Kalm's account of his visit to England : on his way to America in 1748 / translated by Joseph Lucas ; with two maps and several illustrations.

  • Pehr Kalm
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Kalm's account of his visit to England : on his way to America in 1748 / translated by Joseph Lucas ; with two maps and several illustrations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    217/520 page 187
    the best Agriculturists, åkermän, in England. We now found here part of the arable fields very well husbanded, so that they lay almost like beds in a kitchen garden, others again sufficiently carelessly managed. The same description mostly applied to the inclosures, or täppor, which were laid out as meadows that one part was very well cared for, skött, the grass-growth very thick, and not a sign of moss in them. Others stood beautiful with clover, Sain Foin, and such like kinds of hay, but there were some also, which deserved our pity. The moss had there so got the upper hand, that it had almost entirely extirpated the beautiful hay which had formerly been sown there. It resembled, in a word, our most moss-choked meadows. After a time we met an old farmer, and enquired of him “ to whom the field belonged which was cultivated with so much care ? ” Ans. “ It is mine, if I may make so bold as to say it.” Q. “ Who is the cultivator of this inclosure, which stands so green and luxuriant with clover, and on which there is not one blade of moss ? ” Ans. “This is mine, that is Mr. Williams’,” etc. Q. “ Who is the owner of this field, which to a great extent stands under water, and is so ill cultivated?” Ans. “ A Mr. Ellis as he is called.” “ Mr. Ellis?” I asked, “ you must have forgotten yourself, or is there here more than one Mr. Ellis ? ” “ No,” replied the man, there is not more than one Mr. Ellis here, and to him the field belongs.” Q. “ Who works on the inclosure away there where the moss has so excessively got the upper hand ? ” Ans. “ The same Mr. Ellis.” I had from such para- doxical answers soon forgotten all my Latin, and asked therefore “ if it is the same Mr. Ellis who is so celebrated for the many beautiful works he has published on [T. I. p. 188] Rural Economy ?” The man answered that it
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