744 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
England,  and  a large  sawing-mill  and  planing-machine  are 
annexed  ; but  the  establishment  must  be  viewed  rather  as  the 
central  factory  of  a large  property  than  as  a model  farm  building 
for  ordinary  purposes.  There  is  a building  planned  by  Mr. 
Kidner,  who  occupies  a farm  belonging  to  Mr.  Cridland,  not 
far  from  Wellington,  which  comes  near  to  the  idea  of  a compact 
West  Country  homestead,  suited  to  a vale  farm  where  the  fatting 
of  sheep  and  beasts  is  the  object  rather  than  breeding  or  the 
dairy  ; but  it  is  somewhat  deficient  in  modern  mechanical  arrange- 
ments. In  the  same  neighbourhood  Messrs.  Fox,  the  clothiers, 
of  Wellington,  who  have  taken  to  farming,  have  very  good  pre- 
mises ; and  a building  in  course  of  erection  by  Mr.  Sanford,  at 
Chipley,  deserves  notice  for  combining  improved  threshing-floors 
and  feeding  arrangements  at  a moderate  expense.  The  farm- 
buildings  of  the  Roman  Catholic  College  of  Downside  have 
been  already  referred  to. 
Now  that  the  attention  of  landowners  and  farmers  is  forcibly 
directed  to  the  problem  “ how  is  the  land  to  be  managed  with  the 
least  waste  of  any  of  its  resources  ?”  it  is  plain  that  every  farmer, 
who  has  the  means  and  the  will  to  exert  himself,  will  expect  to 
have  a fulcrum  on  which  to  rest  his  lever.  The  solution  of  this 
problem,  as  far  as  it  relates  to  farm  buildings,  requires  an  atten- 
tive consideration  of  the  habits  of  the  county  and  of  the  pecu- 
liarities of  our  soil  and  climate,  combined  with  a readiness  to 
learn  what  we  can  from  the  improvements  made  elsewhere. 
It  is  with  unfeigned  distrust  of  my  own  judgment  that  I venture 
to  offer  any  suggestions  on  a subject  of  so  much  importance.  It 
was  the  saying  of  a wise  man  (before  the  Reform  Bill),  “when 
you  doubt,  leave  things  as  they  are.”  Now  there  is  much  doubt 
as  to  the  best  mode  of  arranging  farm  buildings,  and  yet  it  will  not 
do  to  leave  things  as  they  are.  But  in  the  spirit  of  the  maxim 
referred  to,  I venture  to  suggest  that  it  is  inexpedient  at  the 
present  moment  to  hastily  stereotype  in  brick  and  mortar  either 
old  and  costly  arrangements  or  new  theories  imperfectly  worked 
out.  Many  expensive  buildings  were  put  up  fifty  years  ago 
which  are  unsuitable  to  the  farming  of  the  present  day,  and  hinder 
reasonable  improvements  only  because  the  walls  are  so  sound. 
Under  these  circumstances  perhaps  the  wisest  course  a landowner 
can  take  at  the  present  time,  when  he  has  many  farms  to  deal 
with  at  once,  is  to  make  some  temporary  arrangement  with  the 
tenant  for  putting  up  the  required  accommodation  according  to 
the  custom  of  the  country  in  the  simplest  and  cheapest  manner, 
that  is,  in  such  a manner  as  a tenant  might  put  up  a shed  for 
himself  under  a lease  of  moderate  duration.  Several  instances 
of  what  I mean  may  be  seen  on  Mr.  Sanford’s  property  near 
Wellington.  Landowners  generally  are  not  aware  how  cheaply 
