PRESENT AND FUTURE PROSPECTS 
 
 FARMING 
 
 IN GREAT BRITAIN; 
 
 WITH REFERENCE TO THE EXIGENCIES OF FREE TRADE. 
 
 BY WILLIAM THOROLD, M. Inst. C. E. 
 
 FORMERLY A PRACTICAL FARMER IN NORFOLK. 
 
 SECOND EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS. 
 
 TATEUNOSTER ROIV. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
BACON AND KINNEBROOK, MERCBRY OFFICE, NORWICH. 
 
 
AN ESSAY, &c. 
 
 1 It is true that much caution and prudence is required in adopting new systems of any 
 kind, which must he liable to failures and miscarriages; but the Farmer has resisted 
 all gradual changes, and by adopting the fallacious criterion of measuring capability by 
 the extent of individual performance, and of weighing mind by the standard of single 
 judgment, and by reckoning every thing impossible that has not been done, and every 
 process to be erronous that has not been seen or previously followed, he has wrought 
 himself into the idea that die present system cannot he surpassed, and that any 
 alteration must not be allowed.” Donaldson on Manures, &c. 
 
 The question of Protection being now settled by the Legis¬ 
 lature, no opinion is about to be offered as to its policy or im¬ 
 policy. It is perfectly useless to look back, we must only look 
 forward; Protection is gone, and we have Free Trade in its 
 place, how therefore to deal with this Free Trade is the diffi¬ 
 culty to be solved. 
 
 Lord Lyndhurst says, “a difficulty is something to be got 
 over.” Almost every other interest in Great Britain has met 
 with and surmounted similar difficulties. Why should Farmers 
 despair? 
 
 It may be as well at once to state, that it is not intended in 
 this Essay to point out the final remedy, but merely to show 
 some of the stepping stones by which it may be approached, 
 and probably ameliorated, provided all parties (instead of calling 
 upon Hercules to lift the waggon out of the mire) lend a 
 shoulder to the wheel, and then give a long and strong pull 
 all together. 
 
4 
 
 The very limited knowledge displayed at a late meeting ol 
 the Palmers’ Club in London, with the exception of Mr. Smith, 
 of Deanston, is the immediate cause of the Author’s attention 
 to the subject, for Mr. Smith’s ideas, though perfectly correct, 
 are too far in advance to afford them a chance of introduction, 
 in a general way, for some time to come. 
 
 With this view, the Author ventures to offer his assistance, 
 whether properly or not, must he left to time to determine. 
 His qualifications for the task are founded upon an experience 
 as a practical farmer, commencing (in assisting his father, then 
 declining in health) with 1812, and afterwards until 1827, in 
 his own person, and up to 1881, by means of bailiffs; during 
 which time such were the vicissitudes, that he sold barley at 
 5s. 6d. and 34s. and wheat 13s. and 62s. per coomb, and of 
 course went through all the changes incident to the transition 
 from war to peace, and also that occasioned by the withdrawal 
 of 'the paper currency—tolerably exciting these, and never likely 
 to be forgotten by many families. The last twenty-two years 
 he has passed as a practical engineer, never losing sight of, or 
 being entirely unconnected with farming, the major part of his 
 practice being intimately connected with it. 
 
 Dismissing egotism, let us now proceed, first premising the 
 word farming is used advisedly, in preference to agriculture, and 
 the term landowner instead of landlord, in order that it may 
 embrace all kinds of possessors of land; and, to prevent mis¬ 
 takes, that the object sought is to make farming profitable as a 
 trade, notwithstanding the free trade in corn and other produce. 
 
 It will conduce to perspicuity if we address the three classes 
 of persons who will be first affected by this change: viz.— 
 
 1st.—Landowners. 
 
 2nd.—Gentlemen Farmers. 
 
 3rd.—Tenant Farmers, and those desirous of becoming so. 
 Fn-st, then, as to Landowners. It is only intended to offer 
 advice to such as are determined, in all good feeling, to adjust 
 their mmds to the circumstances now before them, regardless 
 o w at as been hitherto deemed the pre-eminence of landed 
 property. From all others the Author begs to retire, and leave 
 
5 
 
 I the field to more daring speculators, at the same time, having 
 A no wish to dispute what are, or are not the rights of landed 
 if property, but merely to apply that property to the most bene- 
 '? ficid purpose, in doing which many antiquated principles will 
 | appear to be violated on the first blush of the means pro- 
 I posed. In all great changes some sacrifices must be made, 
 1 though they frequently amount to no more than a nine-days’ 
 if wonder. 
 
 if The first official indication the landowner will receive as to 
 | the change, will be as to the rent being too high. Now it has 
 |long been shown that a deduction of ten or twenty percent. 
 
 tS will not cure the evil, and the fact, if allowed to be shown by 
 calculation, would come out that there was nothing remaining 
 for rent. The Author when addressing tenant farmers will 
 attempt to show what is meant, and what ahvays will be 
 ;S meant by rent. To landowmers this would be a work of 
 | supererogation. 
 
 | Let us now quote two instances where, wider certain modes of 
 | cultivation, there was no rent for the landowner; yet in both 
 I instances, after the system of cultivation was changed, a fair rent 
 | was always available and always paid. 
 
 The first w r as a farm of 300 acres of heavy clay soil, held 
 in hand by the owmer for tw r enty years, until at length he 
 became tired, although it had always been conducted in the 
 most economical manner in every respect. It was then let to the 
 party who had diuing that twenty years officiated as b ailiff , and 
 | that without the slightest impeachment of his integrity, and 
 [ ever since he has been the tenant. By high farming he has not 
 I only paid the rent, but made a good profit in addition. 
 
 • The other instance is that of a farm with a light dry soil, 
 
 \ and the result wvas precisely similar to the first. 
 
 Such being facts, no reduction of rent, as a whole, is pro¬ 
 posed, though there may afterwards be partial reductions, com- 
 i pensated in other parts by additions. 
 
 Matters having arrived at this stage, the tenant or tenants can 
 have no objection to a re-arrangement of his or their farms, 
 always premising that they are to be compensated for un- 
 
6 
 
 exhausted improvements, as far as the soil is known to be 
 benefitted, and of course for other matters covenanted and 
 customary. 
 
 It will then be practicable to arrange the several farms in a 
 more contiguous and compact manner, and the buildings as near' 
 as possible being in the centre of the occupation, it will probably 
 turn out that several fields cannot be brought into an occupa¬ 
 tion, being too far from the buildings. These can frequently 
 be let off at a higher rent to tradesmen and others, as accom¬ 
 modation lands; or converted into small farms and let to 
 deserving tenants, who by perseverance in well-doing, will ulti¬ 
 mately become competitors for a larger one; or it may even 1 
 appeal’ more desirable to take the out-laying fields from several 
 adjoining occupations to make an additional farm. 
 
 It can hardly be expected that this system can be carried to} 
 its fullest extent without an Act of Parliament being obtained 
 to exchange lands by consent of the parties in possession, re¬ 
 gardless of the tenure and condition under which lands may be 
 then held. Nothing can be more easy than to take powers in 
 that Act to secure all incumbrances, settlements, &c. upon the 
 exchanged land that existed upon the original. Powers also! ’ 
 might be taken to borrow a limited sum of money (as has been |'| 
 already done by the Drainage Act) to cany out the exchange % 
 and improvements inherent thereon. 
 
 _ In carrying out these arrangements, the landowner will do B 
 right to have farms of different sizes, according to the extent of B 
 his estate, in order, as has been before hinted, to keep up a fl 
 wholesome emulation and materials for competition, when I 
 necessary; and it should be a principle universally acted upon, f 
 that upon any farm falling into the landowner’s hands, the first 1 
 offer of it should be given to the most deserving and suitable J 
 tenant, then in the occupancy of another farm upon the same 
 estate. 
 
 . 141S not ^tended to offer an opinion as to leases; the expe¬ 
 rience on the Earl of Leicester’s estate, in Norfolk, being in 
 favour of leases, while the practice on the Earl of Yarborough’s, 
 m Lincolnshire, comprising 30,000 acres, with equally good 
 
7 
 
 farming, is without leases, and the tenants have been equally 
 long upon the estate as where leases only are known. The 
 terms for remunerating tenants, who from any cause do leave 
 this estate, are described in one of the earlier volumes of the 
 transactions of the Royal Society of Agriculture. There can be 
 no fear of some mode of giving the tenant entire security for 
 permanent improvements, being arrived at in the course of 
 the transition; but it can only be expected, that by unexhausted 
 improvements, it is intended to apply to such as can be re¬ 
 covered from the land by reaping the succeeding crops. No 
 allowance can be made for any additions to the house and 
 buildings, unless there is an outstanding stipulation for such. 
 The difficulty in the way of what are mis-called tenant rights, 
 mil be found in defining who is to take and pay for neutral 
 matters, such as both landowner and incoming tenant disclaim 
 as being useless to either. 
 
 In addition to an Act of Parliament to facilitate exchanges, it 
 will be only reasonable that all parties connected with farming 
 should unite in obtaining another public Act to assess the cost 
 of maintaining the poor, and all charges for police and the 
 administration of justice, upon the whole property of the coun¬ 
 try; not only as to the relief in reducing the poor and county 
 rates, but also as to the benefit of the labouring poor themselves, 
 both as to their settlement and freedom to obtain the best 
 market for their labour. 
 
 It is now requisite to point out what will be necessary for a 
 landowner to concede and sacrifice, in order to bring about this 
 change, without encroaching upon the tenant’s capital or stock, 
 properly applicable to the occupation of the land. 
 
 After setting out a fair portion of park and demesne lands, 
 with woods and plantations, the next matter is to avoid having 
 too great a head of game. Hares and rabbits must be hence¬ 
 forth entirely extinct on lands let to tenant farmers, and only a 
 very moderate quantity of winged game allowed to remain, and 
 every year- there should be a valuation of the damage done to 
 the crops by the game, and if' it exceeds a shilling an acre, it 
 should be allowed to be deducted by the tenant from the rent. 
 
Few landowners can be aware of the damage done to tenants by 
 game, and its consequences; but it having been recently valued 
 at ten shillings per acre, there can be no doubt of the fact in i 
 that instance. I 
 
 Notwithstanding these remarks as to the game question, there j 
 is no reason why a tenant should not do all in his power to pre- j 
 serve partridges, so as to afford fair sport early in the season; 
 but it cannot be expected that Free Trade can be met where a 
 head of game is maintained on the land. Pheasants and wood¬ 
 cocks can always be preserved in the woods and demesne lands, 
 in any quantity, for battues or consumption. The sale of game 
 has rendered it less appreciated as the medium of a present. 
 Gamekeepers are also a source of annoyance to farmers, and are : 
 frequently beginners of broils and quarrels. 
 
 The next sacrifice is with regard to the timber and hedges 
 upon the re-arranged farms. It is an essential part of the ; 
 new system of fanning, that trees, excepting those around the ; 
 homestead, and in the boundary and fences next public roads, ■ 
 should all be cleared off the land; and in like manner the hedges 
 and ditches also, except those forming tire common out-fall 
 drain of the district. The old ditches used as master drains 1 
 upon wet soils, will, of course, have to remain as pipe drains ; 
 of larger diameter. > 
 
 It is not intended to have permanent pasture, except in par- ; 
 ticular localities, where it is obviously most profitable from the ; 
 advantage that can be obtained by the frequent application of ! 
 liquid manure, so as to produce two or more crops of grass in j 
 the same season; in all other circumstances, it has long been ' 
 known that great injury has been sustained by both landowner ; 
 and tenant, in retaining old hide-bound upland pastures, \ 
 and most kinds of meadow land—whereas by a constant sue- ! 
 cession of corn and green crops, more food for cattle can be j 
 produced with the addition of a crop of corn every alternate 
 year. 
 
 In carrying out all these arrangements, the landowner and 
 tenant must cordially co-operate, the first supplying the capital 
 for all permanent improvements, and the tenant paying interest 
 
I 
 
 ? upon the amount. Great care and judgment should be exercised 
 i in the execution, and they should be constantly under efficient 
 | supervision, not from any want of good intentions, but to avoid 
 I the possibility of failure. The Author is sorry to say his im- 
 ■ pression goes to show that tenants with matured judgment are 
 | the exception, and not the rule. 
 
 ; It must also be a consideration in the first instance, whether 
 j the tenant, from his previous habits of business, not only can, 
 
 | but also will carry out, both the new arrangement of his farm, 
 
 ! but likewise apply himself to the best modes of cultivation, and 
 | the application of manures to the growth of green and com 
 | crops alternately, according to the best examples, it is presumed, 
 s he will see around him; if there is no prospect of a tenant’s 
 ; fulfilling all these desiderata, there is no alternative but for him 
 ; to leave the estate, for “Why cumbereth he the ground?”— 
 Landowners having quite as much right in taking the means 
 offered for their own defence, as a party would in defending an 
 action at law. 
 
 It is also essential in carrying out this system, as before stated, 
 that the farm-buildings, should be as near the centre of the 
 farm as possible, which, if it cannot be obtained by exchange, 
 addition, or reduction, the buildings necessary for occupation 
 should be removed or built new. The old farm house can re¬ 
 main as a residence, or be converted into cottages, as may be 
 most convenient in the preliminary stage of proceeding, and as 
 it will frequently happen that where cottages are wanted, it will 
 be a question whether the old farm houses that are now on the 
 outside of the farm, and consequently badly situated for the 
 farmers’ occupation, will not be in the most proper position for 
 cottages? It is also necessary that good hard roads should be 
 made, so as to approach one side of every field in all weathers, 
 and a drift road made from the buildings to the most fre¬ 
 quented public road. 
 
 It will be impossible in an Essay of this kind, to give general 
 directions as to what buildings will be required, for in some in¬ 
 stances, the old buildings may be made available to the new 
 system, by means of internal alterations, and in other cases 
 
10 
 
 many buildings will bear the expense of removal; but by way 
 of filling up a blank, the Author has prepared a design for new 
 fann-buildings, which is appended herewith, and as an explana¬ 
 tion of this design will tend in some degree to elucidate part of 
 the new system, he will proceed with the description. 
 
 The object of this design is to convert all the straw, hay, and 
 green crops into manure, and to retain or prevent the loss of 
 such manure after it is obtained, in the most effectual and 
 economical manner; it is applicable to any sized farm, by merely 
 increasing or diminishing the feeding and storing departments; 
 but in all cases it should be limited to farms not exceeding a con¬ 
 venient length or breadth from the homestall, on account of the 
 expense of road making and carriage. Steam power is intended 
 to be applied to thrashing, dressing, grinding, and bruising corn, 
 steaming food, cutting hay and straw into chaff, pumping water 
 and liquid manure, slicing turnips, breaking oil cake, sawing- 
 wood, raising manure from the house by an inclined plane, to 
 load the carts instantly, and prevent the horses waiting for the 
 same ; and probably for the puipose of exhausting foul air from 
 the feeding houses, to excite hunger in cattle, and thereby dimi¬ 
 nish the time of fatting. It is here necessary to inform our 
 readers, that this last plan has been adopted in factories as a 
 principle of ventilation, and the only objection to it has been, 
 that it makes the work people always hungry, the very thing of 
 all others, beneficial in grazing or fatting cattle. Provision 
 should also be made for rendering the feeding houses per¬ 
 fectly dark for an hour or so after feeding time, in order 
 that the cattle may take their rest. Cramming may thus be 
 introduced into cattle feeding, as has long been practised with 
 poultry, «&c. 
 
 For this purpose a portable steam engine is preferred (with 
 fixed barn machinery, &c.) on account of its being applicable to 
 more than one set of buildings, Avhich will render it less 
 expensive, and also more adapted to meet the possible con¬ 
 tingency of steam ploughing, and being sent to the factory to 
 be repaired, thus avoiding the nuisance of having mechanics on 
 the premises, or it can further be supplied by a travelling or 
 
club engine. Let us now proceed to a reference to the plate 1, 
 which is the Corn Bam open at each end, with a railway running 
 through it, upon which stacks are to be built upon staddle- 
 frames running upon wheels, instead of standing as heretofore 
 upon fixed piers or pedestals, and as many stadclles are to be pro¬ 
 vided as the probable number of stacks. A stack is to be built 
 on these staddle-frames, upon any part of the railway, and can 
 he run into the barn at night, and remain there under cover 
 ; until it is thatched, which it is obvious can be done either in 
 I wet or dry weather. As soon as it is thatched, it is to be run 
 ! through the barn, a sufficient distance out of the way, and 
 another staddle-frame is to be brought empty from the cross 
 line, and a stack built thereon as before. As soon as it is 
 ascertained that the barn will contain the remainder of the 
 crop, it can be filled in tire usual way, and of course this last 
 must be thrashed out first; afterwards the stacks on the stadclles 
 can be introduced into the barn, and thrashed by a like process. 
 The length of railway will be limited by the locality and expense, 
 but it must be of sufficient length to admit of two or more kinds 
 of corn being stationed on either side, so that any particular 
 stack can be thrashed when wanted, by running all those before 
 out of the way; as it is intended to have tire rails perfectly level, 
 brit little power will be required to do this. Hay stacks may 
 also be stationed on close boarded stadclles at one end of the 
 line, and can afterwards be brought into the barn when they are 
 required to feed the hay cutter, being thus under cover 
 during the time it would otherwise be partially exposed to the 
 weather. 
 
 When the stacks are only required to be moved a short 
 distance, it can be done by a windlass and manual power, or by 
 a capstan driven by the engine, as now practised at the Royal 
 Arsenal in hauling timbers from any part of the yard to the saw 
 mill. As soon as a stack is thrashed, the stadclle can be run 
 over the centre of the cross line, and by means of a screw, with 
 a capstan head raised above the line of rails, and being nearly 
 an equal balance, it can be turned by two men, and lowered into 
 the cross line; it is then to be covered with a sufficient quantity 
 
of wheat straw, to keep off the weather and out of the way on 
 the cross line, such straw being applied in thatching the 
 ensuing year’s stacks, and ready when wanted.—2. The house 
 to contain the. portable steam engine, to be connected through 
 the wall by a universal joint to the driving shaft of the per¬ 
 manent machinery, and also by a swan-neck joint to the pipe 
 feeding the steam cookery— 3. The thrashing dram upon the 
 upper floor.—4. Straw shaker.—5. A Jacob’s ladder, whose duty 
 it is to remove the straw from the shaker into the straw barn.— 
 6. Where it remains until it is wanted for litter or other pur¬ 
 poses ; if required to be cut, it can be brought back again by 
 reversing the motion of the ladder. It is presumed eveiy grain 
 of com will thus be separated from the straw, and the straw will 
 be in the most convenient place for its future application; being 
 connected with the feeding houses and stables it can be got at 
 with the least labour, and perfectly dry and clean.—7. The 
 steam cookery; it will also be desirable to place the manure and 
 cold water pumps here to keep them from the frost.—8. Hay 
 and straw and straw cutting house. (Note, a wicket is obviously 
 omitted on the plate to the bam.)—9. Com bruising and cake 
 breaking mill.—10. Turnip slicing house.—11, 11, and 11, are 
 feeding stalls for thirty beasts.—12. Stalls for ten milch or 
 grazing cows.—13,13. Stables for eight cart horses.—14, 14. 
 Harness rooms.—15 and 16. Chaff bins.—17 and 17. Manure or 
 dung house.—18. Liquid manure tank, under part of ditto.—19. 
 House for a bull.—20. Infirmary for sick cattle.—21. Stalls for 
 six suckling or milch cows.—22. Pens for rearing calves.—23. 
 Turnip house.—24. Fuel, &c. &c.—25. Lodge for year-ling stock. 
 —26. Saddle-horse stable.—27. Sow and pigs.—28. Fat pigs.— 
 29. Turnip or root house.—30. Oil cake or meal store.— 
 81 and 31. Cart lodge.—32. Granary for horse corn.—33. Par¬ 
 lour or clerk’s office.—34. Kitchen or bailiff’s room.—35. Wash¬ 
 house.—36. Daily.—37. Dormitoiy for casual labourers or 
 servants.— 38. Kailway.—39. Cross or light railway.—40. End 
 view pf com stack in bam under cover.—41. Inclined planes 
 for manure loading, as before alluded to.—42. Court or farm 
 
13 
 
 It is presumed these buildings are concentrated in a sufficient 
 manner to save materials in their original construction—to avoid 
 unnecessary shafting in connecting the machinery, and thereby 
 economise power in the engine, so as to reduce the under¬ 
 ground drainage to the shortest possible distance, and all 
 manual operations and inspection to the minimum , with a great 
 provision for manual labour being performed under cover in wet 
 weather. There is no greater room allowed for the several 
 appropriations than has hitherto been considered indispensable 
 under any common plan, and from the character of the buildings 
 they need not be expensive; and to avoid this in one point, it is 
 not intended to dress the corn coincidently with its being 
 thrashed, but the day after, several other trifling advantages 
 being obvious. 
 
 As regards the important item of cost, that must be regulated 
 by local circumstances. First, as to the materials, whether of 
 bricks, stones, or clay; whether of purchased or timber grown 
 upon the land, and whether any of the old buildings are appli¬ 
 cable, without too much labour or cost. The railway may be 
 constructed with old materials, that will for a considerable time 
 to come be had cheap, including wheel and axletrees. 
 
 Enough has been shewn to conclude, that it will not be more 
 costly that the commonest plan with the same cubic contents; 
 on the other hand, it will be infinitely more likely to repay the 
 interest charged upon it. It is obvious, by inspecting the plate, 
 the house is left an open question, although with a very trifling 
 addition, in small matters, it may be made commodious and 
 comfortable. 
 
 Let me now address those who chiefly occupy their own estates. 
 
 Gentlemen Farmers will, of course, exercise their discretion 
 in taking advantage of their position, being the most ready to 
 embrace any new system on account of the unity of interest; but 
 they will probably be glad to avail themselves of the Act for 
 Exchanging Lands, in getting rid of inconvenient fields, and they 
 also will be equally interested in equalizing the poor and county 
 rates; they will also have, the advantage of adopting improve¬ 
 ments gradually, as .taste or opportunity may suggest as a means 
 
14 
 
 of employment. They -will also be exempt from restrictive cultiva¬ 
 tion, and many other matters that may at first be disagreeable 
 to those who hate a change; nevertheless, they will have a full 
 share of responsibility and risk in encountering free trade, and 
 it will behove them to exercise extreme caution, in order to 
 insure success, which, after all means nothing more than 
 retaining present position, for it possibly may be an inglorious 
 battle. 
 
 • Should they be disposed to adopt any, or all the Author’s 
 ideas, they will be good enough to read this Essay through, and 
 make then.' own selection. 
 
 The next in rotation to whom I would address myself are 
 tenant farmers on a larger scale, who have generally been 
 in advance as far as improvements are concerned. These gen¬ 
 tlemen have in every respect kept pace with the times, and 
 have hitherto, either as originators or seconders, produced 
 the major part of the improvements which are so obvious in 
 every field or farming ride. To such an extent has this been 
 earned, that it is in many localities doubted whether it can be 
 raised higher. It may appear an ungracious task in any one 
 who attempts even to call in question or doubt their modes of 
 operation, and it would certainly be so, if it were not obvious to 
 every bystander that this class are frequently thwarted in their 
 best endeavours by objects and matters over which they have no 
 controul, and which entirely dishearten them from further per¬ 
 severance. When this is the case, there is an end of all contest 
 with Free Trade, for it is not merely the casual obtaining of a 
 good crop or a good lot of cattle that will enable him to do so; 
 for nothing short of all good crops and all good cattle can meet 
 it, and how is this to be obtained by any party who is bound or 
 curbed in some improper manner, or who has such local dis¬ 
 advantages to contend with. These are obvious defects, and 
 though easy to remedy, still they must bear them under the 
 existing state of things, for the occupier has no remedy. These 
 matters need not be particularized, for there are too many 
 cases which can be applied by the suffering parties. Surely 
 it will then be better for this class of farmers to assist in estab- 
 
15 
 
 listing a uniform system, than in continuing an imperfect 
 one, which however well it may he found to act in former times-, 
 cannot be said to he adapted to meet the change of circumstances, 
 and even should protection he restored, which cannot he justly 
 expected, no harm could arise in the adoption of the system 
 proposed hy the Author, for it will assuredly he calculated to 
 meet opposition or competition of any kind, which with the 
 general progressing state of society is likely to spring up. 
 
 The Author looks to this class of men for much critical acumen 
 as to his so-called system, and if any hints or improvements are 
 suggested, they will he most thankfully attended to, for it cannot 
 be expected that one individual can point out all the remedies 
 that may be applied to meet the desiderata; at the same time the 
 Author hopes they will do him the justice to study before they 
 condemn, and give a fair hearing to both sides before they agree 
 upon a verdict. 
 
 It is now necessary to refer the reader to the kind of 
 fanning which must ultimately he adopted, in order to enable 
 the British grower to contend with the foreign farmer, and 
 to use the words of a Scotchman recently published, viz.—■ 
 that “ Capital will not make a successful farmer unless it he 
 combined with shill, capacity, and experience in its possessor. Skill 
 to execute with economy and advantage the necessary improve¬ 
 ments and operations; capacity to foresee and direct these 
 operations in the channel most likely to he remunerative; and 
 experience to manage with delicacy and precision the difficulties 
 whether in stock or crop, which constantly demand the attention 
 of the practical farmer.” 
 
 The first question with the tenant farmer ought to be, whether 
 he is in a situation or condition to offer battle to such a manv- 
 headed monster as Free Trade; for if he is not in a fair position as to 
 his worldly and family prospects, it will be unreasonable to expect 
 that his landlord can make him so all at once, and there is little 
 to tempt a falling man to the fight. Nevertheless, it by no 
 means follows that there is to be an end of the enterprise, for 
 there, are many instances where the want of capital has been 
 progressively overcome by dint of constant personal exertion, and 
 
16 
 
 forbearance in personal indulgence. Witness the instance of a 
 pauper passed home to the parish of Carlton Eode, in this 
 county, a few years since. He began by hiring five acres of 
 land, and increased the quantity by degrees, so that he now 
 occupies 90 acres. There are numerous other instances of cattle 
 dealers who began by buying a pig, and now hold large quantities 
 of land entirely by their enterprise, and labour producing capital. 
 The same process has been gone through by most of the great 
 cotton lords, in spite of all opposition, competition, change of 
 currency, bounties on Irish linens, duties and drawbacks, with a 
 host of other difficulties, until they are now able to produce as 
 much for a shilling as formerly cost them a guinea, by their 
 improved machinery and manufacture. This must he introduced 
 into farming as much as possible; every operation must be 
 remodelled so as to cost less money, for it is in vain to expect a 
 higher price for corn and beef; the cost of production must be 
 reduced in every way that ingenuity can suggest, and this end 
 can only be successfully arrived at by minute attention to practice 
 in every department—not to save a trifling amount of money, 
 but to produce the greatest quantity at smallest cost. 
 
 Let us now discuss the subject of rent, in order that you may 
 not be disappointed when you may think right to make a com¬ 
 plaint to your landlord on this head. 
 
 Rent is not now what former political economists were 
 wont to describe, as the remainder after the cost of cul¬ 
 tivation and maintenance of the fanner’s family is repaid, 
 and there are at least two reasons why it should not be so; 
 the first we will name is the want of accurate accounts, 
 rendering it impossible to ascertain with certainty what is 
 the amount of such cost. And here let me digress and offer 
 a word as to the necessity. The Dutch people say no man 
 ever failed who kept accounts, which is as much as to say no 
 man ever lost money who kept accurate accounts; and the 
 reason is plain: whenever accounts are so kept, as to shew the 
 actual profit and loss of every transaction, few men are so self- 
 willed as to persist in following up any account which would 
 only lead to a repetition of that loss, It is, therefore, clear that 
 
17 
 
 farmers must henceforth keep daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly 
 accounts, taking stock every time a balance is struck, the same 
 as a merchant or tradesman, and write off bad debts, or what is 
 irrecoverable, charging the farm only with its due as a trade, 
 instead of making it the scape-goat for every extra expense or 
 loss. 
 
 The second reason why rent is not what it used to be, is the 
 demand for farms being greater than the supply, and there is 
 every probability of this cause remaining; as population continues 
 to increase, and the profits of other trades decrease, people will 
 be more satisfied with the profits arising from farming. Colla¬ 
 terally, rent is very-much affected by quality of soil and locality, 
 from a-mere nominal sum to T25 per acre per annum, the actual 
 vent of some land near Edinburgh, published in the Sanitary 
 Report, in the year 1843, in the hands of every relieving officer, 
 and known to every landowner in the kingdom. This is openly 
 stated, because there are many farmers who hear of this for the 
 first time, are liable to blame the Author as the promulgator of 
 such a fact. The same quality of land in the Bedford Level, 
 also varies according to the state of the drainage; in one instance, 
 13s. per acre was found to be a high rent, and in the other, 
 40s. per acre a cheap or easier paid rent than the 13s., the 
 improved drainage, and consequent cultivation, producing the 
 effect, although there was 27s. per acre difference. These are 
 startling figures, but they serve to shew that improved cultiva¬ 
 tion offers a wide field, when discussing the amount of rent, and 
 the tenant farmers may rest assured the landowners wall be slow’ 
 to make any permanent reduction, vdiile there are so many 
 avenues open to get it paid in full. 
 
 By reference to the address to landowners, the Author’s plan 
 of arranging farms, so that the buildings are in the centre of 
 the land or nearly so, has been there shewn, and supposing all 
 this accomplished, and the tenant finds himself and all his cattle 
 located in the centre of a square containing 250 acres, the 
 extreme distance from this point to one of its sides, will be only 
 550 yards. It must be obvious that any operation, such as going 
 to, or from plough, carting manure’, corn, or turnips, will be 
 
18 
 
 -within the least possible distance, and can be performed at the 
 least possible expense; it -will then be fair to calculate how 
 many, or what proportion of horse labour can be saved in the 
 occupation of every 100 acres, compared with the occupation 
 in its original state, taking into account always that there are to 
 be good straight roads to eveiy field, and that every field has 
 one-of its sides or ends abutting on this road, and that all the 
 fields are, with few exceptions, parallel to avoid schutes in 
 ploughing, and that there are no trees or hedges in the way. 
 By this means, a further saving will arise, owing to the roads 
 offering an outlet for carting off green crops direct from every 
 individual ridge without puddling the gateway, or the acre 
 contiguous thereto, thus working it into a plastic state, that un¬ 
 fits it for cultivation for some time, if it ever recovers its pristine 
 state. As before stated, no fences are contemplated, except those 
 forming the external boundary, and next public roads or lanes, 
 and a small enclosed homestead, with a drift way to the nearest 
 public road. Any separation for depasturing, must be done by 
 moveable hurdles; but it will soon be found that the proper mode 
 of consuming green crops is by soiling, that is, by bringing 
 them home to be given to cattle and occasionally sheep, in 
 proper feeding sheds and yards, by which means a great addition 
 of manure, both solid and liquid, is secured, that would otherwise 
 pass off by evaporation in the summer season, whereas it being 
 secured, it can be applied so as to gain a second, and in some in¬ 
 stances, a third crop off the same land in one season. This is 
 the fact with the land near Edinburgh, and this will be available 
 to a small extent, say three acres eveiy year upon eveiy farm of 
 250 acres. This is named as a preliminary measure, but it will 
 undoubtedly be done to a much greater extent, as soon as men 
 begin to see by actual experience the advantage to be gained by 
 it. Now then, again, let the farmer imagine himself directing 
 his operations. He will undoubtedly be able to conduct his busi¬ 
 ness with three horses instead of four, as formerly employed, and 
 eveiy other operation will be carried out with a similar saving, 
 and if one horse is saved upon eveiy 100 acres, and cost of stock, 
 keeping and physic of such horse, reckoned at J30 per annum, 
 
19 
 
 the saving will be at the rate of 6s. per acre upon such 100 acres. 
 If the rent of the farm is 30s. per acre, and the hedges cover one 
 tenth of the land, the absence of such hedges will be at the rate 
 of 3s. per acre, or in other words, the land uncovered with hedges 
 would be available to the growth of crops in that proportion, and 
 the gain will be more, for it is not merely the land covered that 
 is gained, it is all the land near that is affected by the influence of 
 fences or hedges and trees, either by the direct action of the 
 roots, weeds, insects, and atmospheric influence, harbour for game, 
 and prejudicial effects in a wet harvest, and cannot be reckoned at 
 less than 6s. per acre, compared to common unimproved farming, 
 and even 10s. per acre on wet and clay lands. It is proposed that 
 no great head of game shall be kept, except partridges, which 
 a farmer is to do all in his power to preserve. With this under¬ 
 standing, a loss of 10s. per acre, may be avoided where the game is 
 now rampant, but as this is not always the case, let us take 6 s. per 
 acre for this saving; even the bare possibility of having a head of 
 game is worth that sum, as frequently such possibility deters 
 farmers from making improvements at all. 
 
 The saving of manual labour will be one hour per man per 
 day, or ten per cent, or on 30s. per acre, will be 3s. per acre. 
 The saving by the new mode of securing the crop in harvest, 
 will be at five per cent, on 120 acres, at £7 per acre, nearly 
 3s. 6d. per acre on the whole farm. These altogether amount 
 to 23s. 6d. per acre at the lowest scale, and 32s. 6d. per acre 
 at the highest, and the relief by an equal assessment to the 
 poor and county rates, will probably exceed 2s. 6d. per acre more. 
 These are merely the savings that will arise out of the new 
 arrangement, without taking anything for the increase of crops 
 and production that will inevitably ensue according to the 
 skill and assiduity of the occupier, to an extent not contem¬ 
 plated by three fourths of the farmers of the present day, 
 and the only means by which the author can convey a remote 
 idea, will be by comparing the produce of every acre, as being 
 equal to the very best crop that has been known in the neigh¬ 
 bourhood. 
 
 It is of course taken for granted, that the tenant farmer will 
 
have read the whole of this Essay, and has carried out the whole 
 system of cattle rearing and feeding that is contemplated by 
 the new farm buildings, including soiling and stall feeding all 
 summer, so as at least to double the number of cattle ever turned 
 off fat, from the same quantity of ground. This production, in 
 which the foreigner can never successfully compete, should be the 
 sheet anchor in the new system. 
 
 Should a lease appear more desirable by both parties in 
 carrying out the new arrangements, it ought to be for a 
 sufficient length of time to extinguish the amount of the first 
 outlay—say twenty years, and the only restrictive covenants the 
 Author sees necessary (after the usual reservations), is to limit 
 positively the cropping—one green or pulse crop, to one white 
 straw or corn crop, and so on alternately; and, except in par¬ 
 ticular localities, the whole of the hay, straw, and green crops to 
 be consumed on the premises. 
 
 Enough has now been shewn that every farm is expected 
 henceforth to be cultivated like a garden, and produce accord¬ 
 ingly. Can it therefore for one moment be supposed that a 
 garden cannot compete with a wilderness, for the wilderness 
 • cannot sow and grow com, and bring it to the English market 
 under forty shillings per quarter; besides which, our millers can 
 only use a limited quantity. They must have wheats of home 
 growth to mix to produce wholesome flour, and whenever the 
 price approaches the minimum, more home wheats will be used 
 in proportion. Supposing the fanner on the new system is 
 able to produce only one-third more corn than is now grown on 
 the same land, which every one will allow to be perfectly 
 practicable, he will undoubtedly be in a condition to produce 
 double the quantity of meat, or in other words, the production 
 ■ of one-half his land will be one-third greater, and for the other 
 ' half it will be double, and this last without fear of foreign 
 competition. If things be so, there is at once an ample margin 
 for hope and discreet exertion, which will be far better than 
 emigration, which, after all, is no light affair even as far as hard 
 work is concerned. Roughing it out in the bush will be found a 
 poor method of taking revenge upon Free Trade, to say nothing 
 
21 
 
 I for hope and discreet exertion, which will be far better than 
 emigration, which, after all, is no light affair even as far as hard 
 iv0 rk is concerned. Roughing it out in the bush will be found a 
 poor method of taking revenge upon Free Trade, to say nothing 
 of the loss of life, expense, and the usual casualties of such a 
 proceeding. 
 
 Political economists may attempt to prove the new system will 
 lead to over-production, but they must remember that great 
 changes cannot be effected without the effluxion of time, during 
 which population will increase; and when foreigners find we are 
 in earnest as to keeping them out of the market, they will not 
 make provision to supply us beyond what may appear probable 
 will be wanted. It is not reasonable to suppose that this or that 
 plan can be carried into effect instantaneously. The Author 
 lias generally observed, that twenty years is about the period in 
 which great works are in hand, from the first crude idea being 
 published, to the final completion; and should this new system 
 lie twenty years before it is universally productive, no fear need 
 lie entertained on the score of over-production. The most 
 difficult matter to guard against is fluctuation in prices that will 
 occur in the early stage of the transition. This may be evaded 
 by capitalists withholding their corn when very low, but that is 
 merely speculative, and foreign not only to farming in general, 
 hut also subversive of the regular consumption of straw, &c. and 
 consequent production of manure. 
 
 If any readers are dissatisfied with the Author’s suggestions, 
 they will do well to think over the subject, and study the same in 
 whatever books are at hand; they will probably find the autho¬ 
 rities for the foregoing quotations—thus discovering as much as 
 the half-ruined and sick farmer did, who was advised by his 
 physician to rise at four o’clock every morning, and drink at a 
 certain spring, situated at the extremity of his farm. He did 
 so, and found his neighbour’s cattle eating up the grass in the 
 spring meadow, while his own were starving for want of it. 
 Thus by one effort he was able to recover his health, and see the 
 cause of tire want of his worldly success. 
 
 .It was the writer’s intention to have given references at the 
 
22 
 
 foot of each page, but the desire to have this Essay published 
 previous to the Norwich Meeting of the Koyal Agricultural 
 Society prevented. ' The whole is therefore from memory and 
 much from dear-bought experience, for it is a fact that the Author 
 has had experience as a member of every class of persons 
 he has taken the liberty to address, and may be likened 
 to the “Mother who looked in the oven for her daughter,” simply 
 because she had been there herself under similar circumstances. 
 
 The Author cannot close this Essay without addressing a few 
 words to the rising generation who are desirous of becoming 
 tenant farmers, who are as much interested as any party in 
 the future prospects of farming; and they will do w r ell to weigh 
 the chances of success that are before them. First, it is 
 necessary they should distinctly understand, that in all common 
 cases it will be very difficult for the sons of the present genera¬ 
 tion to maintain a similar position in .society to that of their 
 fathers, owing to the sub-division of property amongst the 
 members of a family, frequently leaving each share too small to 
 take an occupation equal to, or in any way to be compared to 
 their fathers. 
 
 Probably the new system will require a greater number of 
 Clerks and Bailiffs, which will afford the best opportunity of 
 acquiring experience, as it will be at free cost—no small advan¬ 
 tage to a young man—for the writer is decidedly of opinion that 
 no man under 30 years of age ought to take a large farm on his 
 own account, no matter wiiat his capital may be, unless it be 
 under the guidance of a father, or an equally responsible and 
 confidential adviser. 
 
 The Author now begs to conclude, trusting he will have as 
 much indulgence with his readers, as the value of his sugges¬ 
 tions will permit; and however wild they may appear, he is 
 prepared to carry out every principle, and it should be borne in 
 mind, that every great change has been viewed with distrust when 
 first shewn to the world. Witness the introduction of gas, which 
 was entirely disbelieved, and when the late Mr. Stephenson, be¬ 
 fore a Committee of the House of Commons, stated the possibility 
 of travelling thirty miles per hour per rail, all the Members fell 
 
back in tlieir chairs with roars of laughter; and the Author 
 remembers in his own practice, the scepticism that shewed 
 itself when he was about to introduce a steam engine in 
 draining some marshes. Nevertheless as the engine did drain 
 the marshes, the sceptic parties were as loud in their praise as 
 they were formerly in their doubts. Only looking for a clear 
 stage and no favour, to the well informed part of the agricultural 
 community he begs to apologize for the many trite and frequent 
 repetitions, as he has endeavoured to frame the subject to the 
 capacity of the non-reading farmer, (to use the most favourable 
 and least offensive definition,) and hopes the friendly advice here 
 offered, will be taken in the way it is meant—to beware of, 
 “ Had I wist,”* when it is too late. 
 
 The Author is delighted that a Second Edition is called for, 
 a proof that his efforts may become useful. The remarks and 
 assurances he has received from all classes of agriculturists are 
 also those of satisfaction, and in no case has he been accused 
 of class prejudice; all are glad the truth has been spoken. He 
 is also glad his production has excited the criticism of the 
 public press, although he has seen no arguments used that he 
 did not expect from such quarters; and although it would be 
 extremely easy to expose ignorance, it by no means follows that 
 time can be devoted to such a graceless task, nevertheless, any 
 gentleman of known agricultural practice shall be replied to 
 upon inquiring into any parts that may appear obscure. He 
 still persists in saying it was the spft texture of the debate at 
 the Farmers’ Club that aroused his faculties to furbish up his 
 armour. 
 
 It is quite true he has been a landowner, gentleman, and 
 tenant farmer; also a cow-boy, cow-keeper, and bullock-tender, 
 in which last capacity he invented a turnip-cutter, for which he 
 received a medal from the Society of Arts in 1827, and also 
 
24 
 
 satisfied himself that by constant attention to the feeding of 
 Galloway Scots they could bo as easily fatted in nine months as 
 by the old “ happy-go-lucky” way in twelve months. 
 
 Let the public decide between the Author and the Critic. 
 
 Norwich , 8th August, 1849. 
 
 NORWICH : 
 
 BACON AND KINNEBROOK, PRINTERS, MERCURY OFFICE.