limb with the plough, or the little sheep
cannot graze to advantage, human hands plant the Scotch larch or
fir, just as a tenant-gardener would set out cabbage-plants in odd
corners of his little holding which he could have no other use for.

Abbotsferry is just above Abbotsford, and is crossed in a small row-
boat. The river here is of considerable width and quite rapid. The
boat was kept on the other side; so I hallooed to a man engaged in
thatching a rick of oats to come and ferry me over. Without
descending from the ladder, he called to some one in the cottage,
when, to my surprise, a well-dressed young woman, in rather flowing
dress, red jacket, and with her hair tastefully done up in a net a-
la-mode, made her appearance. Descending to the river, she folded
up her gown, and, settling herself to the oars, "pushed her light
shallop from the shore" with the grace of The Lady of the Lake. In
a few minutes she ran the prow upon the pebbled beach at my feet,
and I took my seat at the other end of the boat. She did it all so
naturally, and without any other flush upon her pleasant face than
that of the exercise of rowing, that I felt quite easy myself and
checked the expression of regret I was on the point of uttering for
putting her to such service. A few questions convinced me it was
her regular employment, especially when her father was busy. I
could not help asking her if she had ever read "The Lady of the
Lake," but found that neither that romance nor any other had ever
invested her river experience with any sensibility except of a
cheerful duty. She was going to do the whole for a penny, her usual
charge, but I declined to take back any change for the piece of
silver I gave to her, intimating that I regarded it cheap at that to
be rowed over a river by such hands.

Almost opposite to Abbotsford I passed one of the best farming
establishments I had seen in Scotland. I was particularly struck
with a feature which will hereafter distinguish the steddings or
farm buildings in Great Britain. Steam has already accomplished
many changes, and among others one that could hardly have been
anticipated when it was first applied to common uses. It has
virtually turned the threshing-floor out of doors. Grain growing
has become completely out-of-door work, from seeding to sending to
market. The day of building two-story barns for storing and
threshing wheat, barley and oats is over, I am persuaded, in this
countr