194 KALM'S ENGLAND. 



that the harrow-tine, harf-pinnan, could easily tear it 

 to pieces.* 



The 2jth March. 



Mr. Ellis did me the honour to spend a great part of 

 the day with me. He esteemed it a great pleasure to 

 talk with me on various things in Rural Economy ; yet 

 he seemed more to ask than to be asked. When I en- 

 quired of him about one thing and another, I seldom got 

 any other answer than that he referred me to some of 

 his writings, where I should find the subject exhaustively 

 treated. 



He said he had travelled nearly all over England, to 

 see and write up their Rural Economy, hushallning. 

 Often when he had got to hear that anyone experienced 

 in Rural (Economy lived at any place, and whose name 

 was known for his particular insight into some special 

 branch of Rural Economy, Landthushallningen, he 

 had travelled expressly to him, although he lived 20, 30, 

 or more miles out of the way. When he observed that this 

 other was interested in his conversation, and did not wish 

 to lose any of it, Mr. Ellis always had something pleasant 

 and delightful to relate in some branch of Rural Economy 

 which the other was fond of, after which the other to pay 

 him back again, began to tell something to Mr. Ellis, 

 and so by turns, till Mr. Ellis got to know all that the 

 other professed or was noted for. Often has he posed as 

 if his object had not been to learn something, merely 

 [T. I. p. 195] to get a better insight into what he 

 wanted, because the other did not then take him for 

 what he was. 



* This seems to have been a species of co-operation, in which several 

 farmers lend horses and implements for the day to one, especially when he 

 takes a new farm, as still practised at Kelso. It is unlikely that one of these 

 small farmers would have had six harrows. [J. L.] 



