The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-04-03 00:00:00

aortculturr.

IMPROVED AGRICULTURE

Mr. Mechi, writiug to the Tim" pays:—

The edricultural world hi es been thrown into a Mate
of considereble excitement and anger by the publication
uf my farming halftime-sheet. . .

I am apttinisheil that the great subject of agricultural
progress sl la be degraded to a mere iwrsonal question,
as if the fitilure or toUrCe.l of a single individusl could
influence such a VAAL matter. Every farmer and every
landlord could test by a single acre whether drainage on
• stiff clay does not determine the question -of a profit
or a lops ; and yet our best authorities tel us that
13-16ths of the stiff clays of E.ugland are Sill um
. . . . . . .

•--i1;;•;,e remark will apply to improved cultivation,
which dor* not at present equal, on an average, the
height of a common wineglass. The proprietor of Tip.
tree might hove become bankrupt long ago, and yet
shelter for stock, good roads, open field*, wore meat
made and more manure, kin seed, the use of xteaui
power. and irrigation were practicable, would he great
agricultural truths. Agriculturists are by no means
agreed as to what voistitutes farm profit. One noble
lord writes to iue that houtekeeping expenses and Imam
rent are iii him neiglittourbiesl not isisiriilereil as forming
any portion of farm profits. What would Leodon
merchants tay to this? I have been made the subject
of most virulent abuse, as though I were really a great
enemy to British agriculture. I beg to nature my farm-
ing friend.* that 1 have always aineerrly desired to do
theta good, for I have laboured both by precept and
example to prove to them that the concurrent action of
landlord awl tenant in a judicious course of improve-
ment (which is very extnnsively needed) is the only cure
way to increase the welfare of all win, are coneented in
British agriculture.
Pittarnesylox oV.Gottla.-1 was very much plowed
with 51r. Corbel's paper min the Orer-Preservation of
Gone ; it ix exactly what my sentimenta have been for
3,0111 e mare. I think the avnein of letting pule from
the tenant.; is very base. Who is 110 much entitled to
the "Mlle where it cannot .be any object to the landlord
as the tenant? When landlord-, wish to reserve the
game for their own amusement or that of their friends,
they have of course a Pin right to do om, and nineteen
tenants out of twenty WOUld hmlklighttNi to allow them
good sport; but I In not approve of its being let to
strangerr. A ease in pcint occurred in thit neighbour-
hood last year. A gentlcnian lisik a mansion with elollle
of the land and the g. • upon the surniuntlin- innate ;
he forh-ol the tenants &annoying a bangle head. had a
great number of keepers, and the gnome had SO Much fia-
t-m.ll that it Lecanie in itui-anee to the tenants,. one
Of them complain .1 of the &image, and the reply was,
"If you are ibot satisfied I *ill take your farm ;" and I
WWI informed the said gentleman sold 40,000 rabbits last
yea r. T.
W.tims IX S 114.410(.• As a li/tle inquiry it going ctii
respecting wages. I send you all account of what they
are in Sasses. at least in this nei;:libiairliisel, where per-
haps they are as high as in any part of the comity.
Carter, Ils. a week .1:24 124. Od.
Howie rent at 2c. 5 0 0
Extra for barren, as they have 15 for
the iiiii ut 2 16 0
For beer at hay-making, 6d. per day 0 4 6
Ditto harvest 0 5 0

36 17 6
or • little over 14s. a week. There are no peniuisites
of any kind. and though looks no much higher than
Bg. or 111., yet one on adding all llama together emu find
what at no time seemed to me a mystery why the
So.sex carter did not seem any better Lathan the Wetted
Ulae.

.111r.linary laixuurerx, N. a week r2".1 tir. (hi.

- .
Maar tent 5 0 0
Extra earnell by piece-work 512 0
lusteatl of brer for hay and harvest
day work

010 0

310 6
or a little over 13s. a week. Ordinary shepherds are the
C ime s. carters, with a little for the extra troublo of
lambing. perlisp. from 10 to 40. i. Vol in Stbsiez we
know what the wages are. as twarly all Are imi.l in cash
moue give beer during hay and liamed. Mit 1101 00 much
a they 410 in I loract. and this will not make emelt differ.
enee in the rate, a. 6.1. a day is deCnif.,l a fair .libstitlite.
But I must take the liberty of saying that I tldiik the
Dorset wages are drawn out rather farther than the
Isbouren would he dill med to admit they rally are.
Having lisid several years'll:XlWr:VllCe I will state
as nearly as I Con front memory what they were 7 or
year.: ago :
Cirt,r, su. a week k2O 16a.
• noose and garaeit it 0 0
For fuel 1 U 0
wound, commuted for money 3 3 0
Jouniey t..y. about 1 it 0
Entre for h rse,t 1 U 0
! I t Beer, hay uuil harre.t, any 2 U 0

3400
or about 10. a week, but this al.l.lhot to the head
carters only ; the under oncs have mg the satnejourney
money nor the ',wile for liarec-t —perhaps la. a week
leas. Shepher.ls imve about the saute as carters. with
perhaps 111 cairn fir lambing, or 10. a aeon,. I cannot
speak of ordinary labourers front nietuory, aa they earned
elana at piece work ; their regular wages were 94. with-
out lieu*, or garden, and if there was one on the farm,
they hail it a: Is. a seek. and I do not think I ant far
out in stating their average wages at 10e. Gd. to Ils. •
week.G. S. --11:tirrespontleut of the Agrirolhiral Geaette.
• Cottage rent is higher in Sussex than Dorset from 6d.
to Is., but I have put thou at the .me.
t Hay waking is a much longer busiticu in Dorset than
Sussex, as there are hags tracts of water meadows in
the former.