IX. 



< FALLOWS 'AND WHAT FOLLOWS. 



WHEN the land is drained, and the crooked ridges 

 obliterated ; the useless fences stocked away, and 

 the few that remain straightened ; the Ash-trees and 

 old pollards grubbed up, the awkward inequalities of 

 surface reduced, by the spade as well as the plough ; 

 the Farm-buildings improved, and adapted for the bet- 

 ter and roomier accommodation of a better and larger 

 head of stock: and last, not least, the House rendered 

 habitable for human beings ' both male and female ' 

 when all this is done and thanks to increasing 

 Population, increasing Trade, and increasing Intelli- 

 gence, such things are done, here and there, now-a- 

 days ; it will in most cases be found that a con- 

 siderable amount of Time, and of something else 

 will have been expended. But can it in truth be 

 said that until this be done, the Plough can ever 

 start, with a fair chance ? Does any one seriously 

 believe that the employment of his farm-labourers 



