rafters, and the tops came in for fencing stakes (all 

 the dead 'uns I was to have, for to carry home to my 

 lodgings). That was a thing that would come in for 

 any market, and it was a regular timber merchant that 

 bought it. Bless us, what a game the haulier had to 

 get them away ! They was packed so close, and felled 

 this way and that way everyhow. But it was a good 

 price, that was." 



And so larch planting, when the season comes, shall 

 be our little game. 



His opinion about orchards is, that you cannot have 

 the trees too thick in reason. " If you mean to plant 

 an orchard, plant one. It must be a blow then to kill 

 the bloom upon all." An odd phrase he used once 

 " Says I, I'm not going to be cattled about any longer,' 

 which he explained to mean worried, as a herd is, being 

 jostled against each other on their way to market. 

 Another good phrase I heard the same day from a 

 preacher's lips, who spoke of his having some good 

 "swivels." Fishermen! whatever can they mean? Why 

 sermons on general doctrine, that will do to attach to 

 a variety of texts and endings. The mention of 

 sermons reminds me of a sad scene last Sunday 

 morning. Overnight, the children, who had been 

 especially anxious that I should visit their beds to say 

 ' good night," were full of wonderment and praise of a 



