Scope and Content
This transcript has been compiled by a member of the Stanton family: it is substantially correct, but does contain some errors
The cattle plague.
I think the cattle plague first broke out in England contiguous to the Smithfield cattle market on or about the 21st June 1865. It was thought that the disease was imported into our country by some Russian beasts being brought into Smithfield’s cattle market. It is said Russia is never free from it. Where it broke out in London, the dairymen suffered severely, some having all their cows and others the greater portion of them. Inspectors were appointed by Government all over the country at the first outbreak and received orders to shoot them so that the loss was dreadful. It was reported that there was not more that 6 or 7 in a hundred lived that were attacked. We heard the account of Mrs Nichols of Islington who had 115 died and more cases similar to this. People give their cows tar and dipped their noses in it, some burnt it in yards and some gave them drinks and throwed them in their sheds and lime washed them. Some had them pegged in order to prevent the plague but all to no avail.
One of the first cases we heard of in the country, was in Buckinghamshire at Mr Hanleys up Wavenden who went to Newport fair and there purchased 10 Welsh beasts at £8 or £8 10s each, and in a very short time they fell with the plague. There was 9 out of 10 died or had to be shot. Mr Hanley did not go to any expense doctoring them as he thought by what he had heard it was useless. But it was very expensive to him as it was harvest as they had to bury them, 6 feet deep. I have heard that they have to put 8 bushels of lime under them and 8 bushels over them and have to burn or bury the litter they lie on. They were not allowed to draw them along the ground but have to put them in a cart or something which makes it very troublesome. Mr Hanley has two farms so he put these as one with his others and had not had any more fall at the time he was speaking as this was some time afterwards. But some of his neighbours had and all lost them all but one. He was saying how singular it was that they should all have one left. Father heard Mr Hanley tell this tale and believed it to be true.
January 1867.
1st there is snow which fell last night on 30th December. It was a slight frost which continues. Today finished manureing the 4 acre bit for beans.
6th. It snowed again and rained too. I began to think the frost had been very severe and is still very cold.
7th Finished draining done about 2 acres and 3 roods with tiles at Brookend, 2 feet 6 inches deep. Had the drains about 7 yards and a half apart. Measured 77 chain & half. Gave 1’ 1” a chain taking the cross drains with the others.
9th Began to plough the 4 acre bit.
12th Manured the bit at Brookend for beans where it has to be drained where it snowed very fast and is a nice frost.
13th Began to give the sheep wurtzells.
16th I am now giving the sheep 5 half pecks of beans where they are split and 1 of linseed cake with chaff. I give then hay twice a day too. We have 27 ewes here and 10 ewe …….which lie together. The others are at Brookend.
17th Thrashed a barley stack with Mr Desborough’s steam machine thrashing about 4 hours had nearly 17 quarters. Charges 12 shillings.
19th I went to Bedford and sold 13 Quarters and 6 bushels of barley at 50 shillings a
quarter.
23rd We never have a change in the weather it thaws very rapid. But we have had a very nice frost. The snow has not …. But a very little until now where the sun was out.
28th Thomas started at Kimbolton School a distance of 4 miles. He is soon about 9 years of age.
February 1867
4th. Eli (Aged 24 years) began to be shepherd for Mr Browning to see after 6 score ewes. They have began lambing. He has bargained to do it for 6 shillings a week and to do the shearing in the lamblings too which make it two hundred he has to shear since up the …….already. But for my part I do not think the wages enough. Although he kills a great many pigs besides for different people. Kills several porkers in a day some days to go to London Men are now having 11 shillings a week for labour. We have been giving 1’ 11” a load for thrashing wheat and 2’ 3” for barley for what little we have had done by hand.
9th. Finished ploughing at Brookend for beans.
13th. Began lambing the first bringing one lamb.
21st Pigs are very cheap at this time. Father has sold 2 pigs 14 weeks old the best and the worst out of the litter, the best at 12 shillings and the least at 6’. Fat pigs are cheap too they are making 7’ a stone by weight but no so much alive at the market.
February 23rd Began seeding. Drilled about 3 acres of dun peas 9 inches with the 14 cog. Put on nearly 4 bushels to the acre. I have drilled some for 2 people that wanted 3 bushels to the acre, had the 16 cog but could not get them on thick enough.
25th Began bean seeding. Drilled beans 14 inches width. The 14 cog which does pretty well. I never give sheep over 3 pecks of beans a day have stopped giving them cake as we think beans quite as cheap and father says they look better.
28th Finished ploughing the end lands which ploughed bad because we carted them about getting the wood off without a frost. February has been very mild yesterday morning was the first frost we have had this month, I believe.
March 1867.
March 5th. Finished bean seeding this was at Brookend. Drilled 2 acres 3 roods 16 inches wide with the 12 cog. Which went in better than what was expected on account of it not being ploughed till after the frost. But we have had some beautiful frosts lately which was required to make the land work as we have had a deal of wet the winter which made the land very unkind. Some of our neighbours have scuffled their land as they could not get the beans in, to their minds. And these frosts made pretty well. We harrowed 7 acres of ours over twice. Had the little harrows on the others with two horses double. We have drilled all the beans this year.
March 9th. Thrashed two wheat stacks with Mr Desborough’s machine. Thrashing 5 hours had about 37 loads. Charge 16’ 6”
March 11th. Finished lambing except this one that has a slight lamb. When we began had 30 ewes, 2 slight lambs, 10 brought couples and 18 brought single ones. Have lost one ewe and 2 lambs, bought 1, Lost one of lambhogs too.
March 10. Finished ploughing the bit the second time over at Brookend that we intend having barley after beans.
March 14th. Carted the manure out intended for Mangol Wurtzels.
March 26th. Cut the lambs tails, we only have 35 this year, it was windy but its not been very suitable weather this month. Was afraid they would get too old as the oldest was about six weeks old, but did not draw that & 2 of them, but we did not have any take any hurt.
think I am giving the sheep quite a bushel of beans a day. I don’t know exactly as I measure them after they are ground but do very near. They all lie together.
April 1867.
April 3rd. Finished scuttling the barley tilthe.
4th Finished drilling Church field Barley with the 20 cog put on 2 bushels 3 pecks to the acre. I am now took 1 half peck of beans off the
Sheep corn.
6th. Drilled oats on the 2 acre bit with the 14 cog which puts on a bushel to the acre.
9th. Finished stirring the wurtzel land.
11th Finished barley seeding this was at Brookend but its my opinion that its more suitable for oats than barley. Drilled it with the 18 cog.
12th Drilled barley in the lotments, one bit was very dry had the 20 cog on but did not get it in thick enough. So the man wished to have it drilled again we drilled over again after it was most up it harrowed. I think was the first time I have heard talk of drilling land twice one day. But it was only 1 rood.
17th Turned the sheep on the seeds.
18th Left of giving them wurtzels. Left off giving them corn too, have 36 wooled ones in 7 acres of seeds I don’t think there is so much keep as there was last year. Left of giving the kade lamb milk which lies with the others.
20th. Began wheat hoeing.
This year our beans have come very bad we believe it is to be through not getting them in deep enough with the drill and some of them got perished. One bit appears to be worse than the others although it was harrowed twice before the drill. I began to set peas where it was missed and then beans, but father said he would let them take their chance so I stopped.
29th. Began folding.
May 2nd.
Sowed the seeds on about 7 acres. I helped sow them for the first time. Had two bushels of Pacey bents and ¾ of clover seed. Sowed about 3 parts of a half peck on about lands 15 chain long. Sowed by the rows and went every 2 yards.
On Keeping Stock.
May 3rd. I will first write about horses and am been giving 1 peck of corn a day to each when at work, oats & beans measuring the beans after they were ground to meal & make them go further but the horses are better on corn. Its my opinion when they have part oats and beans ought to be measured before they are ground.
A little about cows, we have one heifer that milks. I have been giving her 1 peck of split beans & meal a day she has done well & milks well. But I have been rather afraid lately hat I had kept her so high for she seems a little lame one foot whether it was through living so high or lying on hot manure I am not able to say. Turned her out yesterday so I think she will not hurt. Have 2 steers 1 ½ years old. Have been giving them 1 pottle of linseed cake a day up to the beginning of April and since then they have had the same measure of split beans instead but do the best on cake. I do not think I have kept them quite so well as I ought to have done as they have not grown so well as some. Stopped giving them corn on May 4th.
Have one calf ¾ year old have been giving that 1 pottle of split beans a day and is a very good one.
May 3rd.
Stitched the wurtzel land.
4th Manured it and stitched it back again.
May 9th. Finished setting the wurtzels which we dibbed made the holes about 8 or 9 inches apart and put plenty of seeds in the hole. But cannot tell how they will come because it is very rough and dry. It seems to me to be very late with them, but we are about as soon as out neighbours and before some of them as the land is very unkind this Spring.
Finished hoeing Row Field wheat give 3’ 9” an acre.
10th. Finished setting potatoes which we dug in, tried to plough them in but could not on account of the land being so unkind.
23rd. Began Barley hoeing give 3’ 8” an acre at Brookend.
29th I took the sheep to Riseley to have them washed, have 39 this year.
Finished bean hoeing the first time Give 4’ 8” an acre.
31st May. Finished hoeing Barley. Give 3’ 6” an acre. Finished oats. Hoed by the day. Began hoeing beans the second time over. Man are now having 12’ a week.
June 1st. Father rode to Bedford on Charlie for the first time which went well he is now about 2 years old.
I began shearing had 9 tegs which cut 69lbs of wool. 1 Shearling ram cut over 13 lbs. I only clipped 12 in a day.
May 30th. Being Holy Thursday Fair some young men went in a boat on the river for a ride. There was 5 in the boat when it started they had not gone far through the bridge when the boat capsized. 3 of them were drowned with them I was acquainted The eldest was William Smith from Little Gransden & his brother from Wilden named Thomas which was 23 years old. William was 25. Their father had just took farms for them Thomas went to his last Michelmas. The other was a farmers son from Ravensden named Alfred Peacock aged 21 years.
June 7th. Finished shearing 2 of the store ewes, cut 21 lbs, I have clipped 39 this year only done 17 a day.
11th. Began to mow tares for the horses we have a very good crop this year.
10th Finished bean hoeing the second time over. As father & the men could not agree about the price he paid. Friday we dipped 34 lambs Then by the day 2’ a day.
20th I went to St Neots Market horseback on Charlie or the first time.
21st Sold the wool at 39’ a -- had 39 fleeces 9 of which were tegs had 10 --
22nd I went to Bedford Market to sell 10 load 2 bushels of wheat which made 39’ a load. I had orders to buy a cow but did not see one that I thought would suit.
A little about folding. Some say that sheep do the best out in the field. I think myself they will do quite as well. But as I am an advocate of folding I make it a practice not to put them in very early, it is often nearly 9 O’clock and I let them out soon after 5 in the morning. I think they have not been in until 6 over 2 or 3 mornings this season.
I must now state my opinion about hurdles. Father proposed having new hurdles in the field, I said old ones as I thought they would be lighter but I think now that new ones are best. I find that old ones are often breaking so that the sheep have got out 2 or 3 times. They would not be so liable to break when fencing as they would have to be moved.
I have I think to blame myself for, that is for leaving sheep cribs at the side of a haulm stack in the close where cows and horses lay, I have found they have broken 2 of them.
We had a few old hurdles to spare which was set up at the end of Barn and they have broke them to, I am of that opinion to think that such a thing ought to be properly mended as soon as they need it, and when not in use to be carefully set up out of the way of such stock and under shelter if it is convenient.
June 24th. Horse hoed the wurtzels.
25th. Began haytime with 1 mower.
July 3rd. Began to plough the fallow which is hard.
4th. Finished hoeing the wurtzels the first time over, hoed them by the day.
6th Finished haytime. The weather was very good for the first 7 days. I don’t think we had a drop of rain, had plenty of sun so we got the loads up and had 3 left in the wet. I think we have quite an average crop this year mowed 7 acres. Give 3’ an acre.
Manured the second land this side of the great land in the field behind the house about 2 chain from the top end land the 3rd right down the -- 20 yards.
July 10th. Weaned the lambs and put them on the Raddish. Have 34 lambs and 27 ewes. Drawed 13 of the best ewe lambs out with the intent of wintering them. Then let Emerton look at the other 20 who bid £1: 7’ a head for the best 10 but did not sell.
July 16th. Finished thinning the wurtzels I believe.
17th Began stirring.
18th I went saddle back on Charlie to Squire Gery’s at Bushmead to get a licence signed to remove 2 steers. (?)
25th Began to mow peas. They are not a very heavy crop. Give three pints of beer a day.
27th Finished. Give 2” 3’ and acre.
29th July. Had company for the first time since our friends left us except it was to have a friend to tea. This party consisted of single people only, we did not invite any that was married as we thought single people would enjoy themselves the best without them. I quite think they did too. For my own part I think it was the best holiday we have ever had at home. After tea we played at cricket and then at kiss in the ring and then had some nice games it did not break up till between 12 and 1 Oclock.
Finished mowing tares which are winter tares.
30th Finished fallow.
Sold 20 of the best lambs to Emerton for £1: 7’ a head. He bid the same price for 10 of the best and said the ewes were the best 3 weeks ago. So I think we have kept them for nothing.
August 1st. Began to give the horses corn.
3rd Sold a down calving cow coming down with the second calf for 20 guineas to Blackwell. Emerton only bid 19 pounds.
10th Carted the peas which were in very fair order.
16th. Began harvest.
September 3rd. Sold 8 culled ewes at 31’ each. They being very fair sheep. Sold 13 culled lambs at 21’ each which were couples so they were rather small. Bought 10 shearling ewes at £2 each which are very fair sheep with good shins bred by Mr T. Topham of Staploe.
Bought a cow calf at 37’: 6” had 4 bargains which I grew up Bushmead in one day. (?)
7th Put a ---- ram with the ewes have 38 ewes this year 19 of them being thrives.
12th Finished harvest.
13th Ploughed one days work for tares.
16th Began to plough for wheat at Brookend which is very unkind.
17th Let a tup lamb to Mr Goodchild for 15 shillings.
18th Mr Goodchild came to look at a Iran colt 3 years old, Sharper which is in fine condition. Father asked £20 for him he only bid 18 so therefore they did not bargain.
26th Mr Goodchild bought him at £20.
1866 [sic?] Growed 8 acres 3 roods of wheat at Church End had 99 loads 4 bushels.
Growed 18 acres of barley had 36, 2 quarters.
Growd about 10 acres of beans had 50 loads.
Growed 1 acre of oats had 62 quarters 2 bushels.
Had nearly an acre of tares had 14 ½ bushels. Drilled them March 13th.
1867. Gave 7’ an acre for mowing men.
Ground wheat which was light.
Give 8’ for part of bean field which was heavier.
Gave 2’ 9” for barley in Church Field. Give 4 pints of beer a day and 4’ for day work. Give 4’ 6” an acre for mowing and -- spring beans in the bottom field which were very light.
20th Carted the manure and tilth which went on well. Began to manure the new ground which we intend having peas with manure out of the yard.
23rd Finished ploughing for wheat at Brookend which ploughed very unkind and ploughed a little piece of barley stubble which is very foul where we intend having peas and beans. Began to plough tilth for Barley which is very dry.
25th Thrashed a wheat stack which growed on the new ground & the rivvit wheat which growed in the little field, with Mr Desboroughs Machine thrashing about 4 hours charges 12 shillings. Thrashed 17 loads 4 bushels. Had 5 loads of rivets to the acre and nearly 4 load of bluffs which we growed on the new ground which blighted and mildewed.
5th October. (1867)
Finished ploughing tilthe for wheat. Plowed all for barley first it has been a very nice time for it. Today began to plough bean stubble in the bottom field which is hard. There is 12 acres of it with the pea land which is next ploughed. Have nearly 2 acres of wurtzel land too. Only work 3 horses.
October 14th Ploughed 1 more day work for tares in Row field.
15th Sowed the tares. I sowed them only with one hand went by the furrows. Walked every 4 yards down and up the two days work. I think that where it was ploughed first tilled rather the best up there of there was any difference. But I am not able to say which will be the best crop.
16th Began to give the cow corn.
17th Let her be in the yard at night.
19th Began wheat seeding. Drilled about 4 acres of rivets on bean stubble in the bottom field with the 26 cog, which went on very heavy but tilled pretty well.
Drilled about 3 acres of Essex red on the tilthe in the field behind the house with the 30 cog which done pretty well.
22nd Let the horses lie in.
Bedford Corn Market Saturday, October 12. Today being Michelmas Market the Corn Exchange has been crowded, the wheat in large supply and business firm at last week quotations. Fine red, 66s. To 68s. Sound quality, 64s to 65s, inferior 57s to 59s rivet, 63s to 65. Mixed 63s to 65s mixed 67s to 69. White 10 to 12s a quarter. And supply of barley at advancing quotations and a fair business transacted.
Choice malting 44 to 46s. Second quality 40 to 43s Grading and distilling 37 to 39s. Per quarter.
A moderate show of oats which met with purchases and quotations up from 24 to 31s. Per Qtr. Rather more activity inn the bean trade: new 41 to 44; old 48 to 52 per Qtr.
Peas quite as dear as last week and flour at advanced prices: household, 51s to 53s: fine 54s to 56s per sack. A very fine sample of new white wheat grown by W.H.J. Sturges of Turvey was sold here today at 80s per quarter. A Mr Wlm. Thomas Clarke of Derby, Mr Elliott, inspectors, returns for the week ending Oct. 12. Wheat 602 Qtrs, 5 bushels. Amount £1956 .15s 6d. Average per quarter, £3. 3s. 8d. Wheat firm 37s to 38s per load of 5 bushels. Barley 603Qts. Amount £1256. 19s. 0d. Average per Qrt. 32. 1s. 8d. Barley from 38s to 42 s per qtr.
October 24th Drilled about 4 acres of Essex red wheat with the 26 cog this was in the bottom field parts of it peas and the other bean land. Some of it did not go in very well. Harrowed twice over before the drill and twice after.
October 26th Scuffled the bean land at Brookend twice over with 5 horses which done pretty well.
October 28th. Began to pull the mangold wurtzels.
October 28. Finished haulm picking give an acre. Men are now having - shilling a week.
29th. Finished folding the sheep.
November 1st. Finished ploughing bean stubble and began to plough the 2 acre bit for tares.
October 31st. I went to St Neots Market and sold 10 loads of wheat 2 of which were had at 37s 6d a load. Sold it by measure to Mr Bazeley of Wyboston. This was Blotts white which we do not think much of as it appears to blight Mildews very much and proved to be a very light sample.
November 1867.
November 4th. Drilled 2 acres and 3 roods of wheat at Brookend. This was on bean stubble which was dry and unkind. Drilled it with the 26 cog. Put on near 5 bushells this was Bromwich.
5th. Went to Wyboston with 10 loads of wheat and received a cheque for it.
6th. Father sowed the tares on the 2 acre bit which was rather dry but went in pretty well.
7th Finished pulling the wirtzels up by the day which are very small they was plenty thick enough but do not seem to fill up much. Finished carting them - which done well the land being nice and dry at the time.
8th Finished haulm carting
9th Began to plough the wurtzel land
11th Finished.
12th Sowed 4 acres of wheat the 4 acre bit which was bean stubble sowed Bromwich it being too dry to drill but went in well. Father sowed it put about 7 bushels and a half.
Steer laid in at night had barley straw and the sheep too but I don’t think they ate much.
13th Drilled about 2 acres of wheat on the wurtzel land with the 26 cog which went in pretty well.
14th Finished seeding.
15th Began to plough the new ground for peas which ploughs well.
16th Put the sheep in Church Close for the first time this season.
18th Began to fetch water from the spring for the house.
22nd Finished ploughing the new ground which is very dry for the time of the year Began to plough where we intend having wurtzels. 26th Finished which is ploughed dry and begun to plough Church Field for beans which is barley stubble.
Weaned 3 pigs which are a little over 6 weeks old.
27th Began hedge cutting give 2s for ditching to a chain.
28th Milking and laid in all day for the first time. I went to St Neots Market to take 2 pigs in the light cart which sold bad only made about 6 shillings a stone. We could tell nearly the weight of them as we killed one of them the day before.
30th Began to rain which is quite a change as we have not had but a very little rain this month. It has been a very nice time for ploughing and dung carting as the land is very dry but I think some of the wheat has been put in to dry.
December 3rd. Began to give the sheep Hay once a day they have been having peas haulm the last few days.
December 9th. Threshed two barley stacks with Mr Desboroughs Machine. Thrashing about 6 hours charge 18s had about 25 quarters.
As the snow is a fair depth I began to give the sheep hay twice a day.
December 10th I went to Sharnbrook with the engine, had our horses and 11s. John Wise’s First we had to draw it backwards which did not do very well as our horses are not the best& our chains are nearly the worst, if not quite. I believe we made our second best chains into 6 pieces & then Mr john Harty’s wagons was going past as they let us have 3 of their horses & then we got on well.
December 11th. Daniel strayed away and got as far as Higgins hay stack when William Gillet met him & brought him back in his van.
December 14th I went to Bedford Market & sold 182 quarters of barley at 43s 6d a quarter.
17th Me and Charles Stapleton went to Mr Humphreys at Great Staughton twice to take some barley got back the second time about 2 oclock.16th Father & I planted 10 fruit trees in the Brookend Orchard I began at the top of the orchard. Begin towards the road Victoria plum, Pippin, Sturmey Archer, Cherry, King of Pippins, Hawthorn Dean apple pear. About the middle Hawthorn \Dean apple in the second row from the bottom of the orchard, Normanton Wonder apple, Winchester crab, In the little orchard, Blenhiem Orange.
20th Finished manuring the bit in top field. Began to give the cows cake for beans. Manured the top part of the little field for beans. Began to give the sheep corn 1 peck of beans between 37.
22nd. I began to wear flannel shirts which seems rather ruff to me.
25th Had one threave brought a fine lamb.
30th Finished ploughing the little field for beans (29th) Began to give the sheep 1 peck of beans and 1 of bean flour.
31st Weaned the foal.
1868. January.
1st Began to manure the beans in Church Field.
2nd Finished. Had the manure out of the yard some of it was very long. I am of the opinion to think that it is best to have a little heat before it is carted on the land.
10th Had to kill one of the best ewes which had inflammations. Eli bid 30s for it a day or two ago but Father he would try it a little longer as it was a very nice sheep but found it got worse, sent for Eli to kill it. But it did not look nice so then he gave 25s for it. I rather think that when sheep are so fresh it would be doing right to kill them as soon as they are took, it’s the meat would look better.
Went to Kimbolton in the evening to have my hair cut it was frosty and clear.
12th Began to give the sheep wurtzels, give them one wheelbarrow full a day.
14th. Thrashed a little wheat out of the barn with Pestells machine had about 10 loads, Then cut chaff in the afternoon.
Charge 9s. Men are now having 12s a week for labour. We are giving 2s . 4d a day for thrashing barley.
16th Father went to St Neots Market sold 8 loads of wheat at 43s a load Weight 17 stone ½ grass. I weighed it by candle light the machine was broke so I made some of them a lb too light.
20th I rook it to Eaton Mills when Mr Elgood weighed 3 of them 2 of which was light so he stopped me one shilling.
22nd Charlotte is gone to service again today after having a holiday, to Miss Ellis’s at the Moravian School, Bedford. for under housemaid.
I began banking in Church Close
Two of our horses have been to help John Wise today at plough at Mr Greens as we have borrowed Mr Wise’s 2 or 3 times.
24th Charles went to Sharnbrook Station with Bonny to fetch 15 cwt of coal for the house he brought the best bright which was 14s 3d.
I opened the wurtzel pit today.
25th Mother and I went to Bedford Market with Deper in the Light cart. I sold 9 qtrs of barley to Mr Fuller of Bedford for 44s a qtr.
28th Today we had a steer took bad, however he was took five days ago. When we first saw him we noticed that he shuffled about and could not hardly walk. There appeared to be a working behind his foreleg. Then we fetched him a piece of hay which he seemed to eat heartily then we put him in a hovel. At dinner time the working had stopped so we thought that there was not much the matter. This afternoon he had been in the yard & when I put him in the hovel he could not hardly walk. Just as he got to the hovel door he fell down and when I got him in he seemed as though he would keep licking something. So we sent for Breary but before he came he had pushed his head through the wall and knocked part of the hovel down. When he arrived & examined him he found that his horns were in great heat, which led him the think that the brain was affected so he bled him but he did not bleed very fast only got about 3 quarts and that was very pale.
29th Breary gave him a drink today and hope he is a little better. Today finished thrashing barley up here had 37 qtr 6 bushel 2 pecks off of 8 acres.
30th Charles Stapleton & I went to Bedford to Mr Fuller to take 9 qtr barley.
31st Finished ploughing the end lands in Church Field for beans.
Began lambing again to keep in.
February 1st. Was very windy it began to strip nearly everybody’s stacks blowing tops off of some. Ours all began. I have see a great gate on one as I was out & several iron harrows & Hurdles & wood & farm ropes on others. Our man was 2 ½ days mending.
3rd Eli and I went to Kimbolton to a concert where Christy minstrels played. But I felt somewhat ashamed of myself as I thought it was really not to my credit. I hope for the future that I will be wiser & not go to anything of that sort again as I cannot think that there is any benefit received by going.
4th Yesterday and today I have been to woodcart from Agden wood.
8th I went to Bedford market to take 2 pigs in the light cart.
11th Began dibbing bans with single dib which does pretty well.
12th Drilled the new ground with Dun peas part with the 12 cog and part with the 14 cog rows 12 inches apart, put in a bushel to the acre which went in well.
13th I went to St Neots Market to take a fat sow in the cart. The morning was very mild and the sow being pretty fat it seemed to put her out very much. When I got to Mr Hopkins he happened to be in the road so he looked at her. I asked him if throwing water on her would do her good. He said his man should throw some on if I chose so I let him which I think done good for a short time. I was advised by the man to call at the butchers to ask his opinion about her. I said I hoped she would not hurt and should like to take her through although I was very much frightened all the time., at last I came to the yard it was some peoples opinions that she would die before the sale commenced, but am happy to say that she did not but think it was much against the sale of her she was knocked down at £7 15 shillings. Then there was some dispute between the bidders. She was put up again and was sold for £7. When she was sold they could not get her into the pen again she lie part in and part for more than an hour I believe so they bled her after which she was a little better. After that they poured a little water on her nose. The man felt of her ears he said they was warm enough but he left a man to look after her. Some people thought that she weighed nearly 35 stone.
15th. Today we have been drilling wheat in the 2 acre bit which is very thin. Trying to mend it where it wanted. Drilled winter wheat went in well, did not dress the wheat, with the 30 cog.
18th Finished setting the beans at Brookend have about 3 acres & 3 roods, but we are rather doubtful weather the men have put them in thick enough or no, as they have not put quite 2 ½ bushels to the acre.
Today began bean setting in Church Field with single dib. Yesterday harrowed the field all over, but don’t know whether we done right or wrong as I am rather of the opinion to think they are the best put in soon after it is harrowed, because I think thy go in moister especially if it holds drying but we have not yet got the seed ready at present. These that we are setting now & those which are set at Brookend, grown on the gravel give 48s a qtr for them.
I am now giving the sheep 6 half pecks of split beans & 2 of whole ones.
21st Drilled about 3 acres 1 rood of beans in church field, had the rows 17 inches apart with the 12 cog which put in about 3 bushels to the acre. The seed that we drilled growed at Brookend.
25th Finished bean seeding, set 8 acres & 3 roods with single dib. Give 5s 6d an acre. Put about 2 ½ bushels to the acre.
26th Finished scuffling the tilthe & began to drill barley which goes in capital.
27th Finished barley seeding put 2 ½ bushels to the acre.