The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-26 00:00:00

BRITISH HUSBANDRY.

It is certain that at no former period has the state
of British landed preperty or the condition cf Its
owners and weepers excited more general and
earnest attention than at this moment. There ire
many causes, political and social, for this, which it is
reside our present purpose to discuss. Bot the result
is that rFequisitioes on practical agriculture form part
of the standing literature of the day. The gravest
Qoarterlies give elaborate snicks on husbandry,
written with minute attention to details and technical
knowledge of farm management. Of this the
paper on " Cattle and Sheer in the re-
sent number of the Quarterly R4VIIO affords a strik-
illastratios. Though written in the jaunty style
elope who has got up the subject rather than in the*
of an earnest practical farmer, the paper codeine
mach that will be read with interest and advantage
by breeders of stock, as well as by general MAWS
The number and superior character of works on
Nature la'ely published also mark the in
estimation in which it is held. Of this Mr. Ste
" Book of the Farm "•is an instance. The two first
parts of a new and revised edition, now before us,
afford the opportunity to show on good practical
authority whit is the actual state cf agricultural
knowledge, and how far the practice is in conformity
irith the lmowleige. The ,plan of the " Book of the
Farm" is this: the writer potato out the mode in which
the intending farmer can best snake himself thoroughly
acquainted with his business, and then goes regularly
through all the year's business of the farm, common•
sang with winter, which is naturally the commence-
ment of the farmer's year. The best way cf acquiring
a knowledge of farming is to become a pupil in the
house of a good practical termer ; and the selection of
a competent tutor is obviously most important to the
future well-bsirg of the young farmer. " A tutor-
farmer," says Mr. Stephens, " should possess a me-
nd reputation of btieg a good farmer—that is, a
skilful cultivator of land, a successful breeder, and an
excellent jade of stock. Ile should posseniegresable
manners, and have the power of communicating
his ideas with ease. He should occupy a good
farm, consisting, if possible, of a variety of soils, and
situate in a tolerably good climate—neither on the
top of a high hill nor on the confines of a large moor
or bog, nor in a warm abelteted nook, but in the
midst of a well-cultivated country. Such eircum-
Masco of soil and locality should be requisites in a
arm intended for the residence of pupils. The top of
a hill exposed to every wind that blows, or the nem-
ay of a bog overspread with damp vapour, would
place the farm in a climate in which no kind of crop
or stock could arrive at perfection; while a very shel-
tered spot and warm situation would give the pupil
no idea of the disappointments experienced in a pre-
carious climate." And, we would add, the locality se-
lected should be one in which the standard of cultivation
is a high one, for the observant pupil will learn much
from the practices of the neighbours of his tutor, and
by comparing the variations -between the methods of
several good farmers. The pupil mot remain for
one year at the least—three years would be the proper
time; and the commencement of winter is the beat
time for beginning, as he will then see all the year's
business from first to last, from seed time until har-
vest. And he should set to work in earnest. "The
first thing the pupil should become well acquainted
with is the physical geography of the farm, that is,
its position, exposure, extent; its fences, whether of
wall or hedge; its shelter, in relation to rising
grounds and plantations; its roads, public or private,
whether conveniently directed to the different fields
or otherwise; its fields, their number, names, sizes,
relative. positions. and supply of water; the tion
of the iarm-house and firm-offices. Familiar ac-
quaintance with all these particulars will enable him
to understand more readily the orders given by the
farmer fn the work to be performed in any field. A
plan of the farm would much facilitate its familiar
acquaintance. The tutor-farmer should be provided
with such a plan, to give to each of his pupils ; but if
he has none, the pupil can construct one for himself,
which will answer the purpose." The varied ar-
rangements of field-work performed by men and
horses should be well observed and understood.
The most important faculty the fanner can possess is
foresight.
It is in the exercise of the faculty of anticipation that the
experksiced and careful farmer is coniradiatinguished from
the ignorsat and careless. ladeed, let the experience of
farming he ever so extensive—or, in other words, let the
knowledge of minutiae be ever so safimsts, wiles the farmer
guide his experience by foresight, he will sever be enabled to
conduct a farm aright. Both fortnight and experience are
acquired by observation ; and, though observation es open to
all farmers, all do not profit by it. Every farmer may. se-
vere in time suede= experience to conduct a farm in a
=usable 1111•0111.1; but many farmers never acquire foresight,
they sever =ilia, and therefore data derive the
greatest advantage from their experience. Conducting a
firm by foresight is thus a higher acquirement than
the most intimate knowledge of the minutiae of labour.
. . . The necessity of possesaing kresight in arranging
the minufte of labour before the pupil can with con-
fidence undertake the direction of a farm, renders farming
more difficult of acquirement, and a limner time of being
acquired than most other arts. This statement ma., seem
ineredible to those who are accustomed to hear of farm-
ing being easily and soon learned by the meaneet capacity.
No doubt it maybe acquired in time to a arta= degree by
all who a» capable of improvement by observation and ex-
perience ; but, severtheless, the ultimate ends for which the
marinas kinds of lad-work are prosecuted are involved in
obscurity to every learner. la most other arts no greet time
usually elapses between the eanneeneememt and completion
of a puce of work, and every niece of work is continued in
hand until Wad Ma beginner can thus soon waive the
connexion between the minutest portion of the work in
which he is espied sad the object for which the work is
prosecuted. He is thus led by defines fees the sleepiest to
the most oomplieated park of kis art, so that his mind is not
=militia at the outset by observing a eauliplieity of
Eons at one time. He thus begirt* to acquire true experience
and even foresight, if he reflects from the outset.
And the pupil should not only observe the work-

he amid estisionally work biinsHtlf. lest Dim put
blown bend to the plough—let him acquire some
amelliall dexterity in all the different farm works.
liething will more induce his servants in a'ter-lits to
obey his implicitly than a conviction on their part
that be can at once detect negligence or ignorance.
Books, also, should be consulted and studied. Though
many circumstances may finally determine the sort of
Stem on which the young farmer may setttle, the
pupil should go where he can acquire the ka
requisite for any branch of husbandry. Ur=
not place himself on a purely pastoral bim,
where the business is confined to the rearing el
cattle; nor on what in Scotland is called a " ewe •
farm, that is a fiat, rkb, clayey soil, capable of grew-
ing all sorts of grain in pnieetion but sneaked fee
stock; nor on a farm near a large town; nor on a
dairy farm ,• nor on an arable, on which or* ef the
dmitis and sheep are yearly purchased, fattened, and
dd.
A derided
been ea this system kag ago originated
sod Yes doss beea yeastimei Is the rowdies ef Berwick and
lealursk ia ; earl et Werthandisdeat in Ite gland .
The arse of this tapered mutest eiwkines s l the (Iselin-
Wien of the oedema ideal el enseims anawarataL Bear-
ing elate awl awl haulms weal I.Mime of,
soma.ie a
Omsk Yam. sal ems ho
W heralei eTt e Car Assn.Osseertiss
se barge GM donee sear the salves are wesias
mew the intoning =gado sea day firmer.
malls eel deep is whiter es sendoe, be Mewls the
of ha seeds. a well es the orillsity braes la rills diellialet
and heeedlig mad mains ell hit Meek, be ankle the gw
em see wale of the dudes bested. Thai emblem mole
!dale el iliawki wait the el his hoe. ho
the eartieelee emtest et eat weeket, awl thereby
ths sphere of Ws gaits, width are awry year AM sanest
ad meek WNW may se his seamen. This is NM the
Blued nesbasalry, below is mamma ell the NOW
preethei We voreaery. It le perassalal is a
maser hum Sit la localities whore a parties's: heath le
=tl.es the WY Mien of farming, brews ime
mot be wended eo es to coatillinte
le the welters of the rest, and id opholiimi ••airteal
Apparlisees
miliaria a luirsonious whole le pewhieni.
Mask a mid ty of oblate &meads mete thet winery
saleades eI&L Doubtless the Armen of the What
nth al we skilful la the prude, of the beeills
eilik =irk but the more varied yeeillee of the
ads& Wises weistillty of West mai salaam
it kw wade ate Irmo the
attil= ma= la the country. The Ware
esessi• we set all the mem highly cultivated NelbeLol
the hissina, hat mortis the soot valuable et We
stock ; eat am the
he hrialtendry canast he
within Renew liwita, she hem are large, ask bathes
awes la ezwat. The esplid revoked barest
Mae the
Mod, end the =nee el enable cellars , Is
though pater less We the bet aimed syeben.iawhiti
the entire Sock ere leweleassi eta NM sway year; esti
bens they we twnei • llylas Mesh. The sale ad Wilk
~tsar wheat the raw. Neither is doiseedeed ti r 4
ce= el sell sad twenty like the etheir asliale, hat
has a happy Ara of coeilledlea la say"; War
w meet eissismermoss.
And the system of nixed husbendry offers many and
sonriderable advantages to the pupil as well as the
ibrisee. Kr. Stephens aye :
Xy roes fie 1080110EIMOV the rained husbandry is Ora
•Ms " ink situ num" =amok Ws. ass
Williak L sat U. .11irkumnm

te Wet