80 



AGRICULTURE. 



•f waste lands. 



Improvement was ploughed a third time the first week in October ; sowed 

 with wheat, and harrowed. Three plonghings were thought 

 sufficient for this land, because the soil is light and ragged. 

 The depth of soil is here near eight inches. The substratum 

 is a light yellow rammel, called in this country cat-brain. 

 The sand-stone, which lies next below, does not appear near 

 the surface, except in one small part of this field. The 

 wheat sown was 71 bushels, above three bushels an acre. 

 This large quantity of seed was thought necessary, on ac- 

 count of the lightness of the soil, and the exposed northern 

 aspect. These plants now (January 12) look healthy; they 

 are of a good colour, and equal in appearance and promise of 

 ■j. good crop to the wheats upon the best lands in the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



3. I obtained a like lease for 21 years of another lot of 

 12 acres from the same landlord at 10^. an acre. I may here 

 remark, that by an error in laying out a road, nine and a half 

 acres of this field belong to my landlord, the other part to 

 me as proprietor. But the close is at present undivided, and 

 the whole subject to the same management. The aspect is 

 here S. E. ; but the situation is much higher than that of 

 the last mentioned lot. 



This lot, like the last, was, by the terms of my lease, to be 

 fenced by the landlord ; but all the fences have been made 

 Under my superintendance. The whole fence would have 

 been a wall, but the sand-stone rock on this part of the hill 

 failed. Twenty-six roods are fenced with a stone wall, six 

 feet high. Sixty-seven roods are fenced by a bank and 

 ditch, faced on theonesidewith stone, and protected above by 

 posts and double rails. Upon the top of the bank hawthorn 

 quick is set. Fifty-eight roods more, which complete the 

 enclosure, are bounded by a very high old dyke. This 

 boundary, however, is of such a sloping form, that 

 some additional defence was necessary. A ditch is there- 

 fore sunk on the summit of the dyke, to the depth of 

 five feet; in this are planted strong staggers, as they are 

 here called, consisting of hazle, holly, thorns, and horse 

 briers.* 



* So called, perhaps, because they are an excellent fence, when 

 mixed with other underwood, against horses as well as sheep, and 

 other animals. 



The 



