Journal entry – John Grey – 8 Jan 1834

Wednesday 8th January



Teasdale came to me this morning as I had desired. I showed him the state of his farm, & among other things, that he had only 10 Acres sown with grass seeds last half year & 47 for fallow this, which should have been equal in quantity.  He stated as his reason that the land was tired of growing grass in proof of which I must see how bad those 10 Acres were, & that there was no use in sowing any - and that all that 47 Acres were not for fallow, as he could not have his quantity of land allowed for away going Crop, without them or breaking up the whinny fields which would not pay.  I was forced to admit that his lease allowed him a preposterous quantity of Corn for such a farm, but if the whinny fields which he had allowed to go to a wilderness would not pay for ploughing, neither, I was certain, would those upon which he had had Corn, as the Crop was hardly worth harvesting last season, & that to attempt it, which I would by no means allow, would be only doing a greater injury to the land without benefit to him. Like most men who are very stupid he is excessively obstinate & the only thing to be done now, is to prevent him by force, from doing any more injury to his successor than can be avoided.  He gave me £20 & promised to bring me an undertaking from a person whose Sheep are eating his turnips & grass, to pay the money to me, that they might be allowed to remain unmolested.  Having examined accounts & written letters in the Office, I set out westward, but had not proceeded farther than to the Men at the Embankment, when the rain & badness of the day caused me to return.    Mr Hunt is looking after some draining & other Works in the Langley district.