file which includes the original illustration4 ,see #cbhfc-;h4htm or #cbhfc-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/cache_/epu b_/#cbhfc_/pg#cbhfc-;images4html7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/files_/#cb hfc_/cbhfc-;h4zip7 ,images of the original pages are available through ,internet ,archive_/,american ,libraries4 ,see http3_/_/www4archive4org_/details_/cotta geeconomyco#jj;cobb ,,cottage ,,economy2 ,,containing ,,information ,,relative ,,to ,,the ,,brewing ,,of ,,beer1 ,,making ,,of ,,bread1 ,,keeping ,,of ,,cows1 ,,pigs1 ,,bees1 ,,ewes1 ,,goats1 ,,poultry1 ,,and ,,rabbits1 ,,and ,,relative ,,to ,,other ,,matters ,,deemed ,,useful ,,in ,,the ,,conducting ,,of ,,the ,,affairs ,,of ,a ,,labourer',s ,,family2 ,,to ,,which ,,are ,,added1 ,,instructions ,,relative ,,to ,,the ,,selecting1 ,,the ,,cutting ,,and ,,the ,,bleaching ,,of ,,the ,,plants ,,of ,,english ,,grass ,,and ,,grain1 ,,for ,,the ,,purpose ,,of ,,making ,,hats ,,and ,,bonnets2 ,,and ,,also ,,instructions ,,for ,,erecting ,,and ,,using ,,ice-,,houses1 ,,after ,,the ,,virginian ,,manner4 ,,to ,,which ,,is ,,added ,,the ,,poor ,,man',s ,,friend2 ,,or1 ,a ,,defence ,,of ,,the ,,rights ,,of ,,those ,,who ,,do ,,the ,,work1 ,,and ,,fight ,,the ,,battles4 ,,by ,,william ,,cobbett4 ,new ,york3 ,published by ,john ,doyle1 #ab1 ,liberty-,st4 ,stereotyped by ,conner ,cooke4 #ahcc4 ,entered according to act of ,congress1 in the year of our ,lord #ahcc1 by ,john ,doyle1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,southern ,district of ,new-,york4 ,,contents4 ,no4 ,i4--,introduction4 ,to the ,labouring ,classes of this ,kingdom--,brewing ,beer1 #e ,,ii4--,brewing ,beer1 continued1 #bc ,,iii4--,making ,bread1 #da ,,iv4--,making ,bread1 continued--,brewing ,beer--,keeping ,cows1 #ei ,v4--,keeping ,cows1 continued1--,keeping ,pigs1 #gc ,,vi4--,keeping ,pigs1 continued--,salting ,mutton1 and ,beef1 #hf ,,vii4--,bees1 ,geese1 ,ducks1 ,turkeys1 ,fowls1 ,pigeons1 ,rabbits1 ,goats1 and ,ewes1 ,candles and ,rushes1 ,mustard1 ,dress and ,household ,goods1 and ,fuel1 ,hops1 and ,yeast1 #ih ,,viii4--,selecting1 ,cutting and ,bleaching the ,plants of ,english ,grass and ,grain1 for the purpose of making ,hats and ,bonnets--,constructing and using ,ice-houses1 #abb ,,addition4--,mangel ,wurzel--,cobbett's ,corn1 #aea ,,index1 #aeh ,,cottage ,,economy4 ,no4 ,i4 ,,introduction4 ,,to ,,the ,,labouring ,,classes ,,of ,,this ,,kingdom4 #a4 ,throughout this little work1 ,i shall number the ,paragraphs1 in order to be able1 at some stages of the work1 to refer1 with the more facility1 to parts that have gone before4 ,the last ,number will contain an ,index1 by the means of which the several matters may be turned to without loss of time2 for1 when economy is the subject1 time is a thing which ought by no means to be overlooked4 #b4 ,the word ,economy1 like a great many others1 has1 in its application1 been very much abused4 ,it is generally used as if it meant parsimony1 stinginess1 or niggardliness2 and1 at best1 merely the refraining from expending money4 ,hence misers and close-fisted men disguise their propensity and conduct under the name of economy2 whereas the most liberal disposition1 a disposition precisely the contrary of that of the miser1 is perfectly consistent with economy4 #c4 ,,economy means management1 and nothing more2 and it is generally applied to the affairs of a house and family1 which affairs are an object of the greatest importance1 whether as relating to individuals or to a nation4 ,a nation is made powerful and to be honoured in the world1 not so much by the number of its people as by the ability and character of that people2 and the ability and character of a people depend1 in a great measure1 upon the economy of the several families1 which1 all taken together1 make up the nation4 ,there never yet was1 and never will be1 a nation permanently great1 consisting1 for the greater part1 of wretched and miserable families4 #d4 ,in every view of the matter1 therefore1 it is desirable2 that the families of which a nation consists should be happily off3 and as this depends1 in a great degree1 upon the management of their concerns1 the present work is intended to convey1 to the families of the labouring classes in particular1 such information as ,i think may be useful with regard to that management4 #e4 ,i lay it down as a maxim1 that for a family to be happy1 they must be well supplied with food and raiment4 ,it is a sorry effort that people make to persuade others1 or to persuade themselves1 that they can be happy in a state of want of the necessaries of life4 ,the doctrines which fanaticism preaches1 and which teach men to be content with poverty1 have a very pernicious tendency1 and are calculated to favour tyrants by giving them passive slaves4 ,to live well1 to enjoy all things that make life pleasant1 is the right of every man who constantly uses his strength judiciously and lawfully4 ,it is to blaspheme ,god to suppose1 that he created man to be miserable1 to hunger1 thirst1 and perish with cold1 in the midst of that abundance which is the fruit of their own labour4 ,instead1 therefore1 of applauding happy poverty1 which applause is so much the fashion of the present day1 ,i despise the man that is poor and contented2 for1 such content is a certain proof of a base disposition1 a disposition which is the enemy of all industry1 all exertion1 all love of independence4 #f4 ,let it be understood1 however1 that1 by poverty1 ,i mean real want1 a real insufficiency of the food and raiment and lodging necessary to health and decency2 and not that imaginary poverty1 of which some persons complain4 ,the man who1 by his own and his family's labour1 can provide a sufficiency of food and raiment1 and a comfortable dwelling-place1 is not a poor man4 ,there must be different ranks and degrees in every civil society1 and1 indeed1 so it is even amongst the savage tribes4 ,there must be different degrees of wealth2 some must have more than others2 and the richest must be a great deal richer than the least rich4 ,but it is necessary to the very existence of a people1 that nine out of ten should live wholly by the sweat of their brow2 and1 is it not degrading to human nature1 that all the nine-tenths should be called poor2 and1 what is still worse1 call themselves poor1 and be contented in that degraded state8 #g4 ,the laws1 the economy1 or management1 of a state may be such as to render it impossible for the labourer1 however skilful and industrious1 to maintain his family in health and decency2 and such has1 for many years past1 been the management of the affairs of this once truly great and happy land4 ,a system of paper-money1 the effect of which was to take from the labourer the half of his earnings1 was what no industry and care could make head against4 ,i do not pretend that this system was adopted by design4 ,but1 no matter for the cause2 such was the effect4 #h4 ,better times1 however1 are approaching4 ,the labourer now appears likely to obtain that hire of which he is worthy2 and1 therefore1 this appears to me to be the time to press upon him the duty of using his best exertions for the rearing of his family in a manner that must give him the best security for happiness to himself1 his wife and children1 and to make him1 in all respects1 what his forefathers were4 ,the people of ,england have been famed1 in all ages1 for their good living2 for the abundance of their food and goodness of their attire4 ,the old sayings about ,english roast beef and plum-pudding1 and about ,english hospitality1 had not their foundation in nothing4 ,and1 in spite of all refinements of sickly minds1 it is abundant living amongst the people at large1 which is the great test of good government1 and the surest basis of national greatness and security4 #i4 ,if the labourer have his fair wages2 if there be no false weights and measures1 whether of money or of goods1 by which he is defrauded2 if the laws be equal in their effect upon all men3 if he be called upon for no more than his due share of the expenses necessary to support the government and defend the country1 he has no reason to complain4 ,if the largeness of his family demand extraordinary labour and care1 these are due from him to it4 ,he is the cause of the existence of that family2 and1 therefore1 he is not1 except in cases of accidental calamity1 to throw upon others the burden of supporting it4 ,besides1 little children are as arrows in the hands of the giant1 and blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them4 ,that is to say1 children1 if they bring their cares1 bring also their pleasures and solid advantages4 ,they become1 very soon1 so many assistants and props to the parents1 who1 when old age comes on1 are amply repaid for all the toils and all the cares that children have occasioned in their infancy4 ,to be without sure and safe friends in the world makes life not worth having2 and whom can we be so sure of as of our children8 ,brothers and sisters are a mutual support4 ,we see them1 in almost every case1 grow up into prosperity1 when they act the part that the impulses of nature prescribe4 ,when cordially united1 a father and sons1 or a family of brothers and sisters1 may1 in almost any state of life1 set what is called misfortune at defiance4 #aj4 ,these considerations are much more than enough to sweeten the toils and cares of parents1 and to make them regard every additional child as an additional blessing4 ,but1 that children may be a blessing and not a curse1 care must be taken of their education4 ,this word has1 of late years1 been so perverted1 so corrupted2 so abused1 in its application1 that ,i am almost afraid to use it here4 ,yet ,i must not suffer it to be usurped by cant and tyranny4 ,i must use it3 but not without clearly saying what ,i mean4 #aa4 ,education means breeding up1 bringing up1 or rearing up2 and nothing more4 ,this includes every thing with regard to the mind as well as the body of a child2 but1 of late years1 it has been so used as to have no sense applied to it but that of book-learning1 with which1 nine times out of ten1 it has nothing at all to do4 ,it is1 indeed1 proper1 and it is the duty of all parents1 to teach1 or cause to be taught1 their children as much as they can of books1 after1 and not before1 all the measures are safely taken for enabling them to get their living by labour1 or for providing them a living without labour1 and that1 too1 out of the means obtained and secured by the parents out of their own income4 ,the taste of the times is1 unhappily1 to give to children something of book-learning1 with a view of placing them to live1 in some way or other1 upon the labour of other people4 ,very seldom1 comparatively speaking1 has this succeeded1 even during the wasteful public expenditure of the last thirty years2 and1 in the times that are approaching1 it cannot1 ,i thank ,god1 succeed at all4 ,when the project has failed1 what disappointment1 mortification and misery1 to both parent and child6 ,the latter is spoiled as a labourer3 his book-learning has only made him conceited3 into some course of desperation he falls2 and the end is but too often not only wretched but ignominious4 #ab4 ,understand me clearly here1 however2 for it is the duty of parents to give1 if they be able1 book-learning to their children1 having first taken care to make them capable of earning their living by bodily labour4 ,when that object has once been secured1 the other may1 if the ability remain1 be attended to4 ,but ,i am wholly against children wasting their time in the idleness of what is called education2 and particularly in schools over which the parents have no control1 and where nothing is taught but the rudiments of servility1 pauperism and slavery4 #ac4 ,the education that ,i have in view is1 therefore1 of a very different kind4 ,you should bear constantly in mind1 that nine-tenths of us are1 from the very nature and necessities of the world1 born to gain our livelihood by the sweat of our brow4 ,what reason have we1 then1 to presume1 that our children are not to do the same8 ,if they be1 as now and then one will be1 endued with extraordinary powers of mind1 those powers may have an opportunity of developing themselves2 and if they never have that opportunity1 the harm is not very great to us or to them4 ,nor does it hence follow that the descendants of labourers are always to be labourers4 ,the path upwards is steep and long1 to be sure4 ,industry1 care1 skill1 excellence1 in the present parent1 lay the foundation of a rise1 under more favourable circumstances1 for his children4 ,the children of these take another rise2 and1 by-and-by1 the descendants of the present labourer become gentlemen4 #ad4 ,this is the natural progress4 ,it is by attempting to reach the top at a single leap that so much misery is produced in the world2 and the propensity to make such attempts has been cherished and encouraged by the strange projects that we have witnessed of late years for making the labourers virtuous and happy by giving them what is called education4 ,the education which ,i speak of consists in bringing children up to labour with steadiness1 with care1 and with skill2 to show them how to do as many useful things as possible2 to teach them to do them all in the best manner2 to set them an example in industry1 sobriety1 cleanliness1 and neatness2 to make all these habitual to them1 so that they never shall be liable to fall into the contrary2 to let them always see a good living proceeding from labour1 and thus to remove from them the temptation to get at the goods of others by violent or fraudulent means2 and to keep far from their minds all the inducements to hypocrisy and deceit4 #ae4 ,and1 bear in mind1 that if the state of the labourer has its disadvantages when compared with other callings and conditions of life1 it has also its advantages4 ,it is free from the torments of ambition1 and from a great part of the causes of ill-health1 for which not all the riches in the world and all the circumstances of high rank are a compensation4 ,the able and prudent labourer is always safe1 at the least2 and that is what few men are who are lifted above him4 ,they have losses and crosses to fear1 the very thought of which never enters his mind1 if he act well his part towards himself1 his family and his neighbour4 #af4 ,but1 the basis of good to him1 is steady and skilful labour4 ,to assist him in the pursuit of this labour1 and in the turning of it to the best account1 are the principal objects of the present little work4 ,i propose to treat of brewing ,beer1 making ,bread1 keeping ,cows and ,pigs1 rearing ,poultry1 and of other matters2 and to show1 that1 while1 from a very small piece of ground a large part of the food of a considerable family may be raised1 the very act of raising it will be the best possible foundation of education of the children of the labourer2 that it will teach them a great number of useful things1 add greatly to their value when they go forth from their father's home1 make them start in life with all possible advantages1 and give them the best chance of leading happy lives4 ,and is it not much more rational for parents to be employed in teaching their children how to cultivate a garden1 to feed and rear animals1 to make bread1 beer1 bacon1 butter and cheese1 and to be able to do these things for themselves1 or for others1 than to leave them to prowl about the lanes and commons1 or to mope at the heels of some crafty1 sleekheaded pretended saint1 who while he extracts the last penny from their pockets1 bids them be contented with their misery1 and promises them1 in exchange for their pence1 everlasting glory in the world to come8 ,it is upon the hungry and the wretched that the fanatic works4 ,the dejected and forlorn are his prey4 ,as an ailing carcass engenders vermin1 a pauperized community engenders teachers of fanaticism1 the very foundation of whose doctrines is1 that we are to care nothing about this world1 and that all our labours and exertions are in vain4 #ag4 ,the man1 who is doing well1 who is in good health1 who has a blooming and dutiful and cheerful and happy family about him1 and who passes his day of rest amongst them1 is not to be made to believe1 that he was born to be miserable1 and that poverty1 the natural and just reward of laziness1 is to secure him a crown of glory4 ,far be it from me to recommend a disregard of even outward observances as to matters of religion2 but1 can it be religion to believe that ,god hath made us to be wretched and dejected8 ,can it be religion to regard1 as marks of his grace1 the poverty and misery that almost invariably attend our neglect to use the means of obtaining a competence in worldly things8 ,can it be religion to regard as blessings those things1 those very things1 which ,god expressly numbers amongst his curses8 ,poverty never finds a place amongst the blessings promised by ,god4 ,his blessings are of a directly opposite description2 flocks1 herds1 corn1 wine and oil2 a smiling land2 a rejoicing people2 abundance for the body and gladness of the heart3 these are the blessings which ,god promises to the industrious1 the sober1 the careful1 and the upright4 ,let no man1 then1 believe that1 to be poor and wretched is a mark of ,god's favour2 and let no man remain in that state1 if he1 by any honest means1 can rescue himself from it4 #ah4 ,poverty leads to all sorts of evil consequences4 ,want1 horrid want1 is the great parent of crime4 ,to have a dutiful family1 the father's principle of rule must be love not fear4 ,his sway must be gentle1 or he will have only an unwilling and short-lived obedience4 ,but it is given to but few men to be gentle and good-humoured amidst the various torments attendant on pinching poverty4 ,a competence is1 therefore1 the first thing to be thought of2 it is the foundation of all good in the labourer's dwelling2 without it little but misery can be expected4 ,health1 peace1 and competence1 one of the wisest of men regards as the only things needful to man3 but the two former are scarcely to be had without the latter4 ,competence is the foundation of happiness and of exertion4 ,beset with wants1 having a mind continually harassed with fears of starvation1 who can act with energy1 who can calmly think8 ,to provide a good living1 therefore1 for himself and family1 is the very first duty of every man4 ,two things1 says ,,agur1 have ,i asked2 deny me them not before ,i die3 remove far from me vanity and lies2 give me neither poverty nor riches2 feed me with food convenient for me3 lest ,i be full and deny thee2 or lest ,i be poor and steal4 #ai4 ,a good living therefore1 a competence1 is the first thing to be desired and to be sought after2 and1 if this little work should have the effect of aiding only a small portion of the ,labouring ,classes in securing that competence1 it will afford great gratification to their friend ,,wm4 ,,cobbett4 ,kensington1 #aith ,july1 #ahba4 ,,brewing ,,beer4 #bj4 ,before ,i proceed to give any directions about brewing1 let me mention some of the inducements to do the thing4 ,in former times1 to set about to show to ,englishmen that it was good for them to brew beer in their houses would have been as impertinent as gravely to insist1 that they ought to endeavour not to lose their breath2 for1 in those times1 7only forty years ago17 to have a house and not to brew was a rare thing indeed4 ,mr4 ,,ellman1 an old man and a large farmer1 in ,sussex1 has recently given in evidence1 before a ,committee of the ,house of ,commons1 this fact2 that1 forty years ago1 there was not a labourer in his parish that did not brew his own beer2 and that now there is not one that does it1 except by chance the malt be given him4 ,the causes of this change have been the lowering of the wages of labour1 compared with the price of provisions1 by the means of the paper-money2 the enormous tax upon the barley when made into malt2 and the increased tax upon hops4 ,these have quite changed the customs of the ,english people as to their drink4 ,they still drink beer1 but1 in general1 it is of the brewing of common brewers1 and in public-houses1 of which the common brewers have become the owners1 and have thus1 by the aid of paper-money1 obtained a monopoly in the supplying of the great body of the people with one of those things which1 to the hard-working man1 is almost a necessary of life4 #ba4 ,these things will be altered4 ,they must be altered4 ,the nation must be sunk into nothingness1 or a new system must be adopted2 and the nation will not sink into nothingness4 ,the malt now pays a tax of #ds4 #f;d4#a a bushel1 and the barley costs only #cs4 ,this brings the bushel of malt to #hs4 including the maltster's charge for malting4 ,if the tax were taken off the malt1 malt would be sold1 at the present price of barley1 for about #cs4 #c;d4 a bushel2 because a bushel of barley makes more than a bushel of malt1 and the tax1 besides its amount1 causes great expenses of various sorts to the maltster4 ,the hops pay a tax of #b;d4#b a pound2 and a bushel of malt requires1 in general1 a pound of hops2 if these two taxes were taken off1 therefore1 the consumption of barley and of hops would be exceedingly increased2 for double the present quantity would be demanded1 and the land is always ready to send it forth4 #bb4 ,it appears impossible that the landlords should much longer submit to these intolerable burdens on their estates4 ,in short1 they must get off the malt tax1 or lose those estates4 ,they must do a great deal more1 indeed2 but that they must do at any rate4 ,the paper-money is fast losing its destructive power2 and things are1 with regard to the labourers1 coming back to what they were forty years ago1 and therefore we may prepare for the making of beer in our own houses1 and take leave of the poisonous stuff served out to us by common brewers4 ,we may begin immediately2 for1 even at present prices1 home-brewed beer is the cheapest drink that a family can use1 except milk1 and milk can be applicable only in certain cases4 #bc4 ,the drink which has come to supply the place of beer has1 in general1 been tea4 ,it is notorious that tea has no useful strength in it2 that it contains nothing nutritious2 that it1 besides being good for nothing1 has badness in it1 because it is well known to produce want of sleep in many cases1 and in all cases1 to shake and weaken the nerves4 ,it is1 in fact1 a weaker kind of laudanum1 which enlivens for the moment and deadens afterwards4 ,at any rate it communicates no strength to the body2 it does not1 in any degree1 assist in affording what labour demands4 ,it is1 then1 of no use4 ,and1 now1 as to its cost1 compared with that of beer4 ,i shall make my comparison applicable to a year1 or three hundred and sixty-five days4 ,i shall suppose the tea to be only five shillings the pound2 the sugar only sevenpence2 the milk only twopence a quart4 ,the prices are at the very lowest4 ,i shall suppose a tea-pot to cost a shilling1 six cups and saucers two shillings and sixpence1 and six pewter spoons eighteen-pence4 ,how to estimate the firing ,i hardly know2 but certainly there must be in the course of the year1 two hundred fires made that would not be made1 were it not for tea drinking4 ,then comes the great article of all1 the time employed in this tea-making affair4 ,it is impossible to make a fire1 boil water1 make the tea1 drink it1 wash up the things1 sweep up the fire-place1 and put all to rights again1 in a less space of time1 upon an average1 than two hours4 ,however1 let us allow one hour2 and here we have a woman occupied no less than three hundred and sixty-five hours in the year1 or thirty whole days1 at twelve hours in the day2 that is to say1 one month out of the twelve in the year1 besides the waste of the man's time in hanging about waiting for the tea6 ,needs there any thing more to make us cease to wonder at seeing labourers' children with dirty linen and holes in the heels of their stockings8 ,observe1 too1 that the time thus spent is1 one half of it1 the best time of the day4 ,it is the top of the morning1 which1 in every calling of life1 contains an hour worth two or three hours of the afternoon4 ,by the time that the clattering tea tackle is out of the way1 the morning is spoiled2 its prime is gone2 and any work that is to be done afterwards lags heavily along4 ,if the mother have to go out to work1 the tea affair must all first be over4 ,she comes into the field1 in summer time1 when the sun has gone a third part of his course4 ,she has the heat of the day to encounter1 instead of having her work done and being ready to return home at any early hour4 ,yet early she must go1 too3 for1 there is the fire again to be made1 the clattering tea-tackle again to come forward2 and even in the longest day she must have candle light1 which never ought to be seen in a cottage 7except in case of illness7 from ,march to ,september4 #bd4 ,now1 then1 let us take the bare cost of the use of tea4 ,i suppose a pound of tea to last twenty days2 which is not nearly half an ounce every morning and evening4 ,i allow for each mess half a pint of milk4 ,and ,i allow three pounds of the red dirty sugar to each pound of tea4 ,the account of expenditure would then stand very high2 but to these must be added the amount of the tea tackle1 one set of which will1 upon an average1 be demolished every year4 ,to these outgoings must be added the cost of beer at the public-house2 for some the man will have1 after all1 and the woman too1 unless they be upon the point of actual starvation4 ,two pots a week is as little as will serve in this way2 and here is a dead loss of ninepence a week1 seeing that two pots of beer1 full as strong1 and a great deal better1 can be brewed at home for threepence4 ,the account of the year's tea drinking will then stand thus3 ,l4 s4 d4 #ahlb4 of tea #d #aj #j #edlb4 of sugar #a #aa #f #cfe pints of milk #a #aj #j ,tea tackle #j #e #j #bjj fires #j #af #h #cj days' work #j #ae #j ,loss by going to public-house #a #ai #j ------------ ,l4 #aa #g #bc #be4 ,i have here estimated every thing at its very lowest4 ,the entertainment which ,i have here provided is as poor1 as mean1 as miserable as any thing short of starvation can set forth2 and yet the wretched thing amounts to a good third part of a good and able labourer's wages6 ,for this money1 he and his family may drink good and wholesome beer2 in a short time1 out of the mere savings from this waste1 may drink it out of silver cups and tankards4 ,in a labourer's family1 wholesome beer1 that has a little life in it1 is all that is wanted in general4 ,little children1 that do not work1 should not have beer4 ,broth1 porridge1 or something in that way1 is the thing for them4 ,however1 ,i shall suppose1 in order to make my comparison as little complicated as possible1 that he brews nothing but beer as strong as the generality of beer to be had at the public-house1 and divested of the poisonous drugs which that beer but too often contains2 and ,i shall further suppose that he uses in his family two quarts of this beer every day from the first of ,october to the last day of ,march inclusive3 three quarts a day during the months of ,april and ,may2 four quarts a day during the months of ,june and ,september2 and five quarts a day during the months of ,july and ,august2 and if this be not enough1 it must be a family of drunkards4 ,here are #ajig quarts1 or #bgd gallons4 ,now1 a bushel of malt will make eighteen gallons of better beer than that which is sold at the public-houses4 ,and this is precisely a gallon for the price of a quart4 ,people should bear in mind1 that the beer bought at the public-house is loaded with a beer tax1 with the tax on the public-house keeper1 in the shape of license1 with all the taxes and expenses of the brewer1 with all the taxes1 rent1 and other expenses of the publican1 and with all the profits of both brewer and publican2 so that when a man swallows a pot of beer at a public-house1 he has all these expenses to help to defray1 besides the mere tax on the malt and on the hops4 #bf4 ,well1 then1 to brew this ample supply of good beer for a labourer's family1 these #bgd gallons1 requires fifteen bushels of malt and 7for let us do the thing well7 fifteen pounds of hops4 ,the malt is now eight shillings a bushel1 and very good hops may be bought for less than a shilling a pound4 ,the grains and yeast will amply pay for the labour and fuel employed in the brewing2 seeing that there will be pigs to eat the grains1 and bread to be baked with the yeast4 ,the account will then stand thus3 ,l4 s4 d4 #ae bushels of malt #f #j #j #ae pounds of hops #j #ae #j ,wear of utensils #j #aj #j ----------- ,l4 #g #e #jd #bg4 ,here1 then1 is the sum of four pounds two shillings and twopence saved every year4 ,the utensils for brewing are1 a brass kettle1 a mashing tub1 coolers1 7for which washing tubs may serve17 a half hogshead1 with one end taken out1 for a tun tub1 about four nine-gallon casks1 and a couple of eighteen-gallon casks4 ,this is an ample supply of utensils1 each of which will last1 with proper care1 a good long lifetime or two1 and the whole of which1 even if purchased new from the shop1 will only exceed by a few shillings1 if they exceed at all1 the amount of the saving1 arising the very first year1 from quitting the troublesome and pernicious practice of drinking tea4 ,the saving of each succeeding year would1 if you chose it1 purchase a silver mug to hold half a pint at least4 ,however1 the saving would naturally be applied to purposes more conducive to the well-being and happiness of a family4 #bh4 ,it is not1 however1 the mere saving to which ,i look4 ,this is1 indeed1 a matter of great importance1 whether we look at the amount itself1 or at the ultimate consequences of a judicious application of it2 for four pounds make a great hole in a man's wages for the year2 and when we consider all the advantages that would arise to a family of children from having these four pounds1 now so miserably wasted1 laid out upon their backs1 in the shape of a decent dress1 it is impossible to look at this waste without feelings of sorrow not wholly unmixed with those of a harsher description4 #bi4 ,but1 ,i look upon the thing in a still more serious light4 ,i view the tea drinking as a destroyer of health1 an enfeebler of the frame1 an engenderer of effeminacy and laziness1 a debaucher of youth1 and a maker of misery for old age4 ,in the fifteen bushels of malt there are #egj pounds weight of sweet2 that is to say1 of nutricious matter1 unmixed with any thing injurious to health4 ,in the #gcj tea messes of the year there are #ed pounds of sweet in the sugar1 and about #cj pounds of matter equal to sugar in the milk4 ,here are #hd pounds instead of #egj1 and even the good effect of these #hd pounds is more than over-balanced by the corrosive1 gnawing and poisonous powers of the tea4 #cj4 ,it is impossible for any one to deny the truth of this statement4 ,put it to the test with a lean hog3 give him the fifteen bushels of malt1 and he will repay you in ten score of bacon or thereabouts4 ,but give him the #gcj tea messes1 or rather begin to give them to him1 and give him nothing else1 and he is dead with hunger1 and bequeaths you his skeleton1 at the end of about seven days4 ,it is impossible to doubt in such a case4 ,the tea drinking has done a great deal in bringing this nation into the state of misery in which it now is2 and the tea drinking1 which is carried on by dribs and drabs2 by pence and farthings going out at a time2 this miserable practice has been gradually introduced by the growing weight of the taxes on malt and on hops1 and by the everlasting penury amongst the labourers1 occasioned by the paper-money4 #ca4 ,we see better prospects however1 and therefore let us now rouse ourselves1 and shake from us the degrading curse1 the effects of which have been much more extensive and infinitely more mischievous than men in general seem to imagine4 #cb4 ,it must be evident to every one1 that the practice of tea drinking must render the frame feeble and unfit to encounter hard labour or severe weather1 while1 as ,i have shown1 it deducts from the means of replenishing the belly and covering the back4 ,hence succeeds a softness1 an effeminacy1 a seeking for the fire-side1 a lurking in the bed1 and1 in short1 all the characteristics of idleness1 for which1 in this case1 real want of strength furnishes an apology4 ,the tea drinking fills the public-house1 makes the frequenting of it habitual1 corrupts boys as soon as they are able to move from home1 and does little less for the girls1 to whom the gossip of the tea-table is no bad preparatory school for the brothel4 ,at the very least1 it teaches them idleness4 ,the everlasting dawdling about with the slops of the tea tackle1 gives them a relish for nothing that requires strength and activity4 ,when they go from home1 they know how to do nothing that is useful4 ,to brew1 to bake1 to make butter1 to milk1 to rear poultry2 to do any earthly thing of use they are wholly unqualified4 ,to shut poor young creatures up in manufactories is bad enough2 but there1 at any rate1 they do something that is useful2 whereas1 the girl that has been brought up merely to boil the tea-kettle1 and to assist in the gossip inseparable from the practice1 is a mere consumer of food1 a pest to her employer1 and a curse to her husband1 if any man be so unfortunate as to fix his affections upon her4 #cc4 ,but is it in the power of any man1 any good labourer1 who has attained the age of fifty1 to look back upon the last thirty years of his life1 without cursing the day in which tea was introduced into ,england8 ,where is there such a man1 who cannot trace to this cause a very considerable part of all the mortifications and sufferings of his life8 ,when was he ever too late at his labour2 when did he ever meet with a frown1 with a turning off1 and pauperism on that account1 without being able to trace it to the tea-kettle8 ,when reproached with lagging in the morning1 the poor wretch tells you that he will make up for it by working during his breakfast time6 ,i have heard this a hundred and a hundred times over4 ,he was up time enough2 but the tea-kettle kept him lolling and lounging at home2 and now1 instead of sitting down to a breakfast upon bread1 bacon1 and beer1 which is to carry him on to the hour of dinner1 he has to force his limbs along under the sweat of feebleness1 and at dinner time to swallow his dry bread1 or slake his half-feverish thirst at the pump or the brook4 ,to the wretched tea-kettle he has to return at night1 with legs hardly sufficient to maintain him2 and thus he makes his miserable progress towards that death1 which he finds ten or fifteen years sooner than he would have found it had he made his wife brew beer instead of making tea4 ,if he now and then gladdens his heart with the drugs of the public house1 some quarrel1 some accident1 some illness1 is the probable consequence2 to the affray abroad succeeds an affray at home2 the mischievous example reaches the children1 corrupts them or scatters them1 and misery for life is the consequence4 #cd4 ,i should now proceed to the details of brewing2 but these1 though they will not occupy a large space1 must be put off to the second number4 ,the custom of brewing at home has so long ceased amongst labourers1 and1 in many cases1 amongst tradesmen1 that it was necessary for me fully to state my reasons for wishing to see the custom revived4 ,i shall1 in my next1 clearly explain how the operation is performed2 and it will be found to be so easy a thing1 that ,i am not without hope1 that many tradesmen1 who now spend their evenings at the public house1 amidst tobacco smoke and empty noise1 may be induced1 by the finding of better drink at home1 at a quarter part of the price1 to perceive that home is by far the pleasantest place wherein to pass their hours of relaxation4 #ce4 ,my work is intended chiefly for the benefit of cottagers1 who must1 of course1 have some land2 for1 ,i purpose to show1 that a large part of the food of even a large family may be raised1 without any diminution of the labourer's earnings abroad1 from forty rod1 or a quarter of an acre1 of ground2 but at the same time1 what ,i have to say will be applicable to larger establishments1 in all the branches of domestic economy3 and especially to that of providing a family with beer4 #cf4 ,the kind of beer1 for a labourer's family1 that is to say1 the degree of strength1 must depend on circumstances2 on the numerousness of the family2 on the season of the year1 and various other things4 ,but1 generally speaking1 beer half the strength of that mentioned in paragraph #be will be quite strong enough2 for that is1 at least1 one-third stronger than the farm-house small beer1 which1 however1 as long experience has proved1 is best suited to the purpose4 ,a judicious labourer would probably always have some ale in his house1 and have small beer for the general drink4 ,there is no reason why he should not keep ,christmas as well as the farmer2 and when he is mowing1 reaping1 or is at any other hard work1 a quart1 or three pints1 of really good fat ale a-day is by no means too much4 ,however1 circumstances vary so much with different labourers1 that as to the sort of beer1 and the number of brewings1 and the times of brewing1 no general rule can be laid down4 #cg4 ,before ,i proceed to explain the uses of the several brewing utensils1 ,i must speak of the quality of the materials of which beer is made2 that is to say1 the malt1 hops1 and water4 ,malt varies very much in quality1 as1 indeed1 it must1 with the quality of the barley4 ,when good1 it is full of flour1 and in biting a grain asunder1 you find it bite easily1 and see the shell thin and filled up well with flour4 ,if it bite hard and steely1 the malt is bad4 ,there is pale malt and brown malt2 but the difference in the two arises merely from the different degrees of heat employed in the drying4 ,the main thing to attend to is1 the quantity of flour4 ,if the barley was bad2 thin1 or steely1 whether from unripeness or blight1 or any other cause1 it will not malt so well2 that is to say1 it will not send out its roots in due time2 and a part of it will still be barley4 ,then1 the world is wicked enough to think1 and even to say1 that there are maltsters who1 when they send you a bushel of malt1 put a little barley amongst it1 the malt being taxed and the barley not6 ,let us hope that this is seldom the case2 yet1 when we do know that this terrible system of taxation induces the beer-selling gentry to supply their customers with stuff little better than poison1 it is not very uncharitable to suppose it possible for some maltsters to yield to the temptations of the devil so far as to play the trick above mentioned4 ,to detect this trick1 and to discover what portion of the barley is in an unmalted state1 take a handful of the unground malt1 and put it into a bowl of cold water4 ,mix it about with the water a little2 that is1 let every grain be just wet all over2 and whatever part of them sink are not good4 ,if you have your malt ground1 there is not1 as ,i know of1 any means of detection4 ,therefore1 if your brewing be considerable in amount1 grind your own malt1 the means of doing which is very easy1 and neither expensive nor troublesome1 as will appear1 when ,i come to speak of flour4 ,if the barley be well malted1 there is still a variety in the quality of the malt2 that is to say1 a bushel of malt from fine1 plump1 heavy barley1 will be better than the same quantity from thin and light barley4 ,in this case1 as in the case of wheat1 the weight is the criterion of the quality4 ,only bear in mind1 that as a bushel of wheat1 weighing sixty-two pounds1 is better worth six shillings1 than a bushel weighing fifty-two is worth four shillings1 so a bushel of malt weighing forty-five pounds is better worth nine shillings1 than a bushel weighing thirty-five is worth six shillings4 ,in malt1 therefore1 as in every thing else1 the word cheap is a deception1 unless the quality be taken into view4 ,but1 bear in mind1 that in the case of unmalted barley1 mixed with the malt1 the weight can be no rule2 for barley is heavier than malt4 ,no4 ,,ii4 ,,brewing ,,beer--7continued47 #ch4 ,as to using barley in the making of beer1 ,i have given it a full and fair trial twice over1 and ,i would recommend it to neither rich nor poor4 ,the barley produces strength1 though nothing like the malt2 but the beer is flat1 even though you use half malt and half barley2 and flat beer lies heavy on the stomach1 and of course1 besides the bad taste1 is unwholesome4 ,to pay #ds4 #f;d4 tax upon every bushel of our own barley1 turned into malt1 when the barley itself is not worth #cs4 a bushel1 is a horrid thing2 but1 as long as the owners of the land shall be so dastardly as to suffer themselves to be thus deprived of the use of their estates to favour the slave-drivers and plunderers of the ,east and ,west ,indies1 we must submit to the thing1 incomprehensible to foreigners1 and even to ourselves1 as the submission may be4 #ci4 ,with regard to hops1 the quality is very various4 ,at times when some sell for #es4 a pound1 others sell for sixpence4 ,provided the purchaser understand the article1 the quality is1 of course1 in proportion to the price4 ,there are two things to be considered in hops3 the power of preserving beer1 and that of giving it a pleasant flavour4 ,hops may be strong2 and yet not good4 ,they should be bright1 have no leaves or bits of branches amongst them4 ,the hop is the husk1 or seed-pod1 of the hop-vine1 as the cone is that of the fir-tree2 and the seeds themselves are deposited1 like those of the fir1 round a little soft stalk1 enveloped by the several folds of this pod1 or cone4 ,if1 in the gathering1 leaves of the vine or bits of the branches are mixed with the hops1 these not only help to make up the weight1 but they give a bad taste to the beer2 and indeed1 if they abound much1 they spoil the beer4 ,great attention is therefore necessary in this respect4 ,there are1 too1 numerous sorts of hops1 varying in size1 form1 and quality1 quite as much as apples4 ,however1 when they are in a state to be used in brewing1 the marks of goodness are an absence of brown colour1 7for that indicates perished hops27 a colour between green and yellow2 a great quantity of the yellow farina2 seeds not too large nor too hard2 a clammy feel when rubbed between the fingers2 and a lively1 pleasant smell4 ,as to the age of hops1 they retain for twenty years1 probably1 their power of preserving beer2 but not of giving it a pleasant flavour4 ,i have used them at ten years old1 and should have no fear of using them at twenty4 ,they lose none of their bitterness2 none of their power of preserving beer2 but they lose the other quality2 and therefore1 in the making of fine ale1 or beer1 new hops are to be preferred4 ,as to the quantity of hops1 it is clear1 from what has been said1 that that must1 in some degree depend upon their quality2 but1 supposing them to be good in quality1 a pound of hops to a bushel of malt is about the quantity4 ,a good deal1 however1 depends upon the length of time that the beer is intended to be kept1 and upon the season of the year in which it is brewed4 ,beer intended to be kept a long while should have the full pound1 also beer brewed in warmer weather1 though for present use3 half the quantity may do under an opposite state of circumstances4 #dj4 ,the water should be soft by all means4 ,that of brooks1 or rivers1 is best4 ,that of a pond1 fed by a rivulet1 or spring1 will do very well4 ,rain-water1 if just fallen1 may do2 but stale rain-water1 or stagnant pond-water1 makes the beer flat and difficult to keep2 and hard water1 from wells1 is very bad2 it does not get the sweetness out of the malt1 nor the bitterness out of the hops1 like soft water2 and the wort of it does not ferment well1 which is a certain proof of its unfitness for the purpose4 #da4 ,there are two descriptions of persons whom ,i am desirous to see brewing their own beer2 namely1 tradesmen1 and labourers and journeymen4 ,there must1 therefore1 be two distinct scales treated of4 ,in the former editions of this work1 ,i spoke of a machine for brewing1 and stated the advantages of using it in a family of any considerable consumption of beer2 but1 while1 from my desire to promote private brewing1 ,i strongly recommended the machine1 ,i stated that1 if any of my readers could point out any method by which we should be more likely to restore the practice of private brewing1 and especially to the cottage1 ,i should be greatly obliged to them to communicate it to me4 ,such communications have been made1 and ,i am very happy to be able1 in this new edition of my little work1 to avail myself of them4 ,there was1 in the ,patent ,machine1 always1 an objection on account of the expense2 for1 even the machine for one bushel of malt cost1 at the reduced price1 eight pounds2 a sum far above the reach of a cottager1 and even above that of a small tradesman4 ,its convenience1 especially in towns1 where room is so valuable1 was an object of great importance2 but there were disadvantages attending it which1 until after some experience1 ,i did not ascertain4 ,it will be remembered that the method by the brewing machine requires the malt to be put into the cold water1 and for the water to make the malt swim1 or1 at least1 to be in such proportion as to prevent the fire beneath from burning the malt4 ,we found that our beer was flat1 and that it did not keep4 ,and this arose1 ,i have every reason to believe1 from this process4 ,the malt should be put into hot water1 and the water1 at first1 should be but just sufficient in quantity to stir the malt in1 and separate it well4 ,nevertheless1 when it is merely to make small beer2 beer not wanted to keep2 in such cases the brewing machine may be of use2 and1 as will be seen by-and-by1 a moveable boiler 7which has nothing to do with the patent7 may1 in many cases1 be of great convenience and utility4 #db4 ,the two scales of which ,i have spoken above1 are now to be spoken of2 and1 that ,i may explain my meaning the more clearly1 ,i shall suppose1 that1 for the tradesman's family1 it will be requisite to brew eighteen gallons of ale and thirty-six of small beer1 to fill three casks of eighteen gallons each4 ,it will be observed1 of course1 that1 for larger quantities1 larger utensils of all sorts will be wanted4 ,i take this quantity as the one to give directions on4 ,the utensils wanted here will be1 ,,first1 a copper that will contain forty gallons1 at least2 for1 though there be to be but thirty-six gallons of small beer1 there must be space for the hops1 and for the liquor that goes off in steam4 ,,second1 a mashing-tub to contain sixty gallons2 for the malt is to be in this along with the water4 ,,third1 an underbuck1 or shallow tub to go under the mash-tub1 for the wort to run into when drawn from the grains4 ,,fourth1 a tun-tub1 that will contain thirty gallons1 to put the ale into to work1 the mash-tub1 as we shall see1 serving as a tun-tub for the small beer4 ,besides these1 a couple of coolers1 shallow tubs1 which may be the heads of wine buts1 or some such things1 about a foot deep2 or if you have four it may be as well1 in order to effect the cooling more quickly4 #dc4 ,you begin by filling the copper with water1 and next by making the water boil4 ,you then put into the mashing-tub water sufficient to stir and separate the malt in4 ,but now let me say more particularly what this mashing-tub is4 ,it is1 you know1 to contain sixty gallons4 ,it is to be a little broader at top than at bottom1 and not quite so deep as it is wide across the bottom4 ,into the middle of the bottom there is a hole about two inches over1 to draw the wort off through4 ,in this hole goes a stick1 a foot or two longer than the tub is high4 ,this stick is to be about two inches through1 and tapered for about eight inches upwards at the end that goes into the hole1 which at last it fills up closely as a cork4 ,upon the hole1 before any thing else be put into the tub1 you lay a little bundle of fine birch1 7heath or straw may do17 about half the bulk of a birch broom1 and well tied at both ends4 ,this being laid over the hole 7to keep back the grains as the wort goes out17 you put the tapered end of the stick down through into the hole1 and thus cork the hole up4 ,you must then have something of weight sufficient to keep the birch steady at the bottom of the tub1 with a hole through it to slip down the stick2 otherwise when the stick is raised it will be apt to raise the birch with it1 and when you are stirring the mash you would move it from its place4 ,the best thing for this purpose will be a leaden collar for the stick1 with the hole in the collar plenty large enough1 and it should weigh three or four pounds4 ,the thing they use in some farm-houses is the iron box of a wheel4 ,any thing will do that will slide down the stick1 and lie with weight enough on the birch to keep it from moving4 ,now1 then1 you are ready to begin brewing4 ,i allow two bushels of malt for the brewing ,i have supposed4 ,you must now put into the mashing-tub as much boiling water as will be sufficient to stir the malt in and separate it well4 ,but here occur some of the nicest points of all2 namely1 the degree of heat that the water is to be at1 before you put in the malt4 ,this heat is one hundred and seventy degrees by the thermometer4 ,if you have a thermometer1 this is ascertained easily2 but1 without one1 take this rule1 by which so much good beer has been made in ,england for hundreds of years3 when you can1 by looking down into the tub1 see your face clearly in the water1 the water is become cool enough2 and you must not put the malt in before4 ,now put in the malt and stir it well in the water4 ,to perform this stirring1 which is very necessary1 you have a stick1 somewhat bigger than a broom-stick1 with two or three smaller sticks1 eight or ten inches long1 put through the lower end of it at about three or four inches asunder1 and sticking out on each side of the long stick4 ,these small cross sticks serve to search the malt and separate it well in the stirring or mashing4 ,thus1 then1 the malt is in2 and in this state it should continue for about a quarter of an hour4 ,in the mean while you will have filled up your copper1 and made it boil2 and now 7at the end of the quarter of an hour7 you put in boiling water sufficient to give you your eighteen gallons of ale4 ,but1 perhaps1 you must have thirty gallons of water in the whole2 for the grains will retain at least ten gallons of water2 and it is better to have rather too much wort than too little4 ,when your proper quantity of water is in1 stir the malt again well4 ,cover the mashing-tub over with sacks1 or something that will answer the same purpose2 and there let the mash stand for two hours4 ,when it has stood the two hours1 you draw off the wort4 ,and now1 mind1 the mashing-tub is placed on a couple of stools1 or on something1 that will enable you to put the underbuck under it1 so as to receive the wort as it comes out of the hole before-mentioned4 ,when you have put the underbuck in its place1 you let out the wort by pulling up the stick that corks the whole4 ,but1 observe1 this stick 7which goes six or eight inches through the hole7 must be raised by degrees1 and the wort must be let out slowly1 in order to keep back the sediment4 ,so that it is necessary to have something to keep the stick up at the point where you are to raise it1 and wish to fix it at for the time4 ,to do this1 the simplest1 cheapest and best thing in the world is a cleft stick4 ,take a rod of ash1 hazel1 birch1 or almost any wood2 let it be a foot or two longer than your mashing-tub is wide over the top2 split it1 as if for making hoops2 tie it round with a string at each end2 lay it across your mashing-tub2 pull it open in the middle1 and let the upper part of the wort-stick through it1 and when you raise that stick1 by degrees as before directed1 the cleft stick will hold it up at whatever height you please4 #dd4 ,when you have drawn off the ale-wort1 you proceed to put into the mashing tub water for the small beer4 ,but1 ,i shall go on with my directions about the ale till ,i have got it into the cask and cellar2 and shall then return to the small-beer4 #de4 ,as you draw off the ale-wort into the underbuck1 you must lade it out of that into the tun-tub1 for which work1 as well as for various other purposes in the brewing1 you must have a bowl-dish with a handle to it4 ,the underbuck will not hold the whole of the wort4 ,it is1 as before described1 a shallow tub1 to go under the mashing-tub to draw off the wort into4 ,out of this underbuck you must lade the ale-wort into the tun-tub2 and there it must remain till your copper be emptied and ready to receive it4 #df4 ,the copper being empty1 you put the wort into it1 and put in after the wort1 or before it1 a pound and a half of good hops1 well rubbed and separated as you put them in4 ,you now make the copper boil1 and keep it1 with the lid off1 at a good brisk boil1 for a full hour1 and if it be an hour and a half it is none the worse4 #dg4 ,when the boiling is done1 put out your fire1 and put the liquor into the coolers4 ,but it must be put into the coolers without the hops4 ,therefore1 in order to get the hops out of the liquor1 you must have a strainer4 ,the best for your purpose is a small clothes-basket1 or any other wicker-basket4 ,you set your coolers in the most convenient place4 ,it may be in-doors or out of doors1 as most convenient4 ,you lay a couple of sticks across one of the coolers1 and put the basket upon them4 ,put your liquor1 hops and all1 into the basket1 which will keep back the hops4 ,when you have got liquor enough in one cooler1 you go to another with your sticks and basket1 till you have got all your liquor out4 ,if you find your liquor deeper in one cooler than the other1 you can make an alteration in that respect1 till you have the liquor so distributed as to cool equally fast in both1 or all1 the coolers4 #dh4 ,the next stage of the liquor is in the tun-tub1 where it is set to work4 ,now1 a very great point is1 the degree of heat that the liquor is to be at when it is set to working4 ,the proper heat is seventy degrees2 so that a thermometer makes this matter sure4 ,in the country they determine the degree of heat by merely putting a finger into the liquor4 ,seventy degrees is but just warm1 a gentle luke-warmth4 ,nothing like heat4 ,a little experience makes perfectness in such a matter4 ,when at the proper heat1 or nearly1 7for the liquor will cool a little in being removed17 put it into the tun-tub4 ,and now1 before ,i speak of the act of setting the beer to work1 ,i must describe this tun-tub1 which ,i first mentioned in ,paragraph #db4 ,it is to hold thirty gallons1 as you have seen2 and nothing is better than an old cask of that size1 or somewhat larger1 with the head taken out1 or cut off4 ,but1 indeed1 any tub of sufficient dimensions1 and of about the same depth proportioned to the width as a cask or barrel has1 will do for the purpose4 ,having put the liquor into the tun-tub1 you put in the yeast4 ,about half a pint of good yeast is sufficient4 ,this should first be put into a thing of some sort that will hold about a gallon of your liquor2 the thing should then be nearly filled with liquor1 and with a stick or spoon you should mix the yeast well with the liquor in this bowl1 or other thing1 and stir in along with the yeast a handful of wheat or rye flour4 ,this mixture is then to be poured out clean into the tun-tub1 and the whole mass of the liquor is then to be agitated well by lading up and pouring down again with your bowl-dish1 till the yeast be well mixed with the liquor4 ,some people do the thing in another manner4 ,they mix up the yeast and flour with some liquor 7as just mentioned7 taken out of the coolers2 and then they set the little vessel that contains this mixture down on the bottom of the tun-tub2 and1 leaving it there1 put the liquor out of the coolers into the tun-tub4 ,being placed at the bottom1 and having the liquor poured on it1 the mixture is1 perhaps1 more perfectly effected in this way than in any way4 ,the flour may not be necessary2 but1 as the country people use it1 it is1 doubtless1 of some use2 for their hereditary experience has not been for nothing4 ,when your liquor is thus properly put into the tun-tub and set a working1 cover over the top of the tub by laying across it a sack or two1 or something that will answer the purpose4 #di4 ,we now come to the last stage2 the cask or barrel4 ,but ,i must first speak of the place for the tun-tub to stand in4 ,the place should be such as to avoid too much warmth or cold4 ,the air should1 if possible1 be at about #ee degrees4 ,any cool place in summer and any warmish place in winter4 ,if the weather be very cold1 some cloths or sacks should be put round the tun-tub while the beer is working4 ,in about six or eight hours1 a frothy head will rise upon the liquor2 and it will keep rising1 more or less slowly1 for about forty-eight hours4 ,but1 the length of time required for the working depends on various circumstances2 so that no precise time can be fixed4 ,the best way is1 to take off the froth 7which is indeed yeast7 at the end of about twenty-four hours1 with a common skimmer1 and put it into a pan or vessel of some sort2 then1 in twelve hours' time1 take it off again in the same way2 and so on till the liquor has done working1 and sends up no more yeast4 ,then it is beer2 and when it is quite cold 7for ale or strong beer7 put it into the cask by means of a funnel4 ,it must be cold before you do this1 or it will be what the country-people call foxed2 that is to say1 have a rank and disagreeable taste4 ,now1 as to the cask1 it must be sound and sweet4 ,i thought1 when writing the former edition of this work1 that the bell-shaped were the best casks4 ,i am now convinced that that was an error4 ,the bell-shaped1 by contracting the width of the top of the beer1 as that top descends1 in consequence of the draft for use1 certainly prevents the head 7which always gathers on beer as soon as you begin to draw it off7 from breaking and mixing in amongst the beer4 ,this is an advantage in the bell-shape2 but then the bell-shape1 which places the widest end of the cask uppermost1 exposes the cask to the admission of external air much more than the other shape4 ,this danger approaches from the ends of the cask2 and1 in the bell-shape1 you have the broadest end wholly exposed the moment you have drawn out the first gallon of beer1 which is not the case with the casks of the common shape4 ,directions are given1 in the case of the bell-casks1 to put damp sand on the top to keep out the air4 ,but1 it is very difficult to make this effectual2 and yet1 if you do not keep out the air1 your beer will be flat2 and when flat1 it really is good for nothing but the pigs4 ,it is very difficult to fill the bell-cask1 which you will easily see if you consider its shape4 ,it must be placed on the level with the greatest possible truth1 or there will be a space left2 and to place it with such truth is1 perhaps1 as difficult a thing as a mason or bricklayer ever had to perform4 ,and yet1 if this be not done1 there will be an empty space in the cask1 though it may1 at the same time1 run over4 ,with the common casks there are none of these difficulties4 ,a common eye will see when it is well placed2 and1 at any rate1 any little vacant space that may be left is not at an end of the cask1 and will1 without great carelessness1 be so small as to be of no consequence4 ,we now come to the act of putting in the beer4 ,the cask should be placed on a stand with legs about a foot long4 ,the cask1 being round1 must have a little wedge1 or block1 on each side to keep it steady4 ,bricks do very well4 ,bring your beer down into the cellar in buckets1 and pour it in through the funnel1 until the cask be full4 ,the cask should lean a little on one side1 when you fill it2 because the beer will work again here1 and send more yeast out of the bung-hole2 and1 if the cask were not a little on one side1 the yeast would flow over both sides of the cask1 and would not descend in one stream into a pan1 put underneath to receive it4 ,here the bell-cask is extremely inconvenient2 for the yeast works up all over the head1 and cannot run off1 and makes a very nasty affair4 ,this alone1 to say nothing of the other disadvantages1 would decide the question against the bell-casks4 ,something will go off in this working1 which may continue for two or three days4 ,when you put the beer in the cask1 you should have a gallon or two left1 to keep filling up with as the working produces emptiness4 ,at last1 when the working is completely over1 right the cask4 ,that is to say1 block it up to its level4 ,put in a handful of fresh hops4 ,fill the cask quite full4 ,put in the bung1 with a bit of coarse linen stuff round it2 hammer it down tight2 and1 if you like1 fill a coarse bag with sand1 and lay it1 well pressed down1 over the bung4 #ej4 ,as to the length of time that you are to keep the beer before you begin to use it1 that must1 in some measure1 depend on taste4 ,such beer as this ale will keep almost any length of time4 ,as to the mode of tapping1 that is as easy almost as drinking4 ,when the cask is empty1 great care must be taken to cork it tightly up1 so that no air get in2 for1 if it do1 the cask is moulded1 and when once moulded1 it is spoiled for ever4 ,it is never again fit to be used about beer4 ,before the cask be used again1 the grounds must be poured out1 and the cask cleaned by several times scalding2 by putting in stones 7or a chain17 and rolling and shaking about till it be quite clean4 ,here again the round casks have the decided advantage2 it being almost impossible to make the bell-casks thoroughly clean1 without taking the head out1 which is both troublesome and expensive2 as it cannot be well done by any one but a cooper1 who is not always at hand1 and who1 when he is1 must be paid4 #ea4 ,i have now done with the ale1 and it remains for me to speak of the small beer4 ,in ,paragraph #dg 7which now see7 ,i left you drawing off the ale-wort1 and with your copper full of boiling water4 ,thirty-six gallons of that boiling water are1 as soon as you have got your ale-wort out1 and have put down your mash-tub stick to close up the hole at the bottom2 as soon as you have done this1 thirty-six gallons of the boiling water are to go into the mashing-tub2 the grains are to be well stirred up1 as before2 the mashing-tub is to be covered over again1 as mentioned in ,paragraph #dc2 and the mash is to stand in that state for an hour1 and not two hours1 as for the ale-wort4 #eb4 ,when the small beer mash has stood its hour1 draw it off as in ,paragraph #dg1 and put it into the tun-tub as you did the ale-wort4 #ec4 ,by this time your copper will be empty again1 by putting your ale-liquor to cool1 as mentioned in ,paragraph #dg4 ,and you now put the small beer wort into the copper1 with the hops that you used before1 and with half a pound of fresh hops added to them2 and this liquor you boil briskly for an hour4 #ed4 ,by this time you will have taken the grains and the sediment clean out of the mashing-tub1 and taken out the bunch of birch twigs1 and made all clean4 ,now put in the birch twigs again1 and put down your stick as before4 ,lay your two or three sticks across the mashing-tub1 put your basket on them1 and take your liquor from the copper 7putting the fire out first7 and pour it into the mashing-tub through the basket4 ,take the basket away1 throw the hops to the dunghill1 and leave the small beer liquid to cool in the mashing-tub4 #ee4 ,here it is to remain to be set to working as mentioned for the ale1 in ,paragraph #dh2 only1 in this case1 you will want more yeast in proportion2 and should have for your thirty-six gallons of small beer1 three half pints of good yeast4 #ef4 ,proceed1 as to all the rest of the business1 as with the ale1 only1 in the case of the small beer1 it should be put into the cask1 not quite cold1 but a little warm2 or else it will not work at all in the barrel1 which it ought to do4 ,it will not work so strongly or so long as the ale2 and may be put in the barrel much sooner2 in general the next day after it is brewed4 #eg4 ,all the utensils should be well cleaned and put away as soon as they are done with2 the little things as well as the great things2 for it is loss of time to make new ones4 ,and1 now1 let us see the expense of these utensils4 ,the copper1 new1 #el42 the mashing-tub1 new1 #cjs42 the tun-tub1 not new1 #es42 the underbuck and three coolers1 not new1 #bjs4 ,the whole cost is #gl4 #ajs4 which is ten shillings less than the one bushel machine4 ,i am now in a farm-house1 where the same set of utensils has been used for forty years2 and the owner tells me1 that1 with the same use1 they may last for forty years longer4 ,the machine will not1 ,i think1 last four years1 if in any thing like regular use4 ,it is of sheet-iron1 tinned on the inside1 and this tin rusts exceedingly1 and is not to be kept clean without such rubbing as must soon take off the tin4 ,the great advantage of the machine is1 that it can be removed4 ,you can brew without a brew-house4--,you can set the boiler up against any fire-place1 or any window4 ,you can brew under a cart-shed1 and even out of doors4 ,but all this may be done with these utensils1 if your copper be moveable4 ,make the boiler of copper1 and not of sheet-iron1 and fix it on a stand with a fire-place and stove-pipe2 and then you have the whole to brew out of doors with as well as in-doors1 which is a very great convenience4 #eh4 ,now with regard to the other scale of brewing1 little need be said2 because1 all the principles being the same1 the utensils only are to be proportioned to the quantity4 ,if only one sort of beer be to be brewed at a time1 all the difference is1 that1 in order to extract the whole of the goodness of the malt1 the mashing ought to be at twice4 ,the two worts are then put together1 and then you boil them together with the hops4 #ei4 ,a ,correspondent at ,morpeth says1 the whole of the utensils used by him are a twenty-gallon pot1 a mashing-tub1 that also answers for a tun-tub1 and a shallow tub for a cooler2 and that these are plenty for a person who is any thing of a contriver4 ,this is very true2 and these things will cost no more1 perhaps1 than forty shillings4 ,a nine gallon cask of beer can be brewed very well with such utensils4 ,indeed1 it is what used to be done by almost every labouring man in the kingdom1 until the high price of malt and comparatively low price of wages rendered the people too poor and miserable to be able to brew at all4 ,a ,correspondent at ,bristol has obligingly sent me the model of utensils for brewing on a small scale2 but as they consist chiefly of brittle ware1 ,i am of opinion that they would not so well answer the purpose4 #fj4 ,indeed1 as to the country labourers1 all they want is the ability to get the malt4 ,mr4 ,,ellman1 in his evidence before the ,agricultural ,committee1 said1 that1 when he began farming1 forty-five years ago1 there was not a labourer's family in the parish that did not brew their own beer and enjoy it by their own fire-sides2 and that1 now1 not one single family did it1 from want of ability to get the malt4 ,it is the tax that prevents their getting the malt2 for1 the barley is cheap enough4 ,the tax causes a monopoly in the hands of the maltsters1 who1 when the tax is two and sixpence1 make the malt1 cost #gs4 #f;d41 though the barley cost but #bs4 #f;d42 and though the malt1 tax and all1 ought to cost him about #es4 #f;d4 ,if the tax were taken off1 this pernicious monopoly would be destroyed4 #fa4 ,the reader will easily see1 that1 in proportion to the quantity wanted to be brewed must be the size of the utensils2 but1 ,i may observe here1 that the above utensils are sufficient for three1 or even four1 bushels of malt1 if stronger beer be wanted4 #fb4 ,when it is necessary1 in case of falling short in the quantity wanted to fill up the ale cask1 some may be taken from the small beer4 ,but1 upon the whole brewing1 there ought to be no falling short2 because1 if the casks be not filled up1 the beer will not be good1 and certainly will not keep4 ,great care should be taken as to the cleansing of the casks4 ,they should be made perfectly sweet2 or it is impossible to have good beer4 #fc4 ,the cellar1 for beer to keep any length of time1 should be cool4 ,under a hill is the best place for a cellar2 but1 at any rate1 a cellar of good depth1 and dry4 ,at certain times of the year1 beer that is kept long will ferment4 ,the vent-pegs must1 in such cases1 be loosened a little1 and afterwards fastened4 #fd4 ,small beer may be tapped almost directly4 ,it is a sort of joke that it should see a ,sunday2 but1 that it may do before it be two days old4 ,in short1 any beer is better than water2 but it should have some strength and some weeks of age at any rate4 #fe4 ,i cannot conclude this ,essay without expressing my pleasure1 that a law has been recently passed to authorize the general retail of beer4 ,this really seems necessary to prevent the ,king's subjects from being poisoned4 ,the brewers and porter quacks have carried their tricks to such an extent1 that there is no safety for those who drink brewer's beer4 #ff4 ,the best and most effectual thing is1 however1 for people to brew their own beer1 to enable them and induce them to do which1 ,i have done all that lies in my power4 ,a longer treatise on the subject would have been of no use4 ,these few plain directions will suffice for those who have a disposition to do the thing1 and those who have not would remain unmoved by any thing that ,i could say4 #fg4 ,there seems to be a great number of things to do in brewing1 but the greater part of them require only about a minute each4 ,a brewing1 such as ,i have given the detail of above1 may be completed in a day2 but1 by the word day1 ,i mean to include the morning1 beginning at four o'clock4 #fh4 ,the putting of the beer into barrel is not more than an hour's work for a servant woman1 or a tradesman's or a farmer's wife4 ,there is no heavy work1 no work too heavy for a woman in any part of the business1 otherwise ,i would not recommend it to be performed by the women1 who1 though so amiable in themselves1 are never quite so amiable as when they are useful2 and as to beauty1 though men may fall in love with girls at play1 there is nothing to make them stand to their love like seeing them at work4 ,in conclusion of these remarks on beer brewing1 ,i once more express my most anxious desire to see abolished for ever the accursed tax on malt1 which1 ,i verily believe1 has done more harm to the people of ,england than was ever done to any people by plague1 pestilence1 famine1 and civil war4 #fi4 ,in ,paragraph #gf1 in ,paragraph #ajh1 and perhaps in another place or two 7of the last edition17 ,i spoke of the machine for brewing4 ,the work being stereotyped1 it would have been troublesome to alter those paragraphs2 but1 of course1 the public1 in reading them1 will bear in mind what has been now said relative to the machine4 ,the inventor of that machine deserves great praise for his efforts to promote private brewing2 and1 as ,i said before1 in certain confined situations1 and where the beer is to be merely small beer1 and for immediate use1 and where time and room are of such importance as to make the cost of the machine comparatively of trifling consideration1 the machine may possibly be found to be an useful utensil4 #gj4 ,having stated the inducements to the brewing of beer1 and given the plainest directions that ,i was able to give for the doing of the thing1 ,i shall1 next1 proceed to the subject of bread4 ,but this subject is too large and of too much moment to be treated with brevity1 and must1 therefore1 be put off till my next ,number4 ,i cannot1 in the mean while1 dismiss the subject of brewing beer without once more adverting to its many advantages1 as set forth in the foregoing ,number of this work4 #ga4 ,the following instructions for the making of porter1 will clearly show what sort of stuff is sold at public-houses in ,london2 and we may pretty fairly suppose that the public-house beer in the country is not superior to it in quality1 ,a quarter of malt1 with these ingredients1 will make five barrels of good porter4 ,take one quarter of high-coloured malt1 eight pounds of hops1 nine pounds of treacle1 eight pounds of colour1 eight pounds of sliced liquorice-root1 two drams of salt of tartar1 two ounces of ,spanish-liquorice1 and half an ounce of capsicum4 ,the author says1 that he merely gives the ingredients1 as used by many persons4 #gb4 ,this extract is taken from a book on brewing1 recently published in ,london4 ,what a curious composition6 ,what a mess of drugs6 ,but1 if the brewers openly avow this1 what have we to expect from the secret practices of them1 and the retailers of the article6 ,when we know1 that beer-doctor and brewers'-druggist are professions1 practised as openly as those of bug-man and rat-killer1 are we simple enough to suppose that the above-named are the only drugs that people swallow in those potions1 which they call pots of beer8 ,indeed1 we know the contrary2 for scarcely a week passes without witnessing the detection of some greedy wretch1 who has used1 in making or in doctoring his beer1 drugs1 forbidden by the law4 ,and1 it is not many weeks since one of these was convicted1 in the ,court of ,excise1 for using potent and dangerous drugs1 by the means of which1 and a suitable quantity of water1 he made two buts of beer into three4 ,upon this occasion1 it appeared that no less than ninety of these worthies were in the habit of pursuing the same practices4 ,the drugs are not unpleasant to the taste2 they sting the palate3 they give a present relish3 they communicate a momentary exhilaration3 but1 they give no force to the body1 which1 on the contrary1 they enfeeble1 and1 in many instances1 with time1 destroy2 producing diseases from which the drinker would otherwise have been free to the end of his days4 #gc4 ,but1 look again at the receipt for making porter4 ,here are eight bushels of malt to #ahj gallons of beer2 that is to say1 twenty-fire gallons from the bushel4 ,now the malt is eight shillings a bushel1 and eight pounds of the very best hops will cost but a shilling a pound4 ,the malt and hops1 then1 for the #ahj gallons1 cost but seventy-two shillings2 that is to say1 only a little more than fourpence three farthings a gallon1 for stuff which is now retailed for sixteen pence a gallon6 ,if this be not an abomination1 ,i should be glad to know what is4 ,even if the treacle1 colour1 and the drugs1 be included1 the cost is not fivepence a gallon2 and yet1 not content with this enormous extortion1 there are wretches who resort to the use of other and pernicious drugs1 in order to increase their gains6 #gd4 ,to provide against this dreadful evil there is1 and there can be1 no law2 for1 it is created by the law4 ,the law it is that imposes the enormous tax on the malt and hops2 the law it is that imposes the license tax1 and places the power of granting the license at the discretion of persons appointed by the government2 the law it is that checks1 in this way1 the private brewing1 and that prevents free and fair competition in the selling of beer1 and as long as the law does these1 it will in vain endeavour to prevent the people from being destroyed by slow poison4 #ge4 ,innumerable are the benefits that would arise from a repeal of the taxes on malt and on hops4 ,tippling-houses might then be shut up with justice and propriety4 ,the labourer1 the artisan1 the tradesman1 the landlord1 all would instantly feel the benefit4 ,but the landlord more1 perhaps1 in this case1 than any other member of the community4 ,the four or five pounds a year which the day-labourer now drizzles away in tea-messes1 he would divide with the farmer1 if he had untaxed beer4 ,his wages would fall1 and fall to his advantage too4 ,the fall of wages would be not less than #djl4 upon a hundred acres4 ,thus #djl4 would go1 in the end1 a fourth1 perhaps to the farmer1 and three-fourths to the landlord4 ,this is the kind of work to reduce poor-rates1 and to restore husbandry to prosperity4 ,undertaken this work must be1 and performed too2 but whether we shall see this until the estates have passed away from the present race of landlords1 is a question which must be referred to time4 #gf4 ,surely we may hope1 that1 when the ,american farmers shall see this little ,essay1 they will begin seriously to think of leaving off the use of the liver-burning and palsy-producing spirits4 ,their climate1 indeed1 is something3 extremely hot in one part of the year1 and extremely cold in the other part of it4 ,nevertheless1 they may have1 and do have1 very good beer if they will4 ,negligence is the greatest impediment in their way4 ,i like the ,americans very much2 and that1 if there were no other1 would be a reason for my not hiding their faults4 ,no4 ,,iii4 ,,making ,,bread4 #gg4 ,little time need be spent in dwelling on the necessity of this article to all families2 though1 on account of the modern custom of using potatoes to supply the place of bread1 it seems necessary to say a few words here on the subject1 which1 in another work ,i have so amply1 and1 ,i think1 so triumphantly discussed4 ,i am the more disposed to revive the subject for a moment1 in this place1 from having read1 in the evidence recently given before the ,agricultural ,committee1 that many labourers1 especially in the ,west of ,england1 use potatoes instead of bread to a very great extent4 ,and ,i find1 from the same evidence1 that it is the custom to allot to labourers a potatoe ground in part payment of their wages6 ,this has a tendency to bring ,english labourers down to the state of the ,irish1 whose mode of living1 as to food1 is but one remove from that of the pig1 and of the ill-fed pig too4 #gh4 ,i was1 in reading the above-mentioned ,evidence1 glad to find1 that ,mr4 ,,edward ,,wakefield1 the best informed and most candid of all the witnesses1 gave it as his opinion1 that the increase which had taken place in the cultivation of potatoes was injurious to the country2 an opinion which must1 ,i think1 be adopted by every one who takes the trouble to reflect a little upon the subject4 ,for leaving out of the question the slovenly and beastly habits engendered amongst the labouring classes by constantly lifting their principal food at once out of the earth to their mouths1 by eating without the necessity of any implements other than the hands and the teeth1 and by dispensing with everything requiring skill in the preparation of the food1 and requiring cleanliness in its consumption or preservation2 leaving these out of the question1 though they are all matters of great moment1 when we consider their effects in the rearing of a family1 we shall find1 that1 in mere quantity of food1 that is to say of nourishment1 bread is the preferable diet4 #gi4 ,an acre of land that will produce #cjj bushels of potatoes1 will produce #cb bushels of wheat4 ,i state this as an average fact1 and am not at all afraid of being contradicted by any one well acquainted with husbandry4 ,the potatoes are supposed to be of a good sort1 as it is called1 and the wheat may be supposed to weigh #fj pounds a bushel4 ,it is a fact clearly established1 that1 after the water1 the stringy substance1 and the earth1 are taken from the potatoe1 there remains only one tenth of the rough raw weight of nutritious matter1 or matter which is deemed equally nutritious with bread1 and1 as the raw potatoes weigh #eflb4 a bushel1 the acre will yield #a1hcjlb4 of nutritious matter4 ,now mind1 a bushel of wheat1 weighing #fjlb4 will make of household bread 7that is to say1 taking out only the bran7 #felb4 ,thus1 the acre yields #b1jhjlb4 of bread4 ,as to the expenses1 the seed and act of planting are about equal in the two cases4 ,but1 while the potatoes must have cultivation during their growth1 the wheat needs none2 and while the wheat straw is worth from three to five pounds an acre1 the haulm of the potatoes is not worth one single truss of that straw4 ,then1 as to the expense of gathering1 housing1 and keeping the potatoe crop1 it is enormous1 besides the risk of loss by frost1 which may be safely taken1 on an average1 at a tenth of the crop4 ,then comes the expense of cooking4 ,the thirty-two bushels of wheat1 supposing a bushel to be baked at a time1 7which would be the case in a large family17 would demand thirty-two heatings of the oven4 ,suppose a bushel of potatoes to be cooked every day in order to supply the place of this bread1 then we have nine hundred boilings of the pot1 unless cold potatoes be eaten at some of the meals2 and1 in that case1 the diet must be cheering indeed6 ,think of the labour2 think of the time2 think of all the peelings and scrapings and washings and messings attending these nine hundred boilings of the pot6 ,for it must be a considerable time before ,english people can be brought to eat potatoes in the ,irish style2 that is to say1 scratch them out of the earth with their paws1 toss them into a pot without washing1 and when boiled1 turn them out upon a dirty board1 and then sit round that board1 peel the skin and dirt from one at a time and eat the inside4 ,mr4 ,curwen was delighted with ,irish hospitality1 because the people there receive no parish relief2 upon which ,i can only say1 that ,i wish him the exclusive benefit of such hospitality4 #hj4 ,i have here spoken of a large quantity of each of the sorts of food4 ,i will now come to a comparative view1 more immediately applicable to a labourer's family4 ,when wheat is ten shillings the bushel1 potatoes1 bought at best hand1 7,i am speaking of the country generally17 are about two shillings 7,english7 a bushel4 ,last spring the average price of wheat might be six and sixpence1 7,english27 and the average price of potatoes 7in small quantities7 was about eighteen-pence2 though1 by the wagon-load1 ,i saw potatoes bought at a shilling 7,english7 a bushel1 to give to sheep2 then1 observe1 these were of the coarsest kind1 and the farmer had to fetch them at a considerable expense4 ,i think1 therefore1 that ,i give the advantage to the potatoes when ,i say that they sell1 upon an average1 for full a fifth part as much as the wheat sells for1 per bushel1 while they contain four pounds less weight than the bushel of wheat2 while they yield only five pounds and a half of nutritious matter equal to bread2 and while the bushel of wheat will yield sixty-five pounds of bread1 besides the ten pounds of bran4 ,hence it is clear1 that1 instead of that saving1 which is everlastingly dinned in our ears1 from the use of potatoes1 there is a waste of more than one half2 seeing that1 when wheat is ten shillings 7,english7 the bushel1 you can have sixty-five pounds of bread for the ten shillings2 and can have out of potatoes only five pounds and a half of nutritious matter equal to bread for two shillings6 7,english47 ,this being the case1 ,i trust that we shall soon hear no more of those savings which the labourer makes by the use of potatoes2 ,i hope we shall1 in the words of ,dr4 ,,drennan1 leave ,ireland to her lazy root1 if she choose still to adhere to it4 ,it is the root1 also1 of slovenliness1 filth1 misery1 and slavery2 its cultivation has increased in ,england with the increase of the paupers3 both1 ,i thank ,god1 are upon the decline4 ,englishmen seem to be upon the return to beer and bread1 from water and potatoes3 and1 therefore1 ,i shall now proceed to offer some observations to the cottager1 calculated to induce him to bake his own bread4 #ha4 ,as ,i have before stated1 sixty pounds of wheat1 that is to say1 where the ,winchester bushel weighs sixty pounds1 will make sixty-five pounds of bread1 besides the leaving of about ten pounds of bran4 ,this is household bread1 made of flour from which the bran only is taken4 ,if you make fine flour1 you take out pollard1 as they call it1 as well as bran1 and then you have a smaller quantity of bread and a greater quantity of offal2 but1 even of this finer bread1 bread equal in fineness to the baker's bread1 you get from fifty-eight to fifty-nine pounds out of the bushel of wheat4 ,now1 then1 let us see how many quartern loaves you get out of the bushel of wheat1 supposing it to be fine flour1 in the first place4 ,you get thirteen quartern loaves and a half2 these cost you1 at the present average price of wheat 7seven and sixpence a bushel17 in the first place #gs4 #f;d42#e then #c;d4 for yeast2 then not more than #c;d4 for grinding2 because you have about thirteen pounds of offal1 which is worth more than a #a_/b;d4 a pound1 while the grinding is #i;d4 a bushel4 ,thus1 then1 the bushel of bread of fifty-nine pounds costs you eight shillings2 and it yields you the weight of thirteen and a half quartern loaves3 these quartern loaves now 7,dec4 #ahba7 sell at ,kensington1 at the baker's shop1 at #as4 #a_/b;d42 that is to say1 the thirteen quartern loaves and a half cost #ads4 #g-a_/b;d4 ,i omitted to mention the salt1 which would cost you #d;d4 more4 ,so that1 here is #fs4 #c-a_/b;d4 saved upon the baking of a bushel of bread4 ,the baker's quartern loaf is indeed cheaper in the country than at ,kensington1 by1 probably1 a penny in the loaf2 which would still1 however1 leave a saving of #es4 upon the bushel of bread4 ,but1 besides this1 pray think a little of the materials of which the baker's loaf is composed4 ,the alum1 the ground potatoes1 and other materials2 it being a notorious fact1 that the bakers1 in ,london at least1 have mills wherein to grind their potatoes2 so large is the scale upon which they use that material4 ,it is probable1 that1 out of a bushel of wheat1 they make between sixty and seventy pounds of bread1 though they have no more flour1 and1 of course1 no more nutritious matter1 than you have in your fifty-nine pounds of bread4 ,but1 at the least1 supposing their bread to be as good as yours in quality1 you have1 allowing a shilling for the heating of the oven1 a clear #ds4 saved upon every bushel of bread4 ,if you consume half a bushel a week1 that is to say about a quartern loaf a day1 this is a saving of #el4 #ds4 a year1 or full a sixth part1 if not a fifth part1 of the earnings of a labourer in husbandry4 #hb4 ,how wasteful1 then1 and1 indeed1 how shameful1 for a labourer's wife to go to the baker's shop2 and how negligent1 how criminally careless of the welfare of his family1 must the labourer be1 who permits so scandalous a use of the proceeds of his labour6 ,but ,i have hitherto taken a view of the matter the least possibly advantageous to the home-baked bread4 ,for1 ninety-nine times out of a hundred1 the fuel for heating the oven costs very little4 ,the hedgers1 the copsers1 the woodmen of all descriptions1 have fuel for little or nothing4 ,at any rate1 to heat the oven cannot1 upon an average1 take the country through1 cost the labourer more than #f;d4 a bushel4 ,then1 again1 fine flour need not ever be used1 and ought not to be used4 ,this adds six pounds of bread to the bushel1 or nearly another quartern loaf and a half1 making nearly fifteen quartern loaves out of the bushel of wheat4 ,the finest flour is by no means the most wholesome2 and1 at any rate1 there is more nutritious matter in a pound of household bread than in a pound of baker's bread4 ,besides this1 rye1 and even barley1 especially when mixed with wheat1 make very good bread4 ,few people upon the face of the earth live better than the ,long ,islanders4 ,yet nine families out of ten seldom eat wheaten-bread4 ,rye is the flour that they principally make use of4 ,now1 rye is seldom more than two-thirds the price of wheat1 and barley is seldom more than half the price of wheat4 ,half rye and half wheat1 taking out a little more of the offal1 make very good bread4 ,half wheat1 a quarter rye and a quarter barley1 nay1 one-third of each1 make bread that ,i could be very well content to live upon all my lifetime2 and1 even barley alone1 if the barley be good1 and none but the finest flour taken out of it1 has in it1 measure for measure1 ten times the nutrition of potatoes4 ,indeed the fact is well known1 that our forefathers used barley bread to a very great extent4 ,its only fault1 with those who dislike it1 is its sweetness1 a fault which we certainly have not to find with the baker's loaf1 which has in it little more of the sweetness of grain than is to be found in the offal which comes from the sawings of deal boards4 ,the nutritious nature of barley is amply proved by the effect1 and very rapid effect1 of its meal1 in the fatting of hogs and of poultry of all descriptions4 ,they will fatten quicker upon meal of barley than upon any other thing4 ,the flesh1 too1 is sweeter than that proceeding from any other food1 with the exception of that which proceeds from buck wheat1 a grain little used in ,england4 ,that proceeding from ,indian corn is1 indeed1 still sweeter and finer2 but this is wholly out of the question with us4 #hc4 ,i am1 by-and-by1 to speak of the cow to be kept by the labourer in husbandry4 ,then there will be milk to wet the bread with1 an exceedingly great improvement in its taste as well as in its quality6 ,this1 of all the ways of using skim milk1 is the most advantageous3 and this great advantage must be wholly thrown away1 if the bread of the family be bought at the shop4 ,with milk1 bread with very little wheat in it may be made far better than baker's bread2 and1 leaving the milk out of the question1 taking a third of each sort of grain1 you would get bread weighing as much as fourteen quartern loaves1 for about #es4 #i;d4 at present prices of grain2 that is to say1 you would get it for about #e;d4 the quartern loaf1 all expenses included2 thus you have nine pounds and ten ounces of bread a day for about #es4 #i;d4 a week4 ,here is enough for a very large family4 ,very few labourers' families can want so much as this1 unless indeed there be several persons in it capable of earning something by their daily labour4 ,here is cut and come again4 ,here is bread always for the table4 ,bread to carry a field2 always a hunch of bread ready to put into the hand of a hungry child4 ,we hear a great deal about children crying for bread1 and objects of compassion they and their parents are1 when the latter have not the means of obtaining a sufficiency of bread4 ,but ,i should be glad to be informed1 how it is possible for a labouring man1 who earns1 upon an average1 #ajs4 a week1 who has not more than four children 7and if he have more1 some ought to be doing something27 who has a garden of a quarter of an acre of land 7for that makes part of my plan27 who has a wife as industrious as she ought to be2 who does not waste his earnings at the ale-house or the tea shop3 ,i should be glad to know how such a man1 while wheat shall be at the price of about #fs4 a bushel1 can possibly have children crying for bread6 #hd4 ,cry1 indeed1 they must1 if he will persist in giving #acs4 for a bushel of bread instead of #es4 #i;d4 ,such a man is not to say that the bread which ,i have described is not good enough4 ,it was good enough for his forefathers1 who were too proud to be paupers1 that is to say1 abject and willing slaves4 ,hogs eat barley4 ,and hogs will eat wheat1 too1 when they can get at it4 ,convicts in condemned cells eat wheaten bread2 but we think it no degradation to eat wheaten bread1 too4 ,i am for depriving the labourer of none of his rights2 ,i would have him oppressed in no manner or shape2 ,i would have him bold and free2 but to have him such1 he must have bread in his house1 sufficient for all his family1 and whether that bread be fine or coarse must depend upon the different circumstances which present themselves in the cases of different individuals4 #he4 ,the married man has no right to expect the same plenty of food and of raiment that the single man has4 ,the time before marriage is the time to lay by1 or1 if the party choose1 to indulge himself in the absence of labour4 ,to marry is a voluntary act1 and it is attended in the result with great pleasures and advantages4 ,if1 therefore1 the laws be fair and equal2 if the state of things be such that a labouring man can1 with the usual ability of labourers1 and with constant industry1 care and sobriety2 with decency of deportment towards all his neighbours1 cheerful obedience to his employer1 and a due subordination to the laws2 if the state of things be such1 that such a man's earnings be sufficient to maintain himself and family with food1 raiment1 and lodging needful for them2 such a man has no reason to complain2 and no labouring man has reason to complain1 if the numerousness of his family should call upon him for extraordinary exertion1 or for frugality uncommonly rigid4 ,the man with a large family has1 if it be not in a great measure his own fault1 a greater number of pleasures and of blessings than other men4 ,if he be wise1 and just as well as wise1 he will see that it is reasonable for him to expect less delicate fare than his neighbours1 who have a less number of children1 or no children at all4 ,he will see the justice as well as the necessity of his resorting to the use of coarser bread1 and thus endeavour to make up that1 or at least a part of that1 which he loses in comparison with his neighbours4 ,the quality of the bread ought1 in every case1 to be proportioned to the number of the family and the means of the head of that family4 ,here is no injury to health proposed2 but1 on the contrary1 the best security for its preservation4 ,without bread1 all is misery4 ,the ,scripture truly calls it the staff of life2 and it may be called1 too1 the pledge of peace and happiness in the labourer's dwelling4 #hf4 ,as to the act of making bread1 it would be shocking indeed if that had to be taught by the means of books4 ,every woman1 high or low1 ought to know how to make bread4 ,if she do not1 she is unworthy of trust and confidence2 and1 indeed1 a mere burden upon the community4 ,yet1 it is but too true1 that many women1 even amongst those who have to get their living by their labour1 know nothing of the making of bread2 and seem to understand little more about it than the part which belongs to its consumption4 ,a ,frenchman1 a ,mr4 ,,cusar1 who had been born in the ,west ,indies1 told me1 that till he came to ,long ,island1 he never knew how the flour came3 that he was surprised when he learnt that it was squeezed out of little grains that grew at the tops of straw2 for that he had always had an idea that it was got out of some large substances1 like the yams that grow in tropical climates4 ,he was a very sincere and good man1 and ,i am sure he told me truth4 ,and this may be the more readily believed1 when we see so many women in ,england1 who seem to know no more of the constituent parts of a loaf than they know of those of the moon4 ,servant women in abundance appear to think that loaves are made by the baker1 as knights are made by the king2 things of their pure creation1 a creation1 too1 in which no one else can participate4 ,now1 is not this an enormous evil8 ,and whence does it come8 ,servant women are the children of the labouring classes2 and they would all know how to make bread1 and know well how to make it too1 if they had been fed on bread of their mother's and their own making4 #hg4 ,how serious a matter1 then1 is this1 even in this point of view6 ,a servant that cannot make bread is not entitled to the same wages as one that can4 ,if she can neither bake nor brew2 if she be ignorant of the nature of flour1 yeast1 malt1 and hops1 what is she good for8 ,if she understand these matters well2 if she be able to supply her employer with bread and with beer1 she is really valuable2 she is entitled to good wages1 and to consideration and respect into the bargain2 but if she be wholly deficient in these particulars1 and can merely dawdle about with a bucket and a broom1 she can be of very little consequence2 to lose her1 is merely to lose a consumer of food1 and she can expect very little indeed in the way of desire to make her life easy and pleasant4 ,why should any one have such desire8 ,she is not a child of the family4 ,she is not a relation4 ,any one as well as she can take in a loaf from the baker1 or a barrel of beer from the brewer4 ,she has nothing whereby to bind her employer to her4 ,to sweep a room any thing is capable of that has got two hands4 ,in short1 she has no useful skill1 no useful ability2 she is an ordinary drudge1 and she is treated accordingly4 #hh4 ,but1 if such be her state in the house of an employer1 what is her state in the house of a husband8 ,the lover is blind2 but the husband has eyes to see with4 ,he soon discovers that there is something wanted besides dimples and cherry cheeks2 and ,i would have fathers seriously reflect1 and to be well assured1 that the way to make their daughters to be long admired1 beloved and respected by their husbands1 is to make them skilful1 able and active in the most necessary concerns of a family4 ,eating and drinking come three times every day2 the preparations for these1 and all the ministry necessary to them1 belong to the wife2 and ,i hold it to be impossible1 that at the end of two years1 a really ignorant1 sluttish wife should possess any thing worthy of the name of love from her husband4 ,this1 therefore1 is a matter of far greater moment to the father of a family1 than1 whether the ,parson of the parish1 or the ,methodist ,priest1 be the most ,evangelical of the two2 for it is here a question of the daughter's happiness or misery for life4 ,and ,i have no hesitation to say1 that if ,i were a labouring man1 ,i should prefer teaching my daughters to bake1 brew1 milk1 make butter and cheese1 to teaching them to read the ,bible till they had got every word of it by heart2 and ,i should think1 too1 nay ,i should know1 that ,i was in the former case doing my duty towards ,god as well as towards my children4 #hi4 ,when we see a family of dirty1 ragged little creatures1 let us inquire into the cause2 and ninety-nine times out of every hundred we shall find that the parents themselves have been brought up in the same way4 ,but a consideration which ought of itself to be sufficient1 is the contempt in which a husband will naturally hold a wife that is ignorant of the matters necessary to the conducting of a family4 ,a woman who understands all the things above mentioned1 is really a skilful person2 a person worthy of respect1 and that will be treated with respect too1 by all but brutish employers or brutish husbands2 and such1 though sometimes1 are not very frequently found4 ,besides1 if natural justice and our own interest had not the weight which they have1 such valuable persons will be treated with respect4 ,they know their own worth2 and1 accordingly1 they are more careful of their character1 more careful not to lessen by misconduct the value which they possess from their skill and ability4 #ij4 ,thus1 then1 the interest of the labourer2 his health2 the health of his family2 the peace and happiness of his home2 the prospects of his children through life2 their skill1 their ability1 their habits of cleanliness1 and even their moral deportment2 all combine to press upon him the adoption and the constant practice of this branch of domestic economy4 ,can she bake8 is the question that ,i always put4 ,if she can1 she is worth a pound or two a year more4 ,is that nothing8 ,is it nothing for a labouring man to make his four or five daughters worth eight or ten pounds a year more2 and that too while he is by the same means providing the more plentifully for himself and the rest of his family8 ,the reasons on the side of the thing that ,i contend for are endless2 but if this one motive be not sufficient1 ,i am sure1 all that ,i have said1 and all that ,i could say1 must be wholly unavailing4 #ia4 ,before1 however1 ,i dismiss this subject1 let me say a word or two to those persons who do not come under the denomination of labourers4 ,in ,london1 or in any very large town where the space is so confined1 and where the proper fuel is not handily to be come at and stored for use1 to bake your own bread may be attended with too much difficulty2 but in all other situations there appears to me to be hardly any excuse for not baking bread at home4 ,if the family consist of twelve or fourteen persons1 the money actually saved in this way 7even at present prices7 would be little short of from twenty to thirty pounds a year4 ,at the utmost here is only the time of one woman occupied one day in the week4 ,now mind1 here are twenty-five pounds to be employed in some way different from that of giving it to the baker4 ,if you add five of these pounds to a woman's wages1 is not that full as well employed as giving it in wages to the baker's men8 ,is it not better employed for you8 and is it not better employed for the community8 ,it is very certain1 that if the practice were as prevalent as ,i could wish1 there would be a large deduction from the regular baking population2 but would there be any harm if less alum were imported into ,england1 and if some of those youths were left at the plough1 who are now bound in apprenticeships to learn the art and mystery of doing that which every girl in the kingdom ought to be taught to do by her mother8 ,it ought to be a maxim with every master and every mistress1 never to employ another to do that which can be done as well by their own servants4 ,the more of their money that is retained in the hands of their own people1 the better it is for them altogether4 ,besides1 a man of a right mind must be pleased with the reflection1 that there is a great mass of skill and ability under his own roof4 ,he feels stronger and more independent on this account1 all pecuniary advantage out of the question4 ,it is impossible to conceive any thing more contemptible than a crowd of men and women living together in a house1 and constantly looking out of it for people to bring them food and drink1 and to fetch their garments to and fro4 ,such a crowd resemble a nest of unfledged birds1 absolutely dependent for their very existence on the activity and success of the old ones4 #ib4 ,yet1 on men go1 from year to year1 in this state of wretched dependence1 even when they have all the means of living within themselves1 which is certainly the happiest state of life that any one can enjoy4 ,it may be asked1 ,where is the mill to be found8 where is the wheat to be got8 ,the answer is1 ,where is there not a mill8 where is there not a market8 ,they are every where1 and the difficulty is to discover what can be the particular attractions contained in that long and luminous manuscript1 a baker's half-yearly bill4 #ic4 ,with regard to the mill1 in speaking of families of any considerable number of persons1 the mill has1 with me1 been more than once a subject of observation in print4 ,i for a good while experienced the great inconvenience and expense of sending my wheat and other grain to be ground at a mill4 ,this expense1 in case of a considerable family1 living at only a mile from a mill1 is something2 but the inconveniency and uncertainty are great4 ,in my ,year's ,residence in ,america1 from ,paragraphs #ajca and onwards1 ,i give an account of a horse-mill which ,i had in my farm yard2 and ,i showed1 ,i think very clearly1 that corn could be ground cheaper in this way than by wind or water1 and that it would answer well to grind for sale in this way as well as for home use4 ,since my return to ,england ,i have seen a mill1 erected in consequence of what the owner had read in my book4 ,this mill belongs to a small farmer1 who1 when he cannot work on his land with his horses1 or in the season when he has little for them to do1 grinds wheat1 sells the flour2 and he takes in grists to grind1 as other millers do4 ,this mill goes with three small horses2 but what ,i would recommend to gentlemen with considerable families1 or to farmers1 is a mill such as ,i myself have at present4 #id4 ,with this mill1 turned by a man and a stout boy1 ,i can grind six bushels of wheat in a day and dress the flour4 ,the grinding of six bushels of wheat at ninepence a bushel comes to four and sixpence1 which pays the man and the boy1 supposing them 7which is not and seldom can be the case7 to be hired for the express purpose out of the street4 ,with the same mill you grind meat for your pigs2 and of this you will get eight or ten bushels ground in a day4 ,you have no trouble about sending to the mill2 you are sure to have your own wheat2 for strange as it may seem1 ,i used sometimes to find that ,i sent white ,essex wheat to the mill1 and that it brought me flour from very coarse red wheat4 ,there is no accounting for this1 except by supposing that wind and water power has something in it to change the very nature of the grain2 as1 when ,i came to grind by horses1 such as the wheat went into the hopper1 so the flour came out into the bin4 #ie4 ,but mine now is only on the petty scale of providing for a dozen of persons and a small lot of pigs4 ,for a farm-house1 or a gentleman's house in the country1 where there would be room to have a walk for a horse1 you might take the labour from the men1 clap any little horse1 pony1 or even ass to the wheel2 and he would grind you off eight or ten bushels of wheat in a day1 and both he and you would have the thanks of your men into the bargain4 #if4 ,the cost of this mill is twenty pounds4 ,the dresser is four more2 the horse-path and wheel might1 possibly1 be four or five more2 and1 ,i am very certain1 that to any farmer living at a mile from a mill1 7and that is less than the average distance perhaps27 having twelve persons in family1 having forty pigs to feed1 and twenty hogs to fatten1 the savings of such a mill would pay the whole expenses of it the very first year4 ,such a farmer cannot send less than fifty times a year to the mill4 ,think of that1 in the first place6 ,the elements are not always propitious3 sometimes the water fails1 and sometimes the wind4 ,many a farmer's wife has been tempted to vent her spleen on both4 ,at best1 there must be horse and man1 or boy1 and1 perhaps1 cart1 to go to the mill2 and that1 too1 observe1 in all weathers1 and in the harvest as well as at other times of the year4 ,the case is one of imperious necessity3 neither floods nor droughts1 nor storms nor calms1 will allay the cravings of the kitchen1 nor quiet the clamorous uproar of the stye4 ,go1 somebody must1 to some place or other1 and back they must come with flour and with meal4 ,one summer many persons came down the country more than fifty miles to a mill that ,i knew in ,pennsylvania2 and ,i have known farmers in ,england carry their grists more than fifteen miles to be ground4 ,it is surprising1 that1 under these circumstances1 hand-mills and horse-mills should not1 long ago1 have become of more general use2 especially when one considers that the labour1 in this case1 would cost the farmer next to nothing4 ,to grind would be the work of a wet day4 ,there is no farmer who does not at least fifty days in every year exclaim1 when he gets up in the morning1 ,what shall ,i set them at to-day8 ,if he had a mill1 he would make them pull off their shoes1 sweep all out clean1 winnow up some corn1 if he had it not already done1 and grind and dress1 and have every thing in order4 ,no scolding within doors about the grist2 no squeaking in the stye2 no boy sent off in the rain to the mill4 #ig4 ,but there is one advantage which ,i have not yet mentioned2 and which is the greatest of all2 namely1 that you would have the power of supplying your married labourers2 your blacksmith's men sometimes2 your wheelwright's men at other times2 and1 indeed1 the greater part of the persons that you employed1 with good flour1 instead of their going to purchase their flour1 after it had passed through the hands of a ,corn ,merchant1 a ,miller1 a ,flour ,merchant1 and a ,huckster1 every one of whom does and must have a profit out of the flour1 arising from wheat grown upon1 and sent away from1 your very farm6 ,i used to let all my people have flour at the same price that they would otherwise have been compelled to give for worse flour4 ,every ,farmer will understand me when ,i say1 that he ought to pay for nothing in money1 which he can pay for in any thing but money4 ,his maxim is to keep the money that he takes as long as he can4 ,now here is a most effectual way of putting that maxim in practice to a very great extent4 ,farmers know well that it is the ,saturday night which empties their pockets2 and here is the means of cutting off a good half of the ,saturday night4 ,the men have better flour for the same money1 and still the farmer keeps at home those profits which would go to the maintaining of the dealers in wheat and in flour4 #ih4 ,the maker of my little mill is ,mr4 ,,hill1 of ,oxford-street4 ,the expense is what ,i have stated it to be4 ,i1 with my small establishment1 find the thing convenient and advantageous2 what then must it be to a gentleman in the country who has room and horses1 and a considerable family to provide for8 ,the dresser is so contrived as to give you at once1 meal1 of four degrees of fineness2 so that1 for certain purposes1 you may take the very finest2 and1 indeed1 you may have your flour1 and your bread of course1 of what degree of fineness you please4 ,but there is also a steel mill1 much less expensive1 requiring less labour1 and yet quite sufficient for a family4 ,mills of this sort1 very good1 and at a reasonable price1 are to be had of ,mr4 ,,parkes1 in ,fenchurch-street1 ,london4 ,these are very complete things of their kind4 ,mr4 ,,parkes has1 also1 excellent ,malt-,mills4 #ii4 ,in concluding this part of my ,treatise1 ,i cannot help expressing my hope of being instrumental in inducing a part of the labourers1 at any rate1 to bake their own bread2 and1 above all things1 to abandon the use of ,ireland's lazy root4 ,nevertheless1 so extensive is the erroneous opinion relative to this villanous root1 that ,i really began to despair of checking its cultivation and use1 till ,i saw the declaration which ,mr4 ,,wakefield had the good sense and the spirit to make before the ,,agricultural ,,committee4 ,be it observed1 too1 that ,mr4 ,,wakefield had himself made a survey of the state of ,ireland4 ,what he saw there did not encourage him1 doubtless1 to be an advocate for the growing of this root of wretchedness4 ,it is an undeniable fact1 that1 in the proportion that this root is in use1 as a substitute for bread1 the people are wretched2 the reasons for which ,i have explained and enforced a hundred times over4 ,mr4 ,,william ,,hanning told the ,committee that the labourers in his part of ,somersetshire were almost wholly supplied with potatoes1 breakfast and dinner1 brought them in the fields1 and nothing but potatoes2 and that they used1 in better times1 to get a certain portion of bacon and cheese1 which1 on account of their poverty1 they do not eat now4 ,it is impossible that men can be contented in such a state of things3 it is unjust to desire them to be contented3 it is a state of misery and degradation to which no part of any community can have any show of right to reduce another part3 men so degraded have no protection2 and it is a disgrace to form part of a community to which they belong4 ,this degradation has been occasioned by a silent change in the value of the money of the country4 ,this has purloined the wages of the labourer2 it has reduced him by degrees to housel with the spider and the bat1 and to feed with the pig4 ,it has changed the habits1 and1 in a great measure1 the character of the people4 ,the sins of this system are enormous and undescribable2 but1 thank ,god6 they seem to be approaching to their end6 ,money is resuming its value1 labour is recovering its price3 let us hope that the wretched potatoe is disappearing1 and that we shall1 once more1 see the knife in the labourer's hand and the loaf upon his board4 ,this was written in #ahba4 ,now 7#ahbc7 we have had the experience of #ahbb1 when1 for the first time1 the world saw a considerable part of a people1 plunged into all the horrors of famine1 at a moment when the government of that nation declared food to be abundant6 ,yes1 the year #ahbb saw ,ireland in this state2 saw the people of whole parishes receiving the extreme unction preparatory to yielding up their breath for want of food2 and this while large exports of meat and flour were taking place in that country6 ,but horrible as this was1 disgraceful as it was to the name of ,ireland1 it was attended with this good effect3 it brought out1 from many members of ,parliament 7in their places17 and from the public in general1 the acknowledgment1 that the misery and degradation of the ,irish were chiefly owing to the use of the potatoe as the almost sole food of the people4 #ajj4 ,in my next number ,i shall treat of the keeping of cows4 ,i have said that ,i will teach the cottager how to keep a cow all the year round upon the produce of a quarter of an acre1 or1 in other words1 forty rods1 of land2 and1 in my next1 ,i will make good my promise4 ,no4 ,,iv ,,making ,,bread--7,,continued47 #aja4 ,in the last number1 at ,paragraph #hf1 ,i observed that ,i hoped it was unnecessary for me to give any directions as to the mere act of making bread4 ,but several correspondents inform me that1 without these directions1 a conviction of the utility of baking bread at home is of no use to them4 ,therefore1 ,i shall here give those directions1 receiving my instructions here from one1 who1 ,i thank ,god1 does know how to perform this act4 #ajb4 ,suppose the quantity be a bushel of flour4 ,put this flour into a trough that people have for the purpose1 or it may be in a clean smooth tub of any shape1 if not too deep1 and if sufficiently large4 ,make a pretty deep hole in the middle of this heap of flour4 ,take 7for a bushel7 a pint of good fresh yeast1 mix it and stir it well up in a pint of soft water milk-warm4 ,pour this into the hole in the heap of flour4 ,then take a spoon and work it round the outside of this body of moisture so as to bring into that body1 by degrees1 flour enough to make it form a thin batter1 which you must stir about well for a minute or two4 ,then take a handful of flour and scatter it thinly over the head of this batter1 so as to hide it4 ,then cover the whole over with a cloth to keep it warm2 and this covering1 as well as the situation of the trough1 as to distance from the fire1 must depend on the nature of the place and state of the weather as to heat and cold4 ,when you perceive that the batter has risen enough to make cracks in the flour that you covered it over with1 you begin to form the whole mass into dough1 thus3 you begin round the hole containing the batter1 working the flour into the batter1 and pouring in1 as it is wanted to make the flour mix with the batter1 soft water milk-warm1 or milk1 as hereafter to be mentioned4 ,before you begin this1 you scatter the salt over the heap at the rate of half a pound to a bushel of flour4 ,when you have got the whole sufficiently moist1 you knead it well4 ,this is a grand part of the business2 for1 unless the dough be well worked1 there will be little round lumps of flour in the loaves2 and1 besides1 the original batter1 which is to give fermentation to the whole1 will not be duly mixed4 ,the dough must1 therefore1 be well worked4 ,the fists must go heartily into it4 ,it must be rolled over2 pressed out2 folded up and pressed out again1 until it be completely mixed1 and formed into a stiff and tough dough4 ,this is labour1 mind4 ,i have never quite liked baker's bread since ,i saw a great heavy fellow1 in a bakehouse in ,france1 kneading bread with his naked feet6 ,his feet looked very white1 to be sure3 whether they were of that colour before he got into the trough ,i could not tell4 ,god forbid1 that ,i should suspect that this is ever done in ,england6 ,it is labour2 but1 what is exercise other than labour8 ,let a young woman bake a bushel once a week1 and she will do very well without phials and gallipots4 #ajc4 ,thus1 then1 the dough is made4 ,and1 when made1 it is to be formed into a lump in the middle of the trough1 and1 with a little dry flour thinly scattered over it1 covered over again to be kept warm and to ferment2 and in this state1 if all be done rightly1 it will not have to remain more than about #ae or #bj minutes4 #ajd4 ,in the mean while the oven is to be heated2 and this is much more than half the art of the operation4 ,when an oven is properly heated1 can be known only by actual observation4 ,women who understand the matter1 know when the heat is right the moment they put their faces within a yard of the oven-mouth2 and once or twice observing is enough for any person of common capacity4 ,but this much may be said in the way of rule3 that the fuel 7,i am supposing a brick oven7 should be dry 7not rotten7 wood1 and not mere brush-wood1 but rather fagot-sticks4 ,if larger wood1 it ought to be split up into sticks not more than two1 or two and a half inches through4 ,bush-wood that is strong1 not green and not too old1 if it be hard in its nature and has some sticks in it1 may do4 ,the woody parts of furze1 or ling1 will heat an oven very well4 ,but the thing is1 to have a lively and yet somewhat strong fire2 so that the oven may be heated in about #ae minutes1 and retain its heat sufficiently long4 #aje4 ,the oven should be hot by the time that the dough1 as mentioned in ,paragraph #ajc1 has remained in the lump about #bj minutes4 ,when both are ready1 take out the fire1 and wipe the oven out clean1 and1 at nearly about the same moment1 take the dough out upon the lid of the baking trough1 or some proper place1 cut it up into pieces1 and make it up into loaves1 kneading it again into these separate parcels2 and1 as you go on1 shaking a little flour over your board1 to prevent the dough from adhering to it4 ,the loaves should be put into the oven as quickly as possible after they are formed2 when in1 the oven-lid1 or door1 should be fastened up very closely2 and1 if all be properly managed1 loaves of about the size of quartern loaves will be sufficiently baked in about two hours4 ,but they usually take down the lid1 and look at the bread1 in order to see how it is going on4 #ajf4 ,and what is there worthy of the name of plague1 or trouble1 in all this8 ,here is no dirt1 no filth1 no rubbish1 no litter1 no slop4 ,and1 pray1 what can be pleasanter to behold8 ,talk1 indeed1 of your pantomimes and gaudy shows2 your processions and installations and coronations6 ,give me1 for a beautiful sight1 a neat and smart woman1 heating her oven and setting in her bread6 ,and1 if the bustle does make the sign of labour glisten on her brow1 where is the man that would not kiss that off1 rather than lick the plaster from the cheek of a duchess4 #ajg4 ,and what is the result8 ,why1 good1 wholesome food1 sufficient for a considerable family for a week1 prepared in three or four hours4 ,to get this quantity of food1 fit to be eaten1 in the shape of potatoes1 how many fires6 what a washing1 what a boiling1 what a peeling1 what a slopping1 and what a messing6 ,the cottage everlastingly in a litter2 the woman's hands everlastingly wet and dirty2 the children grimed up to the eyes with dust fixed on by potato-starch2 and ragged as colts1 the poor mother's time all being devoted to the everlasting boilings of the pot6 ,can any man1 who knows any thing of the labourer's life1 deny this8 ,and will1 then1 any body1 except the old shuffle-breeches band of the ,quarterly ,review1 who have all their lives been moving from garret to garret1 who have seldom seen the sun1 and never the dew except in print2 will any body except these men say1 that the people ought to be taught to use potatoes as a substitute for bread8 ,,brewing ,,beer4 #ajh4 ,this matter has been fully treated of in the two last numbers4 ,but several correspondents wishing to fall upon some means of rendering the practice beneficial to those who are unable to purchase brewing utensils1 have recommended the lending of them1 or letting out1 round a neighbourhood4 ,another correspondent has1 therefore1 pointed out to me an ,act of ,parliament which touches upon this subject2 and1 indeed1 what of ,excise ,laws and ,custom ,laws and ,combination ,laws and ,libel ,laws1 a human being in this country scarcely knows what he dares do or what he dares say4 ,what father1 for instance1 would have imagined1 that1 having brewing utensils1 which two men carry from house to house as easily as they can a basket1 he dared not lend them to his son1 living in the next street1 or at the next door8 ,yet such really is the law2 for1 according to the ,act #eth of the #bb and #bc of that honest and sincere gentleman ,charles ,,ii41 there is a penalty of #ejl4 for lending or letting brewing utensils4 ,however1 it has this limit2 that the penalty is confined to ,cities1 ,corporate ,towns1 and ,market ,towns1 ,,where ,,there ,,is ,a ,,public ,,brewhouse4 ,so that1 in the first place1 you may let1 or lend1 in any place where there is no public brewhouse2 and in all towns not corporate or market1 and in all villages1 hamlets1 and scattered places4 #aji4 ,another thing is1 can a man who has brewed beer at his own house in the country1 bring that beer into town to his own house1 and for the use of his family there8 ,this has been asked of me4 ,i cannot give a positive answer without reading about seven large volumes in quarto of taxing laws4 ,the best way would be to try it2 and1 if any penalty1 pay it by subscription1 if that would not come under the law of conspiracy6 ,however1 ,i think1 there can be no danger here4 ,so monstrous a thing as this can1 surely1 not exist4 ,if there be such a law1 it is daily violated2 for nothing is more common than for country gentlemen1 who have a dislike to die by poison1 bringing their home-brewed beer to ,london4 #aaj4 ,another correspondent recommends parishes to make their own malt4 ,but1 surely1 the landlords mean to get rid of the malt and salt tax6 ,many dairies1 ,i dare say1 pay #ejl4 a year each in salt tax4 ,how1 then1 are they to contend against ,irish butter and ,dutch butter and cheese8 ,and as to the malt tax1 it is a dreadful drain from the land4 ,i have heard of labourers1 living in unkent places1 making their own malt1 even now6 ,nothing is so easy as to make your own malt1 if you were permitted4 ,you soak the barley about three days 7according to the state of the weather47 and then you put it upon stones or bricks and keep it turned1 till the root shoots out2 and then to know when to stop1 and to put it to dry1 take up a corn 7which you will find nearly transparent7 and look through the skin of it4 ,you will see the spear1 that is to say1 the shoot that would come out of the ground1 pushing on towards the point of the barley-corn4 ,it starts from the bottom1 where the root comes out2 and it goes on towards the other end2 and would1 if kept moist1 come out at that other end when the root was about an inch long4 ,so that1 when you have got the root to start1 by soaking and turning in heap1 the spear is on its way4 ,if you look in through the skin1 you will see it2 and now observe2 when the point of the spear has got along as far as the middle of the barley-corn1 you should take your barley and dry it4 ,how easy would every family1 and especially every farmer1 do this1 if it were not for the punishment attached to it6 ,the persons in the unkent places before mentioned1 dry the malt in their oven6 ,but let us hope that the labourer will soon be able to get malt without exposing himself to punishment as a violater of the law4 ,,keeping ,,cows4 #aaa4 ,as to the use of milk and of that which proceeds from milk1 in a family1 very little need be said4 ,at a certain age bread and milk are all that a child wants4 ,at a later age they furnish one meal a day for children4 ,milk is1 at all seasons1 good to drink4 ,in the making of puddings1 and in the making of bread too1 how useful is it6 ,let any one who has eaten none but baker's bread for a good while1 taste bread home-baked1 mixed with milk instead of with water2 and he will find what the difference is4 ,there is this only to be observed1 that in hot weather1 bread mixed with milk will not keep so long as that mixed with water4 ,it will of course turn sour sooner4 #aab4 ,whether the milk of a cow be to be consumed by a cottage family in the shape of milk1 or whether it be to be made to yield butter1 skim-milk1 and buttermilk1 must depend on circumstances4 ,a woman that has no child1 or only one1 would1 perhaps1 find it best to make some butter at any rate4 ,besides1 skim-milk and bread 7the milk being boiled7 is quite strong food enough for any children's breakfast1 even when they begin to go to work2 a fact which ,i state upon the most ample and satisfactory experience1 very seldom having ever had any other sort of breakfast myself till ,i was more than ten years old1 and ,i was in the fields at work full four years before that4 ,i will here mention that it gave me singular pleasure to see a boy1 just turned of six1 helping his father to reap1 in ,sussex1 this last summer4 ,he did little1 to be sure2 but it was something4 ,his father set him into the ridge at a great distance before him2 and when he came up to the place1 he found a sheaf cut2 and1 those who know what it is to reap1 know how pleasant it is to find now and then a sheaf cut ready to their hand4 ,it was no small thing to see a boy fit to be trusted with so dangerous a thing as a reap-hook in his hands1 at an age when young masters have nursery-maids to cut their victuals for them1 and to see that they do not fall out of the window1 tumble down stairs1 or run under carriage-wheels or horses' bellies4 ,was not this father discharging his duty by this boy much better than he would have been by sending him to a place called a school8 ,the boy is in a school here2 and an excellent school too3 the school of useful labour4 ,i must hear a great deal more than ,i ever have heard1 to convince me1 that teaching children to read tends so much to their happiness1 their independence of spirit1 their manliness of character1 as teaching them to reap4 ,the creature that is in want must be a slave2 and to be habituated to labour cheerfully is the only means of preventing nineteen-twentieths of mankind from being in want4 ,i have digressed here2 but observations of this sort can1 in my opinion1 never be too often repeated2 especially at a time when all sorts of mad projects are on foot1 for what is falsely called educating the people1 and when some would do this by a tax that would compel the single man to give part of his earnings to teach the married man's children to read and write4 #aac4 ,before ,i quit the uses to which milk may be put1 let me mention1 that1 as mere drink1 it is1 unless perhaps in case of heavy labour1 better1 in my opinion1 than any beer1 however good4 ,i have drinked little else for the last five years1 at any time of the day4 ,skim-milk ,i mean4 ,if you have not milk enough to wet up your bread with 7for a bushel of flour requires about #af to #ah pints17 you make up the quantity with water1 of course2 or1 which is a very good way1 with water that has been put1 boiling hot1 upon bran1 and then drained off4 ,this takes the goodness out of the bran to be sure2 but really good bread is a thing of so much importance1 that it always ought to be the very first object in domestic economy4 #aad4 ,the cases vary so much1 that it is impossible to lay down rules for the application of the produce of a cow1 which rules shall fit all cases4 ,i content myself1 therefore1 with what has already been said on this subject2 and shall only make an observation on the act of milking1 before ,i come to the chief matter2 namely1 the getting of the food for the cow4 ,a cow should be milked clean4 ,not a drop1 if it can be avoided1 should be left in the udder4 ,it has been proved that the half pint that comes out last has twelve times1 ,i think it is1 as much butter in it1 as the half pint that comes out first4 ,i tried the milk of ten ,alderney cows1 and1 as nearly as ,i1 without being very nice about the matter1 could ascertain1 ,i found the difference to be about what ,i have stated4 ,the udder would seem to be a sort of milk-pan in which the cream is uppermost1 and1 of course1 comes out last1 seeing that the outlet is at the bottom4 ,but1 besides this1 if you do not milk clean1 the cow will give less and less milk1 and will become dry much sooner than she ought4 ,the cause of this ,i do not know1 but experience has long established the fact4 #aae4 ,in providing food for a cow we must look1 first1 at the sort of cow2 seeing that a cow of one sort will certainly require more than twice as much food as a cow of another sort4 ,for a cottage1 a cow of the smallest sort common in ,england is1 on every account1 the best2 and such a cow will not require above #gj or #hj pounds of good moist food in the twenty-four hours4 #aaf4 ,now1 how to raise this food on #dj rods of ground is what we want to know4 ,it frequently happens that a labourer has more than #dj rods of ground4 ,it more frequently happens1 that he has some common1 some lane1 some little out-let or other1 for a part of the year1 at least4 ,in such cases he may make a different disposition of his ground2 or may do with less than the #dj rods4 ,i am here1 for simplicity's sake1 to suppose1 that he have #dj rods of clear1 unshaded land1 besides what his house and sheds stand upon2 and that he have nothing further in the way of means to keep his cow4 #aag4 ,i suppose the #dj rods to be clean and unshaded2 for ,i am to suppose1 that when a man thinks of #e quarts of milk a day1 on an average1 all the year round1 he will not suffer his ground to be encumbered by apple-trees that give him only the means of treating his children to fits of the belly-ache1 or with currant and gooseberry bushes1 which1 though their fruit do very well to amuse1 really give nothing worthy of the name of food1 except to the blackbirds and thrushes4 ,the ground is to be clear of trees2 and1 in the spring1 we will suppose it to be clean4 ,then1 dig it up deeply1 or1 which is better1 trench it1 keeping1 however1 the top spit of the soil at the top4 ,lay it in ridges in ,april or ,may about two feet apart1 and made high and sharp4 ,when the weeds appear about three inches high1 turn the ridges into the furrows 7never moving the ground but in dry weather17 and bury all the weeds4 ,do this as often as the weeds get three inches high2 and by the fall1 you will have really clean ground1 and not poor ground4 #aah4 ,there is the ground then1 ready4 ,about the #bfth of ,august1 but not earlier1 prepare a rod of your ground2 and put some manure in it 7for some you must have17 and sow one half of it with ,early ,york ,cabbage ,seed1 and the other half with ,sugar-loaf ,cabbage ,seed1 both of the true sort1 in little drills at #h inches apart1 and the seeds thin in the drill4 ,if the plants come up at two inches apart 7and they should be thinned if thicker17 you will have a plenty4 ,as soon as fairly out of ground1 hoe the ground nicely1 and pretty deeply1 and again in a few days4 ,when the plants have six leaves1 which will be very soon1 dig up1 make fine1 and manure another rod or two1 and prick out the plants1 #djjj of each in rows at eight inches apart and three inches in the row4 ,hoe the ground between them often1 and they will grow fast and be straight and strong4 ,i suppose that these beds for plants take #d rods of your ground4 ,early in ,november1 or1 as the weather may serve1 a little earlier or later1 lay some manure 7of which ,i shall say more hereafter7 between the ridges1 in the other #cf rods1 and turn the ridges over on this manure1 and then transplant your plants on the ridges at #ae inches apart4 ,here they will stand the winter2 and you must see that the slugs do not eat them4 ,if any plants fail1 you have plenty in the bed where you prick them out2 for your #cf rods will not require more than #djjj plants4 ,if the winter be very hard1 and bad for plants1 you cannot cover #cf rods2 but you may the bed where the rest of your plants are4 ,a little litter1 or straw1 or dead grass1 or fern1 laid along between the rows and the plants1 not to cover the leaves1 will preserve them completely4 ,when people complain of all their plants being cut off1 they have1 in fact nothing to complain of but their own extreme carelessness4 ,if ,i had a gardener who complained of all his plants being cut off1 ,i should cut him off pretty quickly4 ,if those in the #cf rods fail1 or fail in part1 fill up their places1 later in the winter1 by plants from the bed4 #aai4 ,if you find the ground dry at the top during the winter1 hoe it1 and particularly near the plants1 and rout out all slugs and insects4 ,and when ,march comes1 and the ground is dry1 hoe deep and well1 and earth the plants up close to the lower leaves4 ,as soon as the plants begin to grow1 dig the ground with a spade clean and well1 and let the spade go as near to the plants as you can without actually displacing the plants4 ,give them another digging in a month2 and1 if weeds come in the mean-while1 hoe1 and let not one live a week4 ,oh6 what a deal of work6 ,well6 but it is for yourself1 and1 besides1 it is not all to be done in a day2 and we shall by-and-by see what it is altogether4 #abj4 ,by the first of ,june2 ,i speak of the ,south of ,england1 and there is also some difference in seasons and soils2 but1 generally speaking1 by the first of ,june you will have turned-in cabbages1 and soon you will have the ,early ,yorks solid4 ,and by the first of ,june you may get your cow1 one that is about to calve1 or that has just calved1 and at this time such a cow as you will want will not1 thank ,god1 cost above five pounds4 #aba4 ,i shall speak of the place to keep her in1 and of the manure and litter1 by-and-by4 ,at present ,i confine myself to her mere food4 ,the #cf rods1 if the cabbages all stood till they got solid1 would give her food for #bjj days1 at #hj pounds weight per day1 which is more than she would eat4 ,but you must use some1 at first1 that are not solid2 and1 then1 some of them will split before you can use them4 ,but you will have pigs to help off with them1 and to gnaw the heads of the stumps4 ,some of the sugar-loaves may have been planted out in the spring2 and thus these #cf rods will get you along to some time in ,september4 #abb4 ,now mind1 in ,march1 and again in ,april1 sow more ,early ,yorks1 and get them to be fine stout plants1 as you did those in the fall4 ,dig up the ground and manure it1 and1 as fast as you cut cabbages1 plant cabbages2 and in the same manner and with the same cultivation as before4 ,your last planting will be about the middle of ,august1 with stout plants1 and these will serve you into the month of ,november4 #abc4 ,now we have to provide from ,december to ,may inclusive2 and that1 too1 out of this same piece of ground4 ,in ,november there must be1 arrived at perfection1 #cjjj turnip plants4 ,these1 without the greens1 must weigh1 on an average1 #e pounds1 and this1 at #hj pounds a day1 will keep the cow #ahg days2 and there are but #ahb days in these six months4 ,the greens will have helped put the latest cabbages to carry you through ,november1 and perhaps into ,december4 ,but for these six months1 you must depend on nothing but the ,swedish turnips4 #abd4 ,and now1 how are these to be had upon the same ground that bears the cabbages8 ,that we are now going to see4 ,when you plant out your cabbages at the out-set1 put first a row of ,early ,yorks1 then a row of ,sugar-loaves1 and so on throughout the piece4 ,of course1 as you are to use the ,early ,yorks first1 you will cut every other row2 and the ,early ,yorks that you are to plant in summer will go into the intervals4 ,by-and-by the ,sugar-loaves are cut away1 and in their place will come ,swedish turnips1 you digging and manuring the ground as in the case of the cabbages3 and1 at last1 you will find about #af rods where you will have found it too late1 and unnecessary besides1 to plant any second crop of cabbages4 ,here the ,swedish turnips will stand in rows at two feet apart1 7and always a foot apart in the row17 and thus you will have three thousand turnips2 and if these do not weigh five pounds each on an average1 the fault must be in the seed or in the management4 #abe4 ,the ,swedish turnips are raised in this manner4 ,you will bear in mind the four rods of ground in which you have sowed and pricked out your cabbage plants4 ,the plants that will be left there will1 in ,april1 serve you for greens1 if you ever eat any1 though bread and bacon are very good without greens1 and rather better than with4 ,at any rate1 the pig1 which has strong powers of digestion1 will consume this herbage4 ,in a part of these four rods you will1 in ,march and ,april1 as before directed1 have sown and raised your ,early ,yorks for the summer planting4 ,now1 in the last week of ,may1 prepare a quarter of a rod of this ground1 and sow it1 precisely as directed for the ,cabbage-seed1 with ,swedish turnip-seed2 and sow a quarter of a rod every three days1 till you have sowed two rods4 ,if the fly appear1 cover the rows over in the day-time with cabbage leaves1 and take the leaves off at night2 hoe well between the plants2 and when they are safe from the fly1 thin them to four inches apart in the row4 ,the two rods will give you nearly five thousand plants1 which is #bjjj more than you will want4 ,from this bed you draw your plants to transplant in the ground where the cabbages have stood1 as before directed4 ,you should transplant none much before the middle of ,july1 and not much later than the middle of ,august4 ,in the two rods1 whence you take your turnip plants1 you may leave plants to come to perfection1 at two feet distances each way2 and this will give you over and above1 #hdj pounds weight of turnips4 ,for the other two rods will be ground enough for you to sow your cabbage plants in at the end of ,august1 as directed for last year4 #abf4 ,i should now proceed to speak of the manner of harvesting1 preserving1 and using the crops2 of the manner of feeding the cow2 of the shed for her2 of the managing of the manure1 and several other less important things2 but these1 for want of room here1 must be reserved for the beginning of my next ,number4 ,after1 therefore1 observing that the ,turnip plants must be transplanted in the same way that ,cabbage plants are2 and that both ought to be transplanted in dry weather and in ground just fresh digged1 ,i shall close this ,number with the notice of two points which ,i am most anxious to impress upon the mind of every reader4 #abg4 ,the first is1 whether these crops give an ill taste to milk and butter4 ,it is very certain1 that the taste and smell of certain sorts of cattle-food will do this2 for1 in some parts of ,america1 where the wild garlick1 of which the cows are very fond1 and which1 like other bulbous-rooted plants1 springs before the grass1 not only the milk and butter have a strong taste of garlick1 but even the veal1 when the calves suck milk from such sources4 ,none can be more common expressions1 than1 in ,philadelphia market1 are those of ,garlicky ,butter and ,garlicky ,veal1 ,i have distinctly tasted the ,whiskey in milk of cows fed on distiller's wash4 ,it is also certain1 that1 if the cow eat putrid leaves of cabbages and turnips1 the butter will be offensive4 ,and the white-turnip1 which is at best but a poor thing1 and often half putrid1 makes miserable butter4 ,the large cattle-cabbage1 which1 when loaved hard1 has a strong and even an offensive smell1 will give a bad taste and smell to milk and butter1 whether there be putrid leaves or not4 ,if you boil one of these rank cabbages1 the water is extremely offensive to the smell4 ,but ,i state upon positive and recent experience1 that ,early ,york and ,sugar-loaf ,cabbages will yield as sweet milk and butter as any food that can be given to a cow4 ,during this last summer1 ,i have1 with the exception about to be noticed1 kept1 from the #ast of ,may to the #bb;d of ,october1 five cows upon the grass of two acres and a quarter of ground1 the grass being generally cut up for them and given to them in the stall4 ,i had in the spring #ejjj cabbage plants1 intended for my pigs1 eleven in number4 ,but the pigs could not eat half their allowance1 though they were not very small when they began upon it4 ,we were compelled to resort to the aid of the cows2 and1 in order to see the effect on the milk and butter1 we did not mix the food2 but gave the cows two distinct spells at the cabbages1 each spell about #aj days in duration4 ,the cabbages were cut off the stump with little or no care about dead leaves4 ,and sweeter1 finer butter1 butter of a finer colour1 than these cabbages made1 never was made in this world4 ,i never had better from cows feeding in the sweetest pasture4 ,now1 as to ,swedish turnips1 they do give a little taste1 especially if boiling of the milk pans be neglected1 and if the greatest care be not taken about all the dairy tackle4 ,yet we have1 for months together1 had the butter so fine from ,swedish turnips1 that nobody could well distinguish it from grass-butter4 ,but to secure this1 there must be no sluttishness4 ,churn1 pans1 pail1 shelves1 wall1 floor1 and all about the dairy1 must be clean2 and1 above all things1 the pans must be boiled4 ,however1 after all1 it is not here a case of delicacy of smell so refined as to faint at any thing that meets it except the stink of perfumes4 ,if the butter do taste a little of the ,swedish turnip1 it will do very well where there is plenty of that sweet sauce which early rising and bodily labour are ever sure to bring4 #abh4 ,the other point 7about which ,i am still more anxious7 is the seed2 for if the seed be not sound1 and especially if it be not true to its kind1 all your labour is in vain4 ,it is best1 if you can do it1 to get your seed from some friend1 or some one that you know and can trust4 ,if you save seed1 observe all the precautions mentioned in my book on ,gardening4 ,this very year ,i have some ,swedish turnips1 so called1 about #gjjj in number1 and should1 if my seed had been true1 have had about twenty tons weight2 instead of which ,i have about three6 ,indeed1 they are not ,swedish turnips1 but a sort of mixture between that plant and rape4 ,i am sure the seedsman did not wilfully deceive me4 ,he was deceived himself4 ,the truth is1 that seedsmen are compelled to buy their seeds of this plant4 ,farmers save it2 and they but too often pay very little attention to the manner of doing it4 ,the best way is to get a dozen of fine turnip plants1 perfect in all respects1 and plant them in a situation where the smell of the blossoms of nothing of the cabbage or rape or turnip or even charlock kind1 can reach them4 ,the seed will keep perfectly good for four years4 ,no4 ,v ,,keeping ,,cows--7continued47 #abi4 ,i have now1 in the conclusion of this article1 to speak of the manner of harvesting and preserving the ,swedes2 of the place to keep the cow in2 of the manure for the land2 and of the quantity of labour that the cultivation of the land and the harvesting of the crop will require4 #acj4 ,harvesting and preserving the ,swedes4 ,when they are ready to take up1 the tops must be cut off1 if not cut off before1 and also the roots2 but neither tops nor roots should be cut off very close4 ,you will have room for ten bushels of the bulbs in the house1 or shed4 ,put the rest into ten-bushel heaps4 ,make the heap upon the ground in a round form1 and let it rise up to a point4 ,lay over it a little litter1 straw1 or dead grass1 about three inches thick1 and then earth upon that about six inches thick4 ,then cut a thin round green turf1 about eighteen inches over1 and put it upon the crown of the heap to prevent the earth from being washed off4 ,thus these heaps will remain till wanted for use4 ,when given to the cow1 it will be best to wash the ,swedes and cut each into two or three pieces with a spade or some other tool4 ,you can take in ten bushels at a time4 ,if you find them sprouting in the spring1 open the remaining heaps1 and expose them to the sun and wind2 and cover them again slightly with straw or litter of some sort4#f #aca4 ,as to the place to keep the cow in1 much will depend upon situation and circumstances4 ,i am always supposing that the cottage is a real cottage1 and not a house in a town or village street2 though1 wherever there is the quarter of an acre of ground1 the cow may be kept4 ,let me1 however1 suppose that which will generally happen2 namely1 that the cottage stands by the side of a road1 or lane1 and amongst fields and woods1 if not on the side of a common4 ,to pretend to tell a country labourer how to build a shed for a cow1 how to stick it up against the end of his house1 or to make it an independent erection2 or to dwell on the materials1 where poles1 rods1 wattles1 rushes1 furze1 heath1 and cooper-chips1 are all to be gotten by him for nothing or next to nothing1 would be useless2 because a man who1 thus situated1 can be at any loss for a shed for his cow1 is not only unfit to keep a cow1 but unfit to keep a cat4 ,the warmer the shed is the better it is4 ,the floor should slope1 but not too much4 ,there are stones1 of some sort or other1 every-where1 and about six wheel-barrow-fulls will pave the shed1 a thing to be by no means neglected4 ,a broad trough1 or box1 fixed up at the head of the cow1 is the thing to give her food in2 and she should be fed three times a day1 at least2 always at day-light and at sun-set4 ,it is not absolutely necessary that a cow ever quit her shed1 except just at calving time1 or when taken to the bull4 ,in the former case the time is1 nine times out of ten1 known to within forty-eight hours4 ,any enclosed field or place will do for her during a day or two2 and for such purpose1 if there be not room at home1 no man will refuse place for her in a fallow field4 ,it will1 however1 be good1 where there is no common to turn her out upon1 to have her led by a string1 two or three times a week1 which may be done by a child only five years old1 to graze1 or pick1 along the sides of roads and lanes4 ,where there is a common1 she will1 of course1 be turned out in the day time1 except in very wet or severe weather2 and in a case like this1 a smaller quantity of ground will suffice for the keeping of her4 ,according to the present practice1 a miserable tallet of bad hay is1 in such cases1 the winter provision for the cow4 ,it can scarcely be called food2 and the consequence is1 the cow is both dry and lousy nearly half the year2 instead of being dry only about fifteen days before calving1 and being sleek and lusty at the end of the winter1 to which a warm lodging greatly contributes4 ,for1 observe1 if you keep a cow1 any time between ,september and ,june1 out in a field or yard1 to endure the chances of the weather1 she will not1 though she have food precisely the same in quantity and quality1 yield above two-thirds as much as if she were lodged in house2 and in wet weather she will not yield half so much4 ,it is not so much the cold as the wet that is injurious to all our stock in ,england4 #acb4 ,the ,manure4 ,at the beginning this must be provided by collections made on the road2 by the results of the residence in a cottage4 ,let any man clean out every place about his dwelling2 rake and scrape and sweep all into a heap2 and he will find that he has a great deal4 ,earth of almost any sort that has long lain on the surface1 and has been trodden on1 is a species of manure4 ,every act that tends to neatness round a dwelling1 tends to the creating of a mass of manure4 ,and ,i have very seldom seen a cottage1 with a plat of ground of a quarter of an acre belonging to it1 round about which ,i could not have collected a very large heap of manure4 ,every thing of animal or vegetable substance that comes into a house1 must go out of it again1 in one shape or another4 ,the very emptying of vessels of various kinds1 on a heap of common earth1 makes it a heap of the best of manure4 ,thus goes on the work of reproduction2 and thus is verified the words of the ,scripture1 ,flesh is grass1 and there is nothing new under the sun4 ,thus far as to the outset4 ,when you have got the cow1 there is no more care about manure2 for1 and especially if you have a pig also1 you must have enough annually for an acre of ground4 ,and let it be observed1 that1 after a time1 it will be unnecessary1 and would be injurious1 to manure for every crop2 for that would produce more stalk and green than substantial part2 as it is well known1 that wheat plants1 standing in ground too full of manure1 will yield very thick and long straws1 but grains of little or no substance4 ,you ought to depend more on the spade and the hoe than on the dung-heap4 ,nevertheless1 the greatest care should be taken to preserve the manure2 because you will want straw1 unless you be by the side of a common which gives you rushes1 grassy furze1 or fern2 and to get straw you must give a part of your dung from the cow-stall and pig-sty4 ,the best way to preserve manure1 is to have a pit of sufficient dimensions close behind the cow-shed and pig-sty1 for the run from these to go into1 and from which all runs of rain water should be kept4 ,into this pit would go the emptying of the shed and of the sty1 and the produce of all sweepings and cleanings round the house2 and thus a large mass of manure would soon grow together4 ,much too large a quantity for a quarter of an acre of ground4 ,one good load of wheat or rye straw is all that you would want for the winter1 and half of one for the summer2 and you would have more than enough dung to exchange against this straw4 #acc4 ,now1 as to the quantity of labour that the cultivation of the land will demand in a year4 ,we will suppose the whole to have five complete diggings1 and say nothing about the little matters of sowing and planting and hoeing and harvesting1 all which are a mere trifle4 ,we are supposing the owner to be an able labouring man2 and such a man will dig #ab rods of ground in a day4 ,here are #bjj rods to be digged1 and here are little less than #ag days of work at #ab hours in the day2 or #bjj hours' work1 to be done in the course of the long days of spring and summer1 while it is light long before six in the morning1 and long after six at night4 ,what is it1 then8 ,is it not better than time spent in the ale-house1 or in creeping about after a miserable hare8 ,frequently1 and most frequently1 there will be a boy1 if not two1 big enough to help4 ,and 7,i only give this as a hint7 ,i saw1 on the #gth of ,november last 7#ahbb17 a very pretty woman1 in the village of ,hannington1 in ,wiltshire1 digging a piece of ground and planting it with ,early ,cabbages1 which she did as handily and as neatly as any gardener that ever ,i saw4 ,the ground was wet1 and therefore1 to avoid treading the digged ground in that state1 she had her line extended1 and put in the rows as she advanced in her digging1 standing in the trench while she performed the act of planting1 which she did with great nimbleness and precision4 ,nothing could be more skilfully or beautifully done4 ,her clothes were neat1 clean1 and tight about her4 ,she had turned her handkerchief down from her neck1 which1 with the glow that the work had brought into her cheeks1 formed an object which ,i do not say would have made me actually stop my chaise1 had it not been for the occupation in which she was engaged2 but1 all taken together1 the temptation was too strong to be resisted4 ,but there is the ,sunday2 and ,i know of no law1 human or divine1 that forbids a labouring man to dig or plant his garden on ,sunday1 if the good of his family demand it2 and if he cannot1 without injury to that family1 find other time to do it in4 ,shepherds1 carters1 pigfeeders1 drovers1 coachmen1 cooks1 footmen1 printers1 and numerous others1 work on the ,sundays4 ,theirs are deemed by the law works of necessity4 ,harvesting and haymaking are allowed to be carried on on the ,sunday1 in certain cases2 when they are always carried on by provident farmers4 ,and ,i should be glad to know the case which is more a case of necessity than that now under our view4 ,in fact1 the labouring people do work on the ,sunday morning in particular1 all over the country1 at something or other1 or they are engaged in pursuits a good deal less religious than that of digging and planting4 ,so that1 as to the #bjj hours1 they are easily found1 without the loss of any of the time required for constant daily labour4 #acd4 ,and what a produce is that of a cow6 ,i suppose only an average of #e quarts of milk a day4 ,if made into butter1 it will be equal every week to two days of the man's wages1 besides the value of the skim milk3 and this can hardly be of less value than another day's wages4 ,what a thing1 then1 is this cow1 if she earn half as much as the man6 ,i am greatly under-rating her produce2 but ,i wish to put all the advantages at the lowest4 ,to be sure1 there is work for the wife1 or daughter1 to milk and make butter4 ,but the former is done at the two ends of the day1 and the latter only about once in the week4 ,and1 whatever these may subtract from the labours of the field1 which all country women ought to be engaged in whenever they conveniently can2 whatever the cares created by the cow may subtract from these1 is amply compensated for by the education that these cares will give to the children4 ,they will all learn to milk1#g and the girls to make butter4 ,and which is a thing of the very first importance1 they will all learn1 from their infancy1 to set a just value upon dumb animals1 and will grow up in the habit of treating them with gentleness and feeding them with care4 ,to those who have not been brought up in the midst of rural affairs1 it is hardly possible to give an adequate idea of the importance of this part of education4 ,i should be very loth to intrust the care of my horses1 cattle1 sheep1 or pigs1 to any one whose father never had cow or pig of his own4 ,it is a general complaint1 that servants1 and especially farm-servants1 are not so good as they used to be4 ,how should they8 ,they were formerly the sons and daughters of small farmers2 they are now the progeny of miserable property-less labourers4 ,they have never seen an animal in which they had any interest4 ,they are careless by habit4 ,this monstrous evil has arisen from causes which ,i have a thousand times described2 and which causes must now be speedily removed2 or1 they will produce a dissolution of society1 and give us a beginning afresh4 #ace4 ,the circumstances vary so much1 that it is impossible to lay down precise rules suited to all cases4 ,the cottage may be on the side of a forest or common2 it may be on the side of a lane or of a great road1 distant from town or village2 it may be on the skirts of one of these latter3 and then1 again1 the family may be few or great in number1 the children small or big1 according to all which circumstances1 the extent and application of the cow-food1 and also the application of the produce1 will naturally be regulated4 ,under some circumstances1 half the above crop may be enough2 especially where good commons are at hand4 ,sometimes it may be the best way to sell the calf as soon as calved2 at others1 to fat it2 and1 at others1 if you cannot sell it1 which sometimes happens1 to knock it on the head as soon as calved2 for1 where there is a family of small children1 the price of a calf of two months old cannot be equal to the half of the value of the two months' milk4 ,it is pure weakness to call it a pity4 ,it is a much greater pity to see hungry children crying for the milk that a calf is sucking to no useful purpose2 and as to the cow and the calf1 the one must lose her young1 and the other its life1 after all2 and the respite only makes an addition to the sufferings of both4 #acf4 ,as to the pretended unwholesomeness of milk in certain cases2 as to its not being adapted to some constitutions1 ,i do not believe one word of the matter4 ,when we talk of the fruits1 indeed1 which were formerly the chief food of a great part of mankind1 we should recollect1 that those fruits grew in countries that had a sun to ripen the fruits1 and to put nutritious matter into them4 ,but as to milk1 ,england yields to no country upon the face of the earth4 ,neat cattle will touch nothing that is not wholesome in its nature2 nothing that is not wholly innoxious4 ,out of a pail that has ever had grease in it1 they will not drink a drop1 though they be raging with thirst4 ,their very breath is fragrance4 ,and how1 then1 is it possible1 that unwholesomeness should distil from the udder of a cow8 ,the milk varies1 indeed1 in its quality and taste according to the variations in the nature of the food2 but no food will a cow touch that is any way hostile to health4 ,feed young puppies upon milk from the cow1 and they will never die with that ravaging disease called the distemper4 ,in short1 to suppose that milk contains any thing essentially unwholesome is monstrous4 ,when1 indeed1 the appetite becomes vitiated3 when the organs have been long accustomed to food of a more stimulating nature2 when it has been resolved to eat ragouts at dinner1 and drink wine1 and to swallow a devil1 and a glass of strong grog at night2 then milk for breakfast may be heavy and disgusting1 and the feeder may stand in need of tea or laudanum1 which differ only as to degrees of strength4 ,but1 and ,i speak from the most ample experience1 milk is not heavy1 and much less is it unwholesome1 when he who uses it rises early1 never swallows strong drink1 and never stuffs himself with flesh of any kind4 ,many and many a day ,i scarcely taste of meat1 and then chiefly at breakfast1 and that1 too1 at an early hour4 ,milk is the natural food of young people2 if it be too rich1 skim it again and again till it be not too rich4 ,this is an evil easily cured4 ,if you have now to begin with a family of children1 they may not like it at first4 ,but persevere2 and the parent who does not do this1 having the means in his hands1 shamefully neglects his duty4 ,a son who prefers a devil and a glass of grog to a hunch of bread and a bowl of cold milk1 ,i regard as a pest2 and for this pest the father has to thank himself4 #acg4 ,before ,i dismiss this article1 let me offer an observation or two to those persons who live in the vicinity of towns1 or in towns1 and who1 though they have large gardens1 have no land to keep a cow1 a circumstance which they exceedingly regret4 ,i have1 ,i dare say1 witnessed this case at least a thousand times4 ,now1 how much garden ground does it require to supply even a large family with garden vegetables8 ,the market gardeners round the metropolis of this wen-headed country2 round this ,wen of all wens2#h round this prodigious and monstrous collection of human beings2 these market gardeners have about three hundred thousand families to supply with vegetables1 and these they supply well too1 and with summer fruits into the bargain4 ,now1 if it demanded ten rods to a family1 the whole would demand1 all but a fraction1 nineteen thousand acres of garden ground4 ,we have only to cast our eyes over what there is to know that there is not a fourth of that quantity4 ,a square mile contains1 leaving out parts of a hundred1 #gjj acres of land2 and #ai1jjj acres occupy more than twenty-two square miles4 ,are there twenty-two square miles covered with the ,wen's market gardens8 ,the very question is absurd4 ,the whole of the market gardens from ,brompton to ,hammersmith1 extending to ,battersea ,rise on the one side1 and to the ,bayswater road on the other side1 and leaving out loads1 lanes1 nurseries2 pastures1 corn-fields1 and pleasure-grounds1 do not1 in my opinion1 cover one square mile4 ,to the north and south of the ,wen there is very little in the way of market garden2 and if1 on both sides of the ,thames1 to the eastward of the ,wen1 there be three square miles actually covered with market gardens1 that is the full extent4 ,how1 then1 could the ,wen be supplied1 if it required ten rods to each family8 ,to be sure1 potatoes1 carrots1 and turnips1 and especially the first of these1 are brought1 for the use of the ,wen1 from a great distance1 in many cases4 ,but1 so they are for the use of the persons ,i am speaking of2 for a gentleman thinks no more of raising a large quantity of these things in his garden1 than he thinks of raising wheat there4 ,how is it1 then1 that it requires half an acre1 or eighty rods1 in a private garden to supply a family1 while these market gardeners supply all these families 7and so amply too7 from ten1 or more likely1 five rods of ground to a family8 ,i have shown1 in the last ,number1 that nearly fifteen tons of vegetables can be raised in a year upon forty rods of ground2 that is to say1 ten loads for a wagon and four good horses4 ,and is not a fourth1 or even an eighth1 part of this weight1 sufficient to go down the throats of a family in a year8 ,nay1 allow that only a ton goes to a family in a year1 it is more than six pound weight a day2 and what sort of a family must that be that really swallows six pounds weight a day8 and this a market gardener will raise for them upon less than three rods of ground2 for he will raise1 in the course of the year1 even more than fifteen tons upon forty rods of ground4 ,what is it1 then1 that they do with the eighty rods of ground in a private garden8 ,why1 in the first place1 they have one crop where they ought to have three4 ,then they do not half till the ground4 ,then they grow things that are not wanted4 ,plant cabbages and other things1 let them stand till they be good for nothing1 and then wheel them to the rubbish heap4 ,raise as many radishes1 lettuces1 and as much endive1 and as many kidney-beans1 as would serve for ten families2 and finally throw nine-tenths of them away4 ,i once saw not less than three rods of ground1 in a garden of this sort1 with lettuces all bearing seed4 ,seed enough for half a county4 ,they cut a cabbage here and a cabbage there1 and so let the whole of the piece of ground remain undug1 till the last cabbage be cut4 ,but1 after all1 the produce1 even in this way1 is so great1 that it never could be gotten rid of1 if the main part were not thrown away4 ,the rubbish heap always receives four-fifths even of the eatable part of the produce4 #ach4 ,it is not thus that the market gardeners proceed4 ,their rubbish heap consists of little besides mere cabbage stumps4 ,no sooner is one crop on the ground than they settle in their minds what is to follow it4 ,they clear as they go in taking off a crop1 and1 as they clear they dig and plant4 ,the ground is never without seed in it or plants on it4 ,and thus1 in the course of the year1 they raise a prodigious bulk of vegetables from eighty rods of ground4 ,such vigilance and industry are not to be expected in a servant2 for it is foolish to expect that a man will exert himself for another as much as he will for himself4 ,but if ,i was situated as one of the persons is that ,i have spoken of in ,paragraph #acg2 that is to say1 if ,i had a garden of eighty rods1 or even of sixty rods of ground1 ,i would out of that garden1 draw a sufficiency of vegetables for my family1 and would make it yield enough for a cow besides4 ,i should go a short way to work with my gardener4 ,i should put ,cottage ,economy into his hands1 and tell him1 that if he could furnish me with vegetables1 and my cow with food1 he was my man2 and that if he could not1 ,i must get one that could and would4 ,i am not for making a man toil like a slave2 but what would become of the world1 if a well-fed healthy man could exhaust himself in tilling and cropping and clearing half an acre of ground8 ,i have known many men dig thirty rods of garden ground in a day2 ,i have1 before ,i was fourteen1 digged twenty rods in a day1 for more than ten days successively2 and ,i have heard1 and believe the fact1 of a man at ,portsea1 who digged forty rods in one single day1 between daylight and dark4 ,so that it is no slavish toil that ,i am here recommending4 ,,keeping ,,pigs4 #aci4 ,next after the ,cow comes the ,pig2 and1 in many cases1 where a cow cannot be kept1 a pig or pigs may be kept4 ,but these are animals not to be ventured on without due consideration as to the means of feeding them2 for a starved pig is a great deal worse than none at all4 ,you cannot make bacon as you can milk1 merely out of the garden4 ,there must be something more4 ,a couple of flitches of bacon are worth fifty thousand ,methodist sermons and religious tracts4 ,the sight of them upon the rack tends more to keep a man from poaching and stealing than whole volumes of penal statutes1 though assisted by the terrors of the hulks and the gibbet4 ,they are great softeners of the temper1 and promoters of domestic harmony4 ,they are a great blessing2 but they are not to be had from herbage or roots of any kind2 and1 therefore1 before a pig be attempted1 the means ought to be considered4 #adj4 ,breeding sows are great favourites with ,cottagers in general2 but ,i have seldom known them to answer their purpose4 ,where there is an outlet1 the sow will1 indeed1 keep herself by grazing in summer1 with a little wash to help her out3 and when her pigs come1 they are many in number2 but they are a heavy expense4 ,the sow must live as well as a fatting hog1 or the pigs will be good for little4 ,it is a great mistake1 too1 to suppose that the condition of the sow previous to pigging is of no consequence2 and1 indeed1 some suppose1 that she ought to be rather bare of flesh at the pigging time4 ,never was a greater mistake2 for if she be in this state1 she presently becomes a mere rack of bones2 and then1 do what you will1 the pigs will be poor things4 ,however fat she may be before she farrow1 the pigs will make her lean in a week4 ,all her fat goes away in her milk1 and unless the pigs have a store to draw upon1 they pull her down directly2 and1 by the time they are three weeks old1 they are starving for want2 and then they never come to good4 #ada4 ,now1 a cottager's sow cannot1 without great expense1 be kept in a way to enable her to meet the demands of her farrow4 ,she may look pretty well2 but the flesh she has upon her is not of the same nature as that which the farm-yard sow carries about her4 ,it is the result of grass1 and of poor grass1 too1 or other weak food2 and not made partly out of corn and whey and strong wash1 as in the case of the farmer's sow4 ,no food short of that of a fatting hog will enable her to keep her pigs alive2 and this she must have for ten weeks1 and that at a great expense4 ,then comes the operation1 upon the principle of ,parson ,malthus1 in order to check population2 and there is some risk here1 though not very great4 ,but there is the weaning2 and who1 that knows any thing about the matter1 will think lightly of the weaning of a farrow of pigs6 ,by having nice food given them1 they seem1 for a few days1 not to miss their mother4 ,but their appearance soon shows the want of her4 ,nothing but the very best food1 and that given in the most judicious manner1 will keep them up to any thing like good condition2 and1 indeed1 there is nothing short of milk that will effect the thing well4 ,how should it be otherwise8 ,the very richest cow's milk is poor1 compared with that of the sow2 and1 to be taken from this and put upon food1 one ingredient of which is water1 is quite sufficient to reduce the poor little things to bare bones and staring hair1 a state to which cottagers' pigs very soon come in general2 and1 at last1 he frequently drives them to market1 and sells them for less than the cost of the food which they and the sow have devoured since they were farrowed4 ,it was1 doubtless1 pigs of this description that were sold the other day at ,newbury market1 for fifteen pence a piece1 and which were1 ,i dare say1 dear even as a gift4 ,to get such a pig to begin to grow will require three months1 and with good feeding too in winter time4 ,to be sure it does come to be a hog at last2 but1 do what you can1 it is a dear hog4 #adb4 ,the ,cottager1 then1 can hold no competition with the ,farmer in the breeding of pigs1 to do which1 with advantage1 there must be milk1 and milk1 too1 that can be advantageously applied to no other use4 ,the cottager's pig must be bought ready weaned to his hand1 and1 indeed1 at four months old1 at which age1 if he be in good condition1 he will eat any-thing that an old hog will eat4 ,he will graze1 eat cabbage leaves1 and almost the stumps4 ,swedish turnip tops or roots1 and such things1 with a little wash1 will keep him along in very good growing order4 ,i have now to speak of the time of purchasing1 the manner of keeping1 of fatting1 killing1 and curing2 but these ,i must reserve till my next ,number4 ,no4 ,,vi4 ,,keeping ,,pigs--7continued47 #adc4 ,as in the case of cows so in that of pigs1 much must depend upon the situation of the cottage2 because all pigs will graze2 and therefore1 on the skirts of forests or commons1 a couple or three pigs may be kept1 if the family be considerable2 and especially if the cottager brew his own beer1 which will give him grains to assist the wash4 ,even in lanes1 or on the sides of great roads1 a pig will find a good part of his food from ,may to ,november2 and if he be yoked1 the occupiers of the neighbourhood must be churlish and brutish indeed1 if they give the owner any annoyance4 #add4 ,let me break off here for a moment to point out to my readers the truly excellent conduct of ,lord ,,winchilsea and ,lord ,,stanhope1 who1 as ,i read1 have taken great pains to make the labourers on their estates comfortable1 by allotting to each a piece of ground sufficient for the keeping of a cow4 ,i once1 when ,i lived at ,botley1 proposed to the copyholders and other farmers in my neighbourhood1 that we should petition the ,bishop of ,winchester1 who was lord of the manors thereabouts1 to grant titles to all the numerous persons called trespassers on the wastes2 and also to give titles to others of the poor parishioners1 who were willing to make1 on the skirts of the wastes1 enclosures not exceeding an acre each4 ,this ,i am convinced1 would have done a great deal towards relieving the parishes1 then greatly burdened by men out of work4 ,this would have been better than digging holes one day to fill them up the next4 ,not a single man would agree to my proposal6 ,one1 a bullfrog farmer 7now1 ,i hear1 pretty well sweated down17 said it would only make them saucy6 ,and one1 a true disciple of ,malthus1 said1 that to facilitate their rearing of children was a harm6 ,this man had1 at the time1 in his own occupation1 land that had formerly been six farms1 and he had1 too1 ten or a dozen children4 ,i will not mention names2 but this farmer will now1 perhaps1 have occasion to call to mind what ,i told him on that day1 when his opposition1 and particularly the ground of it1 gave me the more pain1 as he was a very industrious1 civil1 and honest man4 ,never was there a greater mistake than to suppose that men are made saucy and idle by just and kind treatment4 ,slaves are always lazy and saucy2 nothing but the lash will extort from them either labour or respectful deportment4 ,i never met with a saucy ,yankee 7,new ,englander7 in my life4 ,never servile2 always civil4 ,this must necessarily be the character of freemen living in a state of competence4 ,they have nobody to envy2 nobody to complain of2 they are in good humour with mankind4 ,it must1 however1 be confessed1 that very little1 comparatively speaking1 is to be accomplished by the individual efforts even of benevolent men like the two noblemen before mentioned4 ,they have a strife to maintain against the general tendency of the national state of things4 ,it is by general and indirect means1 and not by partial and direct and positive regulations1 that so great a good as that which they generously aim at can be accomplished4 ,when we are to see such means adopted1 ,god only knows2 but1 if much longer delayed1 ,i am of opinion1 that they will come too late to prevent something very much resembling a dissolution of society4 #ade4 ,the cottager's pig should be bought in the spring1 or late in winter2 and being then four months old1 he will be a year old before killing time2 for it should always be borne in mind1 that this age is required in order to insure the greatest quantity of meat from a given quantity of food4 ,if a hog be more than a year old1 he is the better for it4 ,the flesh is more solid and more nutritious than that of a young hog1 much in the same degree that the mutton of a full-mouthed wether is better than that of a younger wether4 ,the pork or bacon of young hogs1 even if fatted on corn1 is very apt to boil out1 as they call it2 that is to say1 come out of the pot smaller in bulk than it goes in4 ,when you begin to fat1 do it by degrees1 especially in the case of hogs under a year old4 ,if you feed high all at once1 the hog is apt to surfeit1 and then a great loss of food takes place4 ,peas1 or barley-meal is the food2 the latter rather the best1 and does the work quicker4 ,make him quite fat by all means4 ,the last bushel1 even if he sit as he eat1 is the most profitable4 ,if he can walk two hundred yards at a time1 he is not well fatted4 ,lean bacon is the most wasteful thing that any family can use4 ,in short1 it is uneatable1 except by drunkards1 who want something to stimulate their sickly appetite4 ,the man who cannot live on solid fat bacon1 well-fed and well-cured1 wants the sweet sauce of labour1 or is fit for the hospital4 ,but1 then1 it must be bacon1 the effect of barley or peas1 7not beans17 and not of whey1 potatoes1 or messes of any kind4 ,it is frequently said1 and ,i know that even farmers say it1 that bacon1 made from corn1 costs more than it is worth6 ,why do they take care to have it then8 ,they know better4 ,they know well1 that it is the very cheapest they can have2 and they1 who look at both ends and both sides of every cost1 would as soon think of shooting their hogs as of fatting them on messes2 that is to say1 for their own use1 however willing they might now-and-then be to regale the ,londoners with a bit of potato-pork4 #adf4 ,about ,christmas1 if the weather be coldish1 is a good time to kill4 ,if the weather be very mild1 you may wait a little longer2 for the hog cannot be too fat4 ,the day before killing he should have no food4 ,to kill a hog nicely is so much of a profession1 that it is better to pay a shilling for having it done1 than to stab and hack and tear the carcass about4 ,i shall not speak of pork2 for ,i would by no means recommend it4 ,there are two ways of going to work to make bacon2 in the one you take off the hair by scalding4 ,this is the practice in most parts of ,england1 and all over ,america4 ,but the ,hampshire way1 and the best way1 is to burn the hair off4 ,there is a great deal of difference in the consequences4 ,the first method slackens the skin1 opens all the pores of it1 makes it loose and flabby by drawing out the roots of the hair4 ,the second tightens the skin in every part1 contracts all the sinews and veins in the skin1 makes the flitch a solider thing1 and the skin a better protection to the meat4 ,the taste of the meat is very different from that of a scalded hog2 and to this chiefly it was that ,hampshire bacon owed its reputation for excellence4 ,as the hair is to be burnt off it must be dry1 and care must be taken1 that the hog be kept on dry litter of some sort the day previous to killing4 ,when killed he is laid upon a narrow bed of straw1 not wider than his carcass1 and only two or three inches thick4 ,he is then covered all over thinly with straw1 to which1 according as the wind may be1 the fire is put at one end4 ,as the straw burns1 it burns the hair4 ,it requires two or three coverings and burnings1 and care is taken1 that the skin be not in any part burnt1 or parched4 ,when the hair is all burnt off close1 the hog is scraped clean1 but never touched with water4 ,the upper side being finished1 the hog is turned over1 and the other side is treated in like manner4 ,this work should always be done before day-light2 for in the day-light you cannot so nicely discover whether the hair be sufficiently burnt off4 ,the light of the fire is weakened by that of the day4 ,besides1 it makes the boys get up very early for once at any rate1 and that is something2 for boys always like a bonfire4 #adg4 ,the inwards are next taken out1 and if the wife be not a slattern1 here1 in the mere offal1 in the mere garbage1 there is food1 and delicate food too1 for a large family for a week2 and hog's puddings for the children1 and some for neighbours' children1 who come to play with them2 for these things are by no means to be overlooked1 seeing that they tend to the keeping alive of that affection in children for their parents1 which1 later in life1 will be found absolutely necessary to give effect to wholesome precept1 especially when opposed to the boisterous passions of youth4 #adh4 ,the butcher1 the next day1 cuts the hog up2 and then the house is filled with meat6 ,souse1 griskins1 blade-bones1 thigh-bones1 spare-ribs1 chines1 belly-pieces1 cheeks1 all coming into use one after the other1 and the last of the latter not before the end of about four or five weeks4 ,but about this time1 it is more than possible that the ,methodist parson will pay you a visit4 ,it is remarked in ,america1 that these gentry are attracted by the squeaking of the pigs1 as the fox is by the cackling of the hen4 ,this may be called slander2 but ,i will tell you what ,i did know to happen4 ,a good honest careful fellow had a spare-rib1 on which he intended to sup with his family after a long and hard day's work at coppice-cutting4 ,home he came at dark with his two little boys1 each with a nitch of wood that they had carried four miles1 cheered with the thought of the repast that awaited them4 ,in he went1 found his wife1 the ,methodist parson1 and a whole troop of the sisterhood1 engaged in prayer1 and on the table lay scattered the clean-polished bones of the spare-rib6 ,can any reasonable creature believe1 that1 to save the soul1 ,god requires us to give up the food necessary to sustain the body8 ,did ,saint ,paul preach this8 ,he1 who1 while he spread the gospel abroad1 worked himself1 in order to have it to give to those who were unable to work8 ,upon what1 then1 do these modern saints2 these evangelical gentlemen1 found their claim to live on the labour of others4 #adi4 ,all the other parts taken away1 the two sides that remain1 and that are called flitches1 are to be cured for bacon4 ,they are first rubbed with salt on their insides1 or flesh sides1 then placed1 one on the other1 the flesh sides uppermost1 in a salting trough which has a gutter round its edges to drain away the brine2 for1 to have sweet and fine bacon1 the flitches must not lie sopping in brine2 which gives it that sort of taste which barrel-pork and sea-jonk have1 and than which nothing is more villanous4 ,every one knows how different is the taste of fresh1 dry salt1 from that of salt in a dissolved state4 ,the one is savoury1 the other nauseous4 ,therefore1 change the salt often4 ,once in four or five days4 ,let it melt1 and sink in2 but let it not lie too long4 ,change the flitches4 ,put that at bottom which was first put on the top4 ,do this a couple of times4 ,this mode will cost you a great deal more in salt1 or rather in taxes1 than the sopping mode2 but without it1 your bacon will not be sweet and fine1 and will not keep so well4 ,as to the time required for making the flitches sufficiently salt1 it depends on circumstances2 the thickness of the flitch1 the state of the weather1 the place wherein the salting is going on4 ,it takes a longer time for a thick than for a thin flitch2 it takes longer in dry1 than in damp weather2 it takes longer in a dry than in a damp place4 ,but for the flitches of a hog of twelve score1 in weather not very dry or very damp1 about six weeks may do2 and as yours is to be fat1 which receives little injury from over-salting1 give time enough2 for you are to have bacon till ,christmas comes again4 ,the place for salting should1 like a dairy1 always be cool1 but always admit of a free circulation of air3 confined air1 though cool1 will taint meat sooner than the mid-day sun accompanied with a breeze4 ,ice will not melt in the hottest sun so soon as in a close and damp cellar4 ,put a lump of ice in cold water1 and one of the same size before a hot fire1 and the former will dissolve in half the time that the latter will4 ,let me take this occasion of observing1 that an ice-house should never be under ground1 or under the shade of trees4 ,that the bed of it ought to be three feet above the level of the ground2 that this bed ought to consist of something that will admit the drippings to go instantly off2 and that the house should stand in a place open to the sun and air4 ,this is the way they have the ice-houses under the burning sun of ,virginia2 and here they keep their fish and meat as fresh and sweet as in winter1 when at the same time neither will keep for twelve hours1 though let down to the depth of a hundred feet in a well4 ,a ,virginian1 with some poles and straw1 will stick up an ice-house for ten dollars1 worth a dozen of those ice-houses1 each of which costs our men of taste as many scores of pounds4 ,it is very hard to imagine1 indeed1 what any one should want ice for1 in a country like this1 except for clodpole boys to slide upon1 and to drown cockneys in skaiting-time2 but if people must have ice in summer1 they may as well go a right way as a wrong way to get it4 #aej4 ,however1 the patient that ,i have at this time under my hands wants nothing to cool his blood1 but something to warm it1 and1 therefore1 ,i will get back to the flitches of bacon1 which are now to be smoked2 for smoking is a great deal better than merely drying1 as is the fashion in the dairy countries in the ,west of ,england4 ,when there were plenty of farm-houses there were plenty of places to smoke bacon in2 since farmers have lived in gentleman's houses1 and the main part of the farm-houses have been knocked down1 these places are not so plenty4 ,however1 there is scarcely any neighbourhood without a chimney left to hang bacon up in4 ,two precautions are necessary3 first1 to hang the flitches where no rain comes down upon them3 second1 not to let them be so near the fire as to melt4 ,these precautions taken1 the next is1 that the smoke must proceed from wood1 not turf1 peat1 or coal4 ,stubble or litter might do2 but the trouble would be great4 ,fir1 or deal1 smoke is not fit for the purpose4 ,i take it1 that the absence of wood1 as fuel1 in the dairy countries1 and in the ,north1 has led to the making of pork and dried bacon4 ,as to the time that it requires to smoke a flitch1 it must depend a good deal upon whether there be a constant fire beneath1 and whether the fire be large or small4 ,a month may do1 if the fire be pretty constant1 and such as a farm-house fire usually is4 ,but over smoking1 or1 rather1 too long hanging in the air1 makes the bacon rust4 ,great attention should1 therefore1 be paid to this matter4 ,the flitch ought not be dried up to the hardness of a board1 and yet it ought to be perfectly dry4 ,before you hang it up1 lay it on the floor1 scatter the flesh-side pretty thickly over with bran1 or with some fine saw-dust other than that of deal or fir4 ,rub it on the flesh1 or pat it well down upon it4 ,this keeps the smoke from getting into the little openings1 and makes a sort of crust to be dried on2 and1 in short1 keeps the flesh cleaner than it would otherwise be4 #aea4 ,to keep the bacon sweet and good1 and free from nasty things that they call hoppers2 that is to say1 a sort of skipping maggots1 engendered by a fly which has a great relish for bacon3 to provide against this mischief1 and also to keep the bacon from becoming rusty1 the ,americans1 whose country is so hot in summer1 have two methods4 ,they smoke no part of the hog except the hams1 or gammons4 ,they cover these with coarse linen cloth such as the finest hop-bags are made of1 which they sew neatly on4 ,they then white-wash the cloth all over with lime white-wash1 such as we put on walls1 their lime being excellent stone-lime4 ,they give the ham four or five washings1 the one succeeding as the former gets dry2 and in the sun1 all these washings are put on in a few hours4 ,the flies cannot get through this2 and thus the meat is preserved from them4 ,the other mode1 and that is the mode for you1 is1 to sift fine some clean and dry wood-ashes4 ,put some at the bottom of a box1 or chest1 which is long enough to hold a flitch of bacon4 ,lay in one flitch2 then put in more ashes2 then the other flitch2 and then cover this with six or eight inches of the ashes4 ,this will effectually keep away all flies2 and will keep the bacon as fresh and good as when it came out of the chimney1 which it will not be for any great length of time1 if put on a rack1 or kept hung up in the open air4 ,dust1 or even sand1 very1 very dry1 would1 perhaps1 do as well4 ,the object is not only to keep out the flies1 but the air4 ,the place where the chest1 or box1 is kept1 ought to be dry2 and1 if the ashes should get damp 7as they are apt to do from the salts they contain17 they should be put in the fire-place to dry1 and then be put back again4 ,peat-ashes1 or turf-ashes1 might do very well for this purpose4 ,with these precautions1 the bacon will be as good at the end of the year as on the first day2 and it will keep two1 and even three years1 perfectly good1 for which1 however1 there can be no necessity4 #aeb4 ,now1 then1 this hog is altogether a capital thing4 ,the other parts will be meat for about four or five weeks4 ,the lard1 nicely put down1 will last a long while for all the purposes for which it is wanted4 ,to make it keep well there should be some salt put into it4 ,country children are badly brought up if they do not like sweet lard spread upon bread1 as we spread butter4 ,many a score hunches of this sort have ,i eaten1 and ,i never knew what poverty was4 ,i have eaten it for luncheon at the houses of good substantial farmers in ,france and ,flanders4 ,i am not now frequently so hungry as ,i ought to be2 but ,i should think it no hardship to eat sweet lard instead of butter4 ,but1 now-a-days1 the labourers1 and especially the female part of them1 have fallen into the taste of niceness in food and finery in dress2 a quarter of a bellyful and rags are the consequence4 ,the food of their choice is high-priced1 so that1 for the greater part of their time1 they are half-starved4 ,the dress of their choice is showy and flimsy1 so that1 to-day1 they are ladies1 and to-morrow ragged as sheep with the scab4 ,but has not ,nature made the country girls as pretty as ladies8 ,oh1 yes6 7bless their rosy cheeks and white teeth67 and a great deal prettier too6 ,but are they less pretty1 when their dress is plain and substantial1 and when the natural presumption is1 that they have smocks as well as gowns1 than they are when drawn off in the frail fabric of ,sir ,robert ,peel1#i where tawdry colours strive with dirty white1 exciting violent suspicions that all is not as it ought to be nearer the skin1 and calling up a train of ideas extremely hostile to that sort of feeling which every lass innocently and commendably wishes to awaken in her male beholders8 ,are they prettiest when they come through the wet and dirt safe and neat2 or when their draggled dress is plastered to their backs by a shower of rain8 ,however1 the fault has not been theirs1 nor that of their parents4 ,it is the system of managing the affairs of the nation4 ,this system has made all flashy and false1 and has put all things out of their place4 ,pomposity1 bombast1 hyperbole1 redundancy1 and obscurity1 both in speaking and in writing2 mock-delicacy in manners2 mock-liberality1 mock-humanity1 and mock-religion4 ,pitt's false money1 ,peel's flimsy dresses1 ,wilberforce's potatoe diet1 ,castlereagh's and ,mackintosh's oratory1 ,walter ,scott's poems1 ,walter's and ,stoddart's#aj paragraphs1 with all the bad taste and baseness and hypocrisy which they spread over this country2 all have arisen1 grown1 branched out1 bloomed1 and borne together2 and we are now beginning to taste of their fruit4 ,but1 as the fat of the adder is1 as is said1 the antidote to its sting2 so in the ,son of the great worker of ,spinning-,jennies1 we have1 thanks to the ,proctors and ,doctors of ,oxford1 the author of that ,bill1 before which this false1 this flashy1 this flimsy1 this rotten system will dissolve as one of his father's pasted calicoes does at the sight of the washing-tub4 #aec4 ,what1 says the cottager1 has all this to do with hogs and bacon8 ,not directly with hogs and bacon1 indeed2 but it has a great deal to do1 my good fellow with your affairs1 as ,i shall1 probably1 hereafter more fully show1 though ,i shall now leave you to the enjoyment of your flitches of bacon1 which1 as ,i before observed1 will do ten thousand times more than any ,methodist parson1 or any other parson 7except1 of course1 those of our church7 to make you happy1 not only in this world1 but in the world to come4 ,meat in the house is a great source of harmony1 a great preventer of the temptation to commit those things1 which1 from small beginnings1 lead1 finally1 to the most fatal and atrocious results2 and ,i hold that doctrine to be truly damnable1 which teaches that ,god has made any selection1 any condition relative to belief1 which is to save from punishment those who violate the principles of natural justice4 #aed4 ,some other meat you may have2 but1 bacon is the great thing4 ,it is always ready2 as good cold as hot2 goes to the field or the coppice conveniently2 in harvest1 and other busy times1 demands the pot to be boiled only on a ,sunday2 has twice as much strength in it as any other thing of the same weight2 and in short1 has in it every quality that tends to make a labourer's family able to work and well off4 ,one pound of bacon1 such as that which ,i have described1 is1 in a labourer's family1 worth four or five of ordinary mutton or beef1 which are great part bone1 and which1 in short1 are gone in a moment4 ,but always observe1 it is fat bacon that ,i am talking about4 ,there will1 in spite of all that can be done1 be some lean in the gammons1 though comparatively very little2 and therefore you ought to begin at that end of the flitches2 for1 old lean bacon is not good4 #aee4 ,now1 as to the cost4 ,a pig 7a spayed sow is best7 bought in ,march four months old1 can be had now for fifteen shillings4 ,the cost till fatting time is next to nothing to a ,cottager2 and then the cost1 at the present price of corn1 would1 for a hog of twelve score1 not exceed three pounds2 in the whole four pounds five2 a pot of poison a week bought at the public-house comes to twenty-six shillings of the money2 and more than three times the remainder is generally flung away upon the miserable tea1 as ,i have clearly shown in the ,first ,number1 at ,paragraph #bd4 ,i have1 indeed1 there shown1 that if the tea were laid aside1 the labourer might supply his family well with beer all the year round1 and have a fat hog of even fifteen score for the cost of the tea1 which does him and can do him no good at all4 #aef4 ,the feet1 the cheeks1 and other bone1 being considered1 the bacon and lard1 taken together1 would not exceed sixpence a pound4 ,irish bacon is cheaper4 ,yes1 lower-priced4 ,but1 ,i will engage that a pound of mine1 when it comes out of the pot 7to say nothing of the taste17 shall weigh as much as a pound and a half of ,irish1 or any dairy or slop-fed bacon1 when that comes out of the pot4 ,no1 no3 the farmers joke when they say1 that their bacon costs them more than they could buy bacon for4 ,they know well what it is they are doing2 and besides1 they always forget1 or1 rather1 remember not to say1 that the fatting of a large hog yields them three or four load of dung1 really worth more than ten or fifteen of common yard dung4 ,in short1 without hogs1 farming could not go on2 and it never has gone on in any country in the world4 ,the hogs are the great stay of the whole concern4 ,they are much in small space2 they make no show1 as flocks and herds do2 but with out them1 the cultivation of the land would be a poor1 a miserably barren concern4 ,,salting ,,mutton ,,and ,,beef4 #aeg4 ,,very ,,fat ,mutton may be salted to great advantage1 and also smoked1 and may be kept thus a long while4 ,not the shoulders and legs1 but the back of the sheep4 ,i have never made any flitch of sheep-bacon2 but ,i will2 for there is nothing like having a store of meat in a house4 ,the running to the butchers daily is a ridiculous thing4 ,the very idea of being fed1 of a family being fed1 by daily supplies1 has something in it perfectly tormenting4 ,one half of the time of a mistress of a house1 the affairs of which are carried on in this way1 is taken up in talking about what is to be got for dinner1 and in negotiations with the butcher4 ,one single moment spent at table beyond what is absolutely necessary1 is a moment very shamefully spent2 but1 to suffer a system of domestic economy1 which unnecessarily wastes daily an hour or two of the mistress's time in hunting for the provision for the repast1 is a shame indeed2 and when we consider how much time is generally spent in this and in equally absurd ways1 it is no wonder that we see so little performed by numerous individuals as they do perform during the course of their lives4 #aeh4 ,very fat parts of ,beef may be salted and smoked in a like manner4 ,not the lean2 for that is a great waste1 and is1 in short1 good for nothing4 ,poor fellows on board of ships are compelled to eat it1 but it is a very bad thing4 ,no4 ,,vii4 ,,bees1 ,,fowls1 ,c4 ,c4 #aei4 ,i now proceed to treat of objects of less importance than the foregoing1 but still such as may be worthy of great attention4 ,if all of them cannot be expected to come within the scope of a labourer's family1 some of them must1 and others may3 and it is always of great consequence1 that children be brought up to set a just value upon all useful things1 and especially upon all living things2 to know the utility of them3 for1 without this1 they never1 when grown up1 are worthy of being entrusted with the care of them4 ,one of the greatest1 and1 perhaps1 the very commonest1 fault of servants1 is their inadequate care of animals committed to their charge4 ,it is a well-known saying that the master's eye makes the horse fat1 and the remissness to which this alludes1 is generally owing to the servant not having been brought up to feel an interest in the well-being of animals4 ,,bees4 #afj4 ,it is not my intention to enter into a history of this insect about which so much has been written1 especially by the ,french naturalists4 ,it is the useful that ,i shall treat of1 and that is done in not many words4 ,the best hives are those made of clean unblighted rye-straw4 ,boards are too cold in ,england4 ,a swarm should always be put into a new hive1 and the sticks should be new that are put into the hive for the bees to work on2 for1 if the hive be old1 it is not so wholesome1 and a thousand to one but it contain the embryos of moths and other insects injurious to bees4 ,over the hive itself there should be a cap of thatch1 made also of clean rye straw2 and it should not only be new when first put on the hive2 but a new one should be made to supply the place of the former one every three or four months2 for when the straw begins to get rotten1 as it soon does1 insects breed in it1 its smell is bad1 and its effect on the bees is dangerous4 #afa4 ,the hive should be placed on a bench1 the legs of which mice and rats cannot creep up4 ,tin round the legs is best4 ,but even this will not keep down ants1 which are mortal enemies of bees4 ,to keep these away1 if you find them infest the hive1 take a green stick and twist it round in the shape of a ring to lay on the ground round the leg of the bench1 and at a few inches from it2 and cover this stick with tar4 ,this will keep away the ants4 ,if the ants come from one home1 you may easily trace them to it2 and when you have found it1 pour boiling water on it in the night1 when all the family are at home4 ,this is the only effectual way of destroying ants1 which are frequently so troublesome4 ,it would be cruel to cause this destruction1 if it were not necessary to do it1 in order to preserve the honey1 and indeed the bees too4 #afb4 ,besides the hive and its cap1 there should be a sort of shed1 with top1 back1 and ends1 to give additional protection in winter2 though in summer hives may be kept too hot1 and in that case the bees become sickly and the produce becomes light4 ,the situation of the hive is to face the ,south-east2 or1 at any rate1 to be sheltered from the ,north and the ,west4 ,from the ,north always1 and from the ,west in winter4 ,if it be a very dry season in summer1 it contributes greatly to the success of the bees1 to place clear water near their home1 in a thing that they can conveniently drink out of2 for if they have to go a great way for drink1 they have not much time for work4 #afc4 ,it is supposed that bees live only a year2 at any rate it is best never to keep the same stall1 or family1 over two years1 except you want to increase your number of hives4 ,the swarm of this summer should always be taken in the autumn of next year4 ,it is whimsical to save the bees when you take the honey4 ,you must feed them2 and1 if saved1 they will die of old age before the next fall2 and though young ones will supply the place of the dead1 this is nothing like a good swarm put up during the summer4 #afd4 ,as to the things that bees make their collections from1 we do not1 perhaps1 know a thousandth part of them2 but of all the blossoms that they seek eagerly that of the ,buck-wheat stands foremost4 ,go round a piece of this grain just towards sunset1 when the buck-wheat is in bloom1 and you will see the air filled with bees going home from it in all directions4 ,the buck-wheat1 too1 continues in bloom a long while2 for the grain is dead ripe on one part of the plant1 while there are fresh blossoms coming out on the other part4 #afe4 ,a good stall of bees1 that is to say1 the produce of one1 is always worth about two bushels of good wheat4 ,the cost is nothing to the labourer4 ,he must be a stupid countryman indeed who cannot make a bee-hive2 and a lazy one indeed if he will not1 if he can4 ,in short1 there is nothing but care demanded2 and there are very few situations in the country1 especially in the south of ,england1 where a labouring man may not have half a dozen stalls of bees to take every year4 ,the main things are to keep away insects1 mice1 and birds1 and especially a little bird called the bee-bird2 and to keep all clean and fresh as to the hives and coverings4 ,never put a swarm into an old hive4 ,if wasps1 or hornets1 annoy you1 watch them home in the day time2 and in the night kill them by fire1 or by boiling water4 ,fowls should not go where bees are1 for they eat them4 #aff4 ,suppose a man get three stalls of bees in a year4 ,six bushels of wheat give him bread for an eighth part of the year4 ,scarcely any thing is a greater misfortune than shiftlessness4 ,it is an evil little short of the loss of eyes or of limbs4 ,,geese4 #afg4 ,they can be kept to advantage only where there are green commons1 and there they are easily kept2 live to a very great age2 and are amongst the hardiest animals in the world4 ,if well kept1 a goose will lay a hundred eggs in a year4 ,the ,french put their eggs under large hens of common fowls1 to each of which they give four or five eggs2 or under turkies1 to which they give nine or ten goose-eggs4 ,if the goose herself sit1 she must be well and regularly fed1 at1 or near to1 her nest4 ,when the young ones are hatched1 they should be kept in a warm place for about four days1 and fed on barley-meal1 mixed1 if possible1 with milk2 and then they will begin to graze4 ,water for them1 or for the old ones to swim in1 is by no means necessary1 nor1 perhaps1 ever even useful4 ,or1 how is it1 that you see such fine flocks of fine geese all over ,long ,island 7in ,america7 where there is scarcely such a thing as a pond or a run of water8 #afh4 ,geese are raised by grazing2 but to fat them something more is required4 ,corn of some sort1 or boiled ,swedish turnips4 ,some corn and some raw ,swedish turnips1 or carrots1 or white cabbages1 or lettuces1 make the best fatting4 ,the modes that are resorted to by the ,french for fatting geese1 nailing them down by their webs1 and other acts of cruelty1 are1 ,i hope1 such as ,englishmen will never think of4 ,they will get fat enough without the use of any of these unfeeling means being employed4 ,he who can deliberately inflict torture upon an animal1 in order to heighten the pleasure his palate is to receive in eating it1 is an abuser of the authority which ,god has given him1 and is1 indeed1 a tyrant in his heart4 ,who would think himself safe1 if at the mercy of such a man8 ,since the first edition of this work was published1 ,i have had a good deal of experience with regard to geese4 ,it is a very great error to suppose that what is called a ,michaelmas goose is the thing4 ,geese are1 in general1 eaten at the age when they are called green geese2 or after they have got their full and entire growth1 which is not until the latter part of ,october4 ,green geese are tasteless squabs2 loose flabby things2 no rich taste in them2 and1 in short1 a very indifferent sort of dish4 ,the full-grown goose has solidity in it2 but it is hard1 as well as solid2 and in place of being rich1 it is strong4 ,now1 there is a middle course to take2 and if you take this course1 you produce the finest birds of which we can know any thing in ,england4 ,for three years1 including the present year1 ,i have had the finest geese that ,i ever saw1 or ever heard of4 ,i have bought from twenty to thirty every one of these years4 ,i buy them off the common late in ,june1 or very early in ,july4 ,they have cost me from two shillings to three shillings each1 first purchase4 ,i bring the flock home1 and put them in a pen1 about twenty feet square1 where ,i keep them well littered with straw1 so as for them not to get filthy4 ,they have one trough in which ,i give them dry oats1 and they have another trough where they have constantly plenty of clean water4 ,besides these1 we give them1 two or three times a day1 a parcel of lettuces out of the garden4 ,we give them such as are going to seed generally2 but the better the lettuces are1 the better the geese4 ,if we have no lettuces to spare1 we give them cabbages1 either loaved or not loaved2 though1 observe1 the white cabbage as well as the white lettuce1 that is to say1 the loaved cabbage and lettuce1 are a great deal better than those that are not loaved4 ,this is the food of my geese4 ,they thrive exceedingly upon this food4 ,after we have had the flock about ten days1 we begin to kill1 and we proceed once or twice a week till about the middle of ,october1 sometimes later4 ,a great number of persons who have eaten of these geese have all declared that they did not imagine that a goose could be brought to be so good a bird4 ,these geese are altogether different from the hard1 strong things that come out of the stubble fields1 and equally different from the flabby things called a green goose4 ,i should think that the cabbages or lettuces perform half the work of keeping and fatting my geese2 and these are things that really cost nothing4 ,i should think that the geese1 upon an average1 do not consume more than a shilling's worth of oats each4 ,so that we have these beautiful geese for about four shillings each4 ,no money will buy me such a goose in ,london2 but the thing that ,i can get nearest to it1 will cost me seven shillings4 ,every gentleman has a garden4 ,that garden has1 in the month of ,july1 a wagon-load1 at least1 of lettuces and cabbages to throw away4 ,nothing is attended with so little trouble as these geese4 ,there is hardly any body near ,london that has not room for the purposes here mentioned4 ,the reader will be apt to exclaim1 as my friends very often do1 ,cobbett's ,geese are all ,swans4 ,well1 better that way than not to be pleased with what one has4 ,however1 let gentlemen try this method of fatting geese4 ,it saves money1 mind1 at the same time4 ,let them try it2 and if any one1 who shall try it1 shall find the effect not to be that which ,i say it is1 let him reproach me publicly with being a deceiver4 ,the thing is no invention of mine4 ,while ,i could buy a goose off the common for half-a-crown1 ,i did not like to give seven shillings for one in ,london1 and yet ,i wished that geese should not be excluded from my house4 ,therefore ,i bought a flock of geese1 and brought them home to ,kensington4 ,they could not be eaten all at once4 ,it was necessary1 therefore1 to fix upon a mode of feeding them4 ,the above mode was adopted by my servant1 as far as ,i know1 without any knowledge of mine2 but the very agreeable result made me look into the matter2 and my opinion1 that the information will be useful to many persons1 at any rate1 is sufficient to induce me to communicate it to my readers4 ,,ducks4 #afi4 ,no water1 to swim in1 is necessary to the old1 and is injurious to the very young4 ,they never should be suffered to swim 7if water be near7 till more than a month old4 ,the old duck will lay1 in the year1 if well kept1 ten dozen of eggs2 and that is her best employment2 for common hens are the best mothers4 ,it is not good to let young ducks out in the morning to eat slugs and worms2 for1 though they like them1 these things kill them if they eat a great quantity4 ,grass1 corn1 white cabbages1 and lettuces1 and especially buck-wheat1 cut1 when half ripe1 and flung down in the haulm4 ,this makes fine ducks4 ,ducks will feed on garbage and all sorts of filthy things2 but their flesh is strong1 and bad in proportion4 ,they are1 in ,long ,island1 fatted upon a coarse sort of crab1 called a horse-foot fish1 prodigious quantities of which are cast on the shores4 ,the young ducks grow very fast upon this1 and very fat2 but wo unto him that has to smell them when they come from the spit2 and1 as for eating them1 a man must have a stomach indeed to do that6 #agj4 ,when young1 they should be fed upon barley-meal1 or curds1 and kept in a warm place in the night-time1 and not let out early in the morning4 ,they should1 if possible1 be kept from water to swim in4 ,it always does them harm2 and1 if intended to be sold to be killed young1 they should never go near ponds1 ditches1 or streams4 ,when you come to fat ducks1 you must take care that they get at no filth whatever4 ,they will eat garbage of all sorts2 they will suck down the most nauseous particles of all those substances which go for manure4 ,a dead rat three parts rotten is a feast to them4 ,for these reasons ,i should never eat any ducks1 unless there were some mode of keeping them from this horrible food4 ,i treat them precisely as ,i do my geese4 ,i buy a troop when they are young1 and put them in a pen1 and feed them upon oats1 cabbages1 lettuces1 and water1 and have the place kept very clean4 ,my ducks are1 in consequence of this1 a great deal more fine and delicate than any others that ,i know any-thing of4 ,,turkeys4 #aga4 ,these are flying things1 and so are common fowls4 ,but it may happen that a few hints respecting them may be of use4 ,to raise turkeys in this chilly climate1 is a matter of much greater difficulty than in the climates that give great warmth4 ,but the great enemy to young turkeys 7for old ones are hardy enough7 is the wet4 ,this they will endure in no climate2 and so true is this1 that1 in ,america1 where there is always a wet spell in ,april1 the farmers' wives take care never to have a brood come out until that spell is passed4 ,in ,england1 where the wet spells come at haphazard1 the first thing is to take care that young turkeys never go out1 on any account1 except in dry weather1 till the dew be quite off the ground2 and this should be adhered to till they get to be of the size of an old partridge1 and have their backs well covered with feathers4 ,and1 in wet weather1 they should be kept under cover all day long4 #agb4 ,as to the feeding of them1 when young1 various nice things are recommended4 ,hard eggs chopped fine1 with crumbs of bread1 and a great many other things2 but that which ,i have seen used1 and always with success1 and for all sorts of young poultry1 is milk turned into curds4 ,this is the food for young poultry of all sorts4 ,some should be made fresh every day2 and if this be done1 and the young turkeys kept warm1 and especially from wet1 not one out of a score will die4 ,when they get to be strong1 they may have meal and grain1 but still they always love the curds4 #agc4 ,when they get their head feathers they are hardy enough2 and what they then want is room to prowl about4 ,it is best to breed them under a common hen2 because she does not ramble like a hen-turkey2 and it is a very curious thing that the turkeys bred up by a hen of the common fowl1 do not themselves ramble much when they get old2 and for this reason1 when they buy turkeys for stock1 in ,america1 7where there are such large woods1 and where the distant rambling of turkeys is inconvenient17 they always buy such as have been bred under the hens of the common fowl2 than which a more complete proof of the great powers of habit is1 perhaps1 not to be found4 ,and ought not this to be a lesson to fathers and mothers of families8 ,ought not they to consider that the habits which they give their children are to stick by those children during their whole lives8 #agd4 ,the hen should be fed exceedingly well1 too1 while she is sitting and after she has hatched2 for though she does not give milk1 she gives heat2 and1 let it be observed1 that as no man ever yet saw healthy pigs with a poor sow1 so no man ever saw healthy chickens with a poor hen4 ,this is a matter much too little thought of in the rearing of poultry2 but it is a matter of the greatest consequence4 ,never let a poor hen sit2 feed the hen well while she is sitting1 and feed her most abundantly when she has young ones2 for then her labour is very great2 she is making exertions of some sort or other during the whole twenty-four hours2 she has no rest2 is constantly doing something or other to provide food or safety for her young ones4 #age4 ,as to fatting turkeys1 the best way is1 never to let them be poor4 ,cramming is a nasty thing1 and quite unnecessary4 ,barley-meal1 mixed with skim-milk1 given to them1 fresh and fresh1 will make them fat in a short time1 either in a coop1 in a house1 or running about4 ,boiled carrots and ,swedish turnips will help1 and it is a change of sweet food4 ,in ,france they sometimes pick turkeys alive1 to make them tender2 of which ,i shall only say1 that the man that can do this1 or order it to be done1 ought to be skinned alive himself4 ,,fowls4 #agf4 ,these are kept for two objects2 their flesh and their eggs4 ,as to rearing them1 every thing said about rearing turkeys is applicable here4 ,they are best fatted1 too1 in the same manner4 ,but1 as to laying-hens1 there are some means to be used to secure the use of them in winter4 ,they ought not to be old hens4 ,pullets1 that is1 birds hatched in the foregoing spring1 are1 perhaps1 the best4 ,at any rate1 let them not be more than two years old4 ,they should be kept in a warm place1 and not let out1 even in the day-time1 in wet weather2 for one good sound wetting will keep them back for a fortnight4 ,the dry cold1 even in the severest cold1 if dry1 is less injurious than even a little wet in winter-time4 ,if the feathers get wet1 in our climate1 in winter1 or in short days1 they do not get dry for a long time2 and this it is that spoils and kills many of our fowls4 #agg4 ,the ,french1 who are great egg-eaters1 take singular pains as to the food of laying-hens in winter4 ,they let them out very little1 even in their fine climate1 and give them very stimulating food2 barley boiled1 and given them warm2 curds1 buck-wheat1 7which1 ,i believe1 is the best thing of all except curds27 parsley and other herbs chopped fine2 leeks chopped in the same way2 also apples and pears chopped very fine2 oats and wheat cribbled2 and sometimes they give them hemp-seed1 and the seed of nettles2 or dried nettles1 harvested in summer1 and boiled in the winter4 ,some give them ordinary food1 and1 once a day1 toasted bread sopped in wine4 ,white cabbages chopped up are very good in winter for all sorts of poultry4 #agh4 ,this is taking a great deal of pains2 but the produce is also great and very valuable in winter2 for1 as to preserved eggs1 they are things to run from and not after4 ,all this supposes1 however1 a proper hen-house1 about which we1 in ,england1 take very little pains4 ,the vermin1 that is to say1 the lice1 that poultry breed1 are the greatest annoyance4 ,and as our wet climate furnishes them1 for a great part of the year1 with no dust by which to get rid of these vermin1 we should be very careful about cleanliness in the hen-houses4 ,many a hen1 when sitting1 is compelled to quit her nest to get rid of the lice4 ,they torment the young chickens4 ,and1 in short1 are a great injury4 ,the fowl-house should1 therefore1 be very often cleaned out2 and sand1 or fresh earth1 should be thrown on the floor4 ,the nest should not be on shelves1 or on any-thing fixed2 but little flat baskets1 something like those that the gardeners have in the markets in ,london1 and which they call sieves1 should be placed against the sides of the house upon pieces of wood nailed up for the purpose4 ,by this means the nests are kept perfectly clean1 because the baskets are1 when necessary1 taken down1 the hay thrown out1 and the baskets washed2 which cannot be done1 if the nest be made in any-thing forming a part of the building4 ,besides this1 the roosts ought to be cleaned every week1 and the hay changed in the nests of laying-hens4 ,it is good to fumigate the house frequently by burning dry herbs1 juniper wood1 cedar wood1 or with brimstone2 for nothing stands so much in need of cleanliness as a fowl-house1 in order to have fine fowls and plenty of eggs4 #agi4 ,the ailments of fowls are numerous1 but they would seldom be seen1 if the proper care were taken4 ,it is useless to talk of remedies in a case where you have complete power to prevent the evil4 ,if well fed1 and kept perfectly clean1 fowls will seldom be sick2 and1 as to old age1 they never ought to be kept more than a couple or three years2 for they get to be good for little as layers1 and no teeth can face them as food4 #ahj4 ,it is1 perhaps1 seldom that fowls can be kept conveniently about a cottage2 but when they can1 three1 four1 or half a dozen hens to lay in winter1 when the wife is at home the greater part of the time1 are worth attention4 ,they would require but little room1 might be bought in ,november and sold in ,april1 and six of them1 with proper care1 might be made to clear every week the price of a gallon of flour4 ,if the labour were great1 ,i should not think of it2 but it is none2 and ,i am for neglecting nothing in the way of pains in order to ensure a hot dinner every day in winter1 when the man comes home from work4 ,as to the fatting of fowls1 information can be of no use to those who live in a cottage all their lives2 but it may be of some use to those who are born in cottages1 and go to have the care of poultry at richer persons' houses4 ,fowls should be put to fat about a fortnight before they are wanted to be killed4 ,the best food is barley-meal wetted with milk1 but not wetted too much4 ,they should have clear water to drink1 and it should be frequently changed4 ,crammed fowls are very nasty things3 but barn-door fowls1 as they are called1 are sometimes a great deal more nasty4 ,barn-door would1 indeed1 do exceedingly well2 but it unfortunately happens that the stable is generally pretty near to the barn4 ,and now let any gentleman who talks about sweet barn-door fowls1 have one caught in the yard1 where the stable is also4 ,let him have it brought in1 killed1 and the craw taken out and cut open4 ,then let him take a ball of horse-dung from the stable-door2 and let his nose tell him how very small is the difference between the smell of the horse-dung1 and the smell of the craw of his fowl4 ,in short1 roast the fowl1 and then pull aside the skin at the neck1 put your nose to the place1 and you will almost think that you are at the stable door4 ,hence the necessity of taking them away from the barn-door a fortnight1 at least1 before they are killed4 ,we know very well that ducks that have been fed upon fish1 either wild ducks1 or tame ducks1 will scent a whole room1 and drive out of it all those who have not pretty good constitutions4 ,it must be so4 ,solomon says that all flesh is grass2 and those who know any-thing about beef1 know the difference between the effect of the grass in ,herefordshire and ,lincolnshire1 and the effect of turnips and oil cake4 ,in ,america they always take the fowls from the farm-yard1 and shut them up a fortnight or three weeks before they be killed4 ,one thing1 however1 about fowls ought always to be borne in mind4 ,they are never good for any-thing when they have attained their full growth1 unless they be capons or poullards4 ,if the poulets be old enough to have little eggs in them1 they are not worth one farthing2 and as to the cocks of the same age1 they are fit for nothing but to make soup for soldiers on their march1 and they ought to be taken for that purpose4 ,,pigeons4 #aha4 ,a few of these may be kept about any cottage1 for they are kept even in towns by labourers and artizans4 ,they cause but little trouble4 ,they take care of their own young ones2 and they do not scratch1 or do any other mischief in gardens4 ,they want feeding with tares1 peas1 or small beans2 and buck-wheat is very good for them4 ,to begin keeping them1 they must not have flown at large before you get them4 ,you must keep them for two or three days1 shut into the place which is to be their home2 and then they may be let out1 and will never leave you1 as long as they can get proper food1 and are undisturbed by vermin1 or unannoyed exceedingly by lice4 #ahb4 ,the common dove-house pigeons are the best to keep4 ,they breed oftenest1 and feed their young ones best4 ,they begin to breed at about nine months old1 and if well kept1 they will give you eight or nine pair in the year4 ,any little place1 a shelf in the cow shed2 a board or two under the eaves of the house2 or1 in short1 any place under cover1 even on the ground floor1 they will sit and hatch and breed up their young ones in4 #ahc4 ,it is not supposed that there could be much profit attached to them2 but they are of this use2 they are very pretty creatures2 very interesting in their manners2 they are an object to delight children1 and to give them the early habit of fondness for animals and of setting a value on them1 which1 as ,i have often had to observe before1 is a very great thing4 ,a considerable part of all the property of a nation consists of animals4 ,of course a proportionate part of the cares and labours of a people appertain to the breeding and bringing to perfection those animals2 and1 if you consult your experience1 you will find that a labourer is1 generally speaking1 of value in proportion as he is worthy of being intrusted with the care of animals4 ,the most careless fellow cannot hurt a hedge or ditch2 but to trust him with the team1 or the flock1 is another matter4 ,and1 mind1 for the man to be trust-worthy in this respect1 the boy must have been in the habit of being kind and considerate towards animals2 and nothing is so likely to give him that excellent habit as his seeing1 from his very birth1 animals taken great care of1 and treated with great kindness by his parents1 and now-and-then having a little thing to call his own4 ,,rabbits4 #ahd4 ,in this case1 too1 the chief use1 perhaps1 is to give children those habits of which ,i have been just speaking4 ,nevertheless1 rabbits are really profitable4 ,three does and a buck will give you a rabbit to eat for every three days in the year1 which is a much larger quantity of food than any man will get by spending half his time in the pursuit of wild animals1 to say nothing of the toil1 the tearing of clothes1 and the danger of pursuing the latter4 #ahe4 ,every-body knows how to knock up a rabbit hutch4 ,the does should not be allowed to have more than seven litters in a year4 ,six young ones to a doe is all that ought to be kept2 and then they will be fine4 ,abundant food is the main thing2 and what is there that a rabbit will not eat8 ,i know of nothing green that they will not eat2 and if hard pushed1 they will eat bark1 and even wood4 ,the best thing to feed the young ones on when taken from the mother1 is the carrot1 wild or garden4 ,parsnips1 ,swedish turnips1 roots of dandelion2 for too much green or watery stuff is not good for weaning rabbits4 ,they should remain as long as possible with the mother4 ,they should have oats once a-day2 and1 after a time1 they may eat any-thing with safety4 ,but if you give them too much green at first when they are weaned1 they rot as sheep do4 ,a variety of food is a great thing2 and1 surely1 the fields and gardens and hedges furnish this variety6 ,all sorts of grasses1 strawberry-leaves1 ivy1 dandelions1 the hog-weed or wild parsnip1 in root1 stem1 and leaves4 ,i have fed working horses1 six or eight in number1 upon this plant for weeks together4 ,it is a tall bold plant that grows in prodigious quantities in the hedges and coppices in some parts of ,england4 ,it is the perennial parsnip4 ,it has flower and seed precisely like those of the parsnip2 and hogs1 cows1 and horses1 are equally fond of it4 ,many a half-starved pig have ,i seen within a few yards of cart-loads of this pig-meat6 ,this arises from want of the early habit of attention to such matters4 ,i1 who used to get hog-weed for pigs and for rabbits when a little chap1 have never forgotten that the wild parsnip is good food for pigs and rabbits4 #ahf4 ,when the doe has young ones1 feed her most abundantly with all sorts of greens and herbage and with carrots and the other things mentioned before1 besides giving her a few oats once a-day4 ,that is the way to have fine healthy young ones1 which1 if they come from the mother in good case1 will very seldom die4 ,but do not think1 that because she is a small animal1 a little feeding is sufficient6 ,rabbits eat a great deal more than cows or sheep in proportion to their bulk4 #ahg4 ,of all animals rabbits are those that boys are most fond of4 ,they are extremely pretty1 nimble in their movements1 engaging in their attitudes1 and always completely under immediate control4 ,the produce has not long to be waited for4 ,in short1 they keep an interest constantly alive in a little chap's mind2 and they really cost nothing2 for as to the oats1 where is the boy that cannot1 in harvest-time1 pick up enough along the lanes to serve his rabbits for a year8 ,the care is all2 and the habit of taking care of things is1 of itself1 a most valuable possession4 #ahh4 ,to those gentlemen who keep rabbits for the use of their family 7and a very useful and convenient article they are17 ,i would observe1 that when they find their rabbits die1 they may depend on it1 that ninety-nine times out of the hundred starvation is the malady4 ,and particularly short feeding of the doe1 while1 and before she has young ones2 that is to say1 short feeding of her at all times2 for1 if she be poor1 the young ones will be good for nothing4 ,she will live being poor1 but she will not1 and cannot breed up fine young ones4 ,,goats ,,and ,,ewes4 #ahi4 ,in some places where a cow cannot be kept1 a goat may4 ,a correspondent points out to me1 that a ,dorset ewe or two might be kept on a common near a cottage to give milk2 and certainly this might be done very well2 but ,i should prefer a goat1 which is hardier and much more domestic4 ,when ,i was in the army1 in ,new ,brunswick1 where1 be it observed1 the snow lies on the ground seven months in the year1 there were many goats that belonged to the regiment1 and that went about with it on shipboard and every-where else4 ,some of them had gone through nearly the whole of the ,american ,war4 ,we never fed them4 ,in summer they picked about wherever they could find grass2 and in winter they lived on cabbage-leaves1 turnip-peelings1 potatoe-peelings1 and other things flung out of the soldiers' rooms and huts4 ,one of these goats belonged to me1 and1 on an average throughout the year1 she gave me more than three half-pints of milk a day4 ,i used to have the kid killed when a few days old2 and1 for some time1 the goat would give nearly or quite1 two quarts of milk a day4 ,she was seldom dry more than three weeks in the year4 #aij4 ,there is one great inconvenience belonging to goats2 that is1 they bark all young trees that they come near2 so that1 if they get into a garden1 they destroy every thing4 ,but there are seldom trees on commons1 except such as are too large to be injured by goats2 and ,i can see no reason against keeping a goat where a cow cannot be kept4 ,nothing is so hardy2 nothing is so little nice as to its food4 ,goats will pick peelings out of the kennel and eat them4 ,they will eat mouldy bread or biscuit2 fusty hay1 and almost rotten straw2 furze-bushes1 heath-thistles2 and1 indeed1 what will they not eat1 when they will make a hearty meal on paper1 brown or white1 printed on or not printed on1 and give milk all the while6 ,they will lie in any dog-hole4 ,they do very well clogged1 or stumped out4 ,and1 then1 they are very healthy things into the bargain1 however closely they may be confined4 ,when sea voyages are so stormy as to kill geese1 ducks1 fowls1 and almost pigs1 the goats are well and lively2 and when a dog of no kind can keep the deck for a minute1 a goat will skip about upon it as bold as brass4 #aia4 ,goats do not ramble from home4 ,they come in regularly in the evening1 and if called1 they come like dogs4 ,now1 though ewes1 when taken great care of1 will be very gentle1 and though their milk may be rather more delicate than that of the goat1 the ewes must be fed with nice and clean food1 and they will not do much in the milk-giving way upon a common2 and1 as to feeding them1 provision must be made pretty nearly as for a cow4 ,they will not endure confinement like goats2 and they are subject to numerous ailments that goats know nothing of4 ,then the ewes are done by the time they are about six years old2 for they then lose their teeth2 whereas a goat will continue to breed and to give milk in abundance for a great many years4 ,the sheep is frightened at everything1 and especially at the least sound of a dog4 ,a goat1 on the contrary1 will face a dog1 and if he be not a big and courageous one1 beat him off4 #aib4 ,i have often wondered how it happened that none of our labourers kept goats2 and ,i really should be glad to see the thing tried4 ,they are pretty creatures1 domestic as a dog1 will stand and watch1 as a dog does1 for a crumb of bread1 as you are eating2 give you no trouble in the milking2 and ,i cannot help being of opinion1 that it might be of great use to introduce them amongst our labourers4 ,,candles ,,and ,,rushes4 #aic4 ,we are not permitted to make candles ourselves1 and if we were1 they ought seldom to be used in a labourer's family4 ,i was bred and brought up mostly by rush-light1 and ,i do not find that ,i see less clearly than other people4 ,candles certainly were not much used in ,english labourers' dwellings in the days when they had meat dinners and ,sunday coats4 ,potatoes and taxed candles seem to have grown into fashion together2 and1 perhaps1 for this reason3 that when the pot ceased to afford grease for the rushes1 the potatoe-gorger was compelled to go to the chandler's shop for light to swallow the potatoes by1 else he might have devoured peeling and all6 #aid4 ,my grandmother1 who lived to be pretty nearly ninety1 never1 ,i believe1 burnt a candle in her house in her life4 ,i know that ,i never saw one there1 and she1 in a great measure1 brought me up4 ,she used to get the meadow-rushes1 such as they tie the hop-shoots to the poles with4 ,she cut them when they had attained their full substance1 but were still green4 ,the rush at this age1 consists of a body of pith with a green skin on it4 ,you cut off both ends of the rush1 and leave the prime part1 which1 on an average1 may be about a foot and a half long4 ,then you take off all the green skin1 except for about a fifth part of the way round the pith4 ,thus it is a piece of pith all but a little strip of skin in one part all the way up1 which1 observe1 is necessary to hold the pith together all the way along4 #aie4 ,the rushes being thus prepared1 the grease is melted1 and put in a melted state into something that is as long as the rushes are4 ,the rushes are put into the grease2 soaked in it sufficiently2 then taken out and laid in a bit of bark taken from a young tree1 so as not to be too large4 ,this bark is fixed up against the wall by a couple of straps put round it2 and there it hangs for the purpose of holding the rushes4 #aif4 ,the rushes are carried about in the hand2 but to sit by1 to work by1 or to go to bed by1 they are fixed in stands made for the purpose1 some of which are high to stand on the ground1 and some low1 to stand on a table4 ,these stands have an iron port something like a pair of pliers to hold the rush in1 and the rush is shifted forward from time to time1 as it burns down to the thing that holds it4 #aig4 ,now these rushes give a better light than a common small dip-candle2 and they cost next to nothing1 though the labourer may with them have as much light as he pleases1 and though1 without them he must sit the far greater part of the winter evenings in the dark1 even if he expend fifteen shillings a year in candles4 ,you may do any sort of work by this light2 and1 if reading be your taste1 you may read the foul libels1 the lies and abuse1 which are circulated gratis about me by the ,society for promoting ,christian ,knowledge1 as well by rush-light1 as you can by the light of taxed candles2 and1 at any rate1 you would have one evil less2 for to be deceived and to pay a tax for the deception are a little too much for even modern loyalty openly to demand4 ,,mustard4 #aih4 ,why buy this1 when you can grow it in your garden8 ,the stuff you buy is half drugs2 and is injurious to health4 ,a yard square of ground1 sown with common ,mustard1 the crop of which you would grind for use1 in a little mustard-mill1 as you wanted it1 would save you some money1 and probably save your life4 ,your mustard would look brown instead of yellow2 but the former colour is as good as the latter3 and1 as to the taste1 the real mustard has certainly a much better than that of the drugs and flour which go under the name of mustard4 ,let any one try it1 and ,i am sure he will never use the drugs again4 ,the drugs1 if you take them freely1 leave a burning at the pit of your stomach1 which the real mustard does not4 ,,dress1 ,,household ,,goods1 ,,and ,,fuel4 #aii4 ,in ,paragraph #aeb1 ,i said1 ,i think1 enough to caution you1 the ,english labourer1 against the taste1 now too prevalent1 for fine and flimsy dress4 ,it was1 for hundreds of years1 amongst the characteristics of the ,english people1 that their taste was1 in all matters1 for things solid1 sound1 and good2 for the useful1 and decent1 the cleanly in dress1 and not for the showy4 ,let us hope that this may be the taste again2 and let us1 my friends1 fear no troubles1 no perils1 that may be necessary to produce a return of that taste1 accompanied with full bellies and warm backs to the labouring classes4 #bjj4 ,in household goods1 the warm1 the strong1 the durable1 ought always to be kept in view4 ,oak tables1 bedsteads and stools1 chairs of oak or of yew tree1 and never a bit of miserable deal board4 ,things of this sort ought to last several lifetimes4 ,a labourer ought to inherit from his great grandfather something besides his toil4 ,as to bedding1 and other things of that sort1 all ought to be good in their nature1 of a durable quality1 and plain in their colour and form4 ,the plates1 dishes1 mugs1 and things of that kind1 should be of pewter1 or even of wood4 ,any-thing is better than crockery-ware4 ,bottles to carry a-field should be of wood4 ,formerly1 nobody but the gypsies and mumpers1 that went a hop-picking in the season1 carried glass or earthen bottles4 ,as to glass of any sort1 ,i do not know what business it has in any man's house1 unless he be rich enough to live on his means4 ,it pays a tax1 in many cases1 to the amount of two-thirds of its cost4 ,in short1 when a house is once furnished with sufficient goods1 there ought to be no renewal of hardly any part of them wanted for half an age1 except in case of destruction by fire4 ,good management in this way leaves the man's wages to provide an abundance of good food and good raiment2 and these are the things that make happy families2 these are the things that make a good1 kind1 sincere1 and brave people2 not little pamphlets about loyalty and content4 ,a good man will be contented fast enough1 if he be fed and clad sufficiently2 but if a man be not well fed and clad1 he is a base wretch to be contented4 #bja4 ,fuel should be1 if possible1 provided in summer1 or at least some of it4 ,turf and peat must be got in summer1 and some wood may4 ,in the woodland countries1 the next winter ought to be thought of in ,june1 when people hardly know what to do with the fuelwood2 and something should1 if possible1 be saved in the bark-harvest to get a part of the fuel for the next winter4 ,fire is a capital article4 ,to have no fire1 or a bad fire1 to sit by1 is a most dismal thing4 ,in such a state man and wife must be something out of the common way to be in good humour with each other1 to say nothing of colds and other ailments which are the natural consequence of such misery4 ,if we suppose the great ,creator to condescend to survey his works in detail1 what object can be so pleasing to him as that of the labourer1 after his return from the toils of a cold winter day1 sitting with his wife and children round a cheerful fire1 while the wind whistles in the chimney and the rain pelts the roof8 ,but1 of all ,god's creation1 what is so miserable to behold or to think of as a wretched1 half-starved family creeping to their nest of flocks or straw1 there to lie shivering1 till sent forth by the fear of absolutely expiring from want8 ,,hops4 #bjb4 ,i treated of them before2 but before ,i conclude this little ,work1 it is necessary to speak of them again4 ,i made a mistake as to the tax on the ,hops4 ,the positive tax is #b;d4 a pound1 and ,i 7in former editions7 stated it at #d;d4 ,however1 in all such cases1 there falls upon the consumer the expenses attending the paying of the tax4 ,that is to say1 the cost of interest of capital in the grower who pays the tax1 and who must pay for it1 whether his hops be cheap or dear4 ,then the trouble it gives him1 and the rules he is compelled to obey in the drying and bagging1 and which cause him great expense4 ,so that the tax on hops of our own ,english growth1 may now be reckoned to cost the consumer about #c-a_/d;d4 a pound4 ,,yeast4 #bjc4 ,yeast is a great thing in domestic management4 ,i have once before published a receipt for making yeast-cakes1 ,i will do it again here4 #bjd4 ,in ,long ,island they make yeast-cakes4 ,a parcel of these cakes is made once a year4 ,that is often enough4 ,and1 when you bake1 you take one of these cakes 7or more according to the bulk of the batch7 and with them raise your bread4 ,the very best bread ,i ever ate in my life was lightened with these cakes4 #bje4 ,the materials for a good batch of cakes are as follows3--#c ounces of good fresh ,hops2 #c-a_/b pounds of ,rye ,flour2 #g pounds of ,indian ,corn ,meal2 and one ,gallon of ,water4--,rub the hops1 so as to separate them4 ,put them into the water1 which is to be boiling at the time4 ,let them boil half an hour4 ,then strain the liquor through a fine sieve into an earthen vessel4 ,while the liquor is hot1 put in the ,rye-,flour2 stirring the liquor well1 and quickly1 as the ,rye-,flour goes into it4 ,the day after1 when it is working1 put in the ,indian ,meal1 stirring it well as it goes in4 ,before the ,indian ,meal be all in1 the mess will be very stiff2 and it will1 in fact1 be dough1 very much of the consistence of the dough that bread is made of4--,take this dough2 knead it well1 as you would for pie-crust4 ,roll it out with a rolling-pin1 as you roll out pie-crust1 to the thickness of about a third of an inch4 ,when you have it 7or a part of it at a time7 rolled out1 cut it up into cakes with a tumbler glass turned upside down1 or with something else that will answer the same purpose4 ,take a clean board 7a tin may be better7 and put the cakes to dry in the sun4 ,turn them every day2 let them receive no wet2 and they will become as hard as ship biscuit4 ,put them into a bag1 or box1 and keep them in a place perfectly free from damp4 ,when you bake1 take two cakes1 of the thickness above-mentioned1 and about #c inches in diameter2 put them into hot water1 over-night1 having cracked them first4 ,let the vessel containing them stand near the fire-place all night4 ,they will dissolve by the morning1 and then you use them in setting your sponge 7as it is called7 precisely as you would use the yeast of beer4 #bjf4 ,there are two things which may be considered by the reader as obstacles4 ,,first1 where are we to get the ,indian ,meal8 ,indian ,meal is used merely because it is of a less adhesive nature than that of wheat4 ,white pea-meal1 or even barley-meal1 would do just as well4 ,but ,,second1 to dry the cakes1 to make them 7and quickly too1 mind7 as hard as ship biscuit 7which is much harder than the timber of ,scotch firs or ,canada firs27 and to do this in the sun 7for it must not be fire17 where are we1 in this climate1 to get the sun8 ,in #ahaf we could not2 for1 that year1 melons rotted in the glazed frames and never ripened4 ,but1 in every nine summers out of ten1 we have in ,june1 in ,july1 or in ,august1 a fortnight of hot sun1 and that is enough4 ,nature has not given us a peach-climate2 but we get peaches4 ,the cakes1 when put in the sun1 may have a glass sash1 or a hand-light1 put over them4 ,this would make their birth hotter than that of the hottest open-air situation in ,america4 ,in short to a farmer's wife1 or any good housewife1 all the little difficulties to the attainment of such an object would appear as nothing4 ,the will only is required2 and1 if there be not that1 it is useless to think of the attempt4 ,,sowing ,,swedish ,,turnip ,,seed4 #bjg4 ,it is necessary to be a little more full than ,i have been before as to the manner of sowing this seed2 and ,i shall make my directions such as to be applied on a small or a large scale4--,those that want to transplant on a large scale will1 of course1 as to the other parts of the business1 refer to my larger work4--,it is to get plants for transplanting that ,i mean to sow the ,swedish ,turnip ,seed4 ,the time for sowing must depend a little upon the nature of the situation and soil4 ,in the north of ,england1 perhaps early in ,april may be best2 but1 in any of these southern counties1 any time after the middle of ,april and before the #ajth of ,may1 is quite early enough4 ,the ground which is to receive the seed should be made very fine1 and manured with wood-ashes1 or with good compost well mixed with the earth4 ,dung is not so good2 for it breeds the fly more2 or1 at least1 ,i think so4 ,the seed should be sown in drills an inch deep1 made as pointed out under the head of ,sowing in my book on ,gardening4 ,when deposited in the drills evenly but not thickly1 the ground should be raked across the drills1 so as to fill them up2 and then the whole of the ground should be trodden hard1 with shoes not nailed1 and not very thick in the sole4 ,the ground should be laid out in four-feet beds for the reasons mentioned in the ,gardener4 ,when the seeds come up1 thin the plants to two inches apart as soon as you think them clear from the fly2 for1 if left thicker1 they injure each other even in this infant state4 ,hoe frequently between the rows even before thinning the plants2 and when they are thinned1 hoe well and frequently between them2 for this has a tendency to make them strong2 and the hoeing before thinning helps to keep off the fly4 ,a rod of ground1 the rows being eight inches apart1 and plants two inches apart in the row1 will contain about two thousand two hundred plants4 ,an acre in rows four feet apart and the plants a foot apart in the row1 will take about ten thousand four hundred and sixty plants4 ,so that to transplant an acre1 you must sow about five rods of ground4 ,the plants should be kept very clean2 and1 by the last week in ,june1 or first in ,july1 you put them out4 ,i have put them out 7in ,england7 at all times between #gth of ,june and middle of ,august4 ,the first is certainly earlier than ,i like2 and the very finest ,i ever grew in ,england1 and the finest ,i ever saw for a large piece1 were transplanted on the #adth of ,july4 ,but one year with another1 the last week in ,june is the best time4 ,for size of plants1 manner of transplanting1 intercultivation1 preparing the land1 and the rest1 see ,year's ,residence in ,america4 ,no4 ,,viii4 ,on the converting of ,english ,grass1 and ,grain ,plants cut green1 into ,straw1 for the purpose of making ,plat for ,hats and ,bonnets4 ,,kensington1 ,,may #cj1 #ahbc4 #bjh4 ,the foregoing ,numbers have treated1 chiefly1 of the management of the affairs of a labourer's family1 and more particularly of the mode of disposing of the money earned by the labour of the family4 ,the present ,number will point out what ,i hope may become an advantageous kind of labour4 ,all along ,i have proceeded upon the supposition1 that the wife and children of the labourer be1 as constantly as possible1 employed in work of some sort or other4 ,the cutting1 the bleaching1 the sorting1 and the platting of straw1 seem to be1 of all employments1 the best suited to the wives and children of country labourers2 and the discovery which ,i have made1 as to the means of obtaining the necessary materials1 will enable them to enter at once upon that employment4 #bji4 ,before ,i proceed to give my directions relative to the performance of this sort of labour1 ,i shall give a sort of history of the discovery to which ,i have just alluded4 #baj4 ,the practice of making hats1 bonnets1 and other things1 of straw1 is perhaps of very ancient date2 but not to waste time in fruitless inquiries1 it is very well known that1 for many years past1 straw coverings for the head have been greatly in use in ,england1 in ,america1 and1 indeed1 in almost all the countries that we know much of4 ,in this country the manufacture was1 only a few years ago1 very flourishing2 but it has now greatly declined1 and has left in poverty and misery those whom it once well fed and clothed4 #baa4 ,the cause of this change has been1 the importation of the straw hats and bonnets from ,italy1 greatly superior1 in durability and beauty1 to those made in ,england4 ,the plat made in ,england was made of the straw of ripened grain4 ,it was1 in general1 split2 but the main circumstance was1 that it was made of the straw of ripened grain2 while the ,italian plat was made of the straw of grain1 or grass1 cut green4 ,now1 the straw of ripened grain or grass is brittle2 or1 rather1 rotten4 ,it dies while standing1 and1 in point of toughness1 the difference between it and straw from plants cut green is much about the same as the difference between a stick that has died on the tree1 and one that has been cut from the tree4 ,but besides the difference in point of toughness1 strength1 and durability1 there was the difference in beauty4 ,the colour of the ,italian plat was better2 the plat was brighter2 and the ,indian straws1 being small whole straws1 instead of small straws made by the splitting of large ones1 here was a roundness in them1 that gave light and shade to the plat1 which could not be given by our flat bits of straw4 #bab4 ,it seems odd1 that nobody should have set to work to find out how the ,italians came by this fine straw4 ,the importation of these ,italian articles was chiefly from the port of ,,leghorn2 and therefore the bonnets imported were called ,leghorn ,bonnets4 ,the straw manufacturers in this country seem to have made no effort to resist this invasion from ,leghorn4 ,and1 which is very curious1 the ,leghorn straw has now began to be imported1 and to be platted in this country4 ,so that we had hands to plat as well as the ,italians4 ,all that we wanted was the same kind of straw that the ,italians had3 and it is truly wonderful that these importations from ,leghorn should have gone on increasing year after year1 and our domestic manufacture dwindling away at a like pace1 without there having been any inquiry relative to the way in which the ,italians got their straw6 ,strange1 that we should have imported even straw from ,italy1 without inquiring whether similar straw could not be got in ,england6 ,there really seems to have been an opinion1 that ,england could no more produce this straw than it could produce the sugar-cane4 #bac4 ,things were in this state1 when in #ahba1 a ,miss ,,woodhouse1 a farmer's daughter in ,,connecticut1 sent a straw-bonnet of her own making to the ,society of ,arts in ,london4 ,this bonnet1 superior in fineness and beauty to anything of the kind that had come from ,leghorn1 the maker stated to consist of a sort of grass of which she sent along with the bonnet some of the seeds4 ,the question was1 then1 would these precious seeds grow and produce plants in perfection in ,england8 ,a large quantity of the seed had not been sent3 and it was therefore1 by a member of the ,society1 thought desirable to get1 with as little delay as possible1 a considerable quantity of the seed4 #bad4 ,it was in this stage of the affair that my attention was called to it4 ,the member just alluded to applied to me to get the seed from ,america4 ,i was of opinion that there could be no sort of grass in ,connecticut that would not1 and that did not1 grow and flourish in ,england4 ,my son ,,james1 who was then at ,new-,york1 had instructions from me1 in ,june #ahba1 to go to ,miss ,,woodhouse1 and to send me home an account of the matter4 ,in ,september1 the same year1 ,i heard from him1 who sent me an account of the cutting and bleaching1 and also a specimen of the plat and grass of ,connecticut4 ,miss ,,woodhouse had told the ,society of ,arts1 that the grass used was the ,poa ,pratensis4 ,this is the smooth-stalked meadow-grass4 ,so that it was quite useless to send for seed4 ,it was clear1 that we had grass enough in ,england1 if we could but make it into straw as handsome as that of ,italy4 #bae4 ,upon my publishing an account of what had taken place with regard to the ,american ,bonnet1 an importer of ,italian straw applied to me to know whether ,i would undertake to import ,american straw4 ,he was in the habit of importing ,italian straw1 and of having it platted in this country2 but having seen the bonnet of ,miss ,,woodhouse1 he was anxious to get the ,american straw4 ,this gentleman showed me some ,italian straw which he had imported1 and as the seed heads were not on1 ,i could not see what plant it was4 ,the gentleman who showed the straw to me1 told me 7and1 doubtless1 he believed7 that the plant was one that would not grow in ,england4 ,i however1 who looked at the straw with the eyes of a farmer1 perceived that it consisted of dry oat1 wheat1 and rye plants1 and of ,bennet and other common grass plants4 #baf4 ,this quite settled the point of growth in ,england4 ,it was now certain that we had the plants in abundance2 and the only question that remained to be determined was1 ,had we ,,sun to give to those plants the beautiful colour which the ,american and ,italian straw had8 ,if that colour were to be obtained by art1 by any chemical applications1 we could obtain it as easily as the ,americans or the ,italians2 but1 if it were the gift of the ,,sun solely1 here might be a difficulty impossible for us to overcome4 ,my experiments have proved that the fear of such difficulty was wholly groundless4 #bag4 ,it was late in ,september #ahba that ,i obtained this knowledge1 as to the kind of plants that produced the foreign straw4 ,i could1 at that time of the year1 do nothing in the way of removing my doubts as to the powers of our ,sun in the bleaching of grass2 but ,i resolved to do this when the proper season for bleaching should return4 ,accordingly1 when the next month of ,june came1 ,i went into the country for the purpose4 ,i made my experiments1 and1 in short1 ,i proved to demonstration1 that we had not only the plants1 but the sun also1 necessary for the making of straw1 yielding in no respect to that of ,america or of ,italy4 ,i think that1 upon the whole1 we have greatly the advantage of those countries2 for grass is more abundant in this country than in any other4 ,it flourishes here more than in any other country4 ,it is here in a greater variety of sorts2 and for fineness in point of size1 there is no part of the world which can equal what might be obtained from some of our downs1 merely by keeping the land ungrazed till the month of ,july4 #bah4 ,when ,i had obtained the straw1 ,i got some of it made into plat4 ,one piece of this plat was equal in point of colour1 and superior in point of fineness1 even to the plat of the bonnet1 of ,miss ,,woodhouse4 ,it seemed1 therefore1 now to be necessary to do nothing more than to make all this well known to the country4 ,as the ,,society ,,of ,,arts had interested itself in the matter1 and as ,i heard that1 through its laudable zeal1 several sowings of the foreign grass-seed had been made in ,england1 ,i communicated an account of my experiments to that ,society4 ,the first communication was made by me on the #aith of ,february last1 when ,i sent to the ,society1 specimens of my straw and also of the plat4 ,some time after this ,i attended a committee of the ,society on the subject1 and gave them a verbal account of the way in which ,i had gone to work4 #bai4 ,the committee had1 before this1 given some of my straw to certain manufacturers of plat1 in order to see what it would produce4 ,these manufacturers1 with the exception of one1 brought such specimens of plat as to induce1 at first sight1 any one to believe that it was nonsense to think of bringing the thing to any degree of perfection6 ,but1 was it possible to believe this8 ,was it possible to believe that it could answer to import straw from ,italy1 to pay a twenty per cent4 duty on that straw1 and to have it platted here2 and that it would not answer to turn into plat straw of just the same sort grown in ,england8 ,it was impossible to believe this2 but possible enough to believe1 that persons now making profit by ,italian straw1 or plat1 or bonnets1 would rather that ,english straw should come to shut out the ,italian and to put an end to the ,leghorn trade4 #bbj4 ,in order to show the character of the reports of those manufacturers1 ,i sent some parcels of straw into ,hertfordshire1 and got back1 in the course of five days1 fifteen specimens of plat4 ,these ,i sent to the ,society of ,arts on the #c;d of ,april2 and ,i here insert a copy of the letter which accompanied them4 ,,to ,,the ,,secretary ,,of ,,the ,,society ,,of ,,arts4 ,,kensington1 ,april #c1 #ahbc4 ,,sir1--,with this letter ,i send you sixteen specimens of plat1 and also eight parcels of straw1 in order to show the sorts that the plat is made out of4 ,the numbers of the plat correspond with those of the straw2 but each parcel of straw has two numbers attached to it1 except in the case of the first number1 which is the wheat straw4 ,of each kind of straw a parcel of the stoutest and a parcel of the smallest were sent to be platted2 so that each parcel of the straw now sent1 except that of the wheat1 refers to two of the pieces of plat4 ,for instance1 #b and #c of the plat is of the sort of straw marked #b and #c2 #d and #ab of the plat is of the sort of straw marked #d and #ab2 and so on4 ,these parcels of straw are sent in order that you may know the kind of straw1 or rather1 of grass1 from which the several pieces of plat have been made4 ,this is very material2 because it is by those parcels of straw that the kinds of grass are to be known4 ,the piece of plat ,no4 #af is ,american2 all the rest are from my straw4 ,you will see1 that #ae is the finest plat of all4 ,no4 #g is from the stout straws of the same kind as ,no4 #ae4 ,by looking at the parcel of straw ,nos4 #g and #ae1 you will see what sort of grass this is4 ,the next1 in point of beauty and fineness combined1 are the pieces ,nos4 #ac and #h2 and by looking at the parcel of straw1 ,nos4 #ac and #h1 you will see what sort of grass that is4 ,next comes #aj and #e1 which are very beautiful too2 and the sort of grass1 you will see1 is the common ,bennet4 ,the wheat1 you see1 is too coarse2 and the rest of the sorts are either too hard or too brittle4 ,i beg you to look at ,nos4 #aj and #e4 ,those appear to me to be the thing to supplant the ,leghorn4 ,the colour is good1 the straws work well1 they afford a great variety of sizes1 and they come from the common ,bennet grass1 which grows all over the kingdom1 which is cultivated in all our fields1 which is in bloom in the fair month of ,june1 which may be grown as fine or as coarse as we please1 and ten acres of which would1 ,i dare say1 make ten thousand bonnets4 ,however1 #g and #ae1 and #h and #ac1 are very good2 and they are to be got in every part of the kingdom4 ,as to platters1 it is to be too childish to believe that they are not to be got1 when ,i could send off these straws1 and get back the plat1 in the course of five days4 ,far better work than this would have been obtained if ,i could have gone on the errand myself4 ,what then will people not do1 who regularly undertake the business for their livelihood8 ,i will1 as soon as possible1 send you an account of the manner in which ,i went to work with the grass4 ,the card or plat1 which ,i sent you some time ago1 you will be so good as to give me back again some time2 because ,i have now not a bit of the ,american plat left4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your most humble and most obedient servant1 ,,wm4 ,,cobbett4 #bba4 ,i should observe1 that these written communications1 of mine to the ,society1 belong1 in fact1 to it1 and will be published in its ,,proceedings1 a volume of which comes out every year2 but1 in this case1 there would have been a year lost to those who may act in consequence of these communications being made public4 ,the grass is to be got1 in great quantities and of the best sorts1 only in ,june and ,july2 and the ,society's volume does not come out till ,december4 ,the ,society has1 therefore1 given its consent to the making of the communications public through the means of this little work of mine4 #bbb4 ,having shown what sort of plat could be produced from ,english grass-straw1 ,i next communicated to the ,society an account of the method which ,i pursued in the cutting and bleaching of the grass4 ,the letter in which ,i did this ,i shall here insert a copy of1 before ,i proceed further4 ,in the original the paragraphs were numbered from one to seventeen3 they are here marked by letters1 in order to avoid confusion1 the paragraphs of the work itself being marked by numbers4 ,,to ,,the ,,secretary ,,of ,,the ,,society ,,of ,,arts4 ,,kensington1 ,april #ad1 #ahbc4 ,a4--,,sir1--,agreeably to your request1 ,i now communicate to you a statement of those particulars which you wished to possess1 relative to the specimens of straw and of plat which ,i have at different times sent to you for the inspection of the ,society4 ,b4--,that my statement may not come too abruptly upon those members of the ,society who have not had an opportunity of witnessing the progress of this interesting inquiry1 ,i will take a short review of the circumstances which led to the making of my experiments4 ,c4--,in the month of ,june1 #ahba1 a gentleman1 a member of the ,society1 informed me1 by letter1 that a ,miss ,,woodhouse1 a farmer's daughter1 of ,weathersfield1 in ,connecticut1 had transmitted to the ,society a straw-bonnet of very fine materials and manufacture2 that this bonnet 7according to her account7 was made from the straw of a sort of grass called poa pratensis2 that it seemed to be unknown whether the same grass would grow in ,england2 that it was desirable to ascertain whether this grass would grow in ,england2 that1 at all events1 it was desirable to get from ,america some of the seed of this grass2 and that1 for this purpose1 my informant1 knowing that ,i had a son in ,america2 addressed himself to me1 it being his opinion that1 if materials similar to those used by ,miss ,,woodhouse could by any means be grown in ,england1 the benefit to the nation must be considerable4 ,d4--,in consequence of this application1 ,i wrote to my son ,james1 7then at ,new ,york17 directing him to do what he was able in order to cause success to the undertaking4 ,on the receipt of my letter1 in ,july1 he went from ,new ,york to ,weathersfield1 7about a hundred and twenty miles27 saw ,miss ,,woodhouse2 made the necessary inquiries2 obtained a specimen of the grass1 and also of the plat1 which other persons at ,weathersfield1 as well as ,miss ,,woodhouse1 were in the habit of making2 and having acquired the necessary information as to cutting the grass and bleaching the straw1 he transmitted to me an account of the matter2 which account1 together with his specimens of grass and plat1 ,i received in the month of ,september4 ,e4--,i was now1 when ,i came to see the specimen of grass1 convinced that ,miss ,,woodhouse',s materials could be grown in ,england2 a conviction which1 if it had not been complete at once1 would have been made complete immediately afterwards by the sight of a bunch of bonnet-straw imported from ,leghorn1 which straw was shown to me by the importer1 and which ,i found to be that of two or three sorts of our common grass1 and of oats1 wheat1 and rye4 ,f4--,that the grass1 or plants1 could be grown in ,england was1 therefore1 now certain1 and indeed that they were1 in point of commonness1 next to the earth itself4 ,but before the grass could1 with propriety1 be called materials for bonnet-making1 there was the bleaching to be performed2 and it was by no means certain that this could be accomplished by means of an ,english sun1 the difference between which and that of ,italy or ,connecticut was well known to be very great4 ,g4--,my experiments have1 ,i presume1 completely removed this doubt4 ,i think that the straw produced by me to the ,society1 and also some of the pieces of plat1 are of a colour which no straw or plat can surpass4 ,all that remains1 therefore1 is for me to give an account of the manner in which ,i cut and bleached the grass which ,i have submitted to the ,society in the state of straw4 ,h4--,first1 as to the season of the year1 all the straw1 except that of one sort of couch-grass1 and the long coppice-grass1 which two were got in ,sussex1 were got from grass cut in ,hertfordshire on the #bast of ,june4 ,a grass head-land1 in a wheat-field1 had been mowed during the forepart of the day1 and in the afternoon ,i went and took a handful here and a handful there out of the swaths4 ,when ,i had collected as much as ,i could well carry1 ,i took it to my friend's house1 and proceeded to prepare it for bleaching1 according to the information sent me from ,america by my son2 that is to say1 ,i put my grass into a shallow tub1 put boiling water upon it until it was covered by the water1 let it remain in that state for ten minutes1 then took it out1 and laid it very thinly on a closely-mowed lawn in a garden4 ,but ,i should observe1 that1 before ,i put the grass into the tub1 ,i tied it up in small bundles1 or sheaves1 each bundle being about six inches through at the butt-end4 ,this was necessary1 in order to be able to take the grass1 at the end of ten minutes1 out of the water1 without throwing it into a confused mixture as to tops and tails4 ,being tied up in little bundles1 ,i could easily1 with a prong1 take it out of the hot water4 ,the bundles were put into a large wicker basket1 carried to the lawn in the garden1 and there taken out1 one by one1 and laid in swaths as before-mentioned4 ,i4--,it was laid very thinly2 almost might ,i say1 that no stalk of grass covered another4 ,the swaths were turned once a day4 ,the bleaching was completed at the end of seven days from time of scalding and laying out4 ,june is a fine month4 ,the grass was1 as it happened1 cut on the longest day in the year2 and the weather was remarkably fine and clear4 ,but the grass which ,i afterwards cut in ,sussex1 was cut in the first week in ,august2 and as to the weather my journal speaks thus3-- ,august1 #ahbb4 #b;d4--,thunder and rain4--,began cutting grass4 #c;d4--,beautiful day4 #dth4--,fine day4 #eth4--,cloudy day--,began scalding grass1 and laying it out4 #fth4--,cloudy greater part of the day4 #gth4--,same weather4 #hth4--,cloudy and rather misty4--,finished cutting grass4 #ith4--,dry but cloudy4 #ajth4--,very close and hot4--,packed up part of the grass4 #aath1 #abth1 #acth1 and #adth4--,same weather4 #aeth4--,hot and clear4--,finished packing the grass4 ,k4--,the grass cut in ,sussex was as well bleached as that cut in ,hertfordshire2 so that it is evident that we never can have a summer that will not afford sun sufficient for this business4 ,l4--,the part of the straw used for platting2 that part of the stalk which is above the upper joint2 that part which is between the upper joint and the seed-branches4 ,this part is taken out1 and the rest of the straw thrown away4 ,but the whole plant must be cut and bleached2 because1 if you were to take off1 when green1 the part above described1 that part would wither up next to nothing4 ,this part must die in company with the whole plants1 and be separated from the other parts after the bleaching has been performed4 ,m4--,the time of cutting must vary with the seasons1 the situation1 and the sort of grass4 ,the grass which ,i got in ,hertfordshire1 than which nothing can1 ,i think1 be more beautiful1 was1 when cut1 generally in bloom2 just in bloom4 ,the wheat was in full bloom2 so that a good time for getting grass may be considered to be that when the wheat is in bloom4 ,when ,i cut the grass in ,sussex1 the wheat was ripe1 for reaping had begun2 but that grass is of a very backward sort1 and1 besides1 grew in the shade amongst coppice-wood and under trees1 which stood pretty thick4 ,n4--,as to the sorts of grass1 ,i have to observe generally1 that in proportion as the colour of the grass is deep2 that is to say1 getting further from the yellow1 and nearer to the blue1 it is of a deep and dead yellow when it becomes straw4 ,those kinds of grass are best which are1 in point of colour1 nearest to that of wheat1 which is a fresh pale green4 ,another thing is1 the quality of the straw as to pliancy and toughness4 ,experience must be our guide here4 ,i had not time to make a large collection of sorts2 but those which ,i have sent to you contain three sorts which are proved to be good4 ,in my letter of the #c;d instant ,i sent you sixteen pieces of plat and eight bunches of straw1 having the seed heads on1 in order to show the sorts of grass4 ,the sixteenth piece of plat was ,american4 ,the first piece was from wheat cut and bleached by me2 the rest from grass cut and bleached by me4 ,i will here1 for fear of mistake1 give a list of the names of the several sorts of grass1 the straw of which was sent with my letter of the #c;d instant1 referring to the numbers1 as placed on the plat and on the bunches of straw4 ,,pieces ,,bunches ,,sorts ,,of ,,plat4 ,,of ,,straw4 ,,of ,,grass4 ,no #a4-- ,no4 #a4 --,wheat4 #b4 ,melica ,caerulea2 or1 ,purple ,melica #c4 #b and #c ,grass4 #d4 ,agrostis ,stolonifera2 or1 ,fiorin ,grass2 #ab4 #d and #ab that is to say1 one sort of ,couch-grass4 #e4 #aj4 #e and #aj ,lolium ,perenne2 or ,ray-grass4 #f4 ,avena ,flavescens2 or1 ,yellow ,oat #aa4 #f and #aa grass4 #g4 ,cynosurus ,cristatus2 or ,crested #ae4 #g and #ae ,dog's-tail grass4 #h4 ,anthoxanthum ,odoratum2 or1 ,sweet #ac4 #h and #ac scented ,vernal grass4 #i4 ,agrostis ,canina2 or1 ,brown ,bent #ad4 #i and #ad grass4 ,o4--,these names are those given at the ,botanical ,garden at ,kew4 ,but the same ,english names are not in the country given to these sorts of grass4 ,the ,fiorin grass1 the ,yellow ,oat-grass1 and the ,brown-,bent1 are all called couch-grass2 except that the latter is1 in ,sussex1 called ,red ,robin4 ,it is the native grass of the plains of ,long ,island2 and they call it ,red ,top4 ,the ,ray-grass is the common field grass1 which is1 all over the kingdom1 sown with clover4 ,the farmers1 in a great part of the kingdom1 call it ,bent1 or ,bennett1 grass2 and sometimes it is galled ,darnel-grass4 ,the ,crested ,dog's-tail goes1 in ,sussex1 by the name of ,hendonbent2 for what reason ,i know not4 ,the sweet-scented ,vernal-grass ,i have never1 amongst the farmers1 heard any name for4 ,miss ,,woodhouse',s grass appears1 from the plants that ,i saw in the ,adelphi1 to be one of the sorts of ,couch-grass4 ,indeed1 ,i am sure that it is a ,couch-grass1 if the plants ,i there saw came from her seed4 ,my son1 who went into ,connecticut1 who saw the grass growing1 and who sent me home a specimen of it1 is now in ,england3 he was with me when ,i cut the grass in ,sussex2 and he says that ,miss ,,woodhouse',s was a ,couch-grass4 ,however1 it is impossible to look at the specimens of straw and of plat which ,i have sent you1 without being convinced that there is no want of the raw material in ,england4 ,i was1 after my first hearing of the subject1 very soon convinced that the grass grew in ,england2 but ,i had great doubts as to the capacity of our sun4 ,those doubts my own experiments have completely removed2 but then ,i was not aware of the great effect of the scalding1 of which1 by the way1 ,miss ,,woodhouse had said nothing1 and the knowledge of which we owe entirely to my son ,james' journey into ,connecticut4 ,p4--,having thus given you an account of the time and manner of cutting the grass1 of the mode of cutting and bleaching2 having given you the best account ,i am able1 as to the sorts of grass to be employed in this business2 and having1 in my former communications1 given you specimens of the plat wrought from the several sorts of straw1 ,i might here close my letter2 but as it may be useful to speak of the expense of cutting and bleaching1 ,i shall trouble you with a few words relating to it4 ,if there were a field of ,ray-grass1 or of ,crested ,dog's-tail1 or any other good sort1 and nothing else growing with it1 the expense of cutting would be very little indeed1 seeing that the scythe or reap-hook would do the business at a great rate4 ,doubtless there will be such fields2 but even if the grass have to be cut by the handful1 my opinion is1 that the expense of cutting and bleaching would not exceed fourpence for straw enough to make a large bonnet4 ,i should be willing to contract to supply straw1 at this rate1 for half a million of bonnets4 ,the scalding must constitute a considerable part of the expense2 because there must be fresh water for every parcel of grass that you put in the tub4 ,when water has scalded one parcel of cold grass1 it will not scald another parcel4 ,besides1 the scalding draws out the sweet matter of the grass1 and makes the water the colour of that horrible stuff called ,london porter4 ,it would be very good1 by-the-by1 to give to pigs4 ,many people give hay-tea to pigs and calves2 and this is grass-tea4 ,to scald a large quantity1 therefore would require means not usually at hand1 and the scalding is an essential part of the business4 ,perhaps1 in a large and convenient farm-house1 with a good brewing copper1 good fuel and water handy1 four or five women might scald a wagon load in a day2 and a wagon would1 ,i think1 carry straw enough 7in the rough7 to furnish the means of making a thousand bonnets4 ,however1 the scalding might take place in the field itself1 by means of a portable boiler1 especially if water were at hand2 and perhaps it would be better to carry the water to the field than to carry the grass to the farm-house1 for there must be ground to lay it out upon the moment it has been scalded1 and no ground can be so proper as the newly-mowed ground where the grass has stood4 ,the space1 too1 must be large1 for any considerable quantity of grass4 ,as to all these things1 however1 the best and cheapest methods will soon be discovered when people set about the work with a view to profit4 ,q4--,the ,society will want nothing from me1 nor from any-body else1 to convince it of the importance of this matter2 but ,i cannot1 in concluding these communications to you1 ,sir1 refrain from making an observation or two on the consequences likely to arise out of these inquiries4 ,the manufacture is alone of considerable magnitude4 ,not less than about five millions of persons in this kingdom have a dress which consists partly of manufactured straw2 and a large part1 and all the most expensive part1 of the articles thus used1 now come from abroad4 ,in cases where you can get from abroad any article at less expense than you can get it at home1 the wisdom of fabricating that article at home may be doubted4 ,but1 in this case1 you get the raw material by labour performed at home1 and the cost of that labour is not nearly so great as would be the cost of the mere carriage of the straw from a foreign country to this4 ,if our own people had all plenty of employment1 and that too more profitable to them and to the country than the turning of a part of our own grass into articles of dress1 then it would be advisable still to import ,leghorn bonnets2 but the facts being the reverse1 it is clear1 that whatever money1 or money's worth things1 be sent out of the country1 in exchange for ,leghorn bonnets1 is1 while we have the raw material here for next to nothing1 just so much thrown away4 ,the ,italians1 it may be said1 take some of our manufactures in exchange2 and let us suppose1 for the purpose of illustration1 that they take cloth from ,yorkshire4 ,stop the exchange between ,leghorn and ,yorkshire1 and1 does ,yorkshire lose part of its custom8 ,no3 for though those who make the bonnets out of ,english grass1 prevent the ,leghorners from buying ,yorkshire cloth1 they1 with the money which they now get1 instead of its being got by the ,leghorners1 buy the ,yorkshire cloth themselves2 and they wear this cloth too1 instead of its being worn by the people of ,italy2 ay1 ,sir1 and many1 now in rags1 will be well clad1 if the laudable object of the ,society be effected4 ,besides this1 however1 why should we not export the articles of this manufacture8 ,to ,america we certainly should2 and ,i should not be at all surprised if we were to export them to ,leghorn itself4 ,r4--,notwithstanding all this1 however1 if the manufacture were of a description to require1 in order to give it success1 the collecting of the manufacturers together in great numbers1 ,i should1 however great the wealth that it might promise1 never have done any thing to promote its establishment4 ,the contrary is happily the case3 here all is not only performed by hand1 but by hand singly1 without any combination of hands4 ,here there is no power of machinery or of chemistry wanted4 ,all is performed out in the open fields1 or sitting in the cottage4 ,there wants no coal mines and no rivers to assist2 no water-powers nor powers of fire4 ,no part of the kingdom is unfit for the business4 ,every-where there are grass1 water1 sun1 and women and children's fingers2 and these are all that are wanted4 ,but1 the great thing of all is this2 that1 to obtain the materials for the making of this article of dress1 at once so gay1 so useful1 and in some cases so expensive1 there requires not a penny of capital4 ,many of the labourers now make their own straw hats to wear in summer4 ,poor rotten things1 made out of straw of ripened grain4 ,with what satisfaction will they learn that straw1 twenty times as durable1 to say nothing of the beauty1 is to be got from every hedge8 ,in short when the people are well and clearly informed of the facts1 which ,i have through you1 ,sir1 had the honour to lay before the ,society1 it is next to impossible that the manufacture should not become general throughout the country4 ,in every labourer's house a pot of water can be boiled4 ,what labourer's wife cannot1 in the summer months1 find time to cut and bleach grass enough to give her and her children work for a part of the winter8 ,there is no necessity for all to be platters4 ,some may cut and bleach only4 ,others may prepare the straw1 as mentioned in paragraph ,l4 of this letter4 ,and doubtless1 as the farmers in ,hertfordshire now sell their straw to the platters1 grass collectors and bleachers and preparers would do the same4 ,so that there is scarcely any country labourer's family that might not derive some advantage from this discovery2 and1 while ,i am convinced that this consideration has been by no means over-looked by the ,society1 it has been1 ,i assure you1 the great consideration of all with1 ,sir1 your most obedient and most humble ,servant1 ,,wm4 ,,cobbett4 #bbc4 ,in the last edition1 this closing part of the work1 relative to the straw plat1 was not presented to the public as a thing which admitted of no alteration2 but1 on the contrary1 it was presented to the public with the following concluding remark3 ,in conclusion ,i have to observe1 that ,i by no means send forth this essay as containing opinions and instructions that are to undergo no alteration4 ,i am1 indeed1 endeavouring to teach others2 but ,i am myself only a learner4 ,experience will1 doubtless1 make me much more perfect in a knowledge of the several parts of the subject2 and the fruit of this experience ,i shall be careful to communicate to the public4 ,i now proceed to make good this promise4 ,experience has proved that very beautiful and very fine plat can be made of the straw of divers kinds of grass4 ,but the most ample experience has also proved to us that it is to the straw of wheat1 that we are to look for a manufacture to supplant the ,leghorn4 ,this was mentioned as a strong suspicion in my former edition of this work4 ,and ,i urged my readers to sow wheat for the purpose4 ,the fact is now proved beyond all contradiction1 that the straw of wheat or rye1 but particularly of wheat1 is the straw for this purpose4 ,finer plat may be made from the straw of grass than can possibly be made from the straw of wheat or rye3 but the grass plat is1 all of it1 more or less brittle2 and none of it has the beautiful and uniform colour of the straw of wheat4 ,since the last edition of this work1 ,i have received packets of the straw from ,tuscany1 all of wheat2 and1 indeed1 ,i am convinced that no other straw is any-thing like so well calculated for the purpose4 ,wheat straw bleaches better than any other4 ,it has that fine1 pale1 golden colour which no other straw has2 it is much more simple1 more pliant than any other straw2 and1 in short1 this is the material4 ,i did not urge in vain4 ,a good quantity of wheat was sowed for this purpose4 ,a great deal of it has been well harvested2 and ,i have the pleasure to know that several hundreds of persons are now employed in the platting of straw4 ,one more year2 one more crop of wheat2 and another ,leghorn bonnet will never be imported in ,england4 ,some great errors have been committed in the sowing of the wheat1 and in the cutting of it4 ,i shall now1 therefore1 availing myself of the experience which ,i have gained1 offer to the public some observations on the sort of wheat to be sowed for this purpose2 on the season for sowing2 on the land to be used for the purpose2 on the quantity of seed1 and the manner of sowing3 on the season for cutting2 on the manner of cutting1 bleaching1 and housing2 on the platting2 on the knitting1 and on the pressing4 #bbd4 ,the ,,sort ,,of ,,wheat4 ,the ,leghorn plat is all made of the straw of the spring wheat4 ,this spring wheat is so called by us1 because it is sowed in the spring1 at the same time that barley is sowed4 ,the botanical name of it is ,,triticum ,,aestivum4 ,it is a small-grained bearded wheat4 ,it has very fine straw2 but experience has convinced me1 that the little brown-grained winter wheat is just as good for the purpose4 ,in short1 any wheat will do4 ,i have now in my possession specimens of plat made of both winter and spring wheat1 and ,i see no difference at all4 ,i am decidedly of opinion that the winter wheat is as good as the spring wheat for the purpose4 ,i have plat1 and ,i have straw both now before me1 and the above is the result of my experience4 #bbe4 ,,the ,,land ,,proper ,,for ,,the ,,growing ,,of ,,wheat4 ,the object is to have the straw as small as we can get it4 ,the land must not1 therefore1 be too rich2 yet it ought not to be very poor4 ,if it be1 you get the straw of no length4 ,i saw an acre this year1 as beautiful as possible1 sowed upon a light loam1 which bore last year a fine crop of potatoes4 ,the land ought to be perfectly clean1 at any rate2 so that1 when the crop is taken off1 the wheat straw may not be mixed with weeds and grass4 #bbf4 ,,season ,,for ,,sowing4 ,this will be more conveniently stated in paragraph #bbh4 #bbg4 ,,quantity ,,of ,,seed ,,and ,,manner ,,of ,,sowing4 ,when first this subject was started in #ahba1 ,i said1 in the ,register1 that ,i would engage to grow as fine straw in ,england as the ,italians could grow4 ,i recommended then1 as a first guess1 fifteen bushels of wheat to the acre4 ,since that1 reflection told me that that was not quite enough4 ,i therefore recommended twenty bushels to the acre4 ,upon the beautiful acre which ,i have mentioned above1 eighteen bushels1 ,i am told1 were sowed2 fine and beautiful as it was1 ,i think it would have been better if it had had twenty bushels2 twenty bushels1 therefore1 is what ,i recommend4 ,you must sow broad cast1 of course1 and you must take great pains to cover the seed well4 ,it must be a good even-handed seedsman1 and there must be very nice covering4 #bbh4 ,,season ,,for ,,cutting4 ,now1 mind1 it is fit to cut in just about one week after the bloom has dropped4 ,if you examine the ear at that time1 you will find the grain just beginning to be formed1 and that is precisely the time to cut the wheat3 ,the straw has then got its full substance in it4 ,but ,i must now point out a very material thing4 ,it is by no means desirable to have all your wheat fit to cut at the same time4 ,it is a great misfortune1 indeed1 so to have it4 ,if fit to cut altogether1 it ought to be cut all at the same time2 for supposing you to have an acre1 it will require a fortnight or three weeks to cut it and bleach it1 unless you have a very great number of hands1 and very great vessels to prepare water in4 ,therefore1 if ,i were to have an acre of wheat for this1 purpose1 and were to sow all spring wheat1 ,i would sow a twelfth part of the acre every week from the first week in ,march to the last week in ,may4 ,if ,i relied partly upon winter wheat1 ,i would sow some every month1 from the latter end of ,september to ,march4 ,if ,i employed the two sorts of wheat1 or indeed if ,i employed only the spring wheat1 the ,,triticum ,,aestivum1 ,i should have some wheat fit to cut in ,june1 and some not fit to cut till ,september4 ,i should be sure to have a fair chance as to the weather4 ,and1 in short1 it would be next to impossible for me to fail of securing a considerable part of my crop4 ,i beg the reader's particular attention to the contents of this paragraph4 #bbi4 ,,manner ,,of ,,cutting ,,the ,,wheat4 ,it is cut by a little reap-hook1 close to the ground as possible4 ,it is then tied in little sheaves1 with two pieces of string1 one near the butt1 and the other about half-way up4 ,this little bundle or sheaf ought to be six inches through at the butt1 and no more4 ,it ought not to be tied too tightly1 lest the scalding should not be perfect4 #bcj4 ,,manner ,,of ,,bleaching4 ,the little sheaves mentioned in the last paragraph are carried to a brewing mash1 vat1 or other tub4 ,you must not put them into the tub in too large a quantity1 lest the water get chilled before it get to the bottom4 ,pour on scalding water till you cover the whole of the little sheaves1 and let the water be a foot above the top sheaves4 ,when the sheaves have remained thus a full quarter of an hour1 take them out with a prong1 lay them in a clothes-basket1 or upon a hurdle1 and carry them to the ground where the bleaching is to be finished4 ,this should be1 if possible1 a piece of grass land1 where the grass is very short4 ,take the sheaves1 and lay some of them along in a row2 untie them1 and lay the straw along in that row as thin as it can possibly be laid4 ,if it were possible1 no one straw ought to have another lying upon it1 or across it4 ,if the sun be clear1 it will require to lie twenty-four hours thus1 then to be turned1 and lie twenty-four hours on the other side4 ,if the sun be not very clear1 it must lie longer4 ,but the numerous sowings which ,i have mentioned will afford you so many chances1 so many opportunities of having fine weather1 that the risk about weather would necessarily be very small4 ,if wet weather should come1 and if your straw remain out in it any length of time1 it will be spoiled2 but1 according to the mode of sowing above pointed out1 you really could stand very little chance of losing straw by bad weather4 ,if you had some straw out bleaching1 and the weather were to appear suddenly to be about to change1 the quantity that you would have out would not be large enough to prevent you from putting it under cover1 and keeping it there till the weather changed4 #bca4 ,,housing ,,the ,,straw4 ,when your straw is nicely bleached1 gather it up1 and with the same string that you used to tie it when green1 tie it up again into little sheaves4 ,put it by in some room where there is no damp1 and where mice and rats are not suffered to inhabit4 ,here it is always ready for use1 and it will keep1 ,i dare say1 four or five years very well4 #bcb4 ,,the ,,platting4 ,this is now so well understood that nothing need be said about the manner of doing the work4 ,but much might be said about the measures to be pursued by land-owners1 by parish officers1 by farmers1 and more especially by gentlemen and ladies of sense1 public spirit1 and benevolence of disposition4 ,the thing will be done2 the manufacture will spread itself all over this kingdom2 but the exertions of those whom ,i have here pointed out might hasten the period of its being brought to perfection4 ,and ,i beg such gentlemen and ladies to reflect on the vast importance of such manufacture1 which it is impossible to cause to produce any-thing but good4 ,one of the great misfortunes of ,england at this day is1 that the land has had taken away from it those employments for its women and children which were so necessary to the well-being of the agricultural labourer4 ,the spinning1 the carding1 the reeling1 the knitting2 these have been all taken away from the land1 and given to the ,lords of the ,loom1 the haughty lords of bands of abject slaves4 ,but let the landholder mark how the change has operated to produce his ruin4 ,he must have the labouring ,,man and the labouring ,,boy2 but1 alas6 he cannot have these1 without having the man's wife1 and the boy's mother1 and little sisters and brothers4 ,even ,nature herself says1 that he shall have the wife and little children1 or that he shall not have the man and the boy4 ,but the ,lords of the ,loom1 the crabbed-voiced1 hard-favoured1 hard-hearted1 puffed-up1 insolent1 savage and bloody wretches of the ,north have1 assisted by a blind and greedy ,government1 taken all the employment away from the agricultural women and children4 ,this manufacture of ,straw will form one little article of employment for these persons4 ,it sets at defiance all the hatching and scheming of all the tyrannical wretches who cause the poor little creatures to die in their factories1 heated to eighty-four degrees4 ,there will need no inventions of ,,watt2 none of your horse powers1 nor water powers2 no murdering of one set of wretches in the coal mines1 to bring up the means of murdering another set of wretches in the factories1 by the heat produced from those coals2 none of these are wanted to carry on this manufactory4 ,it wants no combination laws2 none of the inventions of the hard-hearted wretches of the ,north4 #bcc4 ,,the ,,knitting4 ,upon this subject1 ,i have only to congratulate my readers that there are great numbers of ,english women who can now knit1 plat together1 better than those famous ,jewesses of whom we were told4 #bcd4 ,,the ,,pressing4 ,bonnets and hats are pressed after they are made4 ,i am told that a proper press costs pretty nearly a hundred pounds2 but1 then1 that it will do prodigious deal of business4 ,i would recommend to our friends in the country to teach as many children as they can to make the plat4 ,the plat will be knitted in ,london1 and in other considerable towns1 by persons to whom it will be sold4 ,it appears to me1 at least1 that this will be the course that the thing will take4 ,however1 we must leave this to time2 and here ,i conclude my observations upon a subject which is deeply interesting to myself1 and which the public in general deem to be of great importance4 #bce4 ,,postscript on brewing4--,i think it right to say here1 that1 ever since ,i published the instructions for brewing by copper and by wooden utensils1 the beer at my own house has always been brewed precisely agreeable to the instructions contained in this book2 and ,i have to add1 that ,i never have had such good beer in my house in all my lifetime1 as since ,i have followed that mode of brewing4 ,my table-beer1 as well as my ale1 is always as clear as wine4 ,i have had hundreds and hundreds of quarters of malt brewed into beer in my house4 ,my people could always make it strong enough and sweet enough2 but never1 except by accident1 could they make it ,,clear4 ,now ,i never have any that is not clear4 ,and yet my utensils are all very small2 and my brewers are sometimes one labouring man1 and sometimes another4 ,a man wants showing how to brew the first time4 ,i should suppose that we use1 in my house1 about seven hundred gallons of beer every year1 taking both sorts together2 and ,i can positively assert1 that there has not been one drop of bad beer1 and indeed none which has not been most excellent1 in my house1 during the last two years1 ,i think it is1 since ,i began using the utensils1 and in the manner named in this book4 ,,ice-,,houses4 #bcf4 ,first begging the reader to read again paragraph #adi1 ,i proceed here1 in compliance with numerous requests to that effect1 to describe1 as clearly as ,i can1 the manner of constructing the sort of ,ice-houses therein mentioned4 ,in ,england1 these receptacles of frozen water are1 generally1 under ground1 and always1 if possible1 under the shade of trees1 the opinion being1 that the main thing1 if not the only thing1 is to keep away the heat4 ,the heat is to be kept away certainly2 but moisture is the great enemy of ,ice2 and how is this to be kept away either under ground1 or under the shade of trees8 ,abundant experience has proved1 that no thickness of wall1 that no cement of any kind1 will effectually resist moisture4 ,drops will1 at times1 be seen hanging on the under side of an arch of any thickness1 and made of any materials1 if it have earth over it1 and even when it has the floor of a house over it2 and wherever the moisture enters1 the ice will quickly melt4 #bcg4 ,ice-houses should therefore be1 in all their parts1 as dry as possible3 and they should be so constructed1 and the ice so deposited in them1 as to ensure the running away of the meltings as quickly as possible1 whenever such meltings come4 ,any-thing in way of drains or gutters1 is too slow in its effect2 and therefore there must be something that will not suffer the water proceeding from any melting1 to remain an instant4 #bch4 ,in the first place1 then1 the ice-house should stand in a place quite open to the sun and air2 for whoever has travelled even but a few miles 7having eyes in his head7 need not be told how long that part of a road from which the sun and wind are excluded by trees1 or hedges1 or by any-thing else1 will remain wet1 or at least damp1 after the rest of the road is even in a state to send up dust4 #bci4 ,the next thing is to protect the ice against wet1 or damp1 from beneath4 ,it should1 therefore1 stand on some spot from which water would run in every direction2 and if the natural ground presents no such spot1 it is no very great job to make it4 #bdj4 ,then come the materials of which the house is to consist4 ,these1 for the reasons before-mentioned1 must not be bricks1 stones1 mortar1 nor earth2 for these are all affected by the atmosphere2 they will become damp at certain times1 and dampness is the great destroyer of ice4 ,the materials are wood and straw4 ,wood will not do2 for1 though not liable to become damp1 it imbibes heat fast enough2 and1 besides1 it cannot be so put together as to shut out air sufficiently4 ,straw is wholly free from the quality of becoming damp1 except from water actually put upon it2 and it can1 at the same time1 be placed on a roof1 and on sides1 to such a degree of thickness as to exclude the air in a manner the most perfect4 ,the ice-house ought1 therefore1 to be made of posts1 plates1 rafters1 laths1 and straw4 ,the best form is the circular2 and the house1 when made1 appears as ,i have endeavoured to describe it in ,fig4 #c of the plate4 #bda4 ,,fig4 #a1 a1 is the centre of a circle1 the diameter of which is ten feet1 and at this centre you put up a post to stand fifteen feet above the level of the ground1 which post ought to be about nine inches through at the bottom1 and not a great deal smaller at the top4 ,great care must be taken that this post be perfectly perpendicular2 for1 if it be not1 the whole building will be awry4 #bdb4 b b b are fifteen posts1 nine feet high1 and six inches through at the bottom1 without much tapering towards the top4 ,these posts stand about two feet apart1 reckoning from centre of post to centre of post1 which leaves between each two a space of eighteen inches1 c c c c are fifty-four posts1 five feet high1 and five inches through at the bottom1 without much tapering towards the top4 ,these posts stand about two feet apart1 from centre of post to centre of post1 which leaves between each two a space of nineteen inches4 ,the space between these two rows of posts is four feet in width1 and1 as will be presently seen1 is to contain a wall of straw4 #bdc4 e is a passage through this wall2 d is the outside door of the passage2 f is the inside door2 and the inner circle1 of which a is the centre1 is the place in which the ice is to be deposited4 #bdd4 ,well1 then1 we have now got the posts up2 and1 before we talk of the roof of the house1 or of the bed for the ice1 it will be best to speak about the making of the wall4 ,it is to be made of straw1 wheat-straw1 or rye-straw1 with no rubbish in it1 and made very smooth by the hand as it is put in4 ,you lay it in very closely and very smoothly1 so that if the wall were cut across1 as at g g1 in ,,fig4 #b 7which ,,fig4 #b represents the whole building cut down through the middle1 omitting the centre post17 the ends of the straws would present a compact face as they do after a cut of a chaff-cutter4 ,but there requires something to keep the straw from bulging out between the posts4 ,little stakes as big as your wrist will answer this purpose4 ,drive them into the ground1 and fasten1 at top1 to the plates1 of which ,i am now to speak4 ,the plates are pieces of wood which go all round both the circles1 and are nailed on upon the tops of the posts4 ,their main business is to receive and sustain the lower ends of the rafters1 as at m m and n n in ,,fig4 #b4 ,but to the plates also the stakes just mentioned must be fastened at top4 ,thus1 then1 there will be this space of four feet wide1 having1 on each side of it1 a row of posts and stakes1 not more than about six inches from each other1 to hold up1 and to keep in its place1 this wall of straw4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a1 ,fig4 #b1 ,fig4 #c #bde4 ,next come the rafters1 as from s to n1 ,,fig4 #b4 ,carpenters best know what is the number and what the size of the rafters2 but from s to m there need be only about half as many as from m to n4 ,however1 carpenters know all about this4 ,it is their every-day work4 ,the roof is forty-five degrees pitch1 as the carpenters call it4 ,if it were even sharper1 it would be none the worse4 ,there will be about thirty ends of rafters to lodge on the plate1 as at m2 and these cannot all be fastened to the top of the centre-post rising up from a2 but carpenters know how to manage this matter1 so as to make all strong and safe4 ,the plate which goes along on the tops of the row of posts1 b b b1 must1 of course1 be put on in a somewhat sloping form2 otherwise there would be a sort of hip formed by the rafters4 ,however1 the thatch is to be so deep1 that this may not be of much consequence4 ,before the thatching begins1 there are laths to put upon the rafters4 ,thatchers know all about this1 and all that you have to do is1 to take care that the thatcher tie the straw on well4 ,the best way1 in a case of such deep thatch1 is to have a strong man to tie for the thatcher4 #bdf4 ,the roof is now raftered1 and it is to receive a thatch of clean1 sound1 and well-prepared wheat or rye straw1 four feet thick1 as at h h in ,,fig4 #b4 #bdg4 ,the house having now got walls and roof1 the next thing is to make the bed to receive the ice4 ,this bed is the area of the circle of which a is the centre4 ,you begin by laying on the ground round logs1 eight inches through1 or thereabouts1 and placing them across the area1 leaving spaces between them of about a foot4 ,then1 crossways on them1 poles about four inches through1 placed at six inches apart4 ,then1 crossways on them1 other poles1 about two inches through1 placed at three inches apart4 ,then1 crossways on them1 rods as thick as your finger1 placed at an inch apart4 ,then upon these1 small1 clean1 dry1 last-winter-cut twigs1 to the thickness of about two inches2 or1 instead of these twigs1 good1 clean1 strong heath1 free from grass and moss1 and from rubbish of all sorts4 #bdh4 ,this is the bed for the ice to lie on2 and as you see1 the top of the bed will be seventeen inches from the ground4 ,the pressure of the ice may1 perhaps1 bring it to fourteen1 or to thirteen4 ,upon this bed the ice is put1 broken and pummelled1 and beaten down together in the usual manner4 #bdi4 ,having got the bed filled with ice1 we have next to shut it safely up4 ,as we have seen1 there is a passage 7e74 ,two feet wide is enough for this passage2 and1 being as long as the wall is thick1 it is of course1 four feet long4 ,the use of the passage is this3 that you may have two doors1 so that you may1 in hot or damp weather1 shut the outer door1 while you have the inner door open4 ,this inner door may be of hurdle-work1 and straw1 and covered1 on one of the sides1 with sheep-skins with the wool on1 so as to keep out the external air4 ,the outer-door1 which must lock1 must be of wood1 made to shut very closely1 and1 besides1 covered with skins like the other4 ,at times of great danger from heat1 or from wet1 the whole of the passage may be filled with straw4 ,the door 7p4 ,,fig4 #c7 should face the ,north1 or between ,north and ,east4 #bej4 ,as to the size of the ice-house1 that must1 of course1 depend upon the quantity of ice that you may choose to have4 ,a house on the above scale1 is from w to x 7,,fig4 #b7 twenty-nine feet2 from y to z 7,,fig4 #b7 nineteen feet4 ,the area of the circle1 of which a is the centre1 is ten feet in diameter1 and as this area contains seventy-five superficial feet1 you will1 if you put ice on the bed to the height of only five feet1 7and you may put it on to the height of seven feet from the top of the bed17 you will have three hundred and seventy-five cubic feet of ice2 and1 observe1 a cubic foot of ice will1 when broken up1 fill much more than a ,winchester ,bushel3 what it may do as to an ,,imperial ,,bushel1 engendered like ,greek ,loan ,commissioners1 by the unnatural heat of ,,prosperity1 ,god only knows6 ,however1 ,i do suppose1 that1 without making any allowance for the cold fit1 as ,dr4 ,baring calls it1 into which late panic has brought us2 ,i do suppose1 that even the scorching1 the burning dog-star of ,,imperial ,,prosperity2 nay1 that even ,,dives himself1 would hardly call for more than two bushels of ice in a day2 for more than two bushels a day it would be1 unless it were used in cold as well as in hot weather4 #bea4 ,as to the expense of such a house1 it could1 in the country1 not be much4 ,none of the posts1 except the main or centre-post1 need be very straight4 ,the other posts might be easily culled from tree-lops1 destined for fire-wood4 ,the straw would make all straight4 ,the plates must of necessity be short pieces of wood2 and1 as to the stakes1 the laths1 and the logs1 poles1 rods1 twigs1 and heath1 they would not all cost twenty shillings4 ,the straw is the principal article2 and1 in most places1 even that would not cost more than two or three pounds4 ,if it last many years1 the price could not be an object2 and if but a little while1 it would still be nearly as good for litter as it was before it was applied to this purpose4 ,how often the bottom of the straw walls might want renewing ,i cannot say1 but ,i know that the roof would with few and small repairs1 last well for ten years4 #beb4 ,i have said that the interior row of posts is to be nine feet high1 and the exterior row five feet high4 ,i1 in each case1 mean1 with the plate inclusive4 ,i have only to add1 that by way of superabundant precaution against bottom wet1 it will be well to make a sort of gutter1 to receive the drip from the roof1 and to carry it away as soon as it falls4 #bec4 ,now1 after expressing a hope that ,i shall have made myself clearly understood by every reader1 it is necessary that ,i remind him1 that ,i do not pretend to pledge myself for the complete success1 nor for any success at all1 of this mode of making ice-houses4 ,but1 at the same time1 ,i express my firm belief1 that complete success would attend it2 because it not only corresponds with what ,i have seen of such matters2 but ,i had the details from a gentleman who had ample experience to guide him1 and who was a man on whose word and judgment ,i placed a perfect reliance4 ,he advised me to erect an ice-house2 but not caring enough about fresh meat and fish in summer1 or at least not setting them enough above prime pork to induce me to take any trouble to secure the former1 ,i never built an ice-house4 ,thus1 then1 ,i only communicate that in which ,i believe2 there is1 however1 in all cases1 this comfort1 that if the thing fail as an ice-house1 it will serve all generations to come as a model for a pig-bed4 ,,addition4 ,kensington1 ,nov4 #adth1 #ahca4 ,,mangel ,,wurzel4 #bed4 ,this last summer1 ,i have proved that1 as keep for cows1 ,,mangel ,,wurzel is preferable to ,,swedish ,,turnips1 whether as to quantity or quality4 ,but there needs no other alteration in the book1 than merely to read mangel wurzel wherever you find ,swedish turnip2 the time of sowing1 the mode and time of transplanting1 the distances1 and the cultivation1 all being the same2 and the only difference being in the application of the leaves1 and in the time of harvesting the roots4 #bee4 ,the leaves of the ,,mangel ,,wurzel are of great value1 especially in dry summers4 ,you begin1 about the third week in ,august1 to take off by a downward pull1 the leaves of the plants2 and they are excellent food for pigs and cows2 only observe this1 that1 if given to cows1 there must be1 for each cow1 six pounds of hay a day1 which is not necessary in the case of the ,swedish turnips4 ,these leaves last till the crop is taken up1 which ought to be in the first week of ,november4 ,the taking off of the leaves does good to the plants3 new leaves succeed higher up2 and the plant becomes longer than it otherwise would be1 and1 of course1 heavier4 ,but1 in taking off the leaves1 you must not approach too near to the top4 #bef4 ,when you take the plants up in ,november1 you must cut off the crowns and the remaining leaves2 and they1 again1 are for cows and pigs4 ,then you put the roots into some place to keep them from the frost2 and1 if you have no place under cover1 put them in pies1 in the same manner as directed for the ,swedish turnips4 ,the roots will average in weight #aj lbs4 each4 ,they may be given to cows whole1 or to pigs either1 and they are better than the ,swedish turnip for both animals2 and they do not give any bad or strong taste to the milk and butter4 ,but1 besides this use of the mangel wurzel1 there is another1 with regard to pigs at least1 of very great importance4 ,the juice of this plant has so much of sweetness in it1 that1 in ,france1 they make sugar of it2 and have used the sugar1 and found it equal in goodness to ,west ,india sugar4 ,many persons in ,england make beer of this juice1 and ,i have drunk of this beer1 and found it very good4 ,in short1 the juice is most excellent for the mixing of moist food for pigs4 ,i am now 7#bjth ,nov4 #ahca7 boiling it for this purpose4 ,my copper holds seven strike-bushels2 ,i put in three bushels of mangel wurzel cut into pieces two inches thick1 and then fill the copper with water4 ,i draw off as much of the liquor as ,i want to wet pollard1 or meal1 for little pigs or fatting-pigs1 and the rest1 roots and all1 ,i feed the yard-hogs with2 and this ,i shall follow on till about the middle of ,may4 #beg4 ,if you give boiled1 or steamed1 potatoes to pigs1 there wants some liquor to mix with the potatoes2 for the water in which potatoes have been boiled is hurtful to any animal that drinks it4 ,but mix the potatoes with juice of mangel wurzel1 and they make very good food for hogs of all ages4 ,the mangel wurzel produces a larger crop than the ,swedish turnip4 ,,cobbett',s ,,corn4 #beh4 ,,if you prefer bread and pudding to milk1 butter1 and meat1 this corn will produce1 on your forty rods1 forty bushels1 each weighing #fj lbs4 at the least2 and more flour1 in proportion1 than the best white wheat4 ,to make bread with it you must use two-thirds wheaten1 or rye1 flour2 but in puddings this is not necessary4 ,the puddings at my house are all made with this flour1 except meat and fruit pudding2 for the corn flour is not adhesive or clinging enough to make paste1 or crust4 ,this corn is the very best for hog-fatting in the whole world4 ,i1 last ,april1 sent parcels of the seed into several counties1 to be given away to working men3 and ,i sent them instructions for the cultivation1 which ,i shall repeat here4 #bei4 ,i will first describe this corn to you4 ,it is that which is sometimes called ,indian corn2 and sometimes people call it ,indian wheat4 ,it is that sort of corn which the disciples ate as they were going up to ,jerusalem on the ,sabbath-day4 ,they gathered it in the fields as they went along and ate it green1 they being an hungered1 for which you know they were reproved by the pharisees4 ,i have written a treatise on this corn in a book which ,i sell for four shillings1 giving a minute account of the qualities1 the culture1 the harvesting1 and the various uses of this corn2 but ,i shall here confine myself to what is necessary for a labourer to know about it1 so that he may be induced to raise and may be enabled to raise enough of it in his garden to fat a pig of ten score4 #bfj4 ,there are a great many sorts of this corn4 ,they all come from countries which are hotter than ,england4 ,this sort1 which my eldest son brought into ,england1 is a dwarf kind1 and is the only kind that ,i have known to ripen in this country3 and ,i know that it will ripen in this country in any summer2 for ,i had a large field of it in #ahbh and #ahbi2 and last year 7my lease at my farm being out at ,michaelmas1 and this corn not ripening till late in ,october7 ,i had about two acres in my garden at ,kensington4 ,within the memory of man there have not been three summers so cold as the last1 one after another2 and no one so cold as the last4 ,yet my corn ripened perfectly well1 and this you will be satisfied of if you be amongst the men to whom this corn is given from me4 ,you will see that it is in the shape of the cone of a spruce fir2 you will see that the grains are fixed round a stalk which is called the cob4 ,these stalks or ears come out of the side of the plant1 which has leaves like a flag1 which plant grows to about three feet high1 and has two or three and sometimes more1 of these ears or bunches of grain4 ,out of the top of the plant comes the tassel1 which resembles the plumes of feathers upon a hearse2 and this is the flower of the plant4 #bfa4 ,the grain is1 as you will see1 about the size of a large pea1 and there are from two to three hundred of these grains upon the ear1 or cob4 ,in my treatise1 ,i have shown that1 in ,america1 all the hogs and pigs1 all the poultry of every sort1 the greater part of the oxen1 and a considerable part of the sheep1 are fatted upon this corn2 that it is the best food for horses2 and that1 when ground and dressed in various ways1 it is used in bread1 in puddings1 in several other ways in families2 and that1 in short1 it is the real staff of life1 in all the countries where it is in common culture1 and where the climate is hot4 ,when used for poultry1 the grain is rubbed off the cob4 ,horses1 sheep1 and pigs1 bite the grain off1 and leave the cob2 but horned cattle eat cob and all4 #bfb4 ,i am to speak of it to you1 however1 only as a thing to make you some bacon1 for which use it surpasses all other grain whatsoever4 ,when the grain is in the whole ear1 it is called corn in the ear2 when it is rubbed off the cob1 it is called shelled corn4 ,now1 observe1 ten bushels of shelled corn are equal1 in the fatting of a pig1 to fifteen bushels of barley2 and fifteen bushels of barley1 if properly ground and managed1 will make a pig of ten score1 if he be not too poor when you begin to fat him4 ,observe that everybody who has been in ,america knows1 that the finest hogs in the world are fatted in that country2 and no man ever saw a hog fatted in that country in any other way than tossing the ears of corn over to him in the sty1 leaving him to bite it off the ear1 and deal with it according to his pleasure4 ,the finest and solidest bacon in the world is produced in this way4 #bfc4 ,now1 then1 ,i know1 that a bushel of shelled corn may be grown upon one single rod of ground sixteen feet and a half each way2 ,i have grown more than that this last summer2 and any of you may do the same if you will strictly follow the instructions which ,i am now about to give you4 #a4 ,late in ,march 7,i am doing it now17 or in the first fortnight of ,april1 dig your ground up very deep1 and let it lie rough till between the seventh and fifteenth of ,may4 #b4 ,then 7in dry weather if possible7 dig up the ground again1 and make it smooth at top4 ,draw drills with a line two feet apart1 just as you do drills for peas2 rub the grains off the cob2 put a little very rotten and fine manure along the bottom of the drill2 lay the grains along upon that six inches apart2 cover the grain over with fine earth1 so that there be about an inch and a half on the top of the grain2 pat the earth down a little with the back of a hoe to make it lie solid on the grain4 #c4 ,if there be any danger of slugs1 you must kill them before the corn comes up if possible3 and the best way to do this is to put a little hot lime in a bag1 and go very early in the morning1 and shake the bag all round the edges of the ground and over the ground4 ,doing this three or four times very early in a dewy morning1 or just after a shower1 will destroy all the slugs2 and this ought to be done for all other crops as well as for that of corn4 #d4 ,when the corn comes up1 you must take care to keep all birds off till it is two or three inches high2 for the spear is so sweet1 that the birds of all sorts are very apt to peck it off1 particularly the doves and the larks and pigeons4 ,as soon as it is fairly above ground1 give the whole of the ground 7in dry weather7 a flat hoeing1 and be sure to move all the ground close round the plants4 ,when the weeds begin to appear again1 give the ground another hoeing1 but always in dry weather4 ,when the plants get to be about a foot high or a little more1 dig the ground between the rows1 and work the earth up a little against the stems of the plants4 #e4 ,about the middle of ,august you will see the tassel springing up out of the middle of the plant1 and the ears coming out of the sides4 ,if weeds appear in the ground1 hoe it again to kill the weeds1 so that the ground may be always kept clean4 ,about the middle of ,september you will find the grains of the ears to be full of milk1 just in the state that the ears were at ,jerusalem when the disciples cropped them to eat4 ,from this milky state1 they1 like the grains of wheat1 grow hard2 and as soon as the grains begin to be hard1 you should cut off the tops of the corn and the long flaggy leaves1 and leave the ears to ripen upon the stalk or stem4 ,if it be a warm summer1 they will be fit to harvest by the last of ,october2 but it does not signify if they remain out until the middle of ,november or even later4 ,the longer they stay out1 the harder the grain will be4 #f4 ,each ear is covered in a very curious manner with a husk4 ,the best way for you will be1 when you gather in your crop to strip off the husks1 to tie the ears in bunches of six or eight or ten1 and to hang them up to nails in the walls1 or against the beams of your house2 for there is so much moisture in the cob that the ears are apt to heat if put together in great parcels4 ,the room in which ,i write in ,london is now hung all round with bunches of this corn4 ,the bunches may be hung up in a shed or stable for a while1 and1 when perfectly dry1 they may be put into bags4 #g4 ,now1 as to the mode of using the corn2 if for poultry1 you must rub the grains off the cob2 but if for pigs1 give them the whole ears4 ,you will find some of the ears in which the grain is still soft4 ,give these to your pig first2 and keep the hardest to the last4 ,you will soon see how much the pig will require in a day1 because pigs1 more decent than many rich men1 never eat any more than is necessary to them4 ,you will thus have a pig2 you will have two flitches of bacon1 two pig's cheeks1 one set of souse1 two griskins1 two spare-ribs1 from both which ,i trust in ,god you will keep the jaws of the ,methodist parson2 and if1 while you are drinking a mug of your own ale1 after having dined upon one of these1 you drink my health1 you may be sure that it will give you more merit in the sight of ,god as well as of man1 than you would acquire by groaning the soul out of your body in responses to the blasphemous cant of the sleekheaded ,methodist thief that would persuade you to live upon potatoes4 #bfd4 ,you must be quite sensible that ,i cannot have any motive but your good in giving you this advice1 other than the delight which ,i take and the pleasure which ,i derive from doing that good4 ,you are all personally unknown to me3 in all human probability not one man in a thousand will ever see me4 ,you have no more power to show your gratitude to me than you have to cause me to live for a hundred years4 ,i do not desire that you should deem this a favour received from me4 ,the thing is worth your trying1 at any rate4 #bfe4 ,the corn is off by the middle of ,november4 ,the ground should then be well manured1 and deeply dug1 and planted with ,,early ,,york1 or ,,early ,,dwarf ,,cabbages1 which will be loaved in the latter end of ,april1 and may be either sold or given to pigs1 or cows1 before the time to plant the corn again4 ,thus you have two very large crops on the same ground in the same year4 ,,index4 ,,paragraph ,agur #ah ,bees #afj ,bread1 making of #gg ,brewing ,beer #bj1 #ajh ,see also ,,postscript4 ,brewing-machine #da ,brougham1 ,mr4 #da ,candles and ,rushes #aii ,castlereagh's and ,mackintosh's ,oratory #aeb ,combination ,laws #ajh ,corn1 ,cobbett #beh ,cows1 keeping #aaa ,cusar1 ,mr4 #hf ,custom ,laws #ajh ,drennen1 ,dr4 #hj ,dress1 ,household ,goods1 and ,fuel #aii ,ducks #afi ,economy1 meaning of the term #b1 #c ,education #aa ,ellman1 ,mr4 #bj1 #fj ,excise ,laws #ajh ,fowls #agf ,geese #afg ,goats and ,ewes #ahi ,hanning1 ,mr4 ,wm4 #ii ,hill1 ,mr4 #ih ,hops #bjb ,ice-houses #bcf ,leghorn #bab ,libel ,laws #ajh ,malthus1 ,parson #ada ,mangel ,wurzel #bed ,mustard #aih ,parks1 ,mr4 #ih ,paul1 ,saint #adh ,peel's flimsy ,dresses #aeb ,pigeons #aha ,pigs1 keeping #aci ,pitt's false ,money #aeb ,plat1 ,english ,straw #bjh ,porter1 how to make #ga ,potatoes #gg ,rabbits #ahd ,salting ,mutton and ,beef #aeg ,stanhope1 ,lord #add ,swedish ,turnips #bjg ,turkeys #aga ,walter's and ,stoddart's ,paragraphs #aeb ,walter ,scott's ,poems #aeb ,want1 the ,parent of ,crime #ah ,wakefield1 ,mr4 ,edward #gh1 #ii ,wilberforce's ,potatoe-,diet #aeb ,winchelsea1 ,lord4 #add ,woodhouse1 ,miss #bac ,yeast #bjc ,,cobbett',s ,,poor ,,man',s ,,friend2 ,a ,,defence ,,of ,,the ,,rights ,,of ,,those ,,who ,,do ,,the ,,work1 ,,and ,,fight ,,the ,,battles4 ,,cobbett',s ,,poor ,,man',s ,,friend4 ,,number ,i4 ,,to ,,the ,,working ,,classes ,,of ,,preston4 ,burghclere1 ,hampshire1 #bb;d ,august1 #ahbf4 ,,my ,,excellent ,,friends1 #a4 ,amongst all the new1 the strange1 the unnatural1 the monstrous things that mark the present times1 or1 rather1 that have grown out of the present system of governing this country1 there is1 in my opinion1 hardly any thing more monstrous1 or even so monstrous1 as the language that is now become fashionable1 relative to the condition and the treatment of that part of the community which are usually denominated the ,,poor2 by which word ,i mean to designate the persons who1 from age1 infirmity1 helplessness1 or from want of the means of gaining anything by labour1 become destitute of a sufficiency of food or of raiment1 and are in danger of perishing if they be not relieved4 ,such are the persons that we mean when we talk of ,,the ,,poor2 and1 ,i repeat1 that amongst all the monstrous things of these monstrous days1 nothing is1 in my opinion1 so monstrous as the language which we now constantly hear relative to the condition and treatment of this part of the community4 #b4 ,nothing can be more common than to read1 in the newspapers1 descriptions the most horrible of the sufferings of the ,poor1 in various parts of ,england1 but particularly in the ,north4 ,it is related of them1 that they eat horse-flesh1 grains1 and have been detected in eating out of pig-troughs4 ,in short1 they are represented as being far worse fed and worse lodged than the greater part of the pigs4 ,these statements of the newspapers may be false1 or1 at least1 only partially true2 but1 at a public meeting of rate-payers1 at ,manchester1 on the #agth of ,august1 ,mr4 ,,baxter1 the ,chairman1 said1 that some of the ,,poor had been starved to death1 and that tens of thousands were upon the point of starving2 and1 at the same meeting1 ,mr4 ,,potter gave a detail1 which showed that ,mr4 ,,baxter',s general description was true4 ,other accounts1 very nearly official1 and1 at any rate1 being of unquestionable authenticity1 concur so fully with the statements made at the ,manchester ,meeting1 that it is impossible not to believe1 that a great number of thousands of persons are now on the point of perishing for want of food1 and that many have actually perished from that cause2 and that this has taken place1 and is taking place1 ,,in ,,england4 #c4 ,there is1 then1 no doubt of the existence of the disgraceful and horrid facts2 but that which is as horrid as are the facts themselves1 and even more horrid than those facts1 is the cool and unresentful language and manner in which the facts are usually spoken of4 ,those who write about the misery and starvation in ,lancashire and ,yorkshire1 never appear to think that any body is to blame1 even when the poor die with hunger4 ,the ,ministers ascribe the calamity to over-trading2 the cotton and cloth and other master-manufacturers ascribe it to a want of paper-money1 or to the ,corn-,bill2 others ascribe the calamity to the taxes4 ,these last are right2 but what have these things to do with the treatment of the poor8 ,what have these things to do with the horrid facts relative to the condition and starvation of ,english people8 ,it is very true1 that the enormous taxes which we pay on account of loans made to carry on the late unjust wars1 on account of a great standing army in time of peace1 on account of pensions1 sinecures and grants1 and on account of a ,church1 which1 besides1 swallows up so large a part of the produce of the land and the labour2 it is very true1 that these enormous taxes1 co-operating with the paper-money and its innumerable monopolies2 it is very true1 that these enormous taxes1 thus associated1 have produced the ruin in trade1 manufactures and commerce1 and have1 of course1 produced the low wages and the want of employment2 this is very true2 but it is not less true1 that1 be wages or employment as they may1 the poor are not to perish with hunger1 or with cold1 while the rest of the community have food and raiment more than the latter want for their own sustenance4 ,the ,,law ,,of ,,england says1 that there shall be no person to suffer from want of food and raiment4 ,it has placed officers in every parish to see that no person suffer from this sort of want2 and lest these officers should not do their duty1 it commands all the magistrates to hear the complaints of the poor1 and to compel the officers to do their duty4 ,the ,,law ,,of ,,england has provided ample means of relief for the poor2 for1 it has authorized the officers1 or overseers1 to get from the rich inhabitants of the parish as much money as is wanted for the purpose1 without any limit as to amount2 and1 in order that the overseers may have no excuse of inability to make people pay1 the law has armed them with powers of a nature the most efficacious and the most efficient and most prompt in their operation4 ,in short1 the language of the ,,law1 to the overseer1 is this3 ,take care that no person suffer from hunger1 or from cold2 and that you may be sure not to fail of the means of obeying this my command1 ,i give you1 as far as shall be necessary for this purpose1 full power over all the lands1 all the houses1 all the goods1 and all the cattle1 in your parish4 ,to the ,justices of the ,peace the ,,law says3 ,lest the overseer should neglect his duty2 lest1 in spite of my command to him1 any one should suffer from hunger or cold1 ,i command you to be ready to hear the complaint of every sufferer from such neglect2 ,i command you to summon the offending overseer1 and to compel him to do his duty4 #d4 ,such being the language of the ,,law1 is it not a monstrous state of things1 when we hear it commonly and coolly stated1 that many thousands of persons in ,england are upon the point of starvation2 that thousands will die of hunger and cold next winter2 that many have already died of hunger2 and when we hear all this1 unaccompanied with one word of complaint against any overseer1 or any justice of the peace6 ,is not this state of things perfectly monstrous8 ,a state of things in which it appears to be taken for granted1 that the ,,law is nothing1 when it is intended to operate as a protection to the poor6 ,law is always law3 if one part of the law may be1 with impunity1 set at defiance1 why not another and every other part of the law8 ,if the law which provides for the succour of the poor1 for the preservation of their lives1 may be1 with impunity1 set at defiance1 why should there not be impunity for setting at defiance the law which provides for the security of the property and the lives of the rich8 ,if you1 in ,lancashire1 were to read1 in an account of a meeting in ,hampshire1 that1 here1 the farmers and gentlemen were constantly and openly robbed2 that the poor were daily breaking into their houses1 and knocking their brains out2 and that it was expected that great part of them would be killed very soon3 if you1 in ,lancashire were to hear this said of the state of ,hampshire1 what would you say8 ,say6 ,why1 you would say1 to be sure1 ,where is the ,,law2 where are the constables1 the justices1 the juries1 the judges1 the sheriffs1 and the hangmen8 ,where can that ,hampshire be8 ,it1 surely1 never can be in ,old ,england4 ,it must be some savage country1 where such enormities can be committed1 and where even those1 who talk and who lament the evils1 never utter one word in the way of blame of the perpetrators4 ,and if you were called upon to pay taxes1 or to make subscriptions in money1 to furnish the means of protection to the unfortunate rich people in ,hampshire1 would you not say1 and with good reason1 ,no3 what should we do this for8 ,the people of ,hampshire have the ,,same ,,law that we have2 they are under the same ,government2 let them duly enforce that law2 and then they will stand in no need of money from us to provide for their protection4 #e4 ,this is what common sense says would be your language in such a case2 and does not common sense say1 that the people of ,hampshire1 and of every other part of ,england1 will thus think1 when they are told of the sufferings1 and the starvation1 in ,lancashire and ,yorkshire6 ,the report of the ,manchester ley-payers1 which took place on the #agth of ,august1 reached me in a friend's house in this little village2 and when another friend1 who was present1 read1 in the speeches of ,mr4 ,,baxter and ,mr4 ,,potter1 that tens of thousands of ,lancashire people were on the point of starvation1 and that many had already actually died from starvation2 and when he perceived1 that even those gentlemen uttered not a word of complaint against either overseer or justices of the peace1 he exclaimed3 ,what6 are there no poor-laws in ,lancashire8 ,where1 amidst all this starvation1 is the overseer8 ,where is the justice of the peace8 ,surely that ,lancashire can never be in ,england8 #f4 ,the observations of this gentleman are those which occur to every man of sense2 when he hears the horrid accounts of the sufferings in the manufacturing districts2 for1 though we are all well aware1 that the burden of the poor-rates presses1 at this time1 with peculiar weight on the land-owners and occupiers1 and on owners and occupiers of other real property1 in those districts1 we are equally well aware1 that those owners and occupiers have derived great benefits from that vast population that now presses upon them4 ,there is land in the parish in which ,i am now writing1 and belonging to the farm in the house of which ,i am1 which land would not let for #bjs4 a statute acre2 while land1 not so good1 would let1 in any part of ,lancashire1 near to the manufactories1 at #fjs4 or #hjs4 a statute acre4 ,the same may be said with regard to houses4 ,and1 pray1 are the owners and occupiers1 who have gained so largely by the manufacturing works being near their lands and houses2 are they1 now1 to complain1 if the vicinage of these same works causes a charge of rates there1 heavier than exists here8 ,are the owners and occupiers of ,lancashire to enjoy an age of advantages from the labours of the spinners and the weavers2 and are they1 when a reverse comes1 to bear none of the disadvantages8 ,are they to make no sacrifices1 in order to save from perishing those industrious and ever-toiling creatures1 by the labours of whom their land and houses have been augmented in value1 three1 five1 or perhaps tenfold8 ,none but the most unjust of mankind can answer these questions in the affirmative4 #g4 ,but as greediness is never at a loss for excuses for the hard-heartedness that it is always ready to practise1 it is said1 that the whole of the rents of the land and the houses would not suffice for the purpose2 that is to say1 that if the poor rates were to be made so high as to leave the tenant no means of paying rent1 even then some of the poor must go without a sufficiency of food4 ,i have no doubt that1 in particular instances1 this would be the case4 ,but for cases like this the ,,law has amply provided2 for1 in every case of this sort1 adjoining parishes may be made to assist the hard pressed parish2 and if the pressure becomes severe on these adjoining parishes1 those next adjoining them may be made to assist2 and thus the call upon adjoining parishes maybe extended till it reach all over the county4 ,so good1 so benignant1 so wise1 so foreseeing1 and so effectual1 is this1 the very best of all our good old laws6 ,this law or rather code of laws1 distinguishes ,england from all the other countries in the world1 except the ,united ,states of ,america1 where1 while hundreds of other ,english statutes have been abolished1 this law has always remained in full force1 this great law of mercy and humanity1 which says1 that no human being that treads ,english ground shall perish for want of food and raiment4 ,for such poor persons as are unable to work1 the law provides food and clothing2 and it commands that work shall be provided for such as are able to work1 and cannot otherwise get employment4 ,this law was passed more than two hundred years ago4 ,many attempts have been made to chip it away1 and some have been made to destroy it altogether2 but it still exists1 and every man who does not wish to see general desolation take place1 will do his best to cause it to be duly and conscientiously executed4 #h4 ,having now1 my friends of ,preston1 stated what the law is1 and also the reasons for its honest enforcement in the particular case immediately before us1 ,i will next endeavour to show you that it is founded in the law of nature1 and that1 were it not for the provisions of this law1 people would1 according to the opinions of the greatest lawyers1 have a right to take food and raiment sufficient to preserve them from perishing2 and that such taking would be neither felony nor larceny4 ,this is a matter of the greatest importance2 it is a most momentous question2 for if it be settled in the affirmative--if it be settled that it is not felony1 nor larceny1 to take other men's goods without their assent1 and even against their will1 when such taking is absolutely necessary to the preservation of life1 how great1 how imperative1 is the duty of affording1 if possible1 that relief which will prevent such necessity6 ,in other words1 how imperative it is on all overseers and justices to obey the law with alacrity2 and how weak are those persons who look to grants and subscriptions1 to supply the place of the execution of this1 the most important of all the laws that constitute the basis of ,english society6 ,and if this question be settled in the affirmative2 if we find the most learned of lawyers and most wise of men1 maintaining the affirmative of this proposition2 if we find them maintaining1 that it is neither felony nor larceny to take food1 in case of extreme necessity1 though without the assent1 and even against the will of the owner1 what are we to think of those 7and they are not few in number nor weak in power7 who1 animated with the savage soul of the ,scotch feelosophers1 would wholly abolish the poor-laws1 or1 at least1 render them of little effect1 and thereby constantly keep thousands exposed to this dire necessity6 #i4 ,in order to do justice to this great subject2 in order to treat it with perfect fairness1 and in a manner becoming of me and of you1 ,i must take the authorities on both sides4 ,there are some great lawyers who have contended that the starving man is still guilty of felony or larceny1 if he take food to satisfy his hunger2 but there are a greater number of other1 and still greater1 lawyers1 who maintain the contrary4 ,the general doctrine of those who maintain the right to take1 is founded on the law of nature2 and it is a saying as old as the hills1 a saying in every language in the world1 that self-preservation is the first law of nature4 ,the law of nature teaches every creature to prefer the preservation of its own life to all other things4 ,but1 in order to have a fair view of the matter before us1 we ought to inquire how it came to pass1 that the laws were ever made to punish men as criminals1 for taking the victuals1 drink1 or clothing1 that they might stand in need of4 ,we must recollect1 then1 that there was a time when no such laws existed2 when men1 like the wild animals in the fields1 took what they were able to take1 if they wanted it4 ,in this state of things1 all the land and all the produce belonged to all the people in common4 ,thus were men situated1 when they lived under what is called the law of nature2 when every one provided1 as he could1 for his self-preservation4 #aj4 ,at length this state of things became changed3 men entered into society2 they made laws to restrain individuals from following1 in certain cases1 the dictates of their own will2 they protected the weak against the strong2 the laws secured men in possession of lands1 houses1 and goods1 that were called ,,theirs2 the words ,,mine and ,,thine1 which mean my own and thy own1 were invented to designate what we now call a property in things4 ,the law necessarily made it criminal in one man to take away1 or to injure1 the property of another man4 ,it was1 you will observe1 even in this state of nature1 always a crime to do certain things against our neighbour4 ,to kill him1 to wound him1 to slander him1 to expose him to suffer from the want of food or raiment1 or shelter4 ,these1 and many others1 were crimes in the eye of the law of nature2 but1 to take share of a man's victuals or clothing2 to go and insist upon sharing a part of any of the good things that he happened to have in his possession1 could be no crime1 because there was no property in anything1 except in man's body itself4 ,now1 civil society was formed for the benefit of the whole4 ,the whole gave up their natural rights1 in order that every one might1 for the future1 enjoy his life in greater security4 ,this civil society was intended to change the state of man for the better4 ,before this state of civil society1 the starving1 the hungry1 the naked man1 had a right to go and provide himself with necessaries wherever he could find them4 ,there would be sure to be some such necessitous persons in a state of civil society4 ,therefore1 when civil society was established1 it is impossible to believe that it had not in view some provision for these destitute persons4 ,it would be monstrous to suppose the contrary4 ,the contrary supposition would argue1 that fraud was committed upon the mass of the people in forming this civil society2 for1 as the sparks fly upwards1 so will there always be destitute persons to some extent or other1 in every community1 and such there are to now a considerable extent1 even in the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america2 therefore1 the formation of the civil society must have been fraudulent or tyrannical upon any other supposition than that it made provision1 in some way or other1 for destitute persons2 that is to say1 for persons unable1 from some cause or other1 to provide for themselves the food and raiment sufficient to preserve them from perishing4 ,indeed1 a provision for the destitute seems essential to the lawfulness of civil society2 and this appears to have been the opinion of ,,blackstone1 when1 in the first ,book and first ,chapter of his ,commentaries on the ,laws of ,england1 he says1 the law not only regards life and member1 and protects every man in the enjoyment of them1 but also furnishes him with every thing necessary for their support4 ,for there is no man so indigent or wretched1 but he may demand a supply sufficient for all the necessaries of life from the more opulent part of the community1 by means of the several statutes enacted for the relief of the poor2 a humane provision dictated by the principles of society4 #aa4 ,no man will contend1 that the main body of the people in any country upon earth1 and of course in ,england1 would have consented to abandon the rights of nature2 to give up their right to enjoy all things in common2 no man will believe1 that the main body of the people would ever have given their assent to the establishing of a state of things which should make all the lands1 and all the trees1 and all the goods and cattle of every sort1 private property2 which should have shut out a large part of the people from having such property1 and which should1 at the same time1 not have provided the means of preventing those of them1 who might fall into indigence1 from being actually starved to death6 ,it is impossible to believe this4 ,men never gave their assent to enter into society on terms like these4 ,one part of the condition upon which men entered into society was1 that care should be taken that no human being should perish from want4 ,when they agreed to enter into that state of things1 which would necessarily cause some men to be rich and some men to be poor2 when they gave up that right1 which ,god had given them1 to live as well as they could1 and to take the means wherever they found them1 the condition clearly was1 the principle of society2 clearly was1 as ,,blackstone defines it1 that the indigent and wretched should have a right to demand from the rich a supply sufficient for all the necessities of life4 #ab4 ,if the society did not take care to act upon this principle2 if it neglected to secure the legal means1 of preserving the life of the indigent and wretched2 then the society itself1 in so far as that wretched person was concerned1 ceased to have a legal existence4 ,it had1 as far as related to him1 forfeited its character of legality4 ,it had no longer any claim to his submission to its laws4 ,his rights of nature returned3 as far as related to him1 the law of ,nature revived in all its force3 that state of things in which all men enjoyed all things in common was revived with regard to him2 and he took1 and he had a right to take1 food and raiment1 or1 as ,blackstone expresses it1 a supply sufficient for all the necessities of life4 ,for1 if it be true1 as laid down by this ,english lawyer1 that the principles of society2 if it be true1 that the very principles1 or foundations of society dictate1 that the destitute person shall have a legal demand for a supply from the rich1 sufficient for all the necessities of life2 if this be true1 and true it certainly is1 it follows of course that the principles1 that is1 the base1 or foundation1 of society1 is subverted1 is gone2 and that society is1 in fact1 no longer what it was intended to be1 when the indigent1 when the person in a state of extreme necessity1 cannot1 at once1 obtain from the rich such sufficient supply3 in short1 we need go no further than this passage of ,,blackstone1 to show1 that civil society is subverted1 and that there is1 in fact1 nothing legitimate in it1 when the destitute and wretched have no certain and legal resource4 #ac4 ,but this is so important a matter1 and there have been such monstrous doctrines and projects put forth by ,,malthus1 by the ,,edinburgh ,,reviewers1 by ,,lawyer ,,scarlett1 by ,,lawyer ,,nolan1 by ,,sturges ,,bourne1 and by an innumerable swarm of persons who have been giving before the ,house of ,commons what they call evidence3 there have been such monstrous doctrines and projects put forward by these and other persons2 and there seems to be such a lurking desire to carry the hostility to the working classes still further1 that ,i think it necessary in order to show1 that these ,english poor-laws1 which have been so much calumniated by so many greedy proprietors of land2 ,i think it necessary to show1 that these poor-laws are the things which men of property1 above all others1 ought to wish to see maintained1 seeing that1 according to the opinions of the greatest and the wisest of men1 they must suffer most in consequence of the abolition of those laws2 because1 by the abolition of those laws1 the right given by the laws of nature would revive1 and the destitute would take1 where they now simply demand 7as ,,blackstone expresses it7 in the name of the law4 ,there has been some difference of opinion1 as to the question1 whether it be theft or no theft2 or1 rather1 whether it be a criminal act1 or not a criminal act1 for a person1 in a case of extreme necessity from want of food1 to take food without the assent and even against the will1 of the owner4 ,we have1 amongst our great lawyers1 ,,sir ,,matthew ,,hale and ,,sir ,,william ,,blackstone1 who contend 7though as we shall see1 with much feebleness1 hesitation1 and reservation17 that it is theft1 notwithstanding the extremity of the want2 but there are many1 and much higher authorities1 foreign as well as ,english1 on the other side4 ,before1 however1 ,i proceed to the hearing of these authorities1 let me take a short view of the origin of the poor laws in ,england2 for that view will convince us1 that1 though the present law was passed but a little more than two hundred years ago1 there had been something to effect the same purpose ever since ,england had been called ,england4 #ad4 ,according to the ,common ,law of ,england1 as recorded in the ,,mirrour ,,of ,,justices1 a book which was written before the ,norman ,conquest2 a book in as high reputation1 as a law-book1 as any one in ,england2 according to this book1 ,,chapter #ast1 ,,section #c;d1 which treats of the ,first constitutions made by the antient kings2 ,according to this work1 provision was made for the sustenance of the poor4 ,the words are these3 ,it was ordained1 that the poor should be sustained by parsons1 by rectors of the church1 and by the parishioners1 so that none of them die for want of sustenance4 ,several hundred years later1 the canons of the church show1 that when the church had become rich1 it took upon itself the whole of the care and expense attending the relieving of the poor4 ,these canons1 in setting forth the manner in which the tithes should be disposed of1 say1 ,let the priests set apart the first share for the building and ornaments of the church2 let them distribute the second to the poor and strangers1 with their own hands1 in mercy and humility2 and let them reserve the third part for themselves4 ,this passage is taken from the canons of ,,elfric1 canon #bdth4 ,at a later period1 when the tithes had1 in some places1 been appropriated to convents1 acts of ,parliament were passed1 compelling the impropriators to leave1 in the hands of their vicar1 a sufficiency for the maintenance of the poor4 ,there were two or three acts of this sort passed1 one particularly in the twelfth year of ,,richard the ,second1 chapter #gth4 ,so that here we have the most ancient book on the ,common ,law2 we have the canons of the church at a later period2 we have acts of ,parliament at a time when the power and glory of ,england were at their very highest point2 we have all these to tell us1 that in ,england1 from the very time that the country took the name1 there was always a legal and secure provision for the poor1 so that no person1 however aged1 infirm1 unfortunate1 or destitute1 should suffer from want4 #ae4 ,but1 my friends1 a time came when the provision made by the ,common ,law1 by the ,canons of the ,church1 and by the ,acts of the ,parliament coming in aid of those canons2 a time arrived1 when all these were rendered null by what is called the ,,protestant ,,reformation4 ,this ,reformation1 ,as it is called1 sweeped away the convents1 gave a large part of the tithes to greedy courtiers1 put parsons with wives and children into the livings1 and left the poor without any resource whatsoever4 ,this terrible event1 which deprived ,england of the last of her possessions on the continent of ,europe1 reduced the people of ,england to the most horrible misery2 from the happiest and best fed and best clad people in the world1 it made them the most miserable1 the most wretched and ragged of creatures4 ,at last it was seen that1 in spite of the most horrible tyranny that ever was exercised in the world1 in spite of the racks and the gibbets and the martial law of ,,queen ,,elizabeth1 those who had amassed to themselves the property out of which the poor had been formerly fed1 were compelled to pass a law to raise money1 by way of tax1 for relieving the necessities of the poor4 ,they had passed many acts before the ,,forty-,,third year of the reign of this ,queen ,elizabeth2 but these acts were all found to be ineffectual1 till1 at last1 in the forty-third year of the reign3 of this tyrannical ,queen1 and in the year of our ,lord #afja1 that famous act was passed1 which has been in force until this day2 and which1 as ,i said before1 is still in force1 notwithstanding all the various attempts of folly and cruelty to get rid of it4 #af4 ,thus1 then1 the present poor-laws are no new thing4 ,they are no gift to the working people4 ,you hear the greedy landowners everlastingly complaining against this law of ,,queen ,,elizabeth4 ,they pretend that it was an unfortunate law4 ,they affect to regard it as a great ,,innovation1 seeing that no such law existed before2 but1 as ,i have shown1 a better law existed before1 having the same object in view4 ,i have shown1 that the ,reformation1 as it is called1 had sweeped away that which had been secured to the poor by the ,common ,law1 by the ,canons of the ,church1 and by ancient ,acts of ,parliament4 ,there was nothing new1 then1 in the way of benevolence towards the people1 in this celebrated ,act of ,parliament of the reign of ,,queen ,,elizabeth2 and the landowners would act wisely by holding their tongues upon the subject2 or1 if they be too noisy1 one may look into their ,,grants1 and see if we cannot find something ,,there to keep out the present parochial assessments4 #ag4 ,having now seen the origin of the present poor-laws1 and the justice of their due execution1 let us return to those authorities of which ,i was speaking but now1 and an examination into which will show the extreme danger of listening to those projectors who would abolish the poor-laws2 that is to say1 who would sweep away that provision which was established in the reign of ,,queen ,,elizabeth1 from a conviction that it was absolutely necessary to preserve the peace of the country and the lives of the people4 ,i observed before that there has been some difference of opinion amongst lawyers as to the question1 whether it be1 or be not1 theft1 to take without his consent and against his will1 the victuals of another1 in order to prevent the taker from starving4 ,,sir ,,matthew ,,hale and ,,sir ,,william ,,blackstone say that it is theft4 ,i am now going to quote the several authorities on both sides1 and it will be necessary for me to indicate the works which ,i quote from by the words1 letters1 and figures which are usually made use of in quoting from these works4 ,some part of what ,i shall quote will be in ,latin3 but ,i shall put nothing in that language of which ,i will not give you the translation4 ,i beg you to read these quotations with the greatest attention2 for you will find1 at the end of your reading1 that you have obtained great knowledge upon the subject1 and knowledge1 too1 which will not soon depart from your minds4 #ah4 ,i begin with ,,sir ,,matthew ,,hale1 7a ,chief ,justice of the ,court of ,king's ,bench in the reign of ,charles the ,second17 who1 in his ,,pleas ,,of ,,the ,,crown1 ,,chap4 ,,ix41 has the following passage1 which ,i put in distinct paragraphs1 and mark ,a1 ,b1 and ,c4 #ai4 ,a4 ,some of the casuists1 and particularly ,,covarruvius1 ,tom4 ,i4 ,de furti et rapinae restitutione1 ,sec4 #c1 #d1 p4 #dgc2 and ,,grotius1 de jure belli1 ac pacis2 lib4 ,,ii4 cap4 #b4 ,sec4 #f1 tell us1 that in case of extreme necessity1 either of hunger or clothing1 the civil distributions of property cease1 and by a kind of tacit condition the first community doth return1 and upon this those common assertions are grounded3 ',quicquid necessitas cogit1 defendit4' ,whatever necessity calls for1 it justifies4 ',necessitas est lex temporis et loci4' ,necessity is the law of time and place4 ',in casu extremae necessitatis omnia sunt communia4' ,in case of extreme necessity1 all things are in common2 and1 therefore1 in such case theft is no theft1 or at least not punishable as theft2 and some even of our own lawyers have asserted the same2 and very bad use hath been made of this concession by some of the ,jesuitical casuists of ,france1 who have thereupon advised apprentices and servants to rob their masters1 where they have been indeed themselves in want of necessaries1 of clothes or victuals2 whereof1 they tell them1 they themselves are the competent judges2 and by this means let loose1 as much as they can1 by their doctrine of probability1 all the ligaments of property and civil society4 #bj4 ,b4 ,i do1 therefore1 take it1 that1 where persons live under the same civil government1 as here in ,england1 that rule1 at least by the laws of ,england1 is false2 and1 therefore1 if a person being under necessity for want of victuals1 or clothes1 shall1 upon that account1 clandestinely1 and 'animo furandi1' with intent to steal1 steal another man's goods1 it is felony1 and a crime1 by the laws of ,england1 punishable with death2 although1 the judge before whom the trial is1 in this case 7as in other cases of extremity7 be by the laws of ,england intrusted with a power to reprieve the offender1 before or after judgment1 in order to the obtaining the ,king's mercy4 ,for1 #ast1 ,men's properties would be under a strange insecurity1 being laid open to other men's necessities1 whereof no man can possibly judge1 but the party himself4 ,and1 #bnd1 ,because by the laws of this kingdom here he refers to the #dc ,eliz4 cap4 #b sufficient provision is made for the supply of such necessities by collections for the poor1 and by the power of the civil magistrate4 ,consonant hereunto seems to be the law even among the ,jews2 if we may believe the wisest of kings4 ,proverbs vi4 #cj1 #ca4 ',men do not despise a thief1 if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry1 but if he be found1 he shall restore seven-fold1 he shall give all the substance of his house4' ,it is true1 death among them was not the penalty of theft1 yet his necessity gave him no exception from the ordinary punishment inflicted by their law upon that offence4 #ba4 ,c4 ,indeed this rule1 'in casu extremae necessitatis omnia sunt communia1' does hold1 in some measure1 in some particular cases1 where1 by the tacit consent of nations1 or of some particular countries or societies1 it hath obtained4 ,first1 among the ,jews1 it was lawful in case of hunger to pull ears of standing corn1 and eat1 7,matt4 xii4 #a27 and for one to pass through a vineyard1 or olive-yard1 to gather and eat without carrying away4 ,deut4 xxiii4 #bd1 #be4 ,,second1 ,by the ,rhodian law1 and the common-maritime custom1 if the common provision for the ship's company fail1 the master may1 under certain temperaments1 break open the private chests of the mariners or passengers1 and make a distribution of that particular and private provision for the preservation of the ship's company4 ,vide ,,consolato ,,del ,,mare1 cap4 #bef4 ,,le ,,customes ,,de ,,la ,,mere1 p4 #gg4 #bb4 ,,sir ,,william ,,blackstone agrees1 in substance1 with ,,hale2 but he is1 as we shall presently see1 much more eager to establish his doctrine2 and1 we shall see besides1 that he has not scrupled to be guilty of misquoting1 and of very shamefully garbling1 the ,scripture1 in order to establish his point4 ,we shall find him flatly contradicting the laws of ,england2 but1 he might have spared the ,holy ,scriptures1 which1 however1 he has not done4 #bc4 ,to return to ,,hale1 you see he is compelled to begin with acknowledging that there are great authorities against him2 and he could not say that ,,grotius was not one of the most virtuous as well as one of the most learned of mankind4 ,,hale does not know very well what to do with those old sayings about the justification which hard necessity gives3 he does not know what to do with the maxim1 that1 in case of extreme necessity all things are owned in common4 ,he is exceedingly puzzled with these ancient authorities1 and flies off into prattle rather than argument1 and tells us a story about jesuitical casuists in ,france1 who advised apprentices and servants to rob their masters1 and that they thus let loose the ligaments of property and civil society4 ,i fancy that it would require a pretty large portion of that sort of faith which induced this ,protestant judge to send witches and wizards to the gallows2 a pretty large portion of this sort of faith1 to make us believe1 that the casuists of ,france1 who1 doubtless1 had servants of their own1 would teach servants to rob their masters6 ,in short1 this prattle of the judge seems to have been nothing more than one of those ,protestant effusions which were too much in fashion at the time when he wrote4 #bd4 ,he begins his second paragraph1 or paragraph ,b41 by saying1 that he takes it to be so and so2 and then comes another qualified expression2 he talks of civil government as here in ,england4 ,then he says1 that the rule of ,,grotius and others1 against which he has been contending1 he takes to be false1 at least1 says he1 by the laws of ,england4 ,after he has made all these qualifications1 he then proceeds to say that such taking is theft2 that it is felony2 and it is a crime which the laws of ,england punish with death6 ,but1 as if stricken with remorse at putting the frightful words upon paper2 as if feeling shame for the law and for ,england itself1 he instantly begins to tell us1 that the judge who presides at the trial is intrusted1 by the laws of ,england1 with power to reprieve the offender1 in order to the obtaining of the ,king's mercy6 ,thus he softens it down4 ,he will have it to be ,,law to put a man to death in such a case2 but he is ashamed to leave his readers to believe1 that an ,english judge and an ,english king ,,would ,,obey ,,this ,,law6 #be4 ,let us now hear the reasons which he gives for this which he pretends to be law4 ,his first reason is1 that there would be no security for property1 if it were laid open to the necessities of the indigent1 of which necessities no man but the takers themselves could be the judge4 ,he talks of a strange insecurity2 but1 upon my word1 no insecurity could be half so strange as this assertion of his own4 ,,blackstone has just the same argument4 ,nobody1 says he1 would be a judge of the wants of the taker1 but the taker himself2 and ,,blackstone1 copying the very words of ,,hale1 talks of the strange insecurity arising from this cause4 ,now1 then1 suppose a man to come into my house1 and to take away a bit of bacon4 ,suppose me to pursue him and seize him4 ,he would tell me that he was starving for want of food4 ,i hope that the bare statement would induce me1 or any man in the world that ,i do call or ever have called my friend1 to let him go without further inquiry2 but1 if ,i chose to push the matter further1 there would be the magistrate4 ,if he chose to commit the man1 would there not be a jury and a judge to receive evidence and to ascertain whether the extreme necessity existed or not8 #bf4 ,aye1 says ,judge ,,hale2 but ,i have another reason1 a devilish deal better than this1 and that is1 the act of the #dc;d year of the reign of ,,queen ,,elizabeth6 ,aye1 my old boy1 that is a thumping reason6 ,sufficient provision is made for the supply of such necessities by collections for the poor1 and by the power of the civil magistrate4 ,aye1 aye6 that is the reason2 and1 ,mr4 ,,sir ,,matthew ,,hale1 there is no other reason1 say what you will about the matter4 ,there stand the overseer and the civil magistrate to take care that such necessities be provided for2 and if they did not stand there for that purpose1 the law of nature would be revived in behalf of the suffering creature4 #bg4 ,,hale1 not content however with this act of ,,queen ,,elizabeth1 and still hankering after this hard doctrine1 furbishes up a bit of ,scripture1 and calls ,solomon the wisest of kings on account of these two verses which he has taken4 ,,hale observes1 indeed1 that the ,jews did not put thieves to death2 but1 to restore seven-fold was the ordinary punishment1 inflicted by their law1 for theft2 and here1 says he1 we see1 that the extreme necessity gave no exemption4 ,this was a piece of such flagrant sophistry on the part of ,,hale1 that he could not find in his heart to send it forth to the world without a qualifying observation2 but even this qualifying observation left the sophistry still so shameful1 that his editor1 ,mr4 ,,emlyn1 who published the work under authority of the ,house of ,commons1 did not think it consistent with his reputation to suffer this passage to go forth unaccompanied with the following remark3 ,but their 7the ,jews'7 ordinary punishment being entirely pecuniary1 could affect him only when he was found in a condition to answer it2 and therefore the same reasons which could justify that1 can1 by no means1 be extended to a corporal1 much less to a capital punishment4 ,certainly3 and this is the fair interpretation of these two verses of the ,proverbs4 ,,puffendorf1 one of the greatest authorities that the world knows anything of1 observes1 upon the argument built upon this text of ,scripture1 ,it may be objected1 that1 in ,proverbs1 chap4 vi4 verses #cj1 #ca1 he is called a thief1 and pronounced obnoxious to the penalty of theft1 who steals to satisfy his hunger2 but whoever closely views and considers that text will find that the thief there censured is neither in such extreme necessity as we are now supposing1 nor seems to have fallen into his needy condition merely by ill fortune1 without his own idleness or default3 for the context implies1 that he had a house and goods sufficient to make seven-fold restitution2 which he might have either sold or pawned2 a chapman or creditor being easily to be met with in times of plenty and peace2 for we have no grounds to think that the fact there mentioned is supposed to be committed1 either in time of war1 or upon account of the extraordinary price of provisions4 #bh4 ,besides this1 ,i think it is clear that these two verses of the ,proverbs do not apply to one and the same person2 for in the first verse it is said1 that men do not despise a thief if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry4 ,how1 then1 are we to reconcile this with morality8 ,are we not to despise a thief8 ,it is clear that the word thief does not apply to the first case2 but to the second case only2 and that the distinction was here made for the express purpose of preventing the man who took food to relieve his hunger from being confounded with the thief4 ,upon any other interpretation1 it makes the passage contain nonsense and immorality2 and1 indeed1 ,,grotius says that the latter text does not apply to the person mentioned in the former4 ,the latter text could not mean a man taking food from necessity4 ,it is impossible that it can mean that2 because the man who was starving for want of food could not have seven-fold2 could not have any substance in his house4 ,but what are we to think of ,,judge ,,blackstone1 who1 in his ,book ,,iv41 chap4 #b1 really garbles these texts of ,scripture4 ,he clearly saw the effect of the expression1 ,,men ,,do ,,not ,,despise2 he saw what an awkward figure these words made1 coming before the words ,a ,,thief2 he saw that1 with these words in the text1 he could never succeed in making his readers believe that a man ought to be hanged for taking food to save his life4 ,he clearly saw that he could not make men believe that ,god had said this1 unless he could1 somehow or other1 get rid of those words about ,,not ,,despising the thief that took victuals when he was hungry4 ,being1 therefore1 very much pestered and annoyed by these words about ,,not ,,despising1 what does he do but fairly leave them out6 ,and not only leave them out1 but leave out a part of both the verses1 keeping in that part of each that suited him1 and no more2 nay1 further1 leaving out one word1 and putting in another1 giving a sense to the whole which he knew well never was intended4 ,he states the passage to be this3 ,if a thief steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry1 he shall restore seven-fold1 and shall give all the substance of his house4 ,no broomstick that ever was handled would have been too heavy or too rough for the shoulders of this dirty-souled man4 ,,hale1 with all his desire to make out a case in favour of severity1 has given us the words fairly3 but this shuffling fellow2 this smooth-spoken and mean wretch1 who is himself thief enough1 ,god knows1 if stealing other men's thoughts and words constitute theft2 this intolerably mean reptile has1 in the first place1 left out the words men do not despise3 then he has left out the words at the beginning of the next text1 but if he be found4 ,then in place of the he1 which comes before the words shall give he puts the word and2 and thus he makes the whole apply to the poor creature that takes to satisfy his soul when he is hungry6 ,he leaves out every mitigating word of the ,scripture2 and1 in his reference1 he represents the passage to be in one verse6 ,perhaps1 even in the history of the conduct of crown-lawyers1 there is not to be found mention of an act so coolly bloody-minded as this4 ,it has often been said of this ,,blackstone1 that he not only lied himself1 but made others lie2 he has here made1 as far as he was able1 a liar of ,king ,solomon himself3 he has wilfully garbled the ,holy ,scripture2 and that1 too1 for the manifest purpose of justifying cruelty in courts and judges2 for the manifest purpose of justifying the most savage oppression of the poor4 #bi4 ,after all1 ,,hale has not the courage to send forth this doctrine of his1 without allowing that the case of extreme necessity does1 in some measure1 and in particular cases1 and1 by the tacit or silent consent of nations1 hold good6 ,what a crowd of qualifications is here6 ,with what reluctance he confesses that which all the world knows to be true1 that the disciples of ,,jesus ,,christ pulled off1 without leave1 the ears of standing corn1 and ate them being an hungered4 ,and here are two things to observe upon4 ,in the first place this corn was not what we call corn here in ,england1 or else it would have been very droll sort of stuff to crop off and eat4 ,it was what the ,americans call ,indian corn1 what the ,french call ,turkish corn2 and what is called corn 7as being far surpassing all other in excellence7 in the ,eastern countries where the ,scriptures were written4 ,about four or five ears of this corn1 of which you strip all the husk off in a minute1 are enough for a man's breakfast or dinner2 and by about the middle of ,august this corn is just as wholesome and as efficient as bread4 ,so that1 this was something to take and eat without the owner's leave2 it was something of value2 and observe1 that the ,pharisees1 though so strongly disposed to find fault with everything that was done by ,jesus ,christ and his disciples1 did not find fault of their taking the corn to eat2 did not call them thieves2 did not propose to punish them for theft2 but found fault of them only for having plucked the corn on the ,sabbath-day6 ,to pluck the corn was to do work1 and these severe critics found fault of this working on the ,sabbath-day4 ,then1 out comes another fact1 which ,,hale might have noticed if he had chosen it2 namely1 that our ,saviour reminds the ,pharisees that ,,david and his companions1 being an hungered1 entered into the ,house of ,god1 and did eat the show-bread1 to eat which was unlawful in any-body but the priests4 ,thus1 that which would have been sacrilege under any other circumstances2 that which would have been one of the most horrible of crimes against the law of ,god1 became no crime at all when committed by a person pressed by hunger4 #cj4 ,nor has ,,judge ,,hale fairly interpreted the two verses of ,,deuteronomy4 ,he represents the matter thus3 that1 if you be passing through a vineyard or an olive-yard you may gather and eat1 without being deemed a thief4 ,this interpretation would make an ,englishman believe that the ,scripture allowed of this taking and eating1 only where there was a lawful foot-way through the vineyard4 ,this is a very gross misrepresentation of the matter2 for if you look at the two texts1 you will find1 that they say that1 when thou comest into2 that is to say1 when thou enterest or goest into1 thy neighbour's vineyard1 then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure1 but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel2 that is to say1 that you should not go and make wine in his vineyard and carry it away4 ,then in case of the corn1 precisely the same law is laid down4 ,you may pluck with your hand2 but not use the hook or a sickle4 ,nothing can be plainer than this3 no distinction can be wiser1 nor more just4 ,,hale saw the force of it2 and therefore1 as these texts made very strongly against him1 he does not give them at full length1 but gives us a misrepresenting abbreviation4 #ca4 ,he had1 however1 too much regard for his reputation to conclude without acknowledging the right of seizing on the provisions of others at sea4 ,he allows that private chests may be broken open to prevent men from dying with hunger at sea4 ,he does not stop to tell us why men's lives are more precious on sea than on land4 ,he does not attempt to reconcile these liberties given by the ,scripture1 and by the maritime laws1 with his own hard doctrine4 ,in short1 he brings us to this at last3 that he will not acknowledge1 that it is not theft to take another man's goods1 without his consent1 under any circumstances2 but1 while he will not acknowledge this1 he plainly leaves us to conclude1 that no ,english judge and no ,english king will ever punish a poor creature that takes victuals to save himself from perishing2 and he plainly leaves us to conclude1 that it is the poor-laws of ,england2 that it is their existence and their due execution1 which deprive everybody in ,england of the right to take food and raiment in case of extreme necessity4 #cb4 ,here ,i agree with him most cordially2 and it is because ,i agree with him in this1 that ,i deprecate the abominable projects of those who would annihilate the poor-laws1 seeing that it is those very poor-laws which give1 under all circumstances1 really legal security to property4 ,without them1 cases must frequently arise1 which would1 according to the law of nature1 according to the law of ,god1 and as we shall see before we have done1 according to the law of ,england1 bring us into a state1 or1 at least1 bring particular persons into a state1 which as far as related to them1 would cause the law of nature to revive1 and to make all things to be owned in common4 ,to adhere1 then1 to these poor-laws2 to cause them to be duly executed1 to prevent every encroachment upon them1 to preserve them as the apple of our eye1 are the duty of every ,englishman1 as far as he has capacity so to do4 #cc4 ,i have1 my friends1 cited1 as yet1 authorities only on one side of this great subject1 which it was my wish to discuss in this one ,number4 ,i find that to be impossible without leaving undone much more than half my work4 ,i am extremely anxious to cause this matter to be well understood1 not only by the working classes1 but by the owners of the land and the magistrates4 ,i deem it to be of the greatest possible importance2 and1 while writing on it1 ,i address myself to you1 because ,i most sincerely declare that ,i have a greater respect for you than for any other body of persons that ,i know any thing of4 ,the next ,number will conclude the discussion of the subject4 ,the whole will lie in a very small compass4 ,sixpence only will be the cost of it4 ,it will creep about1 by degrees1 over the whole of this kingdom4 ,all the authorities1 all the arguments1 will be brought into this small compass2 and ,i do flatter myself that many months will not pass over our heads1 before all but misers and madmen will be ashamed to talk of abolishing the poor-rates and of supporting the needy by grants and subscriptions4 ,i am1 ,your faithful friend and ,most obedient servant1 ,,wm4 ,,cobbett4 ,,number ,,ii4 ,bollitree ,castle1 ,herefordshire1 #bb;d ,sept4 #ahbf4 ,,my ,,excellent ,,friends1 #cd4 ,in the last ,number1 paragraph #cc1 ,i told you1 that ,i would1 in the present ,number1 conclude the discussion of the great question of theft1 or no theft1 in a case of taking another's goods without his consent1 or against his will1 the taker being pressed by extreme necessity4 ,i laid before you2 in the last ,number1 ,,judge ,,hale',s doctrine upon the subject2 and ,i there mentioned the foul conduct of ,,blackstone1 the author of the ,commentaries on the ,laws of ,england4 ,i will not treat this unprincipled lawyer1 this shocking court sycophant2 ,i will not treat him as he has treated ,king ,solomon and the ,holy ,scriptures2 ,i will not garble1 misquote1 and belie him1 as he garbled1 misquoted1 and belied them2 ,i will give the whole of the passage to which ,i allude1 and which my readers may find in the ,fourth ,book of his ,commentaries4 ,i request you to read it with great attention2 and to compare it1 very carefully1 with the passage that ,i have quoted from ,,sir ,,matthew ,,hale1 which you will find in paragraphs from #ai to #ba inclusive4 ,the passage from ,,blackstone is as follows3 #ce4 ,there is yet another case of necessity1 which has occasioned great speculation among the writers upon general law2 viz41 whether a man in extreme want of food or clothing may justify stealing either1 to relieve his present necessities4 ,and this both ,,grotius and ,,puffendorf1 together with many other of the foreign jurists1 hold in the affirmative2 maintaining by many ingenious1 humane1 and plausible reasons1 that in such cases the community of goods by a kind of tacit concession of society is revived4 ,and some even of our own lawyers have held the same2 though it seems to be an unwarranted doctrine1 borrowed from the notions of some civilians3 at least it is now antiquated1 the law of ,england admitting no such excuse at present4 ,and this its doctrine is agreeable not only to the sentiments of many of the wisest ancients1 particularly ,,cicero1 who holds that 'suum cuique incommodum ferendum est1 potius quam de alterius commodis detrahendum2' but also to the ,jewish law1 as certified by ,king ,solomon himself3 ',if a thief steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry1 he shall restore seven-fold1 and shall give all the substance of his house3' which was the ordinary punishment for theft in that kingdom4 ,and this is founded upon the highest reason3 for men's properties would be under a strange insecurity1 if liable to be invaded according to the wants of others2 of which wants no man can possibly be an adequate judge1 but the party himself who pleads them4 ,in this country especially1 there would be a peculiar impropriety in admitting so dubious an excuse2 for by our laws such a sufficient provision is made for the poor by the power of the civil magistrate1 that it is impossible that the most needy stranger should ever be reduced to the necessity of thieving to support nature4 ,this case of a stranger is1 by the way1 the strongest instance put by ,baron ,,puffendorf1 and whereon he builds his principal arguments2 which1 however they may hold upon the continent1 where the parsimonious industry of the natives orders every one to work or starve1 yet must lose all their weight and efficacy in ,england1 where charity is reduced to a system1 and interwoven in our very constitution4 ,therefore1 our laws ought by no means to be taxed with being unmerciful1 for denying this privilege to the necessitous2 especially when we consider1 that the king1 on the representation of his ministers of justice1 hath a power to soften the law1 and to extend mercy in cases of peculiar hardship4 ,an advantage which is wanting in many states1 particularly those which are democratical3 and these have in its stead introduced and adopted1 in the body of the law itself1 a multitude of circumstances tending to alleviate its rigour4 ,but the founders of our constitution thought it better to vest in the crown the power of pardoning peculiar objects of compassion1 than to countenance and establish theft by one general undistinguishing law4 #cf4 ,first of all1 ,i beg you to observe1 that this passage is merely a flagrant act of theft1 committed upon ,,judge ,,hale2 next1 you perceive1 that which ,i noticed in paragraph #bh1 a most base and impudent garbling of the ,scriptures4 ,next1 you see1 that ,,blackstone1 like ,,hale1 comes1 at last1 to the poor-laws2 and tells us that to take other men's goods without leave1 is theft1 because charity is here reduced to a system1 and interwoven in our very constitution4 ,that is to say1 to relieve the necessitous2 to prevent their suffering from want2 completely to render starvation impossible1 makes a part of our very constitution4 ,,therefore1 our laws ought by no means to be taxed with being unmerciful for denying this privilege to the necessitous4 ,pray mark the word therefore4 ,you see1 our laws1 he says1 are not to be taxed with being unmerciful in deeming the necessitous taker a thief4 ,and why are they not to be deemed unmerciful8 ,,because the laws provide effectual relief for the necessitous4 ,it follows1 then1 of course1 even according to ,,blackstone himself1 that if the ,constitution had not provided this effectual relief for the necessitous1 then the laws would have been unmerciful in deeming the necessitous taker a thief4 #cg4 ,but now let us hear what that ,,grotius and that ,,puffendorf say2 let us hear what these great writers on the law of nature and of nations say upon this subject4 ,,blackstone has mentioned the names of them both2 but he has not thought proper to notice their arguments1 much less has he attempted to answer them4 ,they are two of the most celebrated men that ever wrote2 and their writings are referred to as high authority1 with regard to all the subjects of which they have treated4 ,the following is a passage from ,,grotius1 on ,war and ,peace1 ,book ,,ii41 chap4 #b4 #ch4 ,let us see1 further1 what common right there appertains to men in those things which have already become the property of individuals4 ,some persons1 perchance1 may consider it strange to question this1 as proprietorship seems to have absorbed all that right which arose out of a state of things in common4 ,but it is not so4 ,for1 it is to be considered1 what was the intention of those who first introduced private property1 which we may suppose to have been such1 as to deviate as little as possible from natural equity4 ,for if even written laws are to be construed in that sense1 as far as it is practicable1 much more so are customs1 which are not fettered by the chains of writers4--,hence it follows1 first1 that1 in case of extreme necessity1 the pristine right of using things revives1 as much as if they had remained in common2 because1 in all human laws1 as well as in the law of private property1 this case of extreme necessity appears to have been excepted4--,so1 if the means of sustenance1 as in case of a sea-voyage1 should chance to fail1 that which any individual may have1 should be shared in common4 ,and thus1 a fire having broken out1 ,i am justified in destroying the house of my neighbour1 in order to preserve my own house2 and ,i may cut in two the ropes or cords amongst which any ship is driven1 if it cannot be otherwise disentangled4 ,all which exceptions are not made in the written law1 but are presumed4--,for the opinion has been acknowledged amongst ,divines1 that1 if any one1 in such case of necessity1 take from another person what is requisite for the preservation of his life1 he does not commit a theft4 ,the meaning of which definition is not1 as many contend1 that the proprietor of the thing be bound to give to the needy upon the principle of charity2 but1 that all things distinctly vested in proprietors ought to be regarded as such with a certain benign acknowledgment of the primitive right4 ,for if the original distributors of things were questioned1 as to what they thought about this matter1 they would reply what ,i have said4 ,necessity1 says ,father ,,seneca1 the great excuse for human weakness1 breaks every law2 that is to say1 human law1 or law made after the manner of man4 #ci4 ,but cautions ought to be had1 for fear this license should be abused3 of which the principal is1 to try1 in every way1 whether the necessity can be avoided by any other means2 for instance1 by making application to the magistrate1 or even by trying whether the use of the thing can1 by entreaties1 be obtained from the proprietor4 ,,plato permits water to be fetched from the well of a neighbour upon this condition alone1 that the person asking for such permission shall dig in his own well in search of water as far as the chalk3 and ,,solon1 that he shall dig in his own well as far as forty cubits4 ,upon which ,,plutarch adds1 that he judged that necessity was to be relieved1 not laziness to be encouraged4 #dj4 ,such is the doctrine of this celebrated civilian4 ,let us now hear ,,puffendorf2 and you will please to bear in mind1 that both these writers are of the greatest authority upon all subjects connected with the laws of nature and of nations4 ,we read in their works the result of an age of study3 they have been two of the great guides of mankind ever since they wrote3 and1 we are not to throw them aside1 in order to listen exclusively to ,parson ,,hay1 to ,,hulton ,,of ,,hulton1 or to ,,nicholas ,,grimshaw4 ,they tell us what they1 and what other wise men1 deemed to be right2 and1 as we shall by and by see1 the laws of ,england1 so justly boasted of by our ancestors1 hold precisely the same language with these celebrated men4 ,after the following passage from ,,puffendorf1 ,i shall show you what our own lawyers say upon the subject2 but ,i request you to read the following passage with the greatest attention4 #da4 ,let us inquire1 in the next place1 whether the necessity of preserving our life can give us any right over other men's goods1 so as to make it allowable for us to seize on them for our relief1 either secretly1 or by open force1 against the owner's consent4 ,for the more clear and solid determination of which point1 we think it necessary to hint in short on the causes upon which distinct properties were first introduced in the world2 designing to examine them more at large in their proper place4 ,now the main reasons on which properties are founded1 we take to be these two2 that the feuds and quarrels might be appeased which arose in the primitive communion of things1 and that men might be put under a kind of necessity of being industrious1 every one being to get his maintenance by his own application and labour4 ,this division1 therefore1 of goods1 was not made1 that every person should sit idly brooding over the share of wealth he had got1 without assisting or serving his fellows2 but that any one might dispose of his things how he pleased2 and if he thought fit to communicate them to others1 he might1 at least1 be thus furnished with an opportunity of laying obligations on the rest of mankind4 ,hence1 when properties were once established1 men obtained a power1 not only of exercising commerce to their mutual advantage and gain1 but likewise of dispensing more largely in the works of humanity and beneficence2 whence their diligence had procured them a greater share of goods than others3 whereas before1 when all things lay in common1 men could lend one another no assistance but what was supplied by their corporeal ability1 and could be charitable of nothing but of their strength4 ,further1 such is the force of property1 that the proprietor hath a right of delivering his goods with his own hands2 even such as he is obliged to give to others4 ,whence it follows1 that when one man has anything owing from another1 he is not presently to seize on it at a venture1 but ought to apply himself to the owner1 desiring to receive it from his disposal4 ,yet in case the other party refuse thus to make good his obligation1 the power and privilege of property doth not reach so far as that the things may not be taken away without the owner's consent1 either by the authority of the magistrate in civil communities1 or in a state of nature1 by violence and hostile force4 ,and though in regard to bare ,natural ,right1 for a man to relieve another in extremity with his goods1 for which he himself hath not so much occasion1 be a duty obliging only imperfectly1 and not in the manner of a debt1 since it arises wholly from the virtue of humanity2 yet there seems to be no reason why1 by the additional force of a civil ordinance1 it may not be turned into a strict and perfect obligation4 ,and this ,seldon observes to have been done among the ,jews2 who1 upon a man's refusing to give such alms as were proper for him1 could force him to it by an action at law4 ,it is no wonder1 therefore1 that they should forbid their poor1 on any account1 to seize on the goods of others1 enjoining them to take only what private persons1 or the public officers1 or stewards of alms1 should give them on their petition4 ,whence the stealing of what was another's1 though upon extreme necessity1 passed in that state for theft or rapine4 ,but now supposing under another government the like good provision is not made for persons in want1 supposing likewise that the covetous temper of men of substance cannot be prevailed on to give relief1 and that the needy creature is not able1 either by his work or service1 or by making sale of anything that he possesses1 to assist his present necessity1 must he1 therefore1 perish with famine8 ,or can any human institution bind me with such a force that1 in case another man neglects his duty towards me1 ,i must rather die1 than recede a little from the ordinary and regular way of acting8 ,we conceive1 therefore1 that such a person doth not contract the guilt of theft1 who happening1 not through his own fault1 to be in extreme want1 either of necessary food1 or of clothes to preserve him from the violence of the weather1 and cannot obtain them from the voluntary gift of the rich1 either by urgent entreaties1 or by offering somewhat equivalent in price1 or by engaging to work it out1 shall either forcibly or privily relieve himself out of their abundance2 especially if he do it with full intention to pay the value of them whenever his better fortune gives him ability4 ,some men deny that such a case of necessity1 as we speak of1 can possibly happen4 ,but what if a man should wander in a foreign land1 unknown1 friendless1 and in want1 spoiled of all he had by shipwreck1 or by robbers1 or having lost by some casualty whatever he was worth in his own country2 should none be found willing either to relieve his distress1 or to hire his service1 or should they rather 7as it commonly happens17 seeing him in a good garb1 suspect him to beg without reason1 must the poor creature starve in this miserable condition8 #db4 ,many other great foreign authorities might be referred to1 and ,i cannot help mentioning ,,covarruvius1 who is spoken of by ,,judge ,,hale1 and who expresses himself upon the subject in these words3 ,the reason why a man in extreme necessity may1 without incurring the guilt of theft or rapine1 forcibly take the goods of others for his present relief1 is because his condition renders all things common4 ,for it is the ordinance and institution of nature itself1 that inferior things should be designed and directed to serve the necessities of men4 ,wherefore the division of goods afterwards introduced into the world doth not derogate from that precept of natural reason1 which ,suggests1 that the extreme wants of mankind may be in any manner removed by the use of temporal possessions4 ,,puffendorf tells us1 that ,,peresius maintains1 that1 in case of extreme necessity1 a man is compelled to the action1 by a force which he cannot resist2 and then1 that the owner's consent may be presumed on1 because humanity obliges him to succour those who are in distress4 ,the same writer cites a passage from ,st4 ,,ambrose1 one of the ,,fathers of the church1 which alleges that 7in case of refusing to give to persons in extreme necessity7 it is the person who retains the goods who is guilty of the act of wrong doing1 for ,st4 ,,ambrose says2 it is the bread of the hungry which you detain2 it is the raiment of the naked which you lock up4 #dc4 ,before ,i come to the ,english authorities on the same side1 let me again notice the foul dealing of ,blackstone2 let me point out another instance or two of the insincerity of this ,english court-sycophant1 who was1 let it be noted1 ,solicitor-general to the queen of the good old ,king4 ,you have seen1 in paragraph #bh1 a most flagrant instance of his perversion of the ,scriptures4 ,he garbles the word of ,god1 and prefaces the garbling by calling it a thing certified by ,king ,solomon himself2 and this word certified he makes use of just when he is about to begin the scandalous falsification of the text which he is referring to4 ,never was anything more base4 ,but1 the whole extent of the baseness we have not yet seen2 for1 ,,blackstone had read ,,hale1 who had quoted the two verses fairly2 but besides this1 he had read ,,puffendorf1 who had noticed very fully this text of ,scripture1 and who had shown very clearly that it did not at all make in favour of the doctrine of ,blackstone4 ,blackstone ought to have given the argument of ,,puffendorf2 he ought to have given the whole of his argument2 but particularly he ought to have given this explanation of the passage in the ,,proverbs1 which explanation ,i have inserted in paragraph #bg4 ,it was also the height of insincerity in ,,blackstone1 to pretend that the passage from ,,cicero had anything at all to do with the matter4 ,he knew well that it had not2 he knew that ,,cicero contemplated no case of extreme necessity for want of food or clothing2 but1 he had read ,,puffendorf1 and ,,puffendorf had told him1 that ,,cicero',s was a question of the mere conveniences and inconveniences of life in general2 and not a question of pinching hunger or shivering nakedness4 ,,blackstone had seen his fallacy exposed by ,,puffendorf2 he had seen the misapplication of this passage of ,,cicero fully exposed by ,,puffendorf2 and yet the base court-sycophant trumped it up again1 without mentioning ,,puffendorf',s exposure of the fallacy6 ,in short this ,,blackstone1 upon this occasion1 as upon almost all others1 has gone all lengths2 has set detection and reproof at defiance1 for the sake of making his court to the government by inculcating harshness in the application of the law1 and by giving to the law such an interpretation as would naturally tend to justify that harshness4 #dd4 ,let us now cast away from us this insincere sycophant1 and turn to other law authorities of our own country4 ,the ,mirrour of ,justices1 7quoted by me in paragraph #ad17 ,chap4 #d1 ,section #af1 on the subject of arrest of judgment of death1 has this passage4 ,judgment is to be staid in seven cases here specified3 and the seventh is this3 in ,,poverty1 in which case you are to distinguish of the poverty of the offender1 or of things2 for if poor people1 to avoid famine1 take victuals to sustain their lives1 or clothes that they die not of cold1 7so that they perish if they keep not themselves from cold17 they are not to be adjudged to death1 if it were not in their power to have bought their victuals or clothes2 for as much as they are warranted so to do by the law of nature4 ,now1 my friends1 you will observe1 that ,i take this from a book which may almost be called the ,,bible of the law4 ,there is no lawyer who will deny the goodness of this authority2 or who will attempt to say that this was not always the law of ,england4 #de4 ,our next authority is one quite as authentic1 and almost as ancient4 ,the book goes by the name of ,,britton1 which was the name of a ,bishop of ,hereford1 who edited it1 in the famous reign of ,,edward ,,the ,,first4 ,the book does1 in fact1 contain the laws of the kingdom as they existed at that time4 ,it may be called the record of the laws of ,edward the ,first4 ,it begins thus1 ,edward by the grace of ,god1 ,king of ,england and ,lord of ,ireland1 to all his liege subjects1 peace1 and grace of salvation4 ,the preamble goes on to state1 that people cannot be happy without good laws2 that even good laws are of no use unless they be known and understood2 and that1 therefore1 the king has ordered the laws of ,england thus to be written and recorded4 ,this book is very well known to be of the greatest authority1 amongst lawyers1 and in ,chap4 #aj of this book1 in which the law describes what constitutes a ,,burglar1 or house-breaker1 and the punishment that he shall suffer 7which is that of death17 there is this passage3 ,those are to be deemed burglars who feloniously1 in time of peace1 break into churches or houses1 or through walls or doors of our cities1 or our boroughs2 with exception of children under age1 and of poor people who for hunger1 enter to take any sort of victuals of less value than twelve pence2 and except idiots and mad people1 and others that cannot commit felony4 ,thus1 you see1 this agrees with the ,,mirrour ,,of ,,justices1 and with all that we have read before from these numerous high authorities4 ,but this1 taken in its full latitude1 goes a great length indeed2 for a burglar is a breaker-in by night4 ,so that this is not only a taking2 but a breaking into a house in order to take6 ,and observe1 it is taking to the value of twelve pence2 and twelve pence then was the price of a couple of sheep1 and of fine fat sheep too2 nay1 twelve pence was the price of an ox1 in this very reign of ,edward the ,first4 ,so that1 a hungry man might have a pretty good belly-full in those days without running the risk of punishment4 ,observe1 by-the-by1 how time has hardened the law4 ,we are told of the dark ages1 of the barbarous customs1 of our forefathers3 and we have a ,,sir ,,james ,,mackintosh to receive and to present petitions innumerable1 from the most tender hearted creatures in the world1 about softening the criminal code2 but1 not a word do they ever say about a softening of this law1 which now hangs a man for stealing the value of a ,,rabbit1 and which formerly did not hang him till he stole the value of an ,,ox6 ,curious enough1 but still more scandalous1 that we should have the impudence to talk of our humanity1 and our civilization1 and of the barbarousness of our forefathers4 ,but1 if a part of the ancient law remain1 shall not the whole of it remain8 ,if we hang the thief1 still hang the thief for stealing to the value of twelve pence2 though the twelve pence now represents a rabbit instead of an ox2 if we still do this1 would ,,blackstone take away the benefit of the ancient law from the starving man8 ,the passage that ,i have quoted is of such great importance as to this question1 that ,i think it necessary to add1 here1 a copy of the original1 which is in the old ,norman-,french1 of which ,i give the translation above4 ,sunt tenus burgessours trestous ceux1 que felonisement en temps de pees debrusent esglises ou auter mesons1 ou murs1 ou portes de nos cytes1 ou de nos burghes2 hors pris enfauntz dedans age1 et poures1 que1 pur feyn1 entret pur ascun vitaille de meindre value q'de xii deners1 et hors pris fous nastres1 et gens arrages1 et autres que seuent nule felonie faire4 #df4 ,after this1 lawyers1 at any rate1 will not attempt to gainsay4 ,if there should1 however1 remain any one to affect to doubt of the soundness of this doctrine1 let them take the following from him who is always called the pride of philosophy1 the pride of ,english learning1 and whom the poet ,,pope calls greatest and wisest of mankind4 ,it is ,,lord ,,bacon of whom ,i am speaking4 ,he was ,lord ,high ,chancellor in the reign of ,james the ,first2 and1 let it be observed1 that he wrote those law tracts1 from which ,i am about to quote1 long after the present poor-laws had been established4 ,he says 7,law ,tracts1 page #ee17 ,the law chargeth no man with default where the act is compulsory and not voluntary1 and where there is not consent and election2 and1 therefore1 if either there be an impossibility for a man to do otherwise1 or so great a perturbation of the judgment and reason1 as in presumption of law a man's nature cannot overcome1 such necessity carrieth a privilege in itself4--,necessity is of three sorts3 necessity of conservation of life2 necessity of obedience2 and necessity of the act of ,god or of a stranger4--,first1 of conservation of life2 if a man steal viands 7victuals7 to satisfy his present hunger1 this is no felony nor larceny4 #dg4 ,if any man want more authority1 his heart must be hard indeed2 he must have an uncommonly anxious desire to take away by the halter the life that sought to preserve itself against hunger4 ,but1 after all1 what need had we of any authorities8 ,what need had we even of reason upon the subject8 ,who is there upon the face of the earth1 except the monsters that come from across the channel of ,st4 ,george2 who is there upon the face of the earth1 except those monsters1 that have the brass1 the hard hearts and the brazen faces1 which enable them coolly to talk of the ,,merit of the degraded creatures1 who1 amidst an abundance of food1 amidst a superabundance of food1 lie quietly down and receive the extreme unction1 and expire with hunger8 ,who1 upon the face of the whole earth1 except these monsters1 these ruffians by way of excellence2 who1 except these1 the most insolent and hard-hearted ruffians that ever lived1 will contend1 or will dare to think1 that there ought to be any force under heaven to compel a man to lie down at the door of a baker's and butcher's shop1 and expire with hunger6 ,the very nature of man makes him shudder at the thought4 ,there want no authorities2 no appeal to law books2 no arguments2 no questions of right or wrong3 that same human nature that tells me that ,i am not to cut my neighbour's throat1 and drink his blood1 tells me that ,i am not to make him die at my feet by keeping from him food or raiment of which ,i have more than ,i want for my own preservation4 #dh4 ,talk of barbarians1 indeed2 ,talk of the dark and barbarous ages4 ,why1 even in the days of the ,,druids1 such barbarity as that of putting men to death1 or of punishing them for taking to relieve their hunger1 was never thought of4 ,in the year #ahaa1 the ,,rev4 ,,peter ,,roberts1 ,a4 ,m4 published a book1 entitled ,,collectanea ,,cambrica4 ,in the first volume of that book1 there is an account of the laws of the ,,ancient ,,britons4 ,hume1 and other ,scotchmen1 would make us believe1 that the ancient inhabitants of this country were a set of savages1 clothed in skins and the like4 ,the laws of this people were collected and put into writing1 in the year #fid before ,christ4 ,the following extract from these laws shows1 that the moment civil society began to exist1 that moment the law took care that people should not be starved to death4 ,that moment it took care1 that provision should be made for the destitute1 or that1 in cases of extreme necessity1 men were to preserve themselves from death by taking from those who had to spare4 ,the words of these laws 7as applicable to our case7 given by ,mr4 ,,roberts1 are as follows3--,there are three distinct kinds of personal individual property1 which cannot be shared with another1 or surrendered in payment of fine2 viz41 a wife1 a child1 and argyfrew4 ,by the word argyfrew is meant1 clothes1 arms1 or the implements of a lawful calling4 ,for without these a man has not the means of support1 and it would be unjust in the law to unman a man1 or to uncall a man as to his calling4 ,,triad #ec;d4--,three kinds of ,,thieves are not to be punished with ,,death4 #a4 ,a wife1 who joins with her husband in theft4 #b4 ,a youth under age4 ,and #c4 ,one who1 after he has asked1 in vain1 for support1 in three towns1 and at nine houses in each town4 ,,triad #acg4 #di4 ,there were1 then1 houses and towns1 it seems2 and the towns were pretty thickly spread too2 and1 as to civilization and refinement1 let this law relative to a youth under age1 be compared with the new orchard and garden law1 and with the tread-mill affair1 and new trespass law6 #ej4 ,we have a law1 called the ,,vagrant ,,act1 to punish men for begging4 ,we have a law to punish men for not working to keep their families4 ,now1 with what show of justice can these laws be maintained8 ,they are founded upon this2 the first1 that begging is disgraceful to the country2 that it is degrading to the character of man1 and1 of course1 to the character of an ,englishman2 and1 that there is no necessity for begging1 because the law has made ample provision for every person in distress4 ,the law for punishing men for not working to maintain their families is founded on this1 that they are doing wrong to their neighbours2 their neighbours1 that is to say1 the parish1 being bound to keep the family1 if they be not kept by the man's labour2 and1 therefore1 his not labouring is a wrong done to the parish4 ,the same may be said with regard to the punishment for not maintaining bastard children4 ,there is some reason for these laws1 as long as the poor-laws are duly executed2 as long as the poor are duly relieved1 according to law2 but1 unless the poor-laws exist2 unless they be in full force2 unless they be duly executed2 unless efficient and prompt relief be given to necessitous persons1 these acts1 and many others approaching to a similar description1 are acts of barefaced and most abominable tyranny4 ,i should say that they would be acts of such tyranny2 for generally speaking1 the poor-laws are1 as yet1 fairly executed1 and efficient as to their object4 #ea4 ,the law of this country is1 that every man1 able to carry arms1 is liable to be called on1 to serve in the militia1 or to serve as a soldier in some way or other1 in order to defend the country4 ,what1 then1 the man has no land2 he has no property beyond his mere body1 and clothes1 and tools2 he has nothing that an enemy can take away from him4 ,what justice is there1 then1 in calling upon this man to take up arms and risk his life in the defence of the land3 what is the land to him8 ,i say1 that it is something to him2 ,i say1 that he ought to be called forth to assist to defend the land2 because1 however poor he may be1 he has a share in the land1 through the poor-rates2 and if he be liable to be called forth to defend the land1 the land is always liable to be taxed for his support4 ,this is what ,i say3 my opinions are consistent with reason1 with justice1 and with the law of the land2 but1 how can ,,malthus and his silly and nasty disciples2 how can those who want to abolish the poor-rates or to prevent the poor from marrying2 how can this at once stupid and conceited tribe look the labouring man in the face1 while they call upon him to take up arms1 to risk his life1 in defence of the land8 ,grant that the poor-laws are just2 grant that every necessitous creature has a right to demand relief from some parish or other2 grant that the law has most effectually provided that every man shall be protected against the effects of hunger and of cold2 grant these1 and then the law which compels the man without house or land to take up arms and risk his life in defence of the country1 is a perfectly just law2 but1 deny to the necessitous that legal and certain relief of which ,i have been speaking2 abolish the poor laws2 and then this military-service law becomes an act of a character such as ,i defy any pen or tongue to describe4 #eb4 ,to say another word upon the subject is certainly unnecessary2 but we live in days when stern necessity has so often been pleaded for most flagrant departures from the law of the land1 that one cannot help asking1 whether there were any greater necessity to justify ,,addington for his deeds of #ahag than there would be to justify a starving man in taking a loaf8 ,,addington pleaded necessity1 and he got a ,bill of ,indemnity4 ,and1 shall a starving man be hanged1 then1 if he take a loaf to save himself from dying8 ,when ,,six ,,acts were before the ,parliament1 the proposers and supporters of them never pretended that they did not embrace a most dreadful departure from the ancient laws of the land4 ,in answer to ,,lord ,,holland1 who had dwelt forcibly on this departure from the ancient law1 the ,lord ,chancellor1 unable to contradict ,,lord ,,holland1 exclaimed1 ,salus populi suprema lex1 that is to say ,the salvation of the people is the first law4 ,well1 then1 if the salvation of the people be the first law1 the salvation of life is really and bona fide the salvation of the people2 and1 if the ordinary laws may be dispensed with1 in order to obviate a possible and speculative danger1 surely they may be dispensed with1 in cases where to dispense with them is visibly1 demonstrably1 notoriously1 necessary to the salvation of the lives of the people3 surely1 bread is as necessary to the lips of the starving man1 as a new law could be necessary to prevent either house of parliament from being brought into contempt2 and surely1 therefore1 ,salus populi suprema lex may come from the lips of the famishing people with as much propriety as they came from those of the ,lord ,chancellor6 #ec4 ,again1 however1 ,i observe1 and with this ,i conclude1 that we have nothing to do but to adhere to the poor-laws which we have2 that the poor have nothing to do1 but to apply to the overseer1 or to appeal from him to the magistrate2 that the magistrate has nothing to do but duly to enforce the law2 and that the government has nothing to do1 in order to secure the peace of the country1 amidst all the difficulties that are approaching1 great and numerous as they are2 that it has nothing to do1 but to enjoin on the magistrates to do their duty according to our excellent law2 and1 at the same time1 the government ought to discourage1 by all the means in their power1 all projects for maintaining the poor by any other than legal means2 to discourage all begging-box affairs2 all miserable expedients2 and also to discourage1 and1 where it is possible1 fix its mark of reprobation upon all those detestable projectors1 who are hatching schemes for what is called1 in the blasphemous slang of the day1 checking the surplus population who are hatching schemes for preventing the labouring people from having children3 who are about spreading their nasty beastly publications2 who are hatching schemes of emigration2 and who1 in short1 seem to be doing every-thing in their power to widen the fearful breach that has already been made between the poor and the rich4 ,the government has nothing to do but to cause the law to be honestly enforced2 and then we shall see no starvation1 and none of those dreadful conflicts which the fear of want1 as well as actual want1 never fail to produce4 ,the bare thought of forced emigration to a foreign state1 including1 as it must1 a transfer of all allegiance1 which is contrary to the fundamental laws of ,england2 or1 exposing every emigrating person to the danger of committing high treason2 the very thought of such a measure1 having become necessary in ,england1 is enough to make an ,englishman mad4 ,but1 of these projects1 these scandalous nasty beastly and shameless projects1 we shall have time to speak hereafter2 and in the mean while1 ,i take my leave of you1 for the present1 by expressing my admiration of the sensible and spirited conduct of the people of ,,stockport1 when an attempt was1 on the #eth of ,september1 made to cheat them into an address1 applauding the conduct of the ,ministers6 ,what6 ,had the people of ,,stockport so soon forgotten #afth of ,august6 ,had they so soon forgotten their townsman1 ,,joseph ,,swan6 ,if they had1 they would have deserved to perish to all eternity4 ,oh1 no6 ,it was a proposition very premature3 it will be quite soon enough for the good and sensible and spirited fellows of ,,stockport2 quite soon enough to address the ,ministers1 when the ,ministers shall have proposed a repeal of the several ,jubilee measures1 called ,ellenborough's law2 the poacher-transporting law2 the sun-set and sun-rise transportation law2 the tread-mill law2 the select-vestry law2 the ,sunday-toll laws2 the new trespass law2 the new treason law2 the seducing-soldier-hanging law2 the new apple-felony law2 the ,,six ,,acts2 and a great number of others1 passed in the reign of ,jubilee4 ,quite soon enough to applaud1 that is1 for the sensible people of ,,stockport to applaud1 the ,ministers1 when those ,ministers have proposed to repeal these laws1 and1 also1 to repeal the malt tax1 and those other taxes1 which take1 even from the pauper1 one half of what the parish gives him to keep the breath warm in his body4 ,quite soon enough to applaud the ,ministers1 when they have done these things2 and when in addition to all these1 they shall have openly proposed a radical reform of the ,commons ,house of ,parliament4 ,leaving them to do this as soon as they like1 and trusting1 that you will never1 on any account1 applaud them until they do it1 ,i1 expressing here my best thanks to ,mr4 ,,blackshaw1 who defeated the slavish scheme at ,stockport1 remain1 ,your faithful friend1 and most obedient servant1 ,,wm4 ,,cobbett4 ,,number ,,iii4 ,hurstbourne ,tarrant 7called ,uphusband17 ,hants1 #acth ,october1 #ahbf4 ,,my ,,excellent ,,friends1 #ed4 ,in the foregoing ,numbers1 ,i have shown1 that men can never be so poor as to have no rights at all3 and that1 in ,england1 they have a legal1 as well as a natural1 right to be maintained1 if they be destitute of other means1 out of the lands1 or other property1 of the rich4 ,but1 it is an interesting question1 ,,how ,,there ,,came ,,to ,,be ,,so ,,much ,,poverty ,,and ,,misery ,,in ,,england4 ,this is a very interesting question2 for1 though it is the doom of man1 that he shall never be certain of any-thing1 and that he shall never be beyond the reach of calamity2 though there always has been1 and always will be1 poor people in every nation2 though this circumstance of poverty is inseparable from the means which uphold communities of men2 though1 without poverty1 there could be no charity1 and none of those feelings1 those offices1 those acts1 and those relationships1 which are connected with charity1 and which form a considerable portion of the cement of civil society3 yet1 notwithstanding these things1 there are bounds beyond which the poverty of the people cannot go1 without becoming a thing to complain of1 and to trace to the ,government as a fault4 ,those bounds have been passed1 in ,england1 long and long ago4 ,england was always famed for many things2 but especially for its good living2 that is to say1 for the plenty in which the whole of the people lived2 for the abundance of good clothing and good food which they had4 ,it was always1 ever since it bore the name of ,england1 the richest and most powerful and most admired country in ,europe2 but1 its good living1 its superiority in this particular respect1 was proverbial amongst all who knew1 or who had heard talk of1 the ,english nation4 ,good ,god6 ,how changed6 ,now1 the very worst fed and worst clad people upon the face of the earth1 those of ,ireland only excepted4 ,how1 then1 did this horrible1 this disgraceful1 this cruel poverty come upon this once happy nation8 ,this1 my good friends of ,preston1 is1 to us all1 a most important question2 and1 now let us endeavour to obtain a full and complete answer to it4 #ee4 ,,poverty is1 after all1 the great badge1 the never-failing badge1 of slavery4 ,bare bones and rags are the true marks of the real slave4 ,what is the object of ,government8 ,to cause men to live happily4 ,they cannot be happy without a sufficiency of food and of raiment4 ,good government means a state of things in which the main body are well fed and well clothed4 ,it is the chief business of a government to take care1 that one part of the people do not cause the other part to lead miserable lives4 ,there can be no morality1 no virtue1 no sincerity1 no honesty1 amongst a people continually suffering from want2 and1 it is cruel1 in the last degree1 to punish such people for almost any sort of crime1 which is1 in fact1 not crime of the heart1 not crime of the perpetrator1 but the crime of his all-controlling necessities4--,to what degree the main body of the people1 in ,england1 are now poor and miserable2 how deplorably wretched they now are2 this we know but too well2 and now1 we will see what was their state before this vaunted ,,reformation4 ,i shall be very particular to cite my authorities here4 ,i will infer nothing2 ,i will give no estimate2 but refer to authorities1 such as no man can call in question1 such as no man can deny to be proofs more complete than if founded on oaths of credible witnesses1 taken before a judge and jury4 ,i shall begin with the account which ,,fortescue gives of the state and manner of living of the ,english1 in the reign of ,henry ,,vi42 that is1 in the #aeth century1 when the ,catholic ,church was in the height of its glory4 ,,fortescue was ,lord ,chief ,justice of ,england for nearly twenty years2 he was appointed ,lord ,high ,chancellor by ,henry ,,vi4 ,being in exile1 in ,france1 in consequence of the wars between the ,houses of ,york and ,lancaster1 and the ,king's son1 ,prince ,edward1 being also in exile with him1 the ,chancellor wrote a series of ,letters1 addressed to the ,prince1 to explain to him the nature and effects of the ,laws of ,england1 and to induce him to study them and uphold them4 ,this work1 which was written in ,latin1 is called ,de ,laudibus ,legum ,angliae2 or1 ,,praise ,,of ,,the ,,laws ,,of ,,england4 ,this book was1 many years ago1 translated into ,english1 and it is a book of ,law-,authority1 quoted frequently in our courts of this day4 ,no man can doubt the truth of facts related in such a work4 ,it was a work written by a famous lawyer for a prince2 it was intended to be read by other contemporary lawyers1 and also by all lawyers in future4 ,the passage that ,i am about to quote1 relating to the state of the ,english1 was purely incidental2 it was not intended to answer any temporary purpose4 ,it must have been a true account4--,the ,chancellor1 after speaking generally of the nature of the laws of ,england1 and of the difference between them and the laws of ,france1 proceeds to show the difference in their effects1 by a description of the state of the ,french people1 and then by a description of the state of the ,english4 ,his words1 words that1 as ,i transcribe them1 make my cheeks burn with shame1 are as follows3 ,besides all this1 the inhabitants of ,france give every year to their ,king the fourth part of all their wines1 the growth of that year1 every vintner gives the fourth penny of what he makes of his wine by sale4 ,and all the towns and boroughs pay to the ,king yearly great sums of money1 which are assessed upon them1 for the expenses of his men at arms4 ,so that the ,king's troops1 which are always considerable1 are substituted and paid yearly by those common people1 who live in the villages1 boroughs1 and cities4 ,another grievance is1 every village constantly finds and maintains two cross-bow-men1 at the least2 some find more1 well arrayed in all their accoutrements1 to serve the ,king in his wars1 as often as he pleaseth to call them out1 which is frequently done4 ,without any consideration had of these things1 other very heavy taxes are assessed yearly upon every village within the kingdom1 for the ,king's service2 neither is there ever any intermission or abatement of taxes4 ,exposed to these and other calamities1 the peasants live in great hardship and misery4 ,their constant drink is water1 neither do they taste1 throughout the year1 any other liquor1 unless upon some extraordinary times1 or festival days4 ,their clothing consists of frocks1 or little short jerkins1 made of canvass1 no better than common sackcloth2 they do not wear any woollens1 except of the coarsest sort2 and that only in the garment under their frocks2 nor do they wear any trowse1 but from the knees upwards2 their legs being exposed and naked4 ,the women go barefoot1 except on holidays4 ,they do not eat flesh1 except it be the fat of bacon1 and that in very small quantities1 with which they make a soup4 ,of other sorts1 either boiled or roasted1 they do not so much as taste1 unless it be of the inwards and offals of sheep and bullocks1 and the like which are killed1 for the use of the better sort of people1 and the merchants2 for whom also quails1 partridges1 hares1 and the like1 are reserved1 upon pain of the gallies2 as for their poultry1 the soldiers consume them1 so that scarce the eggs1 slight as they are1 are indulged them1 by way of a dainty4 ,and if it happen that a man is observed to thrive in the world1 and become rich1 he is presently assessed to the ,king's tax1 proportionably more than his poorer neighbours1 whereby he is soon reduced to a level with the rest4 ,then comes his description of the ,,english1 at the same time2 those priest-ridden ,english1 whom ,,chalmers and ,,hume1 and the rest of that tribe1 would fain have us believe1 were a mere band of wretched beggars4--,the ,king of ,england cannot alter the laws1 or make new ones1 without the express consent of the whole kingdom in ,parliament assembled4 ,every inhabitant is at his liberty fully to use and enjoy whatever his farm produceth1 the fruits of the earth1 the increase of his flock1 and the like3 all the improvements he makes1 whether by his own proper industry1 or of those he retains in his service1 are his own1 to use and enjoy1 without the let1 interruption1 or denial of any4 ,if he be in anywise injured or oppressed1 he shall have his amends and satisfactions against the party offending4 ,hence it is that the inhabitants are rich in gold1 silver1 and in all the necessaries and conveniences of life4 ,they drink no water1 unless at certain times1 upon a religious score1 and by way of doing penance4 ,they are fed1 in great abundance1 with all sorts of flesh and fish1 of which they have plenty every-where2 they are clothed throughout in good woollens2 their bedding and other furniture in their houses are of wool1 and that in great store4 ,they are also well provided with all other sorts of household goods and necessary implements for husbandry4 ,every one1 according to his rank1 hath all things which conduce to make life easy and happy4--,go1 and read this to the poor souls1 who are now eating sea-weed in ,ireland2 who are detected in robbing the pig-troughs in ,yorkshire2 who are eating horse-flesh and grains 7draff7 in ,lancashire and ,cheshire2 who are harnessed like horses1 and drawing gravel in ,hampshire and ,sussex2 who have #c;d4 a day allowed them by the magistrates in ,norfolk2 who are1 all over ,england1 worse fed than the felons in the jails4 ,go1 and tell them1 when they raise their hands from the pig-trough1 or from the grains-tub1 and1 with their dirty tongues1 cry ,no ,popery2 go1 read to the degraded and deluded wretches1 this account of the state of their ,catholic forefathers1 who lived under what is impudently called ,popish superstition and tyranny1 and in those times which we have the audacity to call the dark ages4--,look at the then picture of the ,french2 and1 ,protestant ,englishmen1 if you have the capacity of blushing left1 blush at the thought of how precisely that picture fits the ,english now6 ,look at all the parts of the picture2 the food1 the raiment1 the game6 ,good ,god6 ,if any one had told the old ,chancellor1 that the day would come1 when this picture1 and even a picture more degrading to human nature1 would fit his own boasted country1 what would he have said8 ,what would he have said1 if he had been told1 that the time was to come1 when the soldier1 in ,england1 would have more than twice1 nay1 more than thrice1 the sum allowed to the day-labouring man2 when potatoes would be carried to the field as the only food of the ploughman2 when soup-shops would be open to feed the ,english2 and when the ,judges1 sitting on that very ,bench on which he himself had sitten for twenty years1 would 7as in the case of last year of the complaints against ,magistrates at ,,northallerton7 declare that ,,bread ,,and ,,water were the general food of working people in ,england8 ,what would he have said8 ,why1 if he had been told1 that there was to be a ,,reformation1 accompanied by a total devastation of ,church and ,poor property1 upheld by wars1 creating an enormous ,debt and enormous taxes1 and requiring a constantly standing army2 if he had been told this1 he would have foreseen our present state1 and would have wept for his country2 but1 if he had1 in addition1 been told1 that1 even in the midst of all this suffering1 we should still have the ingratitude and the baseness to cry ,no ,popery1 and the injustice and the cruelty to persecute those ,englishmen and ,irishmen1 who adhered to the faith of their pious1 moral1 brave1 free and happy fathers1 he would have said1 ,god's will be done3 let them suffer4--,but1 it may be said1 that it was not1 then1 the ,catholic ,church1 but the ,laws1 that made the ,english so happy2 for1 the ,french had that ,church as well as the ,english4 ,aye6 ,but1 in ,england1 the ,church was the very basis of the laws4 ,the very first clause of ,,magna ,,charta provided for the stability of its property and rights4 ,a provision for the indigent1 an effectual provision1 was made by the laws that related to the ,church and its property2 and this was not the case in ,france2 and never was the case in any country but this3 so that the ,english people lost more by a ,reformation than any other people could have lost4--,fortescue's authority would1 of itself1 be enough2 but1 ,i am not to stop with it4 ,,white1 the late ,rector of ,,selbourne1 in ,hampshire1 gives1 in his ,history of that once-famous village1 an extract from a record1 stating that for disorderly conduct1 men were punished by being compelled to fast a fortnight on bread and beer6 ,this was about the year #achj1 in the reign of ,,richard ,,ii4 ,oh6 miserable dark ages6 ,this fact must be true4 ,,white had no purpose to answer4 ,his mention of the fact1 or rather his transcript from the record1 is purely incidental2 and trifling as the fact is1 it is conclusive as to the general mode of living in those happy days4 ,go1 tell the harnessed gravel-drawers1 in ,hampshire1 to cry ,no ,popery2 for1 that1 if the ,pope be not put down1 he may1 in time1 compel them to fast on bread and beer1 instead of suffering them to continue to regale themselves on nice potatoes and pure water4--,but1 let us come to ,acts of ,parliament1 and1 first1 to the ,act above mentioned of ,,king ,,edward ,,iii4 ,that ,act fixes the price of meat4 ,after naming the four sorts of meat1 beef1 pork1 mutton1 and veal1 the preamble has these words3 ,these being ,,the ,,food ,,of ,,the ,,poorer ,,sort4 ,this is conclusive4 ,it is an incidental mention of a fact4 ,it is an ,act of ,parliament4 ,it must have been true2 and1 it is a fact that we know well1 that even the ,judges have declared from the ,bench1 that bread alone is now the food of the poorer sort4 ,what do we want more than this to convince us1 that the main body of the people have been impoverished by the ,reformation8--,but ,i will prove1 by other ,acts of ,parliament1 this ,act of ,parliament to have spoken truth4 ,these ,acts declare what the wages of workmen shall be4 ,there are several such ,acts1 but one or two may suffice4 ,the ,act of #bc;d of ,,edw4 ,,iii4 fixes the wages1 without food1 as follows4 ,there are many other things mentioned1 but the following will be enough for our purpose4 s4 d4 ,a woman hay-making1 or weeding corn1 for the day #j #a ,a man filling dung-cart #j #c-a_/b ,a reaper #j #d ,mowing an acre of grass #j #f ,thrashing a quarter of ,wheat #j #d ,the price of shoes1 cloth1 and of provisions1 throughout the time that this law continued in force1 was as follows3-- ,l4 s4 d4 ,a pair of shoes #j #j #d ,russet broad-cloth the yard #j #a #a ,a stall-fed ox #a #d #j ,a grass-fed ox #j #af #j ,a fat sheep unshorn #j #a #h ,a fat sheep shorn #j #a #b ,a fat hog #b years old #j #c #d ,a fat goose #j #j #b-a_/b ,ale1 the gallon1 by proclamation #j #j #a ,wheat the quarter #j #c #d ,white wine the gallon #j #j #f ,red wine #j #j #d ,these prices are taken from the ,,preciosum of ,,bishop ,,fleetwood1 who took them from the accounts kept by the bursers of convents4 ,all the world knows1 that ,,fleetwood',s book is of undoubted authority4--,we may then easily believe1 that beef1 pork1 mutton1 and veal1 were the food of the poorer sort1 when a dung-cart filler had more than the price of a fat goose and a half for a day's work1 and when a woman was allowed1 for a day's weeding1 the price of a quart of red wine6 ,two yards of the cloth made a coat for the shepherd2 and1 as it cost #bs4 #b;d41 the reaper would earn it in #f-a_/b days2 and1 the dung-cart man would earn very nearly a pair of shoes every day6 this dung-cart filler would earn a fat shorn sheep in four days2 he would earn a fat hog1 two years old1 in twelve days2 he would earn a grass-fed ox in twenty days2 so that we may easily believe1 that beef1 pork1 and mutton1 were the food of the poorer sort4 ,and1 mind1 this was a priest-ridden people2 a people buried in ,popish superstition6 ,in our days of ,protestant light and of mental enjoyment1 the poorer sort are allowed by the ,magistrates of ,norfolk1 #c;d4 a day for a single man able to work4 ,that is to say1 a half-penny less than the ,catholic dung-cart man had2 and that #c;d4 will get the ,no ,popery gentleman about six ounces of old ewe-mutton1 while the ,popish dung-cart man got1 for his day1 rather more than the quarter of a fat sheep4--,but1 the popish people might work harder than enlightened ,protestants4 ,they might do more work in a day4 ,this is contrary to all the assertions of the feelosophers2 for they insist1 that the ,catholic religion made people idle4 ,but1 to set this matter at rest1 let us look at the price of the job-labour2 at the mowing by the acre1 and at the thrashing of wheat by the quarter2 and let us see how these wages are now1 compared with the price of food4 ,i have no parliamentary authority since the year #ahba1 when a report was printed by order of the ,house of ,commons1 containing the evidence of ,mr4 ,,ellman1 of ,sussex1 as to wages1 and of ,mr4 ,,george1 of ,norfolk1 as to price of wheat4 ,the report was dated #ahth ,june1 #ahba4 ,the accounts are for #bj years1 on an average1 from #ahjj inclusive4 ,we will now proceed to see how the popish1 priest-ridden ,englishman stands in comparison with the ,no ,popery ,englishman4 ,,popish ,,man4 ,,no ,,popery ,,man4 s4 d4 s4 d4 ,mowing an acre of grass #j #f #c #g-c_/d ,thrashing a quarter of ,wheat #j #d #d #j ,here are waust improvements1 ,mau'm6 ,but1 now let us look at the relative price of the wheat1 which the labourer had to purchase with his wages4 ,we have seen1 that the popish superstition slave had to give fivepence a bushel for his wheat1 and the evidence of ,mr4 ,,george states1 that the enlightened ,protestant had to give #aj shillings a bushel for his wheat2 that is #bd times as much as the popish fool1 who suffered himself to be priest-ridden4 ,so that the enlightened man1 in order to make him as well off as the dark-ages man was1 ought to receive twelve shillings1 instead of #cs4 #g-c_/d;d4 for mowing an acre of grass2 and he1 in like manner1 ought to receive1 for thrashing a quarter of wheat1 eight shillings1 instead of the four shillings which he does receive4 ,if we had the records1 we should doubtless find1 that ,,ireland was in the same state4 #ef4 ,there6 ,that settles the matter as to ancient good living4 ,now1 as to the progress of poverty and misery1 amongst the working people1 during the last half century1 take these facts2 in the year #agga1 that is1 #ee years ago1 ,,arthur ,,young1 who was afterwards ,secretary to the ,board of ,agriculture1 published a work on the state of the agriculture of the country1 in which he gave the allowance for the keeping of a farm-labourer1 his wife and three children1 which allowance1 reckoning according to the present money-price of the articles which he allows amounted to #acs4 #a;d4 ,he put the sum1 at what he deemed the lowest possible sum1 on which the people could exist4 ,alas6 we shall find1 that they can be made to exist upon little more than one-half of this sum6 #eg4 ,this allowance of ,mr4 ,,arthur ,,young was made1 observe1 in #agga1 which was before the ,old ,american ,war took place4 ,that war made some famous fortunes for admirals and commodores and contractors and pursers and generals and commissaries2 but1 it was not the ,americans1 the ,french1 nor the ,dutch1 that gave the money to make these fortunes4 ,they came out of ,english taxes2 and the heaviest part of those taxes fell upon the working people1 who1 when they were boasting of victories1 and rejoicing that the ,,jack ,,tars had got prize-money1 little dreamed that these victories were purchased by them1 and that they paid fifty pounds for every crown that sailors got in prize-money6 ,in short1 this ,american war caused a great mass of new taxes to be laid on1 and the people of ,england became a great deal poorer than they ever had been before4 ,during that war1 they ,,began ,,to ,,eat ,,potatoes1 as something to save bread4 ,the poorest of the people1 the very poorest of them1 refused1 for a long while1 to use them in this way2 and even when ,i was ten years old1 which was just about fifty years ago2 the poor people would not eat potatoes1 except with meat1 as they would cabbages1 or carrots1 or any other moist vegetable4 ,but1 by the end of the ,american war1 their stomachs had come to6 ,by slow degrees they had been reduced to swallow this pig-meat1 7and bad pig-meat too17 not1 indeed1 without grumbling2 but to swallow it2 to be reduced1 thus1 many degrees in the scale of animals4 #eh4 ,at the end of twenty-four years from the date of ,,arthur ,,young',s allowance1 the poverty and degradation of the ,english people had made great strides4 ,we were now in the year #agie1 and a new war1 and a new series of victories and prizes had begun4 ,but who it was that suffered for these1 out of whose blood and flesh and bones they came1 the allowance now 7in #agie7 made to the poor labourers and their families will tell4 ,there was1 in that year1 a ,,table1 or ,,scale1 of allowance1 framed by the ,magistrates of ,berkshire4 ,this is1 by no means1 a hard county2 and therefore it is reasonable to suppose1 that the scale was as good a one for the poor as any in ,england4 ,according to this scale1 which was printed and published1 and also acted upon for years1 the weekly allowance1 for a man1 his wife and three children1 was1 according to present money-prices1 #aas4 #d;d4 ,thus it had1 in the space of twenty-four years1 fell from #acs4 #a;d4 to #aas4 #d;d4 ,thus were the people brought to the pig-meat6 ,food1 fit for men1 they could not have with #aas4 #d;d4 a week for five persons4 #ei4 ,one would have thought1 that to make a human being live upon #d;d4 a day1 and find fuel1 clothing1 rent1 washing1 and bedding1 out of the #d;d41 besides eating and drinking1 was impossible2 and one would have thought it impossible for any-thing not of hellish birth and breeding1 to entertain a wish to make poor creatures1 and our neighbours too1 exist in such a state of horrible misery and degradation as the labourers of ,england were condemned to by this scale of #agie4 ,alas6 this was happiness and honour2 this was famous living2 this #aas4 #d;d4 a week was luxury and feasting1 compared to what we ,,now ,,behold6 ,for now the allowance1 according to present money-prices1 is #hs4 a week for the man1 his wife1 and three children2 that is to say #b-e_/g d4 ,in words1 ,,two ,,pence ,,and ,,five ,,sevenths ,,of ,,another ,,penny1 ,,for ,a ,,day6 ,there1 that is ,england now6 ,that is what the base wretches1 who are fattening upon the people's labour1 call the envy of surrounding nations and the admiration of the world4 ,this is what ,,sir ,,francis ,,burdett applauds2 and he applauds the mean and cruel and dastardly ruffians1 whom he calls1 the country gentlemen of ,england1 and whose generosity he cries up2 while he well knows1 that it is they 7and he amongst the rest7 who are the real and only cause of this devil-like barbarity1 which 7and he well knows that too7 could not possibly be practised without the constant existence and occasional employment of that species of force1 which is so abhorrent to the laws of ,england1 and of which this ,burdett's son forms a part4 ,the poor creatures1 if they complain2 if their hunger make them cry out1 are either punished by even harder measures1 or are slapped into prison4 ,alas6 the jail is really become a place of relief1 a scene of comparative good living3 hence the invention of the tread-mill6 ,what shall we see next8 ,workhouses1 badges1 hundred-houses1 select-vestries1 tread-mills1 gravel-carts1 and harness6 ,what shall we see next6 ,and what should we see at last1 if this infernal ,,thing could continue for only a few years longer8 #fj4 ,in order to form a judgment of the cruelty of making our working neighbours live upon #b-e_/g;d4 a day2 that is to say #b;d4 and rather more than a halfpenny1 let us see what the surgeons allow in the hospitals1 to patients with broken limbs1 who1 of course1 have no work to do1 and who cannot even take any exercise4 ,in ,,guy',s ,,hospital1 ,london1 the daily allowance to patients1 having simple fractures1 is this3 #f ounces of meat2 #ab ounces of bread2 #a pint of broth2 #b quarts of good beer4 ,this is the daily allowance4 ,then1 in addition to this1 the same patient has #ab ounces of butter a week4 ,these articles1 for a week1 amount to not less at present retail prices 7and those are the poor man's prices17 than #fs4 #i;d4 a week2 while the working man is allowed #as4 #g;d4 a week6 ,for1 he cannot and he will not see his wife and children actually drop down dead with hunger before his face2 and this is what he must see1 if he take to himself more than a fifth of the allowance for the family4 #fa4 ,now1 pray1 observe1 that surgeons1 and particularly those eminent surgeons who frame rules and regulations for great establishments like that of ,guy's ,hospital1 are competent judges of what nature requires in the way of food and of drink4 ,they are1 indeed1 not only competent judges1 but they are the best of judges3 they know precisely what is necessary2 and having the power to order the proper allowance1 they order it4 ,if1 then1 they make an allowance like that1 which we have seen1 to a person who is under a regimen for a broken limb2 to a person who does no work1 and who is1 nine times out of ten1 unable to take any exercise at all1 even that of walking about1 at least in the open air2 if the eminent surgeons of ,london deem six shillings and ninepence worth of victuals and drink1 a week1 necessary to such a patient2 if they think that nature calls for so much in such a case2 what must that man be made of1 who can allow to a working man1 a man fourteen hours every day in the open air1 one shilling and seven pence worth of victuals and drink for the week6 ,let me not however ask what that man can be made of2 for it is a monster and not a man3 it is a murderer of men3 not a murderer with the knife or the pistol1 but with the more cruel instrument of starvation4 ,and yet1 such monsters go to church and to meeting2 aye1 and subscribe1 the base hypocrites1 to circulate that ,bible which commands to do as they would be done by1 and which1 from the first chapter to the last1 menaces them with punishment1 if they be hard to the poor1 the fatherless1 the widow1 or the stranger6 #fb4 ,but1 not only is the patient1 in a hospital1 thus so much more amply fed than the working man2 the prisoners in the jails2 aye1 even the convicted felons1 are fed better1 and much better1 than the working men now are6 ,here is a fine ,old ,england2 that country of roast beef and plumb pudding3 that1 as the tax-eaters say it is1 envy of surrounding nations and admiration of the world4 ,aye2 the country ,,was all these2 but1 it is now precisely the reverse of them all4 ,we have just seen that the honest labouring man is allowed #b-e_/g;d4 a day2 and that will buy him a pound and a half of good bread a day1 and no more1 not a single crumb more4 ,this is all he has4 ,well enough might the ,hampshire ,baronet1 ,,sir ,,john ,,pollen1 lately1 at a meeting at ,andover1 call the labourers poor devils1 and say1 that they had scarcely a rag to cover them6 ,a pound and a half of bread a day1 and nothing more1 and that1 too1 to work upon6 ,now1 then1 how fare the prisoners in the jails8 ,why1 if they be ,,convicted ,,felons1 they are1 say the ,berkshire jail-regulations1 to have ,,only ,,bread and water1 with vegetables occasionally from the garden4 ,here1 then1 they are already better fed than the honest labouring man4 ,aye1 and this is not all2 for1 this is only the week-day fare2 for1 they are to have1 on ,sundays1 ,,some ,,meat and broth6 ,good ,god6 ,and the honest working man can never1 never smell the smell of meat6 ,this is envy of surrounding nations with the devil to it6 ,this is a state of things for ,burdett to applaud4 #fc4 ,but we are not even yet come to a sight of the depth of our degradation4 ,these ,berkshire jail-regulations make provision for setting the convicted prisoners1 in certain cases1 ,,to ,,work1 and1 they say1 if the surgeon think it necessary1 the ,,working ,,prisoners may be allowed ,,meat ,,and ,,broth ,,on ,,week-,,days2 and on ,sundays1 of course6 ,there it is6 ,there is the envy and admiration6 ,there is the state to which ,mr4 ,prosperity and ,mr4 ,canning's best ,parliament has brought us4 ,there is the result of victories and prize-money and battles of ,waterloo and of ,english ladies kissing1 ,old ,blucher4 ,there is the fruit1 the natural fruit1 of anti-jacobinism and battles on the ,serpentine ,river and jubilees and heaven-born ministers and sinking-funds and public credit and army and navy contracts4 ,there is the fruit1 the natural1 the nearly 7but not quite7 ripe fruit of it all3 the ,,convicted ,,felon is1 if he do not work at all1 allowed1 on week-days1 some vegetables in addition to his bread1 and1 on ,sundays1 both meat and broth2 and1 if the ,,convicted ,,felon work1 if he be a ,,working convicted felon1 he is allowed meat and broth all the week round2 while1 hear it ,burdett1 thou ,berkshire magistrate6 hear it1 all ye base miscreants who have persecuted men because they sought a reform6 ,the ,,working ,,convicted ,,felon is allowed meat and broth every day in the year1 while the ,,working ,,honest ,,man is allowed nothing but dry bread1 and of that not half a belly-full6 ,and yet you see the people that seem surprised that crimes increase6 ,very strange1 to be sure2 that men should like to work upon meat and broth better than they like to work upon dry bread6 ,no wonder that new jails arise4 ,no wonder that there are now two or three or four or five jails to one county1 and that as much is now written upon prison discipline as upon almost any subject that is going4 ,but1 why so good1 so generous1 to ,,felons8 ,the truth is1 that they are not fed too well2 for1 to be starved is no part of their sentence2 and1 here are ,,surgeons who have something to say6 ,they know very well that a man may be murdered by keeping necessary food from him4 ,felons are not apt to lie down and die quietly for want of food4 ,the jails are in large towns1 where the news of any cruelty soon gets about4 ,so that the felons have many circumstances in their favour4 ,it is in the villages1 the recluse villages1 where the greatest cruelties are committed4 #fd4 ,here1 then1 in this contrast between the treatment of the ,,working ,,felon and that of the ,,working ,,honest ,,man1 we have a complete picture of the present state of ,england2 that horrible state1 to which1 by slow degrees1 this once happy country has been brought2 and1 ,i should now proceed to show1 as ,i proposed in the first paragraph of this present ,number1 ,,how ,,there ,,came ,,to ,,be ,,so ,,much ,,poverty ,,and ,,misery ,,in ,,england2 for1 this is the main thing1 it being clear1 that1 if we do not see the real causes of our misery1 we shall be very unlikely to adopt any effectual remedy4 ,but1 before ,i enter on this part of my subject1 let me prove1 beyond all possibility of doubt1 that what ,i say relatively to the situation of1 and the allowances to1 the labourers and their families1 ,,is ,,true4 ,the cause of such situation and allowances ,i shall show hereafter2 but let me first show1 by a reference to indubitable facts1 that the situation and allowances are such as1 or worse than1 ,i have described them4 ,to do this1 no way seems to me to be so fair1 so likely to be free from error1 so likely to produce a suitable impression on the minds of my readers1 and so likely to lead to some useful practical result2 no way seems to me so well calculated to answer these purposes1 as that of taking the very village1 in which1 ,i1 at this moment1 happen to be1 and to describe1 with names and dates1 the actual state of its labouring people1 as far as that state is connected with steps taken under the poor-laws4 #fe4 ,this village was in former times a very considerable place1 as is manifest from the size of the church as well as from various other circumstances4 ,it is now1 as a church living1 united with an adjoining parish1 called ,,vernon ,,dean1 which also has its church1 at a distance of about three miles from the church of this parish4 ,both parishes put together now contain only eleven hundred1 and a few odd1 inhabitants1 men1 women1 children1 and all2 and yet1 the great tithes are supposed to be worth two or three thousand pounds a year1 and the small tithes about six hundred pounds a year4 ,formerly1 before the event which is called ,,the ,,reformation1 there were two ,roman ,catholic priests living at the parsonage houses in these two parishes4 ,they could not marry1 and could1 therefore have no wives and families to keep out of the tithes2 and1 ,,with ,,part ,,of ,,those ,,tithes1 ,,they1 ,,as ,,the ,,law ,,provided1 ,,maintained ,,the ,,poor ,,of ,,these ,,two ,,parishes2 and1 the canons of the church commanded them to distribute the portion to the poor and the stranger1 with their own hands1 in humility and mercy4 #ff4 ,this1 as to church and poor1 was the state of these villages1 in the dark ages of ,romish superstition4 ,what6 ,no poor-laws8 ,no poor-rates8 ,what horribly unenlightened times6 ,no select vestries8 ,dark ages indeed6 ,but1 how stands these matters now8 ,why1 the two parishes are moulded into one church living4 ,then the ,,great ,,tithes 7amounting to two or three thousand a year7 belong to some part of the ,chapter 7as they call it7 of ,salisbury4 ,the ,chapter leases them out1 as they would a house or a farm1 and they are now rented by ,,john ,,king1 who is one of this happy nation's greatest and oldest pensioners4 ,so that1 away go the great tithes1 not leaving a single wheat-ear to be spent in the parish4 ,the ,,small ,,tithes belong to a ,,vicar1 who is one ,,fisher1 a nephew of the late bishop of ,salisbury1 who has not resided here for a long while2 and who has a curate1 named ,,john ,,gale1 who being the son of a little farmer and shop-keeper at ,,burbage in ,wiltshire1 was1 by a parson of the name of ,,bailey 7very well known and remembered in these parts71 put to school2 and1 in the fulness of time1 became a curate4 ,so that1 away go also the small tithes 7amounting to about #ejjl4 or #fjjl4 a year72 and1 out of the large church revenues2 or1 rather1 large church-and-poor revenues1 of these two parishes2 out of the whole of them1 there remains only the amount of the curate1 ,mr4 ,,john ,,gale',s1 salary1 which does not1 perhaps1 exceed seventy or a hundred pounds1 and a part of which1 at any rate1 ,i dare say1 he does not expend in these parishes3 away goes1 ,i say1 all the rest of the small tithes1 leaving not so much as a mess of milk or a dozen of eggs1 much less a tithe-pig1 to be consumed in the parish4 #fg4 ,as to the poor1 the parishes continue to be in two2 so that ,i am to be considered as speaking of the parish of ,,uphusband only4 ,you are aware1 that1 amongst the last of the acts of the famous ,,jubilee-,,reign1 was an act to enable parishes to establish ,,select ,,vestries2 and one of these vestries now exists in this parish4 ,and now1 let me explain to you the nature and tendency of this ,jubilee-,act4 ,before this ,act was passed1 overseers of the poor had full authority to grant relief at their discretion4 ,pray mark that4 ,then again1 before this ,act was passed1 any one justice of the peace might1 on complaint of any poor person1 order relief4 ,mark that4 ,a select vestry is to consist of the most considerable rate-payers4 ,mark that4 ,then1 mark these things3 this ,jubilee-,act forbids the overseer to grant any relief other than such as shall be ordered by the select vestry3 it forbids ,,one justice to order relief1 in any case1 except in a case of emergency3 it forbids ,,more ,,than ,,one to order relief1 except on oath that the complainant has applied to the select vestry 7where there is one17 and has been refused relief by it2 and that1 in no case1 the justice's order shall be for more than a month2 and1 moreover1 that when a poor person shall appeal to justices from a select vestry1 the justices1 in ordering relief1 or refusing1 shall have regard to the conduct and ,,character of the applicant6 #fh4 ,from this ,act1 one would imagine1 that overseers and justices were looked upon as being too soft and yielding a nature2 too good1 too charitable1 too liberal to the poor6 ,in order that the select vestry may have an agent suited to the purposes that the ,act manifestly has in view1 the ,act authorizes the select vestry to appoint what is called an assistant overseer1 and to give him a salary out of the poor-rates4 ,such is this ,jubilee-,act1 one of the last ,acts of the ,jubilee-reign1 that reign1 which gave birth to the ,american war1 to ,pitt1 to ,perceval1 ,ellenborough1 ,sidmouth1 and ,castlereagh1 to a thousand millions of taxes and another thousand millions of debt3 such is the ,select ,vestry ,act2 and this now little trifling village of ,,uphusband has a ,select-,vestry6 ,aye1 and an ,,assistant ,,overseer1 too1 with a salary of ,,fifty ,,pounds ,a ,,year1 being1 as you will presently see1 about a ,,seventh ,,part ,,of ,,the ,,whole ,,of ,,the ,,expenditure ,,on ,,the ,,poor6 #fi4 ,the ,overseers make out and cause to be printed and published1 at the end of every four weeks1 an account of the disbursements4 ,i have one of these accounts now before me2 and ,i insert it here1 word for word1 as follows3-- #gj4 ,the disbursements of ,mr4 ,t4 ,child and ,mr4 ,c4 ,church1 bread at #as4 #b;d4 per gallon4 ,sept4 #beth1 #ahbf4 ,,widows4 ,l4 s4 d4 ,l4 s4 d4 ,blake1 ,ann #j #h #j ,bray1 ,mary #j #h #j ,cook1 ,ann #j #g #f ,clark1 ,mary #j #aj #j ,gilbert1 ,hannah #j #h #j ,marshall1 ,sarah #j #aj #j ,smith1 ,mary #j #h #j ,westrip1 ,jane #j #h #j ,withers1 ,ann #j #h #j ,dance1 ,susan #j #h #j --------- #d #c #f ,,bastards4 ---- ---- #j #g #j ---- ---- #j #f #j ---- ---- #j #g #j ---- ---- #j #f #j ---- ---- #b children #j #ab #j ---- ---- #b children #j #ab #j ---- ---- - #aj #j ---- ---- - #h #j ---- ---- - #f #j ---- ---- - #h #j ---- ---- - #h #j ---- ---- - #f #j ---- ---- - #f #j ---- ---- - #f #j ---------- #e #h #j ,,old ,,men4 ,blake1 ,john #j #af #j ,cannon1 ,john #j #ad #j ,cummins1 ,peter #j #af #j ,hopgood1 ,john #j #af #j ,holden1 ,william #j #f #j ,marshall1 ,charles #j #af #j ,nutley1 ,george #j #g #j --------- #d #aa #j ,,families4 ,bowley1 ,mary #j #d #j ,baverstock1 ,elizabeth1 #b children #j #i #d ,cook1 ,levi #e children #j #e #d ,kingston1 ,john #f ditto #j #aj #j ,knight1 ,john #f ditto #j #aj #j ,newman1 ,david #e ditto #j #e #d ,pain1 ,robert #e ditto #j #e #d ,synea1 ,william #f ditto #j #aj #j ,smith1 ,sarah 7,moses7 #a ditto #j #d #h ,studman1 ,sarah #b ditto #j #i #d ,white1 ,joseph #h ditto #j #ai #d ,wise1 ,william #f ditto #j #aj #j ,waldren1 ,job #e ditto #j #e #d ,noyce1 ,m4 ,batt1 #g;do4 #f weeks' pay #a #b #j --------- #f #aj #j ,,extra ,,in ,,this ,,month4 ,thomas ,farmer1 ill #c days #j #d #j ,levi ,cook1 ill #d weeks and #a day #a #ac #d ,joseph ,white's child1 #f weeks #j #g #j ,jane ,westrip's rent #j #b #j ,william ,fisher1 #a month ill #a #ab #j ,paid boy1 #b days ill #j #j #h ,james ,orchard1 ill #a #j #b ,james ,orchard's daughter1 ill #j #h #j ,adders and ,sparrows #j #b #c-a_/b ,wicks for ,carriage #j #a #j ,paid ,mary ,hinton #j #d #j ,joseph ,farmer1 ill #c days #j #b #i ,thomas ,cummins #j #f #j ,samuel ,day1 and son1 ill #j #h #b --------- #f #aa #d ,total amount for the #d weeks #bg #c #aj-a_/b #ga4 ,under the head of ,,widows are1 generally1 old women wholly unable to work2 and that of ,,old ,,men are men past all labour3 in some of the instances lodging places1 in very poor and wretched houses1 are found these old people1 and1 in other instances1 they have the bare money2 and1 observe1 that money is ,,for ,,four ,,weeks6 ,gracious ,god6 ,have we had no mothers ourselves6 ,were we not born of woman6 ,shall we not feel then for the poor widow who1 in her old age1 is doomed to exist on two shillings a week1 or threepence halfpenny a day1 and to find herself clothes and washing and fuel and bedding out of that6 ,and1 the poor old men1 the very happiest of whom gets1 you see1 less than #g;d4 a day1 at the end of #gj or #hj years of a life1 all but six of which have been years of labour6 ,i have thought it right to put blanks instead of the names1 under the second head4 ,men of less rigid morality1 and less free from all illicit intercourse1 than the members of the ,select ,vestry of ,uphusband1 would1 instead of the word bastard1 have used the more amiable one of love-child2 and1 it may not be wholly improper to ask these rigid moralists1 whether they be aware1 that they are guilty of ,,libel1 aye1 of real criminal libel1 in causing these poor girls' names to be printed and published in this way4 ,let them remember1 that the greater the truth the greater the libel2 and1 let them remember1 that the mothers and the children too1 may have memories6 ,but1 it is under the head of ,,families that we see that which is most worthy of our attention4 ,observe1 that eight shillings a week is the wages for a day labourer in the village4 ,and1 you see1 it is only when there are more than four children that the family is allowed anything at all4 ,,levi ,,cook1 for instance1 has five children1 and he receives allowance for one child4 ,,joseph ,,white has eight children1 and he receives allowance for four4 ,there are three widows under this head2 but1 it is where there is a man1 the father of the family1 that we ought to look with attention2 and here we find1 that nothing at all is allowed to a family of a man1 a wife1 and four children1 beyond the bare eight shillings a week of wages2 and this is even worse than the allowance which ,i contrasted with that of the hospital patients and convicted felons2 for there ,i supposed the family to consist of a man1 his wife and three children4 ,if ,i am told1 that the farmers1 that the occupiers of houses and land1 are so poor that they cannot do more for their wretched work-people and neighbours2 then ,i answer and say1 ,what a selfish1 what a dastardly wretch is he1 who is not ready to do all he can to change this disgraceful1 this horrible state of things6 #gb4 ,but1 at any rate1 is the salary of the ,,assistant ,,overseer necessary8 ,cannot that be dispensed with8 ,must he have as much as all the widows1 or all the old men8 ,and his salary1 together with the charge for printing and other his various expenses1 will come to a great deal more than go to all the widows and old men too6 ,why not1 then1 do without him1 and double the allowance to these poor old women1 or poor old men1 who have spent their strength in raising crops in the parish8 ,i went to see with my own eyes some of the parish houses1 as they are called2 that is to say1 the places where the select vestry put the poor people into to live4 ,never did my eyes before alight on such scenes of wretchedness6 ,there was one place1 about #ah feet long and #aj wide1 in which ,i found the wife of ,,isaac ,,holden1 which1 when all were at home1 had to contain nineteen persons2 and into which1 ,i solemnly declare1 ,i would not put #ai pigs1 even if well-bedded with straw4 ,another place was shown me by ,,job ,,waldron',s daughter2 another by ,thomas ,carey's wife4 ,the bare ground1 and that in holes too1 was the floor in both these places4 ,the windows broken1 and the holes stuffed with rags1 or covered with rotten bits of board4 ,great openings in the walls1 parts of which were fallen down1 and the places stopped with hurdles and straw4 ,the thatch rotten1 the chimneys leaning1 the doors but bits of doors1 the sleeping holes shocking both to sight and smell2 and1 indeed1 every-thing seeming to say3 ,these are the abodes of wretchedness1 which1 to be believed possible1 must be seen and felt3 these are the abodes of the descendants of those amongst whom beef1 pork1 mutton and veal were the food of the poorer sort2 to this are come1 at last1 the descendants of those common people of ,england1 who1 ,,fortescue tells us1 were clothed throughout in good woollens1 whose bedding1 and other furniture in their houses1 were of wool1 and that in great store1 and who were well provided with all sorts of household goods1 every one having all things that conduce to make life easy and happy6 #gc4 ,i have now1 my friends of ,preston1 amply proved1 that what ,i have stated relative to the present state of1 and allowances to1 the labourers is ,,true4 ,and now we are to do all we can to remove the evil2 for1 removed the evil must be1 or ,england must be sunk for ages2 and1 never will the evil be removed1 until its causes1 remote as well as near1 be all clearly ascertained4 ,with my best wishes for the health and happiness of you all1 ,i remain1 ,your faithful friend1 and most obedient servant1 ,,wm4 ,,cobbett4 ,,the ,,end4 ,footnotes3 #a #ds4 #f;d4 ,english1 equal to one dollar4 #b #b;d4 ,english1 equal to four cents1 nearly4 #c ,the above items may be converted into ,united ,states' money by reckoning #ds4 #f;d4 to the dollar3 ,thus ,as #ds4 #f;d4 3 #a dollar 33 #aal4 #gs4 #b;d4 3 #ej dollars #dh cents4 #d ,to convert these sums into ,united ,states' money1 see page #af4 #e ,all the calculations in this work1 it must be remembered1 are in ,english money but may be turned into ,united ,states' money as before directed1 page #af4 #f ,be sure1 now1 before you go any further1 to go to the end of the book1 and there read about ,,mangle ,,wurzle4 ,be sure to do this4 ,and there read also about ,,cobbett',s ,,corn4 ,be sure to do this before you go any further4 #g ,to me the following has happened within the last year4 ,a young man1 in the country1 had agreed to be my servant2 but it was found that he could not milk2 and the bargain was set aside4 ,about a month afterwards a young man1 who said he was a farmer's son1 and who came from ,herefordshire1 offered himself to me at ,kensington4 ,can you milk8 ,he could not2 but would learn6 ,ay1 but in the learning1 he might dry up my cows6 ,what a shame to the parents of these young men6 ,both of them were in want of employment4 ,the latter had come more than a hundred miles in search of work2 and here he was left to hunger still1 and to be exposed to all sorts of ills1 because he could not milk4 #h ,london #i ,the father of the present ,sir ,robert ,peel1 who gained his fortune as a cotton weaver by the help of machinery4 #aj ,editors of the ,london ,times ,newspaper4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,text in italics is enclosed by underscores 7italics74 ,footnote marker #d is not in the original text4 ,some quotation marks are not matched in the original4 ,obvious errors have been silently matched1 while those requiring interpretation have been left unmatched4 ,the following misprints have been corrected3 it corrected to is 7page #bf7 whorthy corrected to worthy 7page #ea7 bady corrected to bad 7page #fh7 buln of the hatch corrected to bulk of the batch 7page #aai7 the the corrected to the 7page #abc7 abuudant corrected to abundant 7page #abf7 pig's corrected to pigs 7index7 ,chancollor corrected to ,chancellor 7,part #b1 page #dg7 ,chanceller corrected to ,chancellor 7,part #b1 page #dg7 ,amecan corrected to ,american 7,part #b1 page #ee7 ,other than the corrections listed above1 printer's inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation usage have been retained4