THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARM. 203 



winter with wattled hurdles and oak poles around the 

 yards. Unless snow comes to beat it down and rot it, 

 there is several weeks' keep remaining, and so the hay- 

 stacks are left almost in their entirety as yet. A 

 terrible thing is it to have mainly consumed the hay 

 before Christmas, as thoughtless youth is sometimes 

 apt to allow. I remember, when I began farming, 

 having a fearful nip of that sort : having to give from 

 £5 to £7 10s. per ton for fodder for some weeks of the 

 spring when my own stores had run out. I see old 

 Melon in a fit of the greatest delight beckoning me 

 out from my study. And well he may be, for he has 

 managed to purchase for me a whole cart-load of choice 

 firs, roses, laurestinas, yew, dahlias, and hollyhocks for 

 the mighty sum of £1 15s., his own feeding and gates 

 included ! A young market-gardener in this neigh- 

 bourhood having become bankrupt several times, upon 

 this occasion, at the first day's sale, there was little 

 competition, when I sent Mr. Melon to look after a few 

 things. I learn that the next day, when everyone went, 

 hearing how cheaply things had gone the day before, 

 there was a pretty spirited sale. We may congratulate 

 ourselves, therefore, upon having taken time by the 

 forelock. We shall now have some new occupation in 

 the planting to fill gaps and improve points of land- 

 scape. Our watercress pool is a rare success, as we 

 have an ever-abundant supply quite close to the house. 

 A London cousin, who was lately staying here, was 

 much amused at the Robinson Crusoe meals to which 

 we introduced her. Our own pork, mutton, wild-duck, 

 pears, chestnuts, walnuts, perry, butter, and cream, all 

 unbought, and produced upon the premises, — this simple 

 phase of the farmer's enjoyable existence surprised and 



