THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARM. 129 



It is not quite to the purpose of this paper, which is 

 really to be regarded as the record of wild Robinson 

 Crusoe experiments which actually take place regularly 

 upon our small estate ; but, having fallen upon the 

 subject of swimming, let me further advise the sucking 

 farmer, that if he be called upon by the force of circum- 

 stances to assist in saving a drowning person, let him 

 always endeavour to get behind, and put his hands 

 under the armpits of the drownee. He may then, with 

 comparative ease, and without danger to himself, propel 

 the body forward to the shore ; whereas, if he advance 

 in front, he runs the risk of being tightly clasped, and 

 of so being incapacitated from doing any service, while 

 he runs the risk of being finished off himself These 

 secrets I learnt lately from a friend, who has been 

 instrumental in saving many lives ; and I put them in 

 print with the hope that they may be beneficial to 

 others. 



But I pass from swimming to the real business of the 

 farm. What a sweet season we have had for clearing 

 the stubbles ! On this light sandy loam, which is as 

 hard as a road in dry weather, but soft as wife's words 

 before quarter day in wet, it is delightful to see the 

 sharp-pronged cultivator tear up the astonished couch- 

 grass in great flakes, and deposit it drying in the sun. 

 Success is everything ! Soothing as syrup to the babe 

 is it to see an experiment in agriculture answer. Having 

 been used until lately to a sticky, matted, just-cooling 

 gutta-percha sort of clay in South Wales, you can guess, 

 gentle reader, the satisfactory sensation of having thus 

 simply to deal with the corn crop's deadly enemy, 

 instead of having to cut it up and plough it in in winter, 

 to be fetched up in spring, on trust that there be no 



K 



