dead level. They had previously been thrown
into 'lands,' with a drain-trench on each side. On this dead level
water did not run off quickly, and the growth of weeds increased.
Tenants got into a habit of shirking the extirpation of the weeds.
The best farmers on the estate would not use it at all. To very
large tenants, and to small tenants who could not keep enough
horses, it was profitable at times. It did not appear that a single
sack more of wheat was raised, nor a single additional head of stock
maintained, since the steam-plough arrived.

Paul of Embersbury, who occupied some of the best meadow and upland
country, a man of some character and standing, had taken to the
shorthorns before Thardover succeeded to the property. Thardover
assisted him in every way, and bought some of the best blood. There
was no home-farm; the house was supplied from Bartholomew's dairy,
and the Squire did not care to upset the old traditionary
arrangements by taking a farm in hand. What he bought went to
Embersbury, and Paul did well. As a consequence, there were good
cattle all over the estate. The long prices formerly fetched by
Paul's method had much fallen off, but substantial sums were still
paid. Paul had faced the depression better than most of them. He
was bitter, as was only natural, against the reaction in favour of
black cattle. The upland tenants, though, had a good many of the
black, in spite of Paul's frowns and thunders after the market
ordinary at Barnboro' town. He would put down his pipe, bustle upon
his feet, lean his somewhat protuberant person on the American
leather of the table, and address the dozen or so who stayed for
spirits and water after dinner, without the pretence of a formal
meeting. He spoke in very fair language, short, jerky sentences, but
well-chosen words. He who had taken the van in improvements thirty
years ago was the bitterest against any proposed change now. Black
cattle were thoroughly bad.

Another of his topics was the hiring fair, where servant-girls stood
waiting for engagements, and which it was proposed to abolish. Paul
considered it was taking the bread and cheese out of the poor
wenches' mouths. They could stand there and get hired for nothing,
instead of having to pay half a crown for advertising, and get
nothing then. But though the Squire had supported the shorthorns,
even the shorthorns had not prevented the downward course things
agricultural were following.

Then there was