The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-04 00:00:00

One of the objections assigned to this practice is that when
the land is allowed to be unploughed all the winter "it
does not spoil the early partridge shooting, as there is no
occasion for the immediate removal of the stubble." But
Mr. Raynbird does not state, as is the fact, th .t on a large
proportion of Suffolk farms the tenants are actually restricted ,
by their covenants from cutting their corn crops, so as not to '
leave a high stubble, and from breaking up the land after grain
until late in the autumn, in order that the owners of the
land may enjoy the puerile diversion of partridge shouting in
the greatest perfecticnt. He does not mention another com-
mon covenant in Suffolk, by which the fernier is bound to
thresh hie grain by flail, on the plea of employing the
labourers. Al if the money saved by the use of machinery
might notbe more profitably employed in cultivation. Since
the time of Arthur Yoult's report the rent of lend in
Suffolk has advanced one hundred per teat , and in spite of
difficulties of all sorts to which the farmers have been sub-
jected there is no doubt that the produce of the land has
increased in at least an equal ratio. Our next extract refers
to the improvements still required " in the county generally "
" In Suffolk, as well as in many other parts of the country
farmers are frequently baund by covenants for the cultiva-
tion of their laud under a certain rotation, without suffi-
eiently considering that one rotation or system is not suited
to every description of soil, or that more than one kind of
moll occurs on the same farm. That it is an error to ima-
gine the fourcoueae or tiny other rotation is the best teat
son be adopted, we may mention the opinion of Mr. Piney,
who sass, • The merits of the four-course system are great;
but a great defect, too, is its monotonous circle of wheat, tur-
nips, barley, and clover.' Hence, whatever crops are intro-
duced so at to remove to a greater distance the repetition of
this monotonous circle without breaking the arrangement of
growing a c ern and green crop slterseate!y is found to be
an improvement. The tanner is often obliged to adopt the
seine course of cropping on a stiff clay ss on a friable land,
although there are many unavoidable circumstances which
ruder it impracticable alwgs to farm in the manner laid
down with the rime profit that might be obtained should
some of these strineent conditions be taken off the farmer's
shoulders. For instance, by being bound to plough his
flows a certain number of times—in Suffolk frequently
five or six—the farmer, if a little behind-hand, which will
frequently occur, either from an excess of dry or wet
weather, will perhaps lose the opportunity of sowing his
root crops, merely because be has not yet given the regular
allowance of ploughing which be is bound to give, and
which the land is obliged to receive, without considering
whether he is doing good to the land or to himself by such
pros• clings. The farmer has often been told, and, doubt-
less with some reason, that he follows is the footsteps of his
father and grandfather, without stepping out of the way to
make improvements in the cultivation of the soil ; but as the
manner of cultivating that soil by a fixed system is often
chalked out by &lawyer, who is not competent to judge of i•.s
suitableness to the land, and from which the termer is not
allowed to deviate, how can it Ito expected that he should do
otherwise than tread in the footstep, of those who have pre-
ceded him ? The amount of game is also a great drawback
to improvements on much of the light land."
Of the farm buildings, he says,
" The greater part of the farm buildings of Suffolk, im-
proved as they may have been since the time of Arthur
Young, are yet far behind the cultivation of the soil, particu•
lierly those on the heavy land. In every village are to be
sees buildings arranged in every form except that which
would give economy in the manufacture of manure, or in the
feeding of cattle. Large and expensive bares there are—
necessary, perhaps, for flail thrashing and seed farming, but
good and c,nvenitnt accommodatiou fir cattle is nearly dia-
log rded. In a word, many of the Suffolk tanneries consist
only of barns for storing and threshing grain, of a stable and
yard fur cart horses, and a shed for the shelter of machines;
the shed afforded to cattle is frequently inferior to that for
carts and waggons ; a horse-mend, the colour of the
water contained in it giving evident indications of
the presence of liquid manure, is the indispensable
adjunct to the buildings; and it may be said that one
of the greatest improvements required is in the erection of
farm buildings with greater accommodation for the housing
cattle and the manufacture of manure, the threshing of
grain, and the preparation of food for cattle. The expendi
tore for the repair of buildings of this description, built with
a view to economy (where stone or brick cannot be obtained
there is no better material than clay for this purpose), would
not be greater that', if equal to, that yearly spent about the
present inconvenient structures. The landlord would be
di rising interest on the money 'pent in the erection of good
buildings, and the tenant would reap much more from the
economical manufacture of manure, and com'ort to his cattle
afforded by fatter farm buildings- For in fettering cattle
scientific men have of late years taught us that warmth is
equivalei.t to food, and I leave it to any practical farmer to
say whether It is cheaper to supply this warmth by walls and
roofs or by food."
The essay a6o contains some interestirg evidence of the
antiquity of the practice of draining land in Suffo it, The
subject is one which requires a separate notice.
he other essay on the agriculture of Northumberland is
a concise and business-like paper, in which the writer, Mr.
Colhe ck, dwells upon the improvement made by teruip
husbandry, for which Northumberland has of late years
breome famous. Here, however, we find yearly tenancies
are prevalent; Mr. Colbeck says," Although the advantages
of long leases are yearly becoming more understood, a great
proportion of the tarms;in this comity are still let from year
to year. It will, indeed, seem strange that so absurd a
custom should be persisted in, when the ruinousconsequences
ere so apparent. In Northumberland the greatex improve-
ment has been made on the light land, and much of the
centre and south-east parts of the county consists •• gripper,
wet „heavy soil, producing comparatively inferior crops of corn,
unless within the reach of manure." In nothing, however, is
the conoeset between Northumberland and our southern
counties more striking than the condition of the agricultural
labourers. On this point the writer rays:
" A few yeses ago the writer had nn opportunity of com-
paring the condition of the farm labourers of Northumber-
land with those of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon, and never
can the differeuoe be forgotten. At that time the labourers
here were receiving at least 50 per cent. more wages than in
the southern counties, and, as already mimed, relief to able-
bodied paupers is entire ly unknown in Northumberland, the
demoralising, degrading effect of which practice upon the
people, is too well known to need any comment here. Al-
though not so ambitious as our neighbours in Scotland to
secure a classical education for the poor, there are very few
of our farm servants who do not manage to procure for their
children tile• common rudiments of an English education.
This c .mbination of circumstances his produced in
Northumberland a decidedly superior class of servants
to those in many of the southern counties. In the
populous districts it is now customary for • great
majority of the men to enrol themselves in selfaupporting
sick and burial clubs ; and though they may not be on the
beet peasoble plan, they are a pleasing sign of a wish
amongst the poor to place themselves above (what they con-
sider) the degrading application for parochial relief. It is
' still usual in many places to pay the yearly servants in the
produce of the farm; however, as the men are beginning to
find that they receive lees actual wages in this case than
when paid in money, the custom is fast dying away. The
work on the farms is now principally done by resident
married men, as their wives and children are round very
useful anal more to be ecepended en than those of the neigh-
, bowing cottager,. The married men are always eu-
gaged for the year at 14s, per week., with house and
coals. The young men, who always reside in the
farmer's house, receive about 201. per annum, and
the female servants about 91. to 101. There is every
prospect of a rise in the price of Labour consequent on the
demand caused by railways and the general briskness of
i trade in the district. For the ordinary work on the farm,
females are employed at 10d. per day ; and nearly the whole of
the harvest work in the county is done by women, who are
paid from 21. to 3s. per day. Where they cannot he procured,
Irish labourers are employed generally at so much per acre
and their food, the price varying with the crop."
r He also notices the various and opposite plans of draining
adopted by different persona in the county, on the merits of
which there is much diversity of opinion. Yet, while
r agriculturixs are not agreed as to what system of draining
r is a permanent improvement, the landowners have secured
r treaeury advances for draining. Surely this should suggest
, caution in such inteelerences with private enterprise.

TILE IRRATIONAL DEFENCES.
(From the P.ransiner.)
" Be not too exgete.te
To cut the falhlon of upeertam evile."7lllwrow.

About three weeks ago it was revealed to the public
that there was extant • terr•ble lett,r from the Duke of
Wellington to somebody, showing that the country was at
the mercy of the French, and that it might be taken any
day or any night, by a coup de main, for went of 10.000 ad-
ditional regular troops and 150.000 militia. A writer for
whom we nave a great esteem, who contributes to the daily
press under the signature of P. (the initial either of Popgun
or Panic) divulged this tale of terror, gracing it with decent
honor. The alarm was of course taken by half the public—
for alarm is always popular, and John Bull is ever ready to
be frightened out of his wits, unless he happens to pensive
that at the same time he is very likely to be frightened out
of his money.
The gist of the horrible discovery that has been made is
this, that in a time of profound peace we are not in the
state of preparation that would be suitable to war. The
Frenchman's advice as to carrying an umbrella was," When
it is fine always carry an umbrella ; when it rains do as you
like." The counsel as to defences is analogous. In profound
peace keep up your defences as if all the world were in arms
against you. In war, reduce them if you please. An ex-
cellent effect of this system would be, that war, whenever it
should happen, would differ in cost very little from peace,
and therefore people would cease to regard it with such ex-
treme repugnance. Indeed, when England and France
have raised works, planted cannon, and enrolled vest forces
against each other, the feeling will probably arise that such
preparations should not be made for nothing, and that it
will cost very little more, bloodshed only excepted, to
make use of them, and turn them to that profitable com-
modity—glory.
The type of ancient wisdom, Ulysses, thought it prudent
I to banish arms from an amicable meeting, saying the eight
of the iron tempts the man. The maxim, if you would be
at peace be prepared for war, wants emendation ; it should run,
if you would be at peace pay the full price of war. If you
would live on good terms with your neighbour, keep a
blunderbuss in your window loaded with slugs to the
muzzle, ready to do execution upon him in the event of '
trespass. Such preparations tend wonderfully to eordislity
and a good understanding—that is, the understanding of
mensal di•truet, and of a mutual alacrity for throat•eutting.
Six years ago we were laughing at the French for fortify-
ing Paris. Lord John Russell has felicitously defined • good
proverb as the wisdom of many, and the wit of one. The
fortification of Paris was the fully of many, and the craft of
one. But west is now demanded in sober England is not
the fortification of a city, but that of the whole coast-board.
We are to shut ourselves, like the Chinese, within a frontier
wall. One mays, if a war should break oat, what is to be-