200 THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARlNf. 



the most rigid economy in the use of the new sweet 

 straw, which the stupid or perverse hinds began to strew 

 freely for litter, although there was plenty of last year's 

 straw a little distance away. For the life of me I can- 

 not find old Drury's work, and I forget exactly how he 

 compounded his wholesome gelatinous mess of soaked 

 wheaten chaff and meal. I am afraid the book is out 

 of print. 



Having amused myself with it repeatedly throughout 

 the summer in tapping the damp spots upon my several 

 fields, I am to-day about to drive my Abyssinian pump 

 down alongside the highest stage of buildings, into which 

 I shall put pipes if our search for the drink be success- 

 ful. As it is now the water-supply lies below or on a 

 level with the homestead, and a good deal of toilsome 

 carrying consequently devolves upon the feeder. 



Alack a-day ! we don't know how to distinguish the 

 pet pheasants from the wild ones with which they have 

 begun to associate, and we are bound to have a clearing 

 now the leaves are off, for the poor bird is so confiding 

 in its mind, and roosts so prominently, that some 

 measure of thinning must be adopted, or our night's 

 slumbers will be incessantly disturbed by the poaching- 

 gun. I think I shall soak some peas in gin, and feed 

 the tame ones, to-morrow, so that if they want to rise, 

 they cannot. We may save them so. 



What a delicious scent there is in the steaming-house 

 to-day ! The bad potatoes that I didn't want for plant- 

 ing are being steamed and mixed with meal in a vat to 

 force off the porkers, which, up to this morning, have 

 been for weeks under the oak and chestnut trees. 



I sat down and eat a lot myself of the whiter sort, 

 as did my labourers for their dinner. Most excellent 



