Hainault's First Farmer cont.

The land reclamation, which had previously been 1,850 acres of open Forest, incurred significant expenses. Nevertheless, timber sales generated sufficient revenue to cover the costs of clearing, draining the land, and constructing the buildings. The three new farms were called, Hainault, Forest and Fox Burrows. Each had its own manager that lived in a cottage on his own respective farm. Hainault Farm's soil varied from stiff clay to loam and gravel. It was managed by Mr. Neilson, who said: 'Deep cultivation has enabled us in part to dispense with open water-furrows. We only use them occasionally now on heavy land so as to relieve the surface as quickly as possible during very heavy rainfalls. In no case could drains be dispensed with.' He observed: 'Not any perceptible difference to be noted in commencing harvest, but crops after deep cultivation certainly ripen more evenly.'