If oats were looking up, or wheat was laid,

For flies in turnip, or a blight in hops,

Or how the barley prosper’d or decay’d;

In short, no items of the farming trade.

Peas, beans, tares, ’taters, could his mind beguile;

Nor did he answer to the servant maid,

That always asked at every other mile,

“Where do we change, Sir?” with her sweetest smile.

“LORD, JOHN, HERE’S A BURROW!”