The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-05-07
THE STORY or an ENGLISH FIRM
M1D-ESohANp, April 1o.-Farmers in this

N'uHlJ BcItIdlID pNg lItll Itul b'lul-uiIlu-
ally. tho majority discharging that respons-
bility on Lady Day and Michaclmas The
observance of those particular dates, rather
than midsummer and the end of December. is
traditional our andholdors having. with true
conservative Instinct. mainly adhered TO the
ancient Roman and Did English way Of begin
ming the year on tho 18th OF March. 10 Il worry
great number. both Of thcm and their tenants
the late anniversary canlc fraught with unomu-
lous results aud reflections. l propose 10 glye
you some account of their present condition
and prospects, not. IA heretofore. embracing
any wido area. but limiting my observations to
my own immediate vicinity.
/ live. and have lived for oightoen years In
northern ON!ordshire. A glance at an ordnance
map will show that tho western boundary OF
this part Of the country follows that h gh and
Irregular range Of hills overlooking the great
vale OF Warwckshirc while on tie east ii is
defined by the meandcrings Of the little river
Chorwcll, save for the upper slope OF u sharp
angle which projects elbow wise into tho green
pasures OF Northamptonshire Almost upon
that slope. and therefore close to tho boundary
line Of the two counties. is tho village in which
l reside. 1t is district OF table land
elevated far above the vale aforesaid. but
notchcd aud Jagged into doep valleys. in some
of which the towns and villages are
placed. biologists tell us that Wnrwickshire
was once covered by great inland sea. tho
waves OF which " rushed across the Fedon and
broke in heavy surEes against the promontory
which we know rs the Dassctt Hills and edded
and flowed in many bay which it had shaped
for itself in the estuary now forming the valley
OF the Chcrwe ut present traverscd by tho
Great Western Railway on It's road to Ban
bury" Situated for the most part on the
inferior o0ite the ferruginous sandstone
OF which Is conspicuous in tho churches.
houses. cottages. and walls of tho To-
cality being commonly used instead OF
brick). the rich. red. loamy soil OVERLAPPING it
far excels that Of other parts OF the country
and indeed. was once called Dob,1,i Dotu or
the fat and fortile land. by the aboriginal Britons
who inhabited II and appropriated the first
word for their tribal designation. In midland
Oxfordshiro we have dccomposod stonebrash
or limestone with sand and loam and In the
Chiltorns, or southeast. 4 sandy loan laid ON
chalk. Tho hills OF our breezy uplands are
often wooded; tho meadows beautifully varie-
gated with rich foliage. loss frequently massed
into copsos or spnneys than cheekoring the
landscape with sylvan irrcgularity. Only water
In what IA American would think adequate
proportions is lacking to make the country
perfectly charming. though. according to a
common saying. the rivers OF Oxfordshirs are
threo SCORE and ton In number. But by this
term must be understood more streams or
brooks. such as you would hardly denoninate
crooks or bestow a name upon. These. how
evor. subserve the purpose OF watering the
cattle and keeping tho meadows In the greenest
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. too much 80 during tho
late exceptionally wet seasons. Until then
farming could scarcely have been prosecuted
more a.rccably or to greater advantage than
in this district throughout England
just over the range Of table land which shell
the verdant Northanptonshire meadows. lives
the Squire of those parts. tho largest landed
proprietor, in Il handsome GoorgI an mansion,
erected by ono OF his ancestors. whose son
pulled down and abolished an adjacent village.
NOT not, caring to have poor people 50 near his
things hundred md thirty years ago. Built
in the psoudo-classic style of the period.
OF the hrown sandstone OF the country. tho
edhco IL pleasantly situated IN asecluded spot.
commanding charming views both from its
eastern and western fronts; on the first an ar
tiirial lake communicating with tho Cherwell.
Beyond. under the grassy turf Of the low lying
where have been found frasmentary pottery,
tilcs tesseated pavement. and money. in short,
tle rcllcs c"hinon TO such localities. EGt this
Oy NE way. Our business Is with the Squire
and his tenants.
For an untitled country gentleman he is n
ties He might. 1 thing. ride from east to
west over has own domain for three miles, and
twice AS much north and SOUTH PERHAPS de-
Quoting in that direction some Intervening
fields where tho estate Of another proprietor
% Of IL must p msdow S The aG Sa
arabic, nearly all good soil. though some OF
fhn uphnds are tusSltky. or fluffy with bog. or
long. course aft"r--rass. left unknown or I'M
oaten by the cattle in pasture through the win
tor. especially in the dried-up channels of the
many little brooks which formerly ran down
from the hills to augment the stream of the
Cherwell. or flood the always moist fields near
by. But mainly II is excellent land. and par
tlcularly adapted for grazing for which in
decd: Northanrtonshiro enjoys deserved
n4t tIn
rich. green meadows stretching away in "a sue
e"ssion of hills and dales and champni;n coun-
aly from the Ugh range oi tho ElsAhills to
the lens bryDnd Peterborough. a distance OF
1ill 'Nty -aiX miles. IN: landscape ID thoroughly
Until recently with tho exception Of n home
i InrIn '2mI.inISuons to ms mnnplon and managed
tate 10 some hall dozen tenants. from whom he
Obtained rents averaging from 81 tbs. ~ 81 los.
an acre. This must have produced Il good in
come and. Is farms 70 in this country. it rop-
resents hrnthcr large aggregate Of land 10 each
tenant. Like all of his class ho preferred a
few occupiers. possess ing capital. To many
small holders Of limited means. The first are
safer with regard to prompt payment aud alba
to improve tie soil al their own cost leaving it
IN better condition. and therefore cHplblu of
hr,n&inE higher r"nt; while the second may
comes dieagrcoablel and they staryc or bni:gar
the land lacking help from Is owner. doubt
SGT Of tenants II they had teen specially Gre
ated for him; and l proceed 10 Sketch some
Tho ilrst. though not tho largest occupler
had begun life ON his own account at 81 with a |
young wife and nmrte means Tor tho proseru-
ton of u hu~ mess 20 which h" WIS particularly
adapted 10y nature. inclination and training
A. Byron said of Groris" H.. II better farmer
nr'rr brushed dew from lawn'-nor gra2irr |
either, Al his pleasures centred n his vora-
ton; he did not care ovon Tor fJN hunting !
tthat common Indulgence Of hi ci7Sl or for |
shooting; and. in consequence. could hrhuid |
the strictly preserved game p0pumiing the |
spnunys on his land. in the mmediui" Vicinity |
oi his wheat md turnip fields. without any !
sportsmauik" do-ire tor their slaughter or |
worse fee ilDGs than w"rc inevitably provoked |
10y the duuGl"" To his crops. But IN" took !
this, rs he dill everything, good -nutUrrlly and
was. indeed. So k!udly and amihhlr - uun that !
hr had cyorybody'- good word aud us lnbr.crs |
esteemed themselves fortunate ia hcn~ hired !
by him. Even when they got drunk one har- !
vest time. on tine bocr which had been rather !
too Literally dispensed to thom. and upset and |
broke II wngou. he forgive it,. and unr"r |
scochcd thriI wages" 10 make good the !
damage. His wife. too was gUltc the Lady |
Bnuntliul of her class. not Ouly 10 their lami- |
lies, hut +" the vIilngors in general. In doicr-
rncn and respectful submission - the Squire |
nni his belongings our farmer almost riynl"d |
tho SnrNnnt, III tn" han. Cairns, and indeed. |
knowing. very title about politics. he Cf course /
voted Conservative" rs regularly - he paid his |
aud r,tu.ullrr his NlluuiuI ltll-tit,t-