very poor crop. He who looks forward
to eat grapes from his own vine, and to sit under the shade of his own
fig-tree, must labour in every country. He must exert more than ordinary
activity. The attorney's clerk I also thought out of his province. I dare
believe that he finds cultivating his own land not half so easy a task
as he formerly found that of stringing together volumes of tautology
to encumber, or convey away, that of his neighbour. Hubbard's farm, and
Kelly's also, deserve regard, from being better managed than most of the
others. The people here complain sadly of a destructive grub which destroys
the young plants of maize. Many of the settlers have been obliged to
plant twice, nay thrice, on the same land, from the depredations of these
reptiles. There is the same guard here as at the other settlements.

Nothing now remains for inspection but the farms on the river side.

December 7th. Went to Scheffer's farm. I found him at home, conversed with
him, and walked with him over all his cultivated ground. He had 140 acres
granted to him, fourteen of which are in cultivation, twelve in maize, one
in wheat and one in vines and tobacco. He has besides twenty-three acres
on which the trees are cut down but not burnt off the land. He resigned his
appointment and began his farm last May, and had at first five convicts to
assist him; he has now four. All his maize, except three acres, is mean.
This he thinks may be attributed to three causes: a middling soil; too dry
a spring; and from the ground not being sufficiently pulverized before the
seed was put into it. The wheat is thin and poor: he does not reckon its
produce at more than eight or nine bushels. His vines, 900 in number,
are flourishing, and will, he supposes, bear fruit next year. His tobacco
plants are not very luxuriant: to these two last articles he means
principally to direct his exertions. He says (and truly) that they will
always be saleable and profitable. On one of the boundaries of his land is
plenty of water. A very good brick house is nearly completed for his use,
by the governor; and in the meantime he lives in a very decent one,
which was built for him on his settling here. He is to be supplied with
provisions from the public store, and with medical assistance for eighteen
months, reckoning from last May. At the expiration of this period he is
bound to support himself and the four convicts are to be withdrawn. But if
he shall then, or at any futu