L30/12/47/1

Correspondence:

15 Feb 1778

From: 1778 To: 1778

Enclose [not enclosed] rough state of Henry Lock's accounts; getting him into a regular method; no corn threshed except barley for malting and poultry and pigs, and oats for horses; no cattle sold (1 or 2 exceptions); fatting cattle will be ready for sale in 5-6 weeks. The 60 sheep bought of Crouch are doing well, some ready in a month. Crop of turnips very ordinary, hope we can make them hold out. Ditching completed. Found an excellent pit of clay for improving the 10 acres on the warren, which has been covered with nearly 80 loads per acre for £9..19..8; has found another pit since convenient for improving Kennel Field. The Norfolk ploughs answer the purpose well, and instead of 3-4 horse, a man to hold, and a stout lad to drive, we now plough with 2 horses and 1 man only; a boy at 4s week holds the plough and drives his horses very well, but none of the farmers have yet used such ploughs. Henry Lock promises well, but we shall have a hard summer to root out all the spire grass planted by Mr Amiss, who is gone to be bailiff to the Earl of Ailesbury in Wiltshire. Poor Hill at Park farm died, widow has 7 children.

item

Lock, Henry,
Crouch,
Amiss,
Ailesbury, Thomas Bruce-Brudenell, 1st Earl,
Hill,
Pawsey, Joseph,
Hume-Campbell, Alexander

AGRICULTURE, corn, malting, poultry, pigs, horses, cattle, oats, turnips, ploughing, ploughs, grass, bailiff, DEATH, widow, Silsoe Park Farm, SILSOE, Wiltshire, CORRESPONDENCE