Tlte Annual Auction. 123 



introduced, man}' large arable farmers sell their corn 

 crops standing. The purchaser pa^'s a certain price 

 for the wheat as it grows, reaps it when ripe, and 

 makes what profit he can. 



In either case the auctioneer is called in, a dinner 

 is prepared, and everybody who likes to come is 

 welcome. If there happens to be a great barn near 

 the homestead it is usually used for the dinner. 

 The marquee has yet to be invented which will keep 

 out a thunderstorm — that common interruption of 

 country- meetings — like an old barn. But barns are 

 not always available, and a tent is then essential. 

 Though the spot may be lonely and several miles 

 from a town or station, a large number of persons 

 are sure to be there ; and if it is an auction of sheep 

 or cattle with a pedigree, manj' of them will be found 

 to have come from the other end of the kingdom, 

 and sometimes agents are present from America or 

 the colonies. Much time is consumed in an exami- 

 nation of the stock, and then the dinner begins — at 

 least two hours later than was announced. But this 

 little jaeculiarity is so well understood by all interested 

 as to cause no inconvenience. 



Scarcely- any ale is to be seen : it is there if asked 

 for ; but the great majority now drink sherry. The 

 way in which this wine has supplanted the old-fash- 

 ioned October ale is remarkable, and a noticeable 

 sign of the times. At home the farmer may still 

 have his foaming jug, but whenever farmers congre- 

 gate together on occasions like this sherry is the 

 favorite. When calling at the inns in the towns 

 on market days — much business is transacted at the 

 inns — spirits are usually taken, so that ale is no 



