enced eye--well drained, great double mounds thinned
out, but the supply of wood not quite destroyed--not a rush, a
'bullpoll,' a thistle, or a 'rattle,' those yellow pests of mowing
grass, to be seen. They have been weeded out as carefully as the
arable farmer weeds his plants. Where broad deep furrows used to
breed those aquatic grasses which the cattle left, drains have been
put in and soil thrown over till the level was brought up to the
rest of the field. The manure carts have evidently been at work
here, perhaps the liquid manure tank also, and some artificial aid
in places where required, both of seed and manure. The number of
stock kept is the fullest tale the land will bear, and he does not
hesitate to help the hay with cake in the fattening stalls. For
there are stalls, not so elaborately furnished as those of the
famous stock-breeder, but comfortable, clean, and healthy. Nothing
is wasted here either. So far as practicable the fields have been
enlarged by throwing two or three smaller enclosures together. He
does not require so much machinery as the great arable farmer, but
here are mowing machines, haymaking machines, horse-rakes, chain
harrows, chaff-cutters, light carts instead of heavy waggons--every
labour-saving appliance. Without any noise or puff this man is doing
good work, and silently reaping his reward. Glance for a moment at
an adjacent field: it is an old 'leaze' or ground not mown, but used
for grazing. It has the appearance of a desert, a wilderness. The
high, thick hedges encroach upon the land; the ditches are quite
arched over by the brambles and briars which trail out far into the
grass. Broad deep furrows are full of tough, grey aquatic grass,
'bullpolls,' and short brown rushes; in winter they are so many
small brooks. Tall bennets from last year and thistle abound--half
the growth is useless for cattle; in autumn the air here is white
with the clouds of thistle-down. It is a tolerably large field, but
the meadows held by the same tenant are small, with double mounds
and trees, rows of spreading oaks and tall elms; these meadows run
up into the strangest nooks and corners. Sometimes, where they
follow the course of a brook which winds and turns, actually an area
equal to about half the available field is occupied by the hedges.
Into this brook the liquid sewage from the cow-pens filtrates, or,
worse still, accumulates in a hollow, making a pond, disgusting to
look at, but which liquid, i