liiipiilpiiiiiipi rnia .-,m\:' THE FARMER'S LETTERS. VOL. II. C ::> t I 1 THE FARMER'S LETTERS T O T H E LANDLORDS of GREAT-BRITAIN: CONTAINING The SENTIMENTS of a PRACTICAL HUSBANDMAN, on various Subjeas of great Importance: Particularly I. On raifing large Sums of Money by improving Eftates. II. On the Methods of raif- ing the Rental of Eftates. III. On various Improve- ments; fuch as Draining, Manuring, Fencing; and raifing new Buildings, or remedying- the Inconve- niencies of old ones. IV. Of Paring, Burning, Liming, &c. V. On improving feveral Sorts of Wafte Lands, Moors, Downs, Wolds, &c. &c. The whole calculated to (hew the great Profit attending the Improvement of Eftates, both in cultivated and uncultivated Countries. VOLUME II. LONDON: Printed for W. Strahan; W. Nicoi.l, No. ijt, in St. Paul's Church-Yard; T. Cadeli., in the Strand; B. CjLlins, Salifbury; and J. Balfouk, iLJinburgh, MDCCLXXr. C O N T E' N T S O F T H E SECOND VOLUME. LETTER I. /^F the importance of hujhaiidry improve^ merits Page i II. Ofraifing money by improvements 5 JII. Of gaining a complete knowledge of the value J &CC, of an ejiate 11 IV. Of the methods commonly ufed in raifmg ejlates 20 V. Of the contiguity of fields in farms 27 VI. Of the buildings on farms 31 VII. Offences £o VIII. Of the proportion between grafs and arable lands 6^ JX. Of draining yg X. CONTENTS. X. OJ manuring^ &c. Page 77 XI. Of the roads and ivater 82 XII. Of the general method of executing im- fro'veme?its gr UNCULTIVATED COUNTRIES. LETTER I. Oj the improvemeni ofwajies 106 II. Of paring and burning 114 \\\. Of liming 121 IV. Of improving moors 128 V. Of the prfits rf txpe?idi?/g ^goo I. in im- proving moors 132 VI. General cbfervations 191 yil. Of the pr fit cf expanding 10, ceo/, on moors 202 VII L CONTENTS. VIIL Of the fmallefi fcale of improve- ment of moors Page 230 IX. Of the improvement of the better fort of moors 265 X. Of the improvement of downs^ woldsy Jheepwalks^ Sec. 299 XI. Of the improvement of wajles hy mar- ling 337 XII. Of the improvement of wajles on rich foils 362 'Kllh General remarks 29 S THE LETTER I. My Lords and Gentlemen, THE prefent age is too enlightened to hold agriculture in contempt 5 and has experienced too many advantages refulting from the improvement of land, to liilen with attention to general decla- mations on its importance : an author who treats of a fubjedt of acknowledged utility, that is praclifed with any fpirit, mud pre- fent his Readers with new fa6ts, or endea- vour to elucidate old ones : he muft dwell on particulars; and go, ifpofTible, to the bottom of his fubjedl. That the improvement of eflates is a bufinefs of great confequence, none will dif})ute : an hundred writers have proved this, which is much the fame as proving that light is preferable to darknefs, or that Vol. II. B a man [ 2 ] a man had better travel on a turnpike than a bog ; I (hall not wafte any of your time^ or my own, in difcuding fuch general mat- ters : I mean in thefe papers particularly to explain fome matters of confequence that have been omitted by former writers. Many of you poffcfs very improvable eftates : — and your certainty of this fa6t, is frequently all ycu know of the matter. This 13 no reproach j men of fortune, of education, of a turn of mind that leads to other amufements, cannot be fuppofed to be connoifTeurs in barns and hogfties, ditches and dunghills, or clays, and fands. To fuch I beg leave to remark, that my defign is not to initiate them into the mi- nutiae of fuch myileries, but to point out an eafy method for them to give the pro- per orders to their ftevvards, overfeers, &c. who manage for them. To others, who have a knowledge of thefe matters, 1 fhall only offer my ideas, as hints for their con- fideration j efpccially as many of them may have attended to fome particulars, without having troubled themfelves fo much as to reduce their knowledge to a regular plan of operation. 7 I flialt [ 3 ] 1 fhall endeavour to prove, that fuch of the Nobility and Gentry as have improv- able eflates, have it alfo in their power to raife large fams of money or great in- comes, by means of their land, and in a fhort fpace of time — and with no more hazard, and in many cafes not fo much, as in an application to the miniftry for a place ^ or the city for a wife-, and I fhall endeavour to explain how this fhould be attempted. Improvements admit of tw^o grand di- vifions, thofe in cultivated^ and thofe in uncultivated countries ; the rules of condudl differ much in thefe, {o that they abfo- lutely require a divifion. — — I fhall begin with the former. Let me farther previoufly obferve, that in thefe flieets, I Ihall not prefume to ad- vife any improvement, which I have not either pracfifed myfelf, or viewed the exe- cution by others. 1 lliall on no account fubftitute conjecfure, where fadl and ex- perience can be the guide. Let me alfo obferve, that I mean not ta make any of you farmers — but improvers. To improve your eltates, not to occupy yourfclves, but to relet at advanced rents. B 2 By [ 4 ] By improveahle eftates, I mean fuch as will pay the current intereft for the money expended, and leave a clear profit in rent fiom 5 to 20 per cejit, which profit may be annually enjoyed, if income is the objecl ; or mortgaged, if the raifing a fum oj money be the dcr]o;a. [ 5 1 LETTER II. T BELIEVE you will readily allow that -*" many perfons of confiderable eftates, who are involved in difficulties for want of money, might eafily extricate themfelves by giving half the application to improve- ments, which necelTity forces from them to ways and means injurious to themfelves, their families, and their eftates. To affert that a man who had run out his whole eftate, could grow rich by im- proving it, would be an abfurdity : fuch an aiFertion would have too much the air of quackery : but the utility of the con- du6t I recommend, by no means depends on fuch extravagant capabilities. Many of the landlords of thefe kingdoms, are in- volved in difficulties for want of income, without being near a fiate of ruin. If we were to conclude every man ruined that is in debt, the Lord have mercy on three- fourths of his Majefly's fubjects. When expence exceeds income, it mull either be provided for in fomc regulat B 3 man- [ 6 ] manner, or recoil on the fucceeding in- come, and become dilireding : in fuch cafes money muft be raifed, and it can only be had we may fuppofe by mortgage : in fuch a fituation when income is leffening, and at the fame time that expences in- creafe, furely it is particularly expedient to pradicc fome method of providing new funds. Now I am fenfible, that raifmg of mo- ney has, in all cafes, charms fulhcient to attra6l the notice of mankind : but I de- fire particularly to fpecify inflances that ■peculiarly call for the improvements which 1 recommend : if they can be pradifed with fuccefs by men involved in untoward circumfrances, it is fufficiently clear that they may be executed by thofe who enjoy clear incomes : befides, there is no great life in fpeaking on fuch fubjeds to men who are content to live in the exa6l line their income chalks out : fuch have not the inducement to act with fpirit, that would a6luate others who are fpurred on, not only with the hope oi future profit, but a]fo with the prefilire oi prejent evrls. buppofe the polTeffor of an eftate which brings in clear two thoufand pounds a year. [ 7 ] year, to mortgage it for ten thoufand pounds, at 4 per cent, this reduces his in*- come to 1600/. a year: and in whatever manner the ten thoufand pounds were fpent (unlefs in fome profitable undertak- ing ; or in one expence which has no re- turn, nor attendant cofts) we mufi: efti- mate the contra6ling fuch a debt as a mark that the former income was regularly exceeded j and confequently that the excefs will continue : fuppofe this excefs only 200/. a year, with no greater dedu6lion, his future income becomes no more than 1400 /. befides the numerous heavy ex- pences peculiarly attending fuch perfons who fuffer the balance of their accounts to be much on the wrong fide of the page. It is evident, that the fituation of fuch a gentleman is extremely difagreeable : — that he mull be conflantly cramped for want of money, and that he muft ever remain Utterly unable to expend extraordinary fums, however urgent the call. Advantage- ous matches for his childj-cn j opportunities of advancing himfelf in point of inrerefr j oi' of enlarging or promoting his anuilc- ments : — whatever may be the occaiion of a demand for m.oney ; it is clear that he i3 4 can [ 8 ] can never anfwer it without a frefii re- duction of his income, by a new unpro- fitable mortgage. I fuppofe his eftate improvable : in this fituation, 1 pciiundc him to undertake the ini})iovcment ot it: he has no money j let him borrow it; very different will fiich a mortgage.be, from one which remains "a dead Vv-eight without returning any be- nefit. He expends 500 /. then loco /. after this 15C0 /. and fo on, to the amount we will fuppofe of 10,000/. The intereft 400/. a year. If his total profit is no more than i^ per cent, he.clears 10, which is 1000/. per year income. This profit pays the intcrcd of his original mortgage, - — the 200/. a year excefs in expences, and leaves a furplus of 400 /. a year. Thus is he better than when he firft began the world by 10,000/. in pocket, and 600/. a year : a flriking contrail to his late un- fortunate fituation ! — In this flight iketch, I merely unfold the confequences of im^ provements, it (hall be the bufinefs of fuc- ceeding letters, to point out the particular means. But let me at prefcnt further obferve, that large fums of ready money are the foul [ 9 1 foul of improvements : in this refpe(5i', agriculture is the fame thing as commerce: if a merchant has an eftate and wants money, he does not trade out of his landed favings, but mortgages for the fum he wants, which becomes in one fum of ten times the confequence of the fame amount in an annual trifling portion. If the gen- tleman in the preceding fuppofition, in- flead of a6ling with fuch vigour, as to have the command of 10,000/. at once, had only appropriated 2 or 300/. a year from his incoir^e to the improvement ; the advantages there ftated, would have been the work of near forty years, and at laft not equal to the fame improvements operated in a twelfth part of the time. For thefe and many other reafons of undoubted im- portance, I venture to afTert, that the im- provements in queftion ought never to be provided for by a fmall annual fum, which is confequently liable to a thoubnd different appropriations; but always fecure in a proportioned fum raifed at once by mort- gage or otherwife, and demandable at dif- ferent times at pleafure. The Nobility and Gentry ought in this refpe^l to act like merchants : they llionld • firii [ >o ] firft raife a capital on which to trade; and this capital once raifed, fliould be facred to the intended purpofe : there can be no doubt then, but the appropriation of it will ever be attended with great and fpeedy profit. I apprehend no one can be of opinion that this method of raifmg money, is open to the numerous and inlurmountable ob- je6lions which oppofe tliemrclves by thou- fands to all others. We have but to turn our eyes towards the perfons, who, neglec- ting the advantages their eftates offer them, turn to other means of fupport. Their example is, in all cafes, furely fufficient to deter the prudent from tiuiling to fuch precarious dependences. [ " ] LETTER III. I SHALL beg your leave, in the next place, to fuppofe a landlord, from the preceding or other motives, to determine the improvement of his eflatej in purfu- ance of which he has procured a large fum of money by mortgage, with which he has bought ftock, ready for felling out as faft as wanted. In this fituation, his firft bu- fmefs muft be to gain a complete know- ledge of his eftate ; for without this grand preliminary, all that ought to follow would be ufelefs. Let me here premife, that the hints which I am going to offer, are addrefied in particular to the perfon who plans and executes the improvement : whether it be the landlord himfelf, or an agent afting under him. As to common ftewards, that have for fome years had the management of the eftate : not one in ten are to be trufted J and this for feveral reafons. Firli, the [ 12 ] the improvement will be a great addition to his bufmers and trouble ; and confe- quently he will have no good heart to it. — Secondly, not manv common Rewards are fuch as to allow in prudence the truil- ing them fo much as would be neceirary, if the mafrer happened to be ignorant him- felf. Thirdly, frewards who have been fome years on an cftate, are too much con» ne61ed with tlic tenants, for the execution with due fpirit of fuch improvements as I am going to recommend. For thefe reafons, I fliould advife a land- lord by all means to get acquainted with country bufmefs himfelf, at leafc to a de- gree fufficient to dictate in material points pofitively to thofe under him, and to ad- mit of no excufes for non-compliance ■ or a dilatory execution : but if he is igno- rant and remains fo, I would advife that he employs fome perfon of acknowledged ablhties to undertake the improvement : fome penetrating, fkilful cultivator, that would be to his hufbandry (the range of utility) what a Mr. Bro^n^n is, in that of eleirance. — — But in what hands foever the work be placed, I venture the follow- ing t '3 ] ing Ideas, as hints to affift in the execu- tion ^'. To return : — The firfl bufinefs is that of taking an exaS and particular account of the eftates to be improved. Maps and furvey-books are to be fuppofed at hand : but the account that is firft to be procured, is the (late of the tenants huibandry re- fpeciing ftockj for this purpofe let blank books be provided, ruled in a proper man- ner for including every particular in co- lumns j one for each of the following par- ticulars : Place. Soils. Tenant. Leafe. Acres. Grafs. Arable. Wood. Sheep walk.' Irjclofed. Open. Rent. Repairs. Ditto per acre. Horfes. Oxen. Fatting, ditto. Cows. Young cattle. Sheep. Hogs. Sundry remarks. * I need not furely obfcrve, that when I call an eftate improveable, I fuppofe.it unlet on longleafes : an eftate that is not at command is in this refpedl out of the queftion. 9 It [ H ] It would be of advantage to add the acres of wheat, barley, oats, peafe, &c. &c, but they are fo varying, that it would be too difficult. Now the utility of fuch a general view as this, muft be fufficiently obvious : a random notion that farms are underlet, fhould not be depended on as fufficient grounds for railing rents. The real flate of the cafe fliould be at all events difco- vered ; this table would greatly affift in gaining fuch knowledge. Suppofe a farm of 40 /. a year has 20 cows, and an hun- dred fheep on it : thefe are circumftances which by no means coincide in common : it fliould have a query againft it. Sup- pofe 200 acres of land, half of it grafs, have only 5 cows and 50 flieep, and a few young cattle on them : fuch a difpropor- tion requires an explanation, that it may be feen if the tenant is not an avaricious floven, who /hes on a rent of favour— inftead of growing rich by induflry. Such inftances are innumerable. Suppofe clay land is let at 5 or 6 s. &e, an acre : the circumftance is alone very fufpicious* Suppofe [ 15 ] Suppofe one farmer with an hundred acres of grafs at lo s. keeps 40 cows j and another with about the fame quantity of land at the fame rent keeps only 25 with- out a proportion of other cattle — thefe are contradictions that require explanation. It would be endlefs to flate every cafe that could attra6l notice, but thefe are fuf- ficient to prove that fuch a table would be a very confiderable means of gaining im- portant knowledge. Another circumftance fhould be enquir- ed and minuted with attention, which is the rent of the lands adjoining each farm. The fituation and compactnefs of the fields appearing in the maps ; this point is of confequence. The fubftance of the tenant fhould not be taken as a guide, unfefs in extraordi- nary inftances: for I am perfuaded, the richeft tenants, upon an average, are on lands high let. Their being poor proves nothing againft a farm. All thefe points are to be attended to, that it may be known what farms demand the firft attention, becaufe it would be ad- vifable to begin with thofe which were moft capable of improvement. Provided they [ i6 ] they were nearly contiguous. It being an objccV of much confequence, to contra6t your attention when it can be done. But the grand intehigence refuhs from viewing the farms attentively. If unenclofed, and you have a power of inclofure, reafon fpeaks fufricicntly to that head. If the eftate is divided into very fmall farms, the ei^pencts of repairs probably fwallovv up a confiderable fnare of the rent. A different arrangement of the land then becomes neceflary. If the fences upon inclofed farms are in bad order — the heds:es indifferent and out of repair- — or the ditches too fmall, and almoil filled up : or if inclofed with walls, and they in bad repair, it is fuffi- ciently evident that thefe points fliould be differently condu6fed, and (unlefs the te- nants are bad farmers) probably would, were they able to afford it but as the landlord has raifed money purpofely to remedy fuch and all other evils that is an argum.ent of no force with him. If the lands are wet, but undrained: nothing can be clearer than the neceffity of fuch a work. If [ 17 ] If the paftures and meadows are over- run with ant hills, buflies, brambles, ^c, fuch are the marks of bad huibandry, and muft no longer appear ^ If a tenant can afford to pay rent for fuch, no proof is requifite that he can pay a greater rent for better land. If a farm confills all of arable land, a tenant murt find great inconvenience for want of fome grafs — —he cannot, or Vv'ill not lay any down — but that is not the cafe with the landlord. If the grafs fields of a farm are without water, the inconvenience and mifchief to cattle is very greats but where is the te- nant that will dig ponds ? If the teams, and carts, and waggons on a farm are fpeedily worn out with carting through home-roads that are very deep and bad, the annual expenceto a tenant is very great 5 but you are not to expect that they will make good roads, how well foever it may anfwer to a landlord. If the buildings on a farm are extremely inconvenient— bad in thcmfelves— too few —-or fituated in too ftraggling a manner ; no tenant could with any prudence remedy Vol. II. C the [18] the evil— but it would anfwer greatly to any to recompence their landlord for it. If marie, chalk, clay, limeftone (un- known or not ufed, &c.) be under the fields, and of a nature to improve them in a great and lafling manner, and the te- nants have omitted to make ufe of them ; then the landlord lliould execute fuch un- dertakings, paying himfelf in rent a fufficient intereft for his money. I fliall not multiply fuppofitions 5 but an attentive view of thefe and other parti- culars, will fhew a landlord at once, whe- ther his farms are improvable or not. If he finds thefe matters out of order— or de- ficient, there can be nothing plainer than the undoubted profitof remedying them: in many cafes, the grand profit is to the tenant, who ought to improve thefe ob- jects ; but mofl: tenants being poor— -of contradled views— and jealous of laying out money which will not immediatfly come in with ce?2t. per cent, profit — eftates would remain for ever in diforder before they would improve. The landlord fliould therefore interfere, and laying out the money, repay himfelf in rent, by which means he takes that profit which the tenant lofes. An [ 19 ] An attentive view being in this manner taken, and a complete knowledge of the flate of all the farms gained, the next bufinefs is to confider of the proper manner of carrying the defigned improvement into execution. But allow me to conclude my- felf at prefent, &c» C i [ 20 ] LETTER IV. TT has not been an uncommon pra6lice, when a landlord has deteimmed to raife his eflate, to give notice to all the tenants at once, that on fuch a day their rents will be augmented in a fpecified pro- portion ; and that all who do not chufe to agree to the proportion, muft then quit. There are a thoufand objections to this method — too many indeed to infert them all at prefent, but I fliall touch upon a few of the mod glaring. The bufmefs is done by halves, for with- out real improvements being made, the new tenants will certainly pay no more than the value of the farms, in the flovenly condition they find them : now any rife of rent to that point only, is by no means the objedl a landlord has in view, who adls upon the principles which I have explained. Secondly, A gentleman ties his hands in this method, before they have half done his bufmefs. After turning out the old tenants at a word, he may be afTured the nevT [ 21 ] new ones will have no confidence in him, and give no advanced rent without long leafes ; if they take them with none, or fhort ones, it is undoubted the rife of rent does not even extend to the value of the farms unimproved : letting farms by long leafes unimproved is wretched manage- ment, for it precludes the undertaking, however defirous a man may be of it — or however able to execute it. Thirdly, It is an unjufl: method j for to turn a good tenant out at a word, who has laid out large fums of money in improve- ments, in confidence of being fecure, is acting with a feverity and avarice that is not commendable. A diftinclion fhould always be made between good hufbandmen and flovens. Fourthly, It is very unpopular 5 this to many people is of little matter, but to thofe of the Nobility and Gentry of old and great eftates, who make popularity an object, it is of fome confequence to preferve appear- ances of this fort. Now a fudden and un- diftinguidiable rife, m-erely in the arbitrary ftile, you fiall pay fo much^ or quit ; carries many marks of mere ra})acioufr.efs j — of fquandering the rental at Londcri:, and then C 3 coming [ " ] coming to fleece the tenants : but on the contrary, when great improvements are made in the farms, the bufinefs comes on gradually, the minds of the neighbourhood by degrees, of themfelves, look for a rife of rent ; as they cannot fuppofe fuch work executed merely through the landlord's love and afFeciion for his tenants : in fuch a fituation, the raifing an eftate 2,^ per cent. would not make half the clamour that an increafe of 10 would, in the fummary me- thod of which I am at prefent fpeaking. For thefe reafons, and others too nume- rous to mention here, I cannot but difap- prove much of this method of raifing rents. It is therefore to be confidered, in what manner the work of improvements is to be carried on. It is a principle with me, that a gentle- man, when he has large undertakings of this fort in his hands, fhould farm no more of his land than requifite for the fuperior bufinefs o^ iniproving. Occupying his own land is an excellent amufemcntj but I am not inventing methods for arauf- jng gentlemen, but for enabling them ^o increafe their fortunes, which \\\\\ never pe done in a fufficient degree by farming. For [ 23 ] For this reafon, the work of improvement, ^ I think, fliould, if pofTible, be executed while a tenant is on the land : in all the leafes I remember to have feen, a referve is ' made to the landlord, of free ingrefs and regrefs to and from every part of the pre- mifes for all bufmefs of repairs, &c. which I apprehend would in law be highly fuffi- cient for the prefent purpofe. In the farms of tenants at will, no difficulty Vv^ould be found. Upon this plan, therefore, the improvement fhould be begun, at fuch a time that it may be completely finifhed by the expiration, or other determination of the old leafe or tenure ready for a new tenant, in cafe the old one goes out. But if any circumftances prevent the land- lord from executing his defign before the expiration of the old leafe or tenure, then he fliould, on all accounts, take the faim into his own hands, till the improvement is effected, and not relet it under a fpeci- fication of the intended Vvorks: this is a very important point, as he may be aflured he will find it much eafier to gain his pro- pofed rent from a man who views the farm in its perfect order, than from one vvi:io is only iold of it. C 4 Executing [ H ] . Executing the improvement while the old tenant is on the land, has another ad- vantage ; by means of it he has an oppor- tunity of continuing, if he Ukes the terms j which is an obje6l of fome confequence to both the landlord and the tenant. If a gentleman cannot, according to the terms of the old leafe, begin till its expira- tion, then I fhould advife his compromif- ing with the tenant, and paying him a fum of money for liberty to enter , very few would think of refufmg it. In cafe of fuch a refufal, through obftinacy or an ac- cidental interruption in the gentleman's defign- fo that he has the land in his hands ; he may probably have ftewards, baileys, hinds, or fome fuch people about him, who would perfuade the cultivating it on his own account for a year or two -, but let him be cautious of fuch a conduct and remeniber, that his grand bufincfs is improving, not farming ; and that the lefs his attention is divided, the better : but this extends no further than thofe parts of farming, which concern not the improve- ment. The land muft be kept in proper order, with a view to relet and tlic farming fliould extend no further. At t 25 ] At whatfoever time the work is begun, let it be a particular attention to difpatch it as faft as pofilble ; with plenty of money in hand, and an a<5live fpirit, I think fix months fufficient to improve moft farms ■ a year for any in the kingdom. Build- ing muft be done in fummer ; whereas fencing muft be executed in winter ; this renders a year neceflary, in which fpace of time, from one to two thoufand acres may, I am confident, be eafily brought into complete order. But one point of great confequence is, the taking proper meafures to be able to execute the fcheme fpeedily ; if a perfon expects the bufmefs to be done by his old carpenters, mafons, labourers, ^c. he will be miferably deceived. Let the undertaker by all means contrail with feveral artificers of the fame trade at once, each, for in- ftance, to undertake a farm ; and let him take ca/e that they are tied to time as well as work. A great number of labourers fhould alfo be taken into pay by the piece, at rates that will yield them better earn- ings than the common pay of the country: a fmall rife upon this, will enfiire any iiumbcr that may be wanted. A fuffi- ciency [ 26 ] ciency of mafter carpenters, mafons, &c, and labourers, fhould at all events be en- gaged, becaufe it is a point of the firft con- fequence to get the whole improvement completed within a year at the fartheft. Suppofing the improver to have confi- dered his bufmefs thus far with fufficient attention he muft next proceed to par- ticulars Thefe I fliall beg leave to con- fider under the following heads : 1. The arrangement of the lands. 2. The buildings. 3. The fences. 4. Proportion of grafs and arable lands. 5. Draining. 6. Clearing from rubbifh and bringing into order, and manuring. 7. Roads. 8. Water. It will be conducive to perfpicuity to treat of each of thefe feparately. •-V .'^. [ 27 ] LETTER V. 'T^ H E firft obie6l of the improver's at- -*- tention muft be the arrangement of the lands. It is a very common thing in old farms, to have the fields in fuch a ilraggling fituation, that the inconveni- ence to a tenant is prodigious. Suppofe the annexed plan, Plate i. to reprefent the fields of three farms, diftinguilhed by Numbers i, 2, and 3. it is very evident, that the fituation of the fields is inconve- nient to a very great degree; for moft of them are far removed from the dwellings. Now the difference between fuch an ar- rangement and a more perfect one, of throwing to each houfe the fields nearefl, muft be very manifeft, by fuppofmg thofe marked *, ||, and J laid to their refpeclive houfes. The difference of the value of the farms from this fingle alteration would be great. 1 ftate this under the fuppofition that the farms are of a proper fize ; if they are too fmall, ail three might be laid to- gether, t 28 ] gether, the buildings ere6led at -f-, and the fields thrown into the divifions marked by dotted lines ; which would render them of a fize proportioned to that of the farm. This point of laying the land as com- pact as pofTible, fliould never be negle6led : it is a matter of great importance j info- much that this fingle circumflance would in many farms raife the rent not lefs than from IS. 6d. to 3 s. an acre, and in fome cafes even more. Refpe61ing the fize of the farms, the im- prover (liould be guided by the demand for farms. In fome countries very fmall farms let at fuch great rates, that the fuperiority of rent would much more than balance the article of repairs : In fuch countries a good number of fmall farms, from 30 to 50 acres each, fhould be formed. In many places, the middling-fized farms, from 200 to 500 acres, are much the mod readily let, and at the beft rents. In others again, the largetl: of farms Iring as high a rent for the land as the fm ailed. Whatever the country has brought the mofl into recjueft, iliould be the aim in the new arrangement of an eftate. It fhould, however, in gene- ral be regarded as a maxim, that the larger the [ 29 ] the farm, while the rent per acre Is not lowered on account of fize, the more advantageous to the landlord j and parti- cularly, when many new buildings are to be ere6led, or old ones completely repaired. For fuppcfing a new farm-houfe to loo acres of land cofls 150/. another to a thoufand acres undoubtedly will not come to ten times as much, nor near it ; To that the amount of buildings on fmall farms will render them very difadvantageous, un- lefs the ftate of the country occafions a particular demand for them. Another circumfbance to be confidered, is the proportion between the fize of the fields and that of the farm : fmall fields fuit fmall farms, but are very ridiculous for large ones. In an hundred acres divided into fmall inclofures, a vafl: proportion of the land is loft in hedges, ditches, borders, ^c. the maintaining the fences is a con- ftant expence to the tenant ; and the fmali- nefs of the fields is a lofs in ploughing from the fliortnefs of the furrows : ail thefe circumftances render large fields greatly preferable to fmall ones unlefs the farm be fmall, in which cafe the ne- cefiity of fmall ones more than balances fuch [ 3° ] fuch drcumflances. And to the landlord alfo in bringing his eftate into order, the difference is great, for the fmailer the fields, the more the expence of fences — -gates, &c. The number of the arable fields on a farm need not be more numerous than the crops that compofe the courfe — one field to each crop. Suppofe the courfe i tur- nips, 2 barley, 3 clover, 4 wheat j four fields would do for the whole arable ; indeed, in fome cafes eight would be pre- ferable, but only on account of being able, without herdles, to feed half the clover and mow half; which fmgle circumftance of only one crop is not a reafon ftrong enough for doubling the fences. But whatever be the courles, a field for winter corn one for fpring corn — one for turnips — one for clover, and another for fallow, would I ap- prehend do. But, without ftating fo few divifions, it is clear enough, that there is no occafion for the numerous inclofures to be found in moft old farms. The grafs fhould be divided into three or four divi^ fions for convenience. [ 31 ] LETTER VI. np HE buildings of a farm are one of '*• the moft important obje6ls of an im- prover's attention. If the old ones are in very bad repair, or extremely ill contrived ; or if a new arrangement of the lands take place, fo as the old ones will not fuffice ; in any of thefe cafes, new ones muft be ere6led. And as building is every where an expen- five bufmefs, it demands a particular at- tention. The dwelling-houfe is the firft obje6l of attention. The old one fliould be accu- rately examined, and the following parti^ culars obferved : That it be proportioned to the farm ; if larger than requifite, and many repairs to be done to it, let it be JefTened. I fliall prefently fpeak of the proper fize of houfes. That it be covered with tile or flate ; if it is a thatched one, on no account think of repairing it : your bufinefs is not to hunt [ 32 ] hunt after cheapnefs, and the pra6licc of thofe fuccedaneums of fpiiited conduct which form the management of men who have no money in their pockets 5 but to expend whatever fums good intereft can be got for: befides, thatch is vile oeco- nomy it is faving a fhiUing to-day to fpend half a crown next week after it : on many accounts, one object in all farm- houfes, barns, (tables, &c, is to fubftitute tile or flate in the room of thatch. That all the timbers, walls, pavements, chimnies, floors, windows, ^f. be put into perfect repair. That the refpeclive conveniences of dairy, fcalding-houfe, brew-houfe, pumps, &c, be made perfe6tly complete. In cafe the arrangement of the lands re- quires new houfes to be ere6ted, then it is a matter of much importance that the difpofition of all the parts of fuch new houfes be as well contrived as pofFible, that a given fum of money may purchafe as many conveniences as pofTible, and that every part of the building be proportioned to the farm. The dcfigns of farm-houfes which I have feen publiihcd are very faulty ; not one in ten difplay the leaft acquaintance 6 with J [ 33 ] with the ceconomical condu6l of a farm. I (liall venture to recommend the follow- ing as cheap and convenient. Plate 11. Fig. I. reprefents a farm houfe for the fmallefl of farms ; njiz, from 20 to 40 or 50 acres of land : but if fuch farms are plentiful in the country, fo that farmers can chufe, they might require rather more room to a farm of 50 acres. a. Is the common keeping room and kitchen. b. The dairy. c. The brewhoufe and fcalding-houfe to the dairy. e. The cellar. f. Pantries. Upftairs, four bed-chambers. Upon this defign let me remark, that the obje6lions on account of fmallnefs are of no foundation. Let any perfon con- verfant in country life take notice of the v/ay of living in farms of this fize, and in many even larger farms. It w^ill be found that the farmer and his family, however large his houfe may be, ufe no more than the rooms here fpecified. In numbers of three times this fize, no more than one fire is ever kept, which is the kitchen one for Vol.. II. D all [ 34 ] all the family ; this is (a). All the bufi- nefa of brewing, baking, waHiing, fcald- ing the dairy things, &c, is executed in one fmall room ; this is (c), which opens into both kitcb.en and dairy for conveni- ence. The dairy (b), is a room to itfclf. This is the cafe with mcft farm-houfes in larger ones that have a fpare parlour ; it is not ufed thrice a year — and in many which I have Teen, is not even furniflied. It mufl be obvious, from a very flight glance at the above fketch, that the ex- pence of building fuch a hcufe is trifling ; how different from the coftly edifices we fee erecled on fmall farms, when con- dueled by flewards who have been ufed to old pra61:ices, or by builders who make a job of every thing that paiTes through their hands by family carpenters, who are left to bring in their bill ! A good farmer will always view the buildings around the farm -yard with more attention than the dwelling houle : and he ought there to have no reafonable ex- pence fpared, becaufe he can afford to pay rent for it ; which is not the cafe with an expenfive houfe. Another circumflance to be confidered by thofe who cbje6i to fuch a farm- [ 35 ] a farm-houfe on account of being fo fmall» is the general excellency of every thing about the farm : a man who views one, all the fields of which are in admirable order — the fences flrong and without a Tingle gap the buildings of utility for cattle, &c. perfeft — the farmer, who takes fuch a furvey, would think twice before he re- je6ted the farm, becaufe the houfe was rather too fmall. The next fized houfe I fliall venture to fketch is the following : Plate II. Fig. 2. a. The kitchen. b. The parlour. c. Brewhoufe, fcaldlng-houfe, bake- houfe, &c, d. Dairy. e. e. Pantry and cellar, f. Clofet. Six bed-chambers. This houfe is fomething larger than the lafl J but yet the expence of creeling con- tinues very fmall j I fliould not build a larger houfe than this to farms from 80 to J 50 acres of land j and many farmers upon a much larger fpace of ground would pre- fer fuch a houfe to any that was more fpa- cious. Moft of them prefer the mere ufe D 2 and [ 36 ] and conveniencies of a houfe to any other circumilance ; numbers that I know, would give up a parlour or any fpare room rather than pay the window duty for them. The next fized houfe I fhall infert, is one for any large farm that abfolutely requires a more fpacious dwelling than the preceding. Plate II. Fig. 3. a. The kitchen. b. The parlour. c. The brewhoufe; d. The dairy. e. A fpare room for any purpofe moft wanted. f. f. Pantries, C^c. Eight bed-chambers. Larger farm houfes than this, I can in no refpecl fee the ufe, or necefTity of : con- fequently there is no ufe in Iketching more. Thefe few I have ventured to give an idea, are not thofe gimcrackery affairs which have been ere6led in feveral parts of the kingdom at a great expence ; but to fnow in what manner houfes may be raifed that are perfedily ufeful, and at the fame time cheap. It fhould in general be obferved in build- ing thefe houfes, to make the kitchen roomy [ 37 ] roomy on account of fo many farmers ufmg no other room. — The brewhoufe which ferves alfo for vvafhhonfe, bake- houfe, fhould open into the dairy on ac- count of its then ferving for a fcalding- houfe to the dairy j with this provifo, that the partition between them be fubftan- tial enough to prevent all paflage of (team : if this connexion be not obferved, another room for fcalding muil be built, which is an expence that Ihould be avoided. — Cor- ner chimneys in manfion-houfes are what an architect muft reje<5l ; but the cafe is very different with a farm-houfe. Thefe buildings are all to be ere6led at a very trifling expence, compared with what we fee every day thrown away to no ufeful purpofe. I come next to matters of more impor- tance than the farm houfe, viz. farming offices. Thefe fliould be attended too par- ticularly. — They are fo very imperfe6l in moll old farms, and at the end of a leafe generally fo much out of repair, that in moft cafes it is advifable, when fpirited improvements are in hand, to pull down and rebuild them j when the houfe is new built and moved — or new arrangement of D 3 th^ 4010'?G [ 38 ] the fields take place, thefc buildings murt of courfe be new. But as the manner and form of building moft of them are every where pretty much the fame, I fnall not dwell on the particulars here, but (ketch ^ \\\z jituaticns : — that is, the inclofure form- ed by them : this refpeds the barn, flable, and cow-houfe. But the hogfties are fcarcely ever contrived in the manner they ought ; for which rcafon, I fhall offer the dtfign of fome, that are particularly adap- ted to certain farms. Be the farm ever fo fmall, if it is part arable, and part grafs, the following build- ings muO: be neceilary : A barn, A ftable. • A cow-houfe. A hogftie. A cart lodge. We find thefe, and generally fomething more to the leafl: of farms, thefc upon a fmall fcale lliould be placed in the follow- ing manner. Plate III. Fig. i. a. The yard inclofed by pales where there aie no buildings, b. The barn. c. The cow-houfe. d. The I I I 1 I 1 1 1 Hg.l. M ! i II i'|-n-| [ 39 ] d. The ftable. e. The hogfties. f. A pond ; a mouth of it paled into the yard. g. The cart lodge. The cow-houfe is only a fhed open in front, fupported by pofts, but with rails from poft to pofl to open and fhut like a gate : to ferve when unoccupied by cows fliut up— as an open fhed for the loofe cattle in the yard to flicker under. I have taken no notice of the dwelling houfe, becaufe many caufes may render it neceflary to have the yard and the houfe feparate ; but whenever it can be managed, I would always have the farmer's kitchen at leail:, form a part of the inclofure, in- ftead of fo much paling for the great con- venience of having the barn, the fl-able, and all his cattle conftantly under the eye of fome of his family. To have joined the buildings in one line would have faved fomething in ends-, but the yard would be much more incomplete in many refpe6ts. I have fuppofed the liable for four horfes; bat three or tv/o may be eafily propor- tioned. D 4 Many [ 4° 1 Many fmall farms I have viewed atten- tively, and remember very few with lefs building — in general they have more; but in lb di- jointed a lii uatlon, that with more paling around the boufes few have a good yard, notwithftandnig the necefiity of one to good hufbandry in every part of the kingdom. A farm being fmall, fhould ne- ver influence a landlord to neglecl fo im- portant a matter, as convenient buildings well fituattd and forming a yard for keep- ing togethe;- all the cattle in winter. The corjdition of the farm will depend much 01 ti IS attention J for if the tenant for w cir.i of proper conveniencies lets his cattle firo!! about the farm, the land, if it is wet or moid, fuffers; and a great injury is fuftained in the lofs of manure. I need not particularize the exa6l di- menfions of each of the buildings, as that would render a plan requifite to every variation in the farm : they ihould be pro- portioned to the cattle that will probably be kept on the farm : — the number of horfes regulates the ftable that of cows, the cow-houfe and hogftiesj^ the arable land, the barn; the implements, the cart lodge, ^which Ihould indubitably be large enougli J [ 41 1 enough to cover all forts of carts, ploughs, harrows, rollers, &c. And all thefe cir- cumftances, with the number of young cattle, decide the proper fize of the yard. A fquare of 50 feet is large enough for from 10 to 16 head of cattle, according to circumftances. The next yard I (hall offer Is the follow- ing : Plate IV. which will be proper for various farms of the middling fize. a. The yard. b. The barn. c. The porch to ditto. d. A proje6ling ftraw room. e. The chaif room with a Hiding door to throw the chaff through. f. A fhed open to the yard. g. Racks for the cattle to eat the fl:raw out of, proje6ling flightly at top from the fide of the barn and flraw room, for the threfhers to throw the ftraw into, and the cattle to eat it while ftanding dry under the flied, f. h. The ftable. i. The cow-fhed, k. Hogfties. ]. A covered clflern to keep the wafh in ', a pipe to be laid to it from the dairy. [ 42 1 dairy, fcalding-houfe, &c. the boy raifes wafh diredly out of this ciflcrn, and pours it through fpouts into the troughs within the flies, m. Open flieds for the cattle to retire under, with mangers around to give turneps, &c, n. A cart lodge. o. An afli-houfe, p. Poultry-houfe. q. Stack-yard. r. A flieep pen. ,f. A pond ; a mouth of it paled into the yard. This yard and buildings, with fmall va- riation in the fize of the latter, would do for many fized farms : all the convenien- cies are excellent of their kind, and fo placed as to render the farmers bufinefs extremely regular and fimple 5 the open flieds are admirably convenient for lean or young cattle; and alfo for ftall-feeding beads on any winter food. They may, like the reft of the buildings, be contracted or enlarged according to the fize of the farm. I fhall not trouble you with yards on a larger fcale : but you muft allow me to add fome general remarks on yards and build- ings, t 43 ] ings, which in fuch undertakings as thofe, I am confidering at prefent may have their uie. All parts of the buildings fliould, on many accounts, be railed of the ftrongeft materials which are moft common in the country. In many parts of the kingdom flone and flate are plentiful : in fuch they fhould certainly be ufed. But where brick and tile are dear, landlords are too apt to build with plaifier and cover with thatch ; which are in the end much the deareft ma- terials that can be ufed. I do not recom- mend raifing ail the buildings of brick where they are dear. 1 think boarded ones are in fuch countries highly fufiicient, upon good brick foundations; they are ilrong and lading: but to cover with tile is indifpenfable. Thatch mufl on no account be ufed. In all other refpe6ls every thing (hould be well and fubftantially executed. Wails are far preferable to pales, even in countries where brick is dear; pales are for ever falling in pieces — but all thefe j)oints muft depend in a good mea- fure on the variation of circumftances. The plan in general of rainng buildings in the moft convenient manner, and fo as to [ 44 ] to inclofe a proper yard for winter keeping the cattle, is abfolutely neceffary to all who would work fuch improvements as thofe I am at prefent recommending. I will ven- ture to aflert, that it is impoffible (unlefs in very peculiar fituations) to farm well without a good farm-yard, and proper buildings : in farms where fuch are not to be found, the grafs fields are poached all winter long, and the quantity of manure raifed trifling ; manure is the foul of good hufbandry, and that cannot be made in great quantities without a proper inclofure to feed the hay, ftrav^', turnips j and to litter the flubble ; nor can a farmer make the very defirable ufe of an opportunity to gain, or purchafe fern, refufe ftraw, Q^c. in order to convert into manure, iinhfs he has fuch a farm-yard to litter with them. But without fuppofing fo good a fyftem of management, ftill the fai mer will not be able to raife any dung from his own flraw, hay, ftubble, turnips, &c. without the pro- per conveniencies. View the management of two farmers, one good and the other bad in this refpecl: the firfl procures by every means plenty of litter for his ftalls of all forts, and his yard for loofe cattle ; he [ 45 ] he chops his ftubble j faves all refufe ftraw ; fodders all his crop in his yard ; brings home all his turnips, that are not wanting to his (heep ; and if his litter falls iliort, buys flubble, fern or refufe ftraw of his neighbours: at the conclufion of the win- ter he has a noble dunghill in his yard, that will go near to manure a fourth of his farm, efpecially if he laid a proper foundation of chalk, marl, or turf, to fodder upon. On the contrary, theflovenly huf- bandman keeps his cattle ranging about the fields all winter : the hay of each flack- ed in iti all his paftures are poached; and the manuring they gain by the means too trifling to recompenfe the evil 5 for fuch a thin fcattering is worth but little. His ftubbles he ploughs into the ground ; and for want of a yard, either wades or fells his ftraw, and in order to fave trouble probably, feeds off his turnips whatever be the foil though not one acre in five hun- dred be dry enough in winter to feed with cattle : at the end of the winter, he has fome dung, as much as he cannot avoid having, but v/hat proportion does it bear to the others ? la [ 46 ] In a word, the management of the farm- yard manure, is a point of fo great im- portance, that fuch an improving landlord as I am at prefent fuppofing, cannot give too much attention to the raifmg his te- nants all thofe conveniencies which will induce him (hi countries where the prac- tice is common) to make the mofl that is polfible. And in countries where the huf- bandry is various, to force the tenant to new methods. This part of the plan mud be executed, and I know no method that promifcs greater fuccefs in it, than binding them in their leafes to fback all the hay of the farm at home, and alfo to chop all their winter corn itubbks, and bring them to the yard. The plan of condu6l which I now ven- ture to recommend, I fhould obferve, is very little more expenfive than that which is in moft places common. The prefent enquiry docs not turn on the expediency of building a barn, a cow-houfe, a liable, or a hogftie but merely on the fitua- tion of them : in all cafes they muft be built ; and it will coft as little to raife them in one fpot as in another. In cafe they are found already, and fo good, as to require [ 47 ] require only fome reparations, and at the fame time in a ftraggling fituation— ' — * thtn let a yard be made as adjoining as polFible (always againfl the barn) with walls or pales, &c, Plate III. Fig. 2. Sup- pofe (a) the barn, (b) the flable, (c) the cow-houfe, (d) the hogllie : the bufinefs then is to add the fences (e), to inclofe a yard (g), and if it is a large farm, where feveral forts J of cattle are kept, it maybe divided into two yards by another fence (f ). In cafe there are no fheds, a new one* might be built inftead of one of the fences (e). By ading in this manner, the im- provement of a yard may in all cafes be gained. All thefe buildings and walls or pales — whether new raifed or repaired 5 fhould by all means be contracled for, with re- fpedive carpenters, mafons, &c, and all finifhed in one fummer : if the workmen employed are not fo confiderable as to be able to take the .whole at once, they fhould take each a part : a barn, for inftance, to one fetj ftables to another 3 cow- houfe, hogfties, and paling or walls to a third : every thing to be taken by contrail, materials, carriage, laboui;, C^c, &c. This point [ 48 ] point fhould always be adhered to, for it is a matter of great importance to the whole improvement to finifli every thing in one year ; better pay extraordinary prices, than not be certain of this grand requifite. It is abfolutely pernicious in the execution of fuch a plan, to be perfuaded by a fet of knavifh workmen to build by weekly pay — by the fquare — or any mea- fure in which tlie time of fini(hing is not as explicit as the defcription of the build- ing. Many workmen of this fort, eager for bufinefs, will promife any thing — but as foon as they have begun the work, fo as they think themfelves fure of it, will make it a running job for years : an im- prover cannot proceed on a more unprofit- able plan : for with fuch complete conve- niencies as thofe I have defcribed, it is a matter of confequence, not to lett the farm till all is finiflied ; that the new te- nant may be occularly convinced of the uncommon excellence and profitablenefs of the buildings and yard. I mentioned contra6hng for the carriage, as well as the materials, for the fame rea- fon ; if the landlord undertakes this work, he mufl either be at a great expence in 2 teams L 49 ] teams with much trouble — or be liable to delay, for which he has none to blame bat himfelf : befides, there is no difficulty in the point ; for every carpenter and mafon in Britain is well enough acquainted with the rates at which the neighbouring far- mers will cart materials. Refpecling the expencesof the preceding, or other buildings, it is impoffible to offer any calculations, without their being (o voluminous, in including the variations of the prices of ftone, bricks, lime, timber, ^c. Thefe variations are fo great, that there would be no utility in fiatins; fiicrht particulars : nor is it effential, as buildings in all farm.s muft be either raifed or re- paired, whatever may be the e^pencc- and a landlord may reft aiTured, that ths executing fuch v/orks well, and upon a convenient fyftem, will always enabk the tenant to pay good intereft for the money in rent. Vol. II. E [ 50 ] LETTER VII; TTAVING touched upon the different circumriances that (liould principally be attended to in the arrangement of the fields, and in the buildings requifite for the farms, I fliall in the next place ven- ture to offer a few hints on the important bufmefs of bringing the fences into repair: according to the cuftoms moft common in England^ every reparation of fences, ex- cept gates, poffs, rails, bridges, ZSc. are done by tlie tenant j but we know fo well how they in general do them, through poverty, that to an improver of any fpirit, it is abfolutely neceffary to take the bufi- nefs out of their hands at the expiration of a leafe. The gentleman in this, as in mofi: other inffances, dees nothing but what an excellent tenant, with a good deal of money in his pocket, and a long leafe, would do for himfclf: and this criterion of his works, will, in moil cafes, fliew the cer- tainty of his proiit j for if it is poilib.le (and of [ 51 ] of that there cannot be a doubt) that it can anfwer to a tenant, to perform any thing of this fort upon another man's land ; how much more muft it anfwer to a gentleman to do it upon his own land ? The fyftem of common tenants relative to fences, is to do a certain portion every year, in a common manner, at as fmall an expence as pOiTible : for want of money they cannot attempt the undoubtedly pro- fitable conduct of finifhing all at once ; by fuch a plan, they, in one winter's work, fo completely fence their farm, as to be confi- dent of the fecurity of ever finding ail forts of cattle wherever they are turned 3 — their corn, nor turnips, nor hay, ever receive any damage from cattle breaking into them: if their land is naturally wet or fpringy, it is very much drained by the ditches j and alfo the firfl flep to a perfe6t drainage, executed by making main drains of fuch ditches, and laying the fmaller covered ones into them : of the benefit of all thefe circumflances the commonell far- mer is v^^ell convinced— all would a6l thus, were they able : nor can there be a mo- ment's doubt of the occupier's ability to E z pay r 52 1 pay good inteicfl for all lums of money fo well expended. R{.rpe6ling this buGnefs of bringing the fences of a farm into excellent order, the landlord nuif^ view them wi h attention : in thoie minvcious parts of England that inclofe with dry ftone walls, the bu.'inefs of reparation has nothing of trouble in it; the materials are on the fpot, and the work- mandiip per 7 yards, not only cheap but every where fixed. Where live hedges and ditches form the fence, fomething more of difficLiltv ^^ili be met vvith.< The ditches in fome countries are fo trifling, that they neither drain the land, nor ftrengthen the fence : fuch great defects in hufbandry fliould always be remedied when a gentleman undertakes an improve- ment. By all means let him make large and deep ditches : they are requifite in all foils, for a hedge without them, however well made, will prove but an infufficient fence. The two fizes particularly to be recommended, are 5 feet wide by 4 deep, and I foot wide at bottom, and 4 by 3 and I wide at bottom. In very flat wet coun- tries here and there, a larger will be requi- fite, in order to carry the water off; but in general thefe will be fufficient. 2 Hedging [ 53 ] Hedging varies much in different coun- tries, but the two grand diftin<51:ions are, cutting all the wood up, and making a hedge totally of dead wood : and the plafli- ing method of cutting only part up, leaving as many live hedge ftakes as poffible, and much fluff to be plafhed among the dead bufhes. I fliall venture from experience, particularly to recommend the latter me- thod : I know from* long pra6lice, that the firft method is a pernicious one ; and 1 alio know from practice, that the latter is an excellent method. When the hedges coniift all of dead wood, their total deflruccion is inevitable, as foon as the ftakes rot in the gi-^ound, which in common is in one year and al- v^ays in two : a high wind, or a deep fnow then bears down whole miles of thefe hedges into the' ditches fo as to admit an army to pafs them without trouble ; and the deilruclion of the dead hedge opens an immediate attack upon the young live one, before it is nearly arrived at an age to defend itfelf — the confequence of which is, perpetual gaps : whatever fums a landlord lays out in this manner, E 3 ajc [ 5+ ] liFe of no avail, his fences will never be In jepair. Bat on the contrary, in the plafhing method, the hedges are in fa6t live ports and rails ; for many of the hedge flakes and moil of the wood being alive, and con- tinuing in that form to grow, the whole is kept impenetrable ^ the tops of the live hedge flakes fprout out various ways, and confequently keep down the edders, which would otherv/ife be liable to be raifed from the fiakes : thefe efFeCls are fo great and ftriking, that it is extremely common in 'Rerefordj]:ire, (where the plafhing method is practifed in the utmoft perfection) to fee the old dead hedge ftanding complete and flrong at the bottom, and in the midft of a live one a dozen years old : an object never beheld in thofe countries, that cut up all the hedge wood. But excellent as the plafliing method is, yet I conceive that, nor no other hedge, to be a fence fufficient without a good ditch, of at leafl: 4 by 3, vvhich prevents all at- tempts (efpecially if the ditch earth is all laid upon the bank, and the hedge at the top of it) of jumping over itj — ^ —and favfc'3 it many attacl;s v/hich a mere hedge receives. [ 55 ] receives. United, they form an impeno- trable fence, in which any farmer may confide with the utmofl fecurity. But a further improvement remains to fpeak of: it is the adding fome pofts and rails and pales at the ends of gates alfo where two or more ditches join — and like- wife where a ditch changes its courfe : hovs^ever well the fence may in general be made, yet thefe places will be particularly weak, and more open to being pafTed by cattle than any others. Swine are the grand enemies of fences, and the man who does not fence againll hogs, I hold to poflefs no fences at all : a hog will fct his head near a gate pod, his nofe to the ground, and force his way at once through, as the ditch on the other fide is there no defence : he will likewife go into a ditch in one field, and running along the bot- tom of it when he comes to a place where it changes its courfe, pu(h through the bufnes which workmen ufually fluff in, and rife in the other field : and the fame in the feveral places where feveral ditches join ; the very befl of fences are open to thefe objections, unlefs thefe weak places are fecured with })aling. But when fuch E 4 places [ 5'> ] places are flrongly paled, no fwine can force through. I lay a particular ftrefs on fencing againll hogs, becaufe it is the only criterion of a good fence : if you keep out hogs you are certain of fecurity againft all other cattle ; and if you do not fence againft them — they prefently make fuch gaps, that (heep loon follow them, and then a horfe, a cow, and even an elephant niight pals. This is the bcft of fencing ; and I would by all mans recommend to an improver, when he begins his giand work, to deter- mine to bring the fences into this perfect order : his ditches to be 4 or 5 feet wide according to the foil. The banks made high J and on them a well plafhed hedge. The gates to be ftrongly made and paint- ed, which is a great prefervation. Brick or flone arches to be turned at all water cc'irfs through gateways. And the ends of gates, and the openings of ditches, all fecured with paling. Thefe clrcumftances fpirited'y ^'tended to, and executed, will add procngioidly to ihe value of a farm ; a greai -.xpcnce is taken otf the tenant's hands and his advantages from occu- pying [ il ] pying fo thoroughly fenced a farm of xSm mod important kind. As to the means of executing this falu- tary meafure j the improver mufi: begin the work with great vigour, becaufe it is abfo- lutely neceiTary, that all of it be finifhed in the winter. The hedging and ditching mull be put out by the perch to labourers > . in the choice of whom, one circumftance is material, that fome of them underftand the plafliing a hedge ; if none fuch are to be found in the neighbcuriioc^d, I would by all means recommend to the gentleman to fend to Hertfordfiire^ &c. for a few to mix with the reft, that they might do the plafliing part, and at the fame time teach the reii of ihem that method to pra6life in future. The difficulty of fuch a matter would be trifling : were I to undertake the improvement of an eftate, I fhould cer- tainly determine to overcome any fuch trifling obftacles. The ditch fliould be worked by a frame j a metiiod which keeps the men to their bargam, and iaves abun- dance of trouble. In repairing the fences of a whole farm at once, fome hedges would certainly be met y^'ith that would not yicla a fuliiciency of [ 58 1 buflics, ftakcs and edclers for the new hedge; in fuch a cafe, if the requifite quantity cannot be procured elfewhere on the premifes, they muft be purchafed of the occupiers of the neareft woods, and care taken to have them ready for the men; that no time be loft. And as faft as the labourers proceeded, the carpenters fhould be ready with their pofts, rails, pales, &c, to fix at the gates ends, and the openings of the ditches: all which muft be placed while the work is doing — and before the hedge is made. Fencing in this perfe d. to 45. 6d. and 5 s. per place. But the whole would be cheaper done in many parts. Many gentlemen are extremely fond of white thorn hedges, regularly dipt. They }iave a neat appearance, but not one in forty [ S9 ] forty of them is to a farmer worth a groat; as they grow old, they univerfally grow ragged at bottom at leafl to fuch a de- gree, as to render them far fhort of fen- cing againft a hog and I have before remarked, that if you do not keep out your herd of fwine, you will not your flock of fheep J one animal makes way for another, till at laft all go through. Thefe objec- tions are very llrong againft dipt hedges of 5 or 6 rows of quick : how much more fo then, againft thofe of only one or two rows. Another thing to be confidered is, the mending a gap — to be confiftent, the only method of doing this, is to pale in the place, while the damaged quick gets up again and thickens : if the gap is ftopt with dead bufiies, that part of the hedge will never recover, and the place always remain weak. Nor will one farmer in ten thoufand ever be perfuaded to facrifice fo much to appearance as to be at the annual expence of i^d. a perch in clipping. For thefe and many other reafons, I cannot but advife any improver to give up fuch a plan : a white thorn hedge grown to a large bulk and plafhed, is fuperior to all 6 the [ 6o ] the hedges upon earth ; — but the prefent enquiry is the improvement of old fences. In cafe that any new ones are requifite, which may in all probability be the cafe, either from a new arrangement of the fields — dividing large ones — or making new fences where old ones are fo bad as not to admit of thorough reparation :— in any of thefe cafes, it much behoves the improver to confider well the work, for it is an important one. P.efpe6ling the fence alone, white thorn unmixed with any other wood makes at laft the befl: fence ; but relative to a farm, there is another circumftance to be confi- deredi which is, the tenant's firing. In iTioft countries, the farm either fupports him in this necefTary, or the landlord pays an allowance of coals. Thorn hedges yield no firing very great ones afford fome buflies which may be either ufed or fold : fo that if all or moft of the hedges be thorn, the landlord mud allow for firing or plant a field by way of a wood : in any cafe, there is a lofs fullained. Let it not here be imagined that I am fpeaking againil white thorn fences ;— I am only con- fidering every fide of the queflion, that the fubjecl. [61] fubje6l may be fully difcuiTed and under- flood. The mixed hedges — thofe of thorns, fallow, alb, hazel, beech, &c. yield in general, exclufive of the hedge, firing enough to fupport the farmer's family; which is undoubtedly an objedt of greater importance, than has been thought of by the many writers who argue fo warmly in favour of white thorn alone. But the point muft, after all, depend on collateral circumftances, to be judged of by the im- prover. In cafe it is determined to make the new hedges all of white thorn j the following is the proper method of making them. All the earth which rifes out of the ditch to be formed into the bank, and the rows of quick to be planted on the top of it. Behind the bank, at the diftance of i8 inches or 2 feet from the quick, let the dead hedge be madej ail the flakes to be fallow; mofl of them will grow, which is the fecurity of the dead hedge Handing a proper time — '■ — if dead (lakes are nfed, it will be a monthly rent charge. As the quick muH: be cut at 3 years growth, and after that be defended by a hedge till cut a fccond time for plafhing, which mufl not be [ 62 ] be in lefs than eight or nine years, thd dead hedge muft be kept good for eleven or twelve years. With dead hedge flakes it would in that time require making at leafl: fix times, and be an enormous ex- pence ; but by the ufe of fallows, the firft hedge will ftand good 4 years, perhaps 5 : then let it be pulled up, the old hedge Hakes plaPned down among the new bufhes, and new fallow flakes driven in: but the plafiies mufl all be laid from the quick, that the latter may be neither fhaded nor damaged. This fecond hedge will remain the refl of the term ; then the quick I fuppofe ready for plafhing : let the ditch be cleanfed, the bank repaired, and all the fallows of the dead hedge grubbed up and removed ; the new hedge is to be totally (except the edders) made out of the live quick : let enough of the flems be cut off, about 2 feet fix inches from the ground, and trimmed up for hedge flakes, and let all the rcil of it be piaflied down between thofe flakes, ,and the edders twifled in as ufual. From that time the fence is im- penetrable. Thus you obferve, I make no [ 63 ] no other ufe of fallows than to render two hedges fufficient, inftead of fix. • As to farms fenced with dead hedges alone no live wood j or with pales ; or other pecularities they muil be ranked in the number of barbarifms, and totally eradicated. [ 64 ] LETTER VIII. nPHE next bufinefs in the improvement on winch I fhall trouble 3^ou, is the proportioning the grafs and arable land in the farms. This is a point of very great importance, and one which will repay- all your expence and attention in the moll ample manner. I fiioLild remark, that alterations or im- provements of this nature in many cafes, require the landlord's taking the farm into his own hands for a year or a year and a half 3 but when tenants will execute orders exa6lly, for which they are paid, this precaution will not be necefTary. It is impoliible to give a general rule for fixing thefe proportions : the circumftances of the country, with the rent that is gained for grafs land, mufl: be the landlord's guide in this point. However, in nine-tenths of Britain, the grafs land of every farm is rated much higher than the arable, and pays the landlord much better. In very many [ «5 ] many places, farms that are entirely of grafs exceed all others. The difference of the rent is an objecl of the firfi: importance. One general maxim m,ay, however, be re- commended, that it is much better to have too much grafs, than too much arable : the one may at any tim^e be remediedj and with profit, but that is not the cafe with the other. . When it is profitable to irxreafe the grafs land of a farm — the landlord's firll atten- tention is to beg;in the tiilag-e of fach land : and whether he executes the retpcclive operations himfelf, or pays the old tenant for them, makes no difference — in either cafe, I v/ould humbly recommend the fol- lowing plan ; Let the ftubble of the preceding crop be turned in very foon after harveft ; and in OSlober ploughed again on to the fmall 3 feet ridge to lie the winter, and the whole well v\'ater thoioughed. In the f])ring, as foon ?.s the foil will admit ploughing, be ready for the work, and gain by ploughing and harrowing a very hne tilth by the firft week in May if pof- f:ble J when this fine tilth is gained, leave the land for a fortnight or 3 weeks, that Vol. \l, F all [ 66 ] all feeds may fprout : you will probably have a full crop of them j then turn them in by a frcfli earth, and proceed with your til- lage through the months of 'June and 'July* I Ihall not decide between the advocates for a fpring or an autumnal fowing of grafs feeds but in the prefent cafe, the autumnal one is much to be preferred, not becaufe it is beft, but becaufe the work will be done within the year of improve- ment. The land mufl be very fine and perfeSlly level by the firft week in Augujl^ then let the grafs feeds be fown, and the land harrowed and rolled. As to the feeds, you cannot have your choice, for thofe which have been fepa- rated by hand are undoubtedly to be pre- ferred, but they are not yet to be had in fufficient quantities. By all means reje6l the chance medley of hay-lofts and I would alfo advife you to rejedl ray-grafs. White clover is cheap and excellent burnet is to be recommended for a mix- ture alfo the narrow-leaved plantaine, called in the north, rib grafs. I fliould think \^lb. of white clover, ic//^. of burnet, and I olb, of rib grafs j a good portion for an acre of land, and the price would not exceed t 67 ] exceed 1 5 J. 6^. for all. If the gentleman is fond of ray grafs from obferving it to make a fine lawn kept always clofe fed : there will be no great objection to adding a peck per acre of it 5 but 2 or 3 bufiiels of clean hay feeds would be much better. In cafe the foil is a dry chalky foil — — a light limellone loam- — fandy or dry gravelly land, it will be advifable to fub- ftitute fainfoine inftead of thefe grafs feeds. The improvement will be very great and probably render the land of fix times its former value. By proceeding upon this plan, you will be able to lay down any part or all of your farm to grafs in one year's time — the fame year that is alfo occupied by all the under- takings j by which means you will be but one year out of your money difengage yourfelf at once from the improvement of each tracl, and in the word cafe, lofe but a year's rent of the land. The importance of thus bringing a juft proportion of grafs and arable land or of converting all the land to grafs, is clearly very great; very few of my readers but can recollecl vaft tra6ls of land which yield but a poor produce while arable, that would F 2 pay [ 63 ] pay a great rent in grafs. All cold wet foils do very well in grafs, but very badly in arable : prodigious tracls of fuch land, that will bring but from y s. to \o s, an acre under the plough, would readily let for 20 5. in grafs. An improver will in no inftance lind fuch great and certain profit as by this article of laying much arable land down to grafs. Half and half on arable farms is not a bnd proportion. Two-thirds grafs, and cne-tbird arable is a better — and in many foils three-fourths grafs, is highly advife- tible.^— There are fome objections to t«tal grafs farms in certain cafes j if a part of the land is dry enough for turnips, the tenant by all means fliould be able to have a field of them every year ; two fields ara- ble would for that purpofe be fufficicnt, one every year in turnips, and the other in corn. In cafe the land is clay, the fame might be done with cabbages, in cafe the tenant would ufe them j one field would be fufficient. They might be planted on the farae land every year, and the crops would each year be better than the pre- ceding. If [ 69 ] If any general rule, relative to the pro- portion of grafs and arable land was to be recommended, it fliould be that of cattle maintained : to have arable enough, to winter-keep all the cattle his grafs will maintain in fummer — but this rule fiiould be exclufive of corn crops. A tenant would on this fubjeil: tell his landlord, that he could not maintain his cattle without tur- nips : the latter aiks, what quantity of turnips he wants ? He replies, lo acres. " Very well," replies the landlord, " you *' fl]all have lo acres of arable for tur- *' nips." '' But that will not do, Sir," fays the tenant : " I can't fow turnips every " year on the fame land, lo acres of tur- " nips require 40 acres arable, for " fourlhs of turnips, barley, clover and ** wheat." This is an argument which will be ufed to many a landlord; but let him be determined, if the foil is more pro- fitable for grafs, to liilen to no fuch argu- ments ; and if the tenant will not be con- tented with fowing turnips every year on the fame land, to indulge him no further than allowing double the quantity of tur- nip land, that he may have one change from turnips to corn. Tenants are apt to F 3 be [ 7° ] be eager for arable land, not only on ac- count of tiieir idea of a fuperiority of profit from it, but alfo from the notion of hiring it much cheaper but this is one rcafon among many for the landlords a6ling on the dire(5V contrary plan. Let every one remember, that his eftate while under grafs is constantly improving; if he changes his plan at any time, and ploughs up his grafs, he is fure of great and extraordinary profit on that account ' — this fhould convince him that if he doe? commit an error, it had much better be on the grafs fide of the queflion. In laying land of the proper fort to fain- foine, the profit is likev^'ife exceedingly great, and more particularly fo in coun- tries that have not adopted the culture in general : there are many very extenfive ones in many parts of the kingdom that know nothing of this excellent grafs. The proper foils for it fekiom let for more than 5 s. or 6 J-. an acre^ and often for not more than IS. or is. 6 d. Thefe lands are of very difficult improvement- — no manage- ment can make them of equal value with the fgvving fainfoine, which is the cheapcfl HKthcd in the world of executing the bu- fmefs, [ 71 ] finefs. And the tenants may not be ac- quainted with the manner of improving fuch foils, yet landlords from more exten- five knowledge may be fuppofed acquainted with the proper methods. For thefe and many other reafons, I cannot but recommend to all fpirited im- provers, to pay much attention to this im- portant point of laying down land to grafs that all foils which will profitably ad- mit of it may be duly laid ; the rife of rent from this management will undoubt- edly be great — for moft foils admit of lay- ing either with natural grafTes or withfain- foine. As to lucerne, and other more delicate plants, no gentleman who improves to let ihould think of themj they are proper only for their attentive management. F4 [ 72 ] LETTER IX. TN the plan of conducling fuch improve- rr»enis as thofc I am at prefcnt treating of, drainifig claims a particular attention: this is one qf the moft in)portant obje6ls that will come upon the carpet. It is much beyond the purfe and fpirit of a tenant : fome, it is true, do a iittle ; but the quan- tity fcarce ever amounts to a complete im- provement. To execute it in the manner it ever ought to be, is the bufmefs of an im- proving landlord. The general importance of draining lands that are too wet was never difputtcl by any one.— -It pays a tenant excellently — and all improvements which do that, will imdoubtedly enable the tenant to pay rent to the landlord for' it. Some lands are fo extremely boggy, marfhy and wet, that they yield no fort of produce without this improvement Scarce an inftance is to be found of a te- nant improving fuch ; others of the wet clay, or loamy foils, are cultivate without draining [ 73 ] draining— but much innproved by It ; fuch in fome parts of E^ngland 2LXt greatly mend^ ed by tenants draining — but even in this cafe, they are very flow in their operations, and generally take a long leafe to improve half a farm, the tedloufnefs of which con- duct anfwers very little the purpofes of a landlord. Whatever be the nature of the draining required,- by all means let it be the land- lord's bufmefs and he may 'ith flone and gravel. And if the farm is large, and fome particular track leads to many fields, the fame conduct fhould be obferved there ; it fliould be made a good hard road. A landlord need not fear being repaid for fuch works. When the farm is to kt, and the farmers come to view it, a union of fuch works will ftrike forcibly on their minds, although they never would have executed themthemfelves, yet will they, un- doubtedly, at the firft word, bid good rent for fuch expences. It would be ufelefs to enlarge upon this topic j I apprehend the propriety of the work will not be difputed. In executing it, the neighbouring farmers would undoubtedly contraa for the whole. * * •* Another obje6l which deferves the at- tention of an improver, is the article of water, Jf there are many paftures in a farm without water, the lofs and incon- venience to the tenant, is very great: fome farmers I have known to dig ponds on this account ; but the number of fuch fpirited occupiers is not great— though all are fen- fible of the clear importance of the obje6l. The lofs of driving cattle far to v/ater, is G 2 great [ 84 ] great-— —it is very mifchievous to a dairy of cows, or a herd of young cattle, but it is abfolutely fatal to fatting beafts, which ought on every account to have plenty al- ways at hand. This is a branch of im- provement, which a landlord fhould on no account flight. t S5 1 LETTER XII. TTAVING thus run through the princi- pal parts of improvement, which claim a landlord's attention, I fhall, in the next place, offer a few remarks on the ag- gregate bufinefs, and the manner of con- ducllng it. The grand objed is profit ; the improver mud have his figures at all times in calcu- lation to knov^ the expence of every thing ' ' 'the rife of rent of intereft^ . and the annual profit : for he is to have nothing to fay to improvements, that have not that acknowledged utility which will clearly pay him in rent j and he is always to remember that he pays 4 or 5 per cent. himfelf for the money — confequently the grofs return muft be much higher. Lands that let at low rents, are what will bejl pay : thofe which already bring an high one, will pay but little for any improve- ment, except the laying arable to grafs. G 3 Suppofe [ 86 ] Suppofe a gentleman has 500 acres m 2 farms of a middling land that has been run much out of order ; the foil flat, and wet. He determines to improve it j the buildings are many of them very bad' fome middling and a few that wants but little. The fences all out of order 5 the hedges poor — and the ditches filled up -»— the land very wet, but none of it drain- ed : a much greater proportion of it arable than ought to be. Under thefe and other circumilances he begins his undertakings a year, or thereabouts, before the expiration of the leafes. He immediately contracts with a car-« penter and a mafon, to build him in a pro- per fituation, a new farm-houfe of brick and tile to repair the two old houfes in a given manner, probably much reducing tliem in fize. He contracts with another carpenter and bricklayer to build him, to the intended farm-houfe, a farm-yard with barn, cow-hcufe, &c. all upon a given plan 3 the foundations of brick, fuppofe the fides of boards, and the coverings of tile ; all particulars of the building to be defcribed in the contrail. He at the fame time contracts with one of thefe fets [ 8/ ] fets of workmen ; or another fet to add to the offices of two old farms, a new flied — hogfties and walling enough to complete a yard. He likev/ife agrees with carpenters for fo many nev/ gates — — ftiies — -poils- — - rails and pales of given dijuenfions. Having taken thefe meafures refpecting the buildings, and the carpenter s fhare of the fences he next fets all the labourers to work that he can get to hedge and ditch : he clafles them in fives, and aijrces with each party for a certain number of perch to be dug by frames. It will be no difficult matter to get any number of hands for fuah works, if one or two men offers, you have only to tell them, they may have a whole winter's work certain, if they can get partners, to make the number not lefs than five ; to be fure of a winter's work, and to v^'ork in company with a great number, are very enticing circum- flances v/ith all thefe people. In the next place, the improver mud take thefe mens account of the quantity of bullies, flakes arid edders, wanting in each divifion, in cafe the old hedges are not fuf- ficient to rup|)ly the requifite number; and G 4 contract [ 88 ] contracl with the neighbouring farmers, for the delivery of the fame. He mufl then fet frefh Iiands to work, to drain all the fiat and wet parts of the farms, by means of covered drains to be worked by frames, by which method men who never did the work before, will execute it with eafe — they muft be marked out for them with flakes. At tlie fame time the improver muft contract witli his tenants or other farmers, for the delivery of materials for filling the drains with ftones, bricks, faggots, &c. whichever is cheapeft. At the fame time that thcfe works are carrying on, he muft fet other labourers to work, to grub up all buflies, brambles, ^c, m tlie paftures ; and having procured a mole hill plough, he muft contrail with his tenant for ploughing them cfr, and then fet men to chop and fpread them. He likevv»ife contrads with the farmers to bring a fufiicient quantity of gravel or ftone, for the making or mending the road or roads. All thefe works, except mafonry, are to be begun at Michaelmas^ and the execution of them continued without interruption throughout [ 89 ] throughout winter, which is the proper feafoii for executing them. Every fpecies of improvement cannot be wanting upon one tracl of land j but it fliould in general be obferved, that the winter, when labourers are to be had in the greateil: plenty, is the moft proper fea- fon for all works of improvment except mafonry : digging and carting marie, &c. will do exceedingly well in fummer — but the fame in winter. If labourers are not to be had in fuffi- cient plenty — which is not probable, when they earn fomething more then the ftan- dard of the country, then the works mull be divided — ditching and Lncing in win- ter, and the other bufinefs in fummer ; but it is advifeable to raife the prices of all forts per perch, fo high as to infure the requifite number in winter j for if that feafon is omitted, much higher pricc^ will be ne- ceflary in fummer, who" work in general is fo much more plentiful. Thus far we find, that allthefe branches of improvement may be carried on and completed, without the gentleman buying one horfc or hiring a fmgle labourer by the day : this in many countries would be a [ 90 ] a matter of great confequence: the point of contra6ling for carriage — or buying teams and building carts and waggons to perform the works is a difputed one and cannot have one general decifion j the choice mufi: inevitably depend on circum- ftances. The price at which a fufficiency of teams may be hired, muft determine it — when they are to be had reafonably, it will be advifable to employ them ; for the purchafe of numerous horfes — the buying of harncfs and carts and v^^aggons and the hiring of carters with the provid- ing for both horfes and men, will altoge- ther form a mod: complicated lyftem : with a bailiif or oveifter that can be trufted in a mod: particular manner, thefe objections will not equal the expence of hiring teams • — and if a gentleman will fubmit to con- flant and regular attendance himfelf, he will certainly be right to rejecl the hiring method j fuch variations, it is evident, mufl: all be confidered, before any plan of con- du6l is determined. The improvement of laying arable to grafs, which confids in much preparatory tillage, Ihould by all means be done by hiie for the prices per acre o'i plough- 5 iiig* [ 91 ] ing, &c. are in every part of the kingdom fixed, and much more reafonable than par- ticular bargains for carting will prove.- For this reafon, the fallowing for grafs feeds fnould all be performed by contra6l* The feeds abovementioned, are to be had in any quantity of every feedfman in LoU" don J fo that no delay or difficulty need arife in the procuring them. Upon the whole, we muft fuppofe, all thefe neceffary works contra6Led for, and the execution of them begun with fpirit about Michaelmas, Then let the gentle- man take pens and paper, and form a cal- culation of the whole, fuppofe as follows : Calculation of the expences of improving the ejiate A. in the pari Jh of B. in the coun-^ ty of C. Building a new farm houfe com- "J plete on the agreed plan, with. > 1 80 o q brick and tile, J Ditto, a nevv barn ftable, cow-") boufe, hogfties, G?<:. with wall - r 140 o 6 ling around the yard, J ■ ■ ■ I iM Carried forward, 320 o o Repairing; [ 92 ] Brought forward, Repairing the old houfe d. Ditto that e, ' Adding a llied, a hogftie, and walHng in a farm -yard at d. Tiling the barn, ftable and cow- houfe at ditto, Walling in the yard, at e. and tiling various buildings. Seventeen new gates, five ftiles — ") and various paling about the > the fences, J 3500 perch of hedging and ditching, at i j-. 3^. 40 loads of bufhes, at 7J. Stakes, and edders, and quick, Draining ico acres, 100 perch"] per acre, at 6 d. materials in- [-250 o o eluded, J D'^ 100 acres, 60 pevch per acre, 150 o o D^ 100 acres, 40 perch />^r acre, loo o o Making a road, - - 50 o o Sinking 5 ponds, - - 70 o o Grubbing up buHies, and cut-") ting molehills on 40 acres !- 20 o a grafs land, J Carried forward, 1426 o o Four /. s. d^ 320 35 20 50 32 47 40 218 H 10 [ 93 1 /. s. d» Brought forward, 1426 00 Four ploughings of 350 acres, at 5 J. - - - 350 o o Three harrowlngs, on ditto at 4^. - - - 17100 Rolling ditto at i-i^. - 239 Water furrowing, 6d, - 8 15 o Grafs feeds for ditto, at i/i. 297 10 o Sowing ditto, 2it 6 d, - ^ 1 5 o 2110 13 9 Incidental expences, - 89 6 3 Total, -. ^ p. 2200 o o The whole improvement, therefore, a- mounts to better than 4/. per acre; in- cluding the expence of throwing the 500 acres into three farms inftead of two; which circumfcance is fuppofed a contin- gent on laying the whole, or nearly the whole to grafs ; which lets often in mode- rate farms better than in long ones. Confidering all the preceding unfavour- able circumftances, we cannot eftimate the old rent of the land at more than 8 s. per acre. I am well acquainted with many I thoufand r 94 ] thoufand fuch acres that do not bring more than 6 s, or 7 5. /. s. d, '500 acres at 8 j. - - 200 o o Intereft of 2200/. at /^percent, 88 o o 288 o o This fum IS the total of the landlord's expence at the conclufion of his improve- ment. The old rent muft be reckoned, becaufe it is in fact a part of his expence : it may be called his original ftock in trade. To flate the rife progreiTively, to fliew the extreme profit of fuch improvements, Suppofe the rife of rent, 3J-. 6d. per acre, the rent will be, £.2^^ o o Here we at once find, that an improver who undertakes fuch works as thefe I am at prefent recom.mending, whatever his profit may be, is yet under an abfolute moral certainty of not Icfmg by his under- taking. Since the fmall rife of 35. 6 J. per acre repays him the intereft of all the money he expends in thefe various im- provements : it is true, they are only fup- pofitions i [ 95 ] pofitions J but any attentive reader will at once fee that I have fketched every article highy and drawn numerous improvements into a fmall fpace. purpofely that the imaginary fum total might at leaft be equal to the reality on fuch land. — -In fa6l, this flate, muft exceed the average of reqiiifite improvements ; fo that although I am only iketching the method of drawing out the general account, yet taking a real fpace of 500 acres for my guide ; an opportunity- offers for a few remarks on the general expediency of fuch undertakings. But few tracts would require fo large an expendi- ture as I have fuppofed. The certainty of ?iot lofmg by the bufl- nefs would be particularly fatisfadlory to fome perfonsj and the indubitable fecurity of that circumflance is too great to admit a moment's doubt. /. i. d» Suppofe the rife, 5 s. an acre, the rent will be - - 325 o o Expences, ^ • • 28800 Clear profit, ^ • Z7 ^ ^ Suppofe [ 96 ] Suppofe the rife js, an acre, the /. s. d, rent will be, - - 375 o o Expences, - - - 28800 Clear profit, - - - 87 o o Snppofe the rife 135. the rent will be, "■ " " 525 o o Expences, - - 288 o o Clear profit, - - 237 o o Suppofe the rife 15 j. the rent ' will be, - - ^7^ o o Expences, - - - 28800 Clear profit, - - - 287 o o Suppofe the rife ly s, the rent will be, - - 625 o o Expences, - - 288 o o Clear profit, - - 337 o o I have inferted this fcale of increafe, that the proportions may at once be feen . As to the probable rent, feveral circum- flances are to be confidered. In the firft place, the eftate is divided into three farms inftead of two 5 that it may let on that ac- count for the higher rent. which cir- cumftanee is ftatedj under a contrary fuppofition the expences v/ould have ran lower. Secondly, the buildings are all brought [ 97 ] brought into moft complete repair; thofe which were thatched are covered with rile, and every circumftance obferved to render them ufeful and durable j many new ones ere6led in a complete manner j and the unufual attention of forming the mofl convenient farm yards to each farm, exe- cuted with fpirit. Thirdly, the fences are brought into fuch repair as not to be ksn in one farm in five thoufandj excel- lent hedges every where made : gates and pofrs new, and weak places and deep ditches to drain the fields, as well as to ren- der the hedges impenetrable ; a work which takes a great annual expence from the »ew tenant. Fourthly, all the wet lands drained in the mofl complete manner; an improvement which is every where known to change the nature of thefe foils, and in numerous inflancps alone fufticicnt to con- vert bad into good land. Fifthly, the grafs fields are all cleared from all buflies, rubbifh and mole-hills that may have in- fefled them. Sixthly, roads made in a firm and lafling manner, which is alone a confiderable annual faving to a tenant. Seventhly, ponds funk in the fields that wanted water. Laflly, the grand articie Vol. II. H of [ 98 1 of the wet arable lands being fummer fal- lowed, and laid down completely to grafsj an improvement alone fufficient in moft parts of the kingdom to add immenfely to the rent. When a farm In fuch a country is put into repair, fome few of thefe improve- ments may have been executed j but where are we to find an eftatc, in which fuch an union of works is executed ! Where is a tenant to go for a farm in fuch complete order ? where is he to find one that will require fo few difburferacnts from him ? Wc very well knov/ the in- creafe of rent demanded, and hadforvaftly inferior works, what therefore may not rationally be cxpefted for farms that are fcarcely to be equalled in the kingdom ? — » Let it be well confidcred, Vv^^hat great fums of money, proportioned to his fortune, a tenant mull: expert to lay out, when he enters a low-rented unimproved farm of this fort. Such can only be hired to any profit by rich men j whereas, after thefe improvements, a tenant comes into full advantage with a comparatively fmall funi pf money, fince every fhiliing he poflefles. Is applied to the niere Jlockmg his farm; this [ 99 ] this circumftance is of great importance, for the fmaller the fum of money with which a farm can be advantageoufly hired, the more people will it fuit; and confe- quently the greater will be the demand for it.^ All thefe points, which fo feldom unite, confidered, I have not the lead doubt, but fuch grafs farms as I have de- fcribed, would let with the utmoft readi- nefs for 25 j. per acre. Nor can I con- ceive the leaft difficulty, from the obferva- tions which I have made in many parts, in letting any quantity of land fo improved for that rent J 20 j-. an acre is a common price in every county in England for grafs farms, without one tenth of the advantages here executed. 25 J. -per acre is the laft article in the above fcale of increafe : the clear pro5t, old rent, and intereft of money paid, is 337/. a year. His money pays him there- fore 19/. 6j-. per cent, confequently hi^ own clear profit is 15/. ts. per cent, 337/. on 500 acres of land is 131. \d> per acre per annum profit. From thefe circumilances, the vafl: im- portance of expending money in this man- ner, is fufficicntly evident. To gain in one H 2 year [ 100 ] year a fee fimple of above of three hundred a year clear, is undoubtedly the moft pro- fitable life fuch a gentleman can make of his tirrje and attention. It will probably take him abundantly more time, and fome- what more anxiety, to gain a patent place of 300 /. a year from a minilter : and he will not eafily raife 8425/. (the fum which the above income will pay the intcreft of) in a more certain, advantageous, or cre- ditable manner. It is extremely clear, that whether a gentleman wants to increafe his annual income or to raife a fum of money, there are no means half fo benefi- cial, or fo eafy to be executed, as improving his eftate. Let it be obferved, that the improved land bringing 25 j. an acre rent, is to me extremely clear — but for the ufe of others, whofe opinion is different, fuppofe the rent a guinea -, the clear profit per annum is then 237 /. old rent, and intereft of capital paid, which income will pay the intereft of 5925 /. It would be nfclefs to multiply thefe fup- pofiiions, but let them be reduced to the flandard of the oldeft man, that has jogged i pii [ ^01 ] on In the path of his anceflors, they will ftill be found to yield great profit. By thefe methods, of a gentleman im- proving his eflate, he makes at once better intereft for his money, than nine tenths of the merchants of Great Britain -, he enjoys a certain perpetual return of near 20 per cent, for the hazard and expenditure of a fmgle year : an advantage to be found in no trade whatever. When it is probable and even certain, that fuch immenfe fortunes may be made by thofe whofe eftates are fo improvable, furely it much behoves all fuch landlords to think more ferioufly upon the fubjedt, than mofl: of them have hitherto done. It is but a poor anfwer to fuch apropofition, to fay that they know but little of country affairs, and could not therefore engage in fuch complicated works : this is the anfwer of indolence or prejudice. There is no work dated in the preceding improve- ments, but what mofl: landlords execute at one time or another. Buildings mufl be repaired, and fometimes new ones built : covered drains are made by many land- lords in every part of the kingdom. What is there, is complicated, or fo diffi- II 3 cult [ 102 ] cult in hedging and ditching r in the mak- ing a i"ad, or ine digging a pond? do not three fourths of the country gentle- men lay down arable to grafs, at various timc^ upon their own farms? If all fuch operdtions were at once to be executed by labourers paid by the day certainly a good overfccr or two would be highly re- quifite, though perhaps difficult to get— — but when nineteen parts of twenty of tlie whole would be performed by meafure — where is the difficulty of the work ? I will venture to affert it to be extremely trif- ling. But granting there would be much dif- culty in the undertaking to gentlemen who wanted activity — fure it would be no fuch impoffible matter, to commit the under- taking to the management of another. To fome perfon of knowledge and a6livity, who v/ould conduft the whole bufmefs, and be paid merely by fo much per cenf» on the improvement — that is, on the clear profit of the undertaking. Such a method of paying him would infure the utmofl vi- gour and attention, for if there was no profit to the landlord, there would be none to him— and in proportion to the increal'e of [ 103 ] of the landlord's rent, fo would be hh profit. Suppofe fuch a perfon to have ^ per cejit, per annum oil the clear improve- ment, old rent and interefl of money paid, fuch 'a profit in large undertakings would make it anfv/er to faperior kinds of* improvers to give their attention to the bufmefs: but in the improvement of fmall cftates that would be infufficient. Thus, if an improvement yielded 300 /. a year clear, the condudlor of it would have i^ L a year j but as the work would require near a year's attention, fuch a perfon mufl either contra6l for the improvement of fe- veral contiguous eftates at once, or he would not be fufficiently paid for his time. Upon fome plan of this nature, I fhould apprehend it no difficult matter to procure a proper perfon for the work. The expenditure of 10,000/. in the above proportion of 337/. yields a clear profit of 153 1 /. per ajinufn. An objecl of confcquence to the largeft fortunes ! I have in thefe fuppofitions confined myfelf to wet and ftiff foils but with thofe very dry ones that are improved by marie, chalk or clay, or by laying down to fainCuine; the profit is yet greater j for II 4 vafl [ IC4 ] vafl: quantities of thofe Ibils are let for fb low as 6 d. and i s. an acre, and are by i'ainfoine alone in many inflances advanced to IOJ-. and i2j. And other foils for- merly let at 2 j. 6d. 3 J. or 4 J. are advan- ced, only by the fame cheap means to 15 j. and even to 20 s. per acre. The improvements alfo by marie, &c, are extremely great j 3 /. an acre expence has often doubled, trebled, and even quadrupled the old rent. Jn either of thefe improvements, the clear profit to the land- lord much exceeds that of the ftiff land, which I have flated : I fixed on that to be more particular on — becaufe if the advan- tage of improving that, appeared to be great, it was at the fame time proving the other to be yet greater. Upon the whole, I cannot but earneflly recommend to all landlords, whofe ellates are not improved to the utmoft, to refiedl on the very confiderable lofs they fuflain by not fctting vigoroufly about the work. The advantages are not at all ideal- They in no reipect depend on novelties j or on any delicate articles of culture of du- bious event. — On the contrary, every par- ticular of the improvement confil1:s in fuch common hulbandry as very good far- mers [ 10^ 1 mers in every part of the kingdom prac- tife though on a fmall fcale : — -and which all good ones would execute in large, were they pofTefled of money fafficient. That I have been extravagant in no re- fpe(5l concerning the benefit of the improve- ment, will appear clearly from the confide- ration of the conduct of the common far- mers : many ofthem, upon even fhortleafes, pra6life more or lefs of all thefe improve- ments : it is abfolutely reqiiifite to them, that fuch works pay them both principal and interefl in a few years : we may be confident of this, from feeing them under- take fuch works : the extent of this profit fhevYs plainly, that I have been very mo- derate in the fuppofed profit to the gentle- man. The advantages which the State muft ever reap from the private profit of indi- viduals, fo gained, are extremely great; fo very important, that no man can per- form greater fervices to his country than by improving land : the benefit of the na- tion is proportioned to his private profit ; feldom the cafe in other ways of advancing a gentleman's fortune ! t io6 ] PART 11. UNCULTIVATED COUNTRIES.' LETTER I. HAVING offered the preceding hints on raifing the rents of cultivated eflates, I fliall, in the next place, difcufs the improvement of uncultivated ones -, or thofe which are applied only to the feeding of fheep or rabbits: they confift princi- pally of moors downs-. wolds • heaths marfhes warrens, &c, ge- nerally open, but fome few inclofed. The moors being much the moH: exten- five wades in Britain^ I fhall begin with them. The forts of moors are various, but a general divifion may be made of dry and 'wet ones; which throws them into the only variety neceflary to cultivation, as all the dry moors are improvable upon one plan i [ 107 ] plan ; and mod of the wet ones upon an- other. The foil of both is various ; but the general predominancy is the • black earth; which is very porous, and loofe, burns well j and is found to various depths. I do not call it peat, becaufe it is quite different from thefouth country peat. The fpontaneous growth is in general ling, called heath in the fouth : the growth of which, is an index to the natural fertility of the foil. In fome places, this black earth is mixed with a white fandy grit, which is reckoned a bad fign. The other foil, of which the moors confifl:, is a fine light, found, dry loam, of various depths, called in the north White Land -, the fpon- taneous growth, whins, and ferns, this land is excellent; equal to much that is let in cultivated countries for 1 5 s. an acre. Before I proceed to further particulars, it will be proper to mention fome general notions common in the north, concerning the improvement of moors. There are two parties, one infifts that moors cannot be profitably improved : the other not only avers the contrary, but prove their aflertion by bringing into culture va- rious tracts ; but the number cf thefe, I 6 fliould [ i°8 ] fliould obferve, is fmall ; Iiowever, tlic very woril parts of moors have by diffe- rent people been cultivated to great profit. Having viewed the moors throughout feveral parts of England with great atten- tion, as well wild as improved, I fhall venture to fpeak with fome certainty ou the fubjedt. That eveiy acre is greatly improvable, cannot be aflerted — the tops of the moun- tains will not yield the fame advantage as the lowefl: valleys — but I fliall foon en- deavour to prove, that the blackeft moun- tain is fufceptibk of improvement. But as to all the other parts of the moors, I will venture to aflert, that more improve- able land is no where to be met with : nor do I ofi^r this opinion at random, but I would venture my fortune on the point of rendering them as profitable farms as any in the world. I am convinced of this fa6l — not from opinion, nor the aflertions of one or two men, but from the repeated experience of many very prudent as well as fenfible improvers, in feveral parts of lingland. And the pra6lice of many little farmers adjoining the moors, proves this matter likewife beyond a doubt; for I have viewed L i09 I viewed many Inclofures taken by fuch from the moors, that have evidently, and ac- cording to the accounts of the farmers themfelves, yielded a moft extraordinary profit. I fhall therefore venture, on the furefl grounds, to afTert, that any gentleman who poflefies moors, may with the utmoft fafety confider them as highly improvable. I fliall proceed to fpecify the various methods of completing their improve- ment. The firft of which, is the erection of the proper buildings. In this refpecl, no eftates are compar- able to the moor ones for flone, flate and lime, are to be had in moft of them without any extraordinary trouble or ex- pence, being raifed on the fpot : thefe are advantages which reduce the price of {juilding to a degree incredible in the fouth of England. Stone is every where fo plentiful in the moors, that the appearance of it is one among many other reafons of larger trails not being improved : for the ftones have fuch a tremendous appearance, that they frighten people from the improvements. Where [ no ] Where it appears above ground, it is fcl- dom limeftone—— which generally runs in flaty quarries. The grit ftone is that which commonly is found. It is of fo loft a na- ture, that it rives with a beedle like foft wood, infomuch that the expence of re- ducing it to the regular fliape ol bricks, is but trifling : the advantages of building in fuch a country are fufficiently flriking. Some fpots of the moors are fo extremely flony, that if the gentleman attends pro- perly to the fituation, where he places his farm iioufes and offices, he may have fre- quently the capital advantage of building in the midft of a quarry. All the buildings, houfe, barn, fl-ablcs, &c. for a farm of 5, 6 or 700 acres of land, may in fuch countries be raifed very completely for 300/. For a farm of ico or 200 acres, 200 /. is an ample fum to afTign for fuch an undertaking. In fome moors it is true, the fbone is of that hard kind, called whin (lone, but fuch are not very frequent; limeftone even in thofe tra6lb is very common. It may be eafily conceived, that this advantage of building fo cheap, and at the fame time in fo durable a manner, muft be prodigioufly [ "I ] prodlgioufly beneficial in fuch undertake ings as I am at prefent recommending, Raifing new edifices in the fouth of Eng^ /andy is fo expenfive a work, that it alone prevents many improvements of a very important kind : in the north the cafe is thus widely different : is it not therefore aftonifhing,that landlords, who pofTefs fuch uncommon advantages, fliould be in ge- neral fo backward in improving ? There are many houfes, and offices to fifiall farms in thefe countries, that are raifed complete of flone and flate for 50 /. containing all the buildings to a whole farni. Next to the article of building, comes that of inclofing j and the fame ftones that are fo highly advantageous in the one cafe, are equally beneficial in the other. The ftones, whether of the grit or lime fort, form the walls of the inclofures, the mofl cheap and durable fence in the world j efpecially the grit ones, which rive in thicker and larger flakes than the lime- ftone ; and from the rough grittinefs of the furface, hangs better together. The total expence of walling, including the cutting, carrying, and laying the ftones, is jj-. 6 d, fer rood, of 7 yards in length, [ 1.2 ] and 5 feet high ; and a gate, two ftonc pofts and the irons complete, come to but 6s. Thefe are proofs of the amazing cheapnefs of inclofing fuch countries. Let me alfo add, that the inclofures be- ing made of the ftones that are found fo plentifully upon the land, is a circum- flance of the mcft fortunate nature, for thefe ftones muft be removed before any culture could go on : they are in fome places fo thick, that the fields muft be made fmall to clear the land entirely of thenn : thus peculiarly favourable is this country to improvement ; it is parallel to a fouth country farmer, forming his fences of the brambles, thirties, and couch grafs that infefts his land clearing it from an evil at the fame time that he acquires fo great a benefit. In thofe moors that do not abound in ftone, the common fence of a hedge and ditch muft be fubftituted inftead of walls. They are fomething cheaper in making, but in the fhortnefs of duration, and the expence of repairs, are much dearer than walls. One circuraftance fliould be remem- bered in the inciofure of moors; it is that t 113 i that of raliing fhelter by planting fcreens againll: the neighbouring uncultivated partSj for which purpofe, 1 fhould recommend to inclofe, the tract to be improved with a double wall, at about 20 yards diftant from each other, which flip to be planted with the fir tribe, as that fpecies of timber forms by much the bed flicker of any others : but this double inclofure I mean only to be made againfl the adjoining open country, over which the wind blows very bleak ; and not be guided by the point of the compafs, but if the moors join, you plant them out, on whatever fide : A fouth wind over a wafre traft of country, is worfe than the north from cultivated inclofures. The price of 5^. t>d. per rood for wall- ing is that for the grit ftone that lies above ground — or for the limeftone that is taken from quarries under ground. Thefe two points of the buildings, and the inclofure being difpatched, we mull: next come to the bringing the foil into culture; which I fiiall make the fubjedl of my next Letter. Vol. II. I [ 114 ] L E T T E R II. n^HROUGHOUT all the north of England^ the proper method of break- ing up wafte foils is agreed, from a long courfe of uninterrupted experience, to be paring and burning > but as it has of late been the fafliion in the fouth to explode this culture, fomething muft be faid to reconcile fuch jarring opinions. The advocates for this method of im- provement, produce a vafi: range of ex- periment to juftify the pradice; whereas its enemies found their opinion merely on reafoning. How is it poiTible, fay they, that it can be profitable huibandiy to reduce an inch of the beft part of the foil every 15 or 20 years to the thicknefsof afheetof paper ? The argument is plaufible, but what would be of twenty times the importance of an hundred arguments would be to produce a field of a thin flaple : this land was once good in the depth of ten inches of foil J it is now b a Dfrom having hut four. But no [ i'5 1 rio fuch inftances have, or can be brought. On the contrary, it is to be proved in all the countries where paring has been long in vogue, that very fliallow foils have been many times pared within the memory of old men, who likewife retain the tra- dition of the fame foil having long before their time received the fame treatment, and yet remained at the former thicknefs. But if the difference of the thicknefs of the turf pared, and the thinnefs of the afhes fpread were the rule to judge by ; the argument in proving too much, would prove nothing. Many tra6ts of the fhal- low land in queftion, have been known to be regularly pared, and burnt once every 12 or 15 years, for a century paft. Now fuppofing it had loft ths of an inch every time, in only eight times fuffering this operation, the furface muft have been re- duced 6 inches in thicknefs : but how does fuch a ftate of the cafe agree with the foil being at this day 6 inches thick, and well known never to have exceeded it ? Which is actually the cafe -with feveral trails of land I have viewed both in the northern and weftern parts of this kingom. There is, in a word, great reafon to think that I 2 this [ i'6 ] this praftlce does not at all dimlnidi the ftaple of the land. Whether this be owing to the great crops it is enabled to yield, returning a proportioned part of themlelves to the earth again, which is the cafe with all forts : or whether the furface pared confift not entirely of turf, or the bulbs of faine- foine, with no earth at ail ; or at leaft none reduced to afiies, I (liall not pretend to decide, but the latter circumllance, I think very probable : Turf, which is no- thing but an aggregate of roots and bulbs, may certainly be burnt without any reduc- tion of /c/V. I am of opinion thaty^// canr not be reduced to aP:es ; but in this, experi- ment fnould decide. A ftrong confirma- ticn of this notion, i^ the well known facl that land cannot be burned till it has ac- quired a turf that is, till it has gained the thicknefs*- which was deflroyed by the laft burning. The efficacy of the pra6tice is indifputa- ble ; a middling quantity of afhes is 500 bufnels per acre. Suppofe a man inftead of paring and burning at i6j. or 18^, expence, would bring afiies to his ground ; he would no where be able to get them carriage t i'7 ] carriage and expences included under td. a biiihel which amounts to 12/. \os. per acre : it is evident enough, that fuch a plan would never do. But the grand point of paring and burn- ing is the bringing wails foils into culture, one may almoft fay, in a fingle day : it is pared and burnt, once ploughed and fown immediately with turnips ; a crop which never fails after that management : thus is the v/ork done at once. But fubflitute the plough alone -wliat a tedious, compli- cated, expeniive procefs ^nfues, to bring about a much inferior profit. I have heard this hufbandry ironically called mofc generous, for you burn your 0'^v\fiil to dijlribute it to all your neighbours* But thofe who talk thus know not what the operation isi the aflies are not like thofe of wood, that blow about like' duft, much of tiiem confifts in half burnt roots and vegetables — ^or at leaft of a grofs afh, but little moved by the wind : but fuppcfing it ever fo light, who but the greateil fiovens leave them to be blown away ? On the contrary, tl>ey are imme- diately fpread and ploughed in hot. We are not to condemn manuring with wood allies, foot, or lime, and yet the wind af- I 3 feels [ 1.8 ] (c3s all of them more than the aflies in qucfi-ion. Another cuxumftance, very important, is the great efficacy of this hufbandry, in deftroying ling and other fpontaneous rub- bifh, at the fame time that all grubs, worms and infe6ls are killed j thefe are advantages unequalled by any other mode of breaking up land. For thefe reafons, and a thoufand others too numerous to mention here, let me, on all accounts, advife the improver of thefe waftes to adhere to a pradice proved from innumerable experiments to be excellent, and not fly to fchemes that are recom- mended by reafoning alone. Let him cordially embrace a method fingular in that admirable circumftance of reducing the wildefl, blackefc defart in the fpace of a fmgle month into profitable crops ; a point fufficient to overcome all the ar- guments againfl the practice, were every one true. I have a6lually feen a fine promifing crop of turnips on land, that only a month before was as black as night itfelf. [ 119 ] The price of paring, burning and fpreading the aflies in the moor countries, varies from 14 j. to jys. 6d, They per- form it very well, and effe<5lually for that fum, fo as to have the plough follow them without interruption. This price is cheap ; but yet from dexterity and cuf- tom they make fuch good earnings at it, that many men apply for the work, the moment it is known that any is to be done ; and I found, from various en- quiries, that there would not be any dif- ficulty in having the largeft quantity of land pared and burnt through a want of hands ; however, I fhall, to obviate acci- dents and obje6lions, calculate at one pound per acre. A price, that would at once draw all the parers in the coun- try. The benefit of this praftice as a ma- nure is every day clearly {ten by the vaft crops which fucceed it for fome years. I have viewed many fields taken from the very blackeil moors, that were crop- ped, firfl with turnips, and then with 5, 6 or 7 crops running of maflin oats, or barley-big, and laid to grafs with the laft, reckoned by the farmers then in I 4 good [ I20 ] good heart and even with this manage- ment, the giafs has been directly worth 155. an acre. All which is fufficient to prove that the foil mud be in prodigious heart after this operation. It is true, they lime a great deal, and of that manuring J (hall fpe^k next. [ 121 ] LETTER III. T IMiNG throughout the moor coun- tries has been long the univerfal praclice. In moft parts of the northern counties, they make it a univerfal manure; probably it is in cultivated countries more ufed than it ought to be. Many very ingenious men have flarted objections to liming even moors ; and they found their opinions (for they do not pre- tend to offer experiment) on the qualities of lime where ever found. They want to have it explained with a philofophical precifion, how a body that of itfelf is no food for vegetables, fhould prove fo rich a manure. Now I am fenfibie of being very unequal to fuch fpeculative points ; and as I never condu6led a feries of chymical experiments on lime, Iconfequently, cannot fpeak from my own experience, but if we compare the qualities which chymifts give to lime, with the nature of the moors, there will, I apprehend, be no difficulty in accounrtng [ 122 ] accounting for the flrong efFe<5l wliich un- doubtedly accrues from laying the one on the other. The moors have fcarcely any marks of former culture no tradition gives the lead trace of culture hiftory to the re- moteft: periods gives no reafon to fuppofe thefe parts of the country ever in a rtate of cultivation j the greateft tra6ls of them are in the mountainous parts of the northern counties, which, it isvi^ell knovi^n, v^ere for ages over-run by frequent incurfions and invafions of two neighbouring but hoflile nations. In a word, there is much reafon to fuppofe the moors at this day in the con- dition they were three thoufand years ago — with no other alterations than the cut- ting and fpoihng the fpontaneous growth by armies, or the poor for firing, and per- haps, in fome inftances, for building. They maintain fome flieep. The foil, as I before remarked, is a black, loofe, fpungy fubflance : I conjec- ture all thefe black parts to be literally nothing but rotten vegetables, kept loofe and open by the roots of the fpontaneous growth. Thus, in fa6l, the foil is a dung- hill } an opinion not very contrary to rea^ fon, [ 123 ] Con, when the crops it yields are confider- ed. However, land that has laid in fuch a ftate for a long fuccefTion of ages, muft inevitably be rich : in the north, men are apt to give a fhrug at the very mention of cultivating them ; for my part, I confider vaft tracts of them as the richeft foil in the ifland of Great Britain. " All rich " foils in a ftate of nature contain oil," fays an ingenious writer *. Next, as to hme; one tells us — " There is a great attraction betwixt quick lime, and all oily bodies ; it unites intimately with exprefled oils -f ." Again, " Its operation is to exhaufl- the earth of its oils. Lime laid on ground wore out by continual crops, rather hurts it than improves it; becaufe it does not meet oil or oleaginous bodies to a6l upon and blunt it. The proper cure for this, is to mix dung with the lime, fo that it may have fomething to adl on t." And again, '' Lime is a great dilFolver of all ^' bodies, both vegetable and animal. In * Georgical EJfaySy p. 20. t Home's Principles of Agriculture and Vegetation^ 69. ^ Ihnl. 70. « this [ 124 ] " this way it certainly operates in the " earth by diflblving all animal and dry *' vegetable fubftances, and converting " them to the nourifliment of vegetables, " at leafl: fooner than they otherwise would " be *." In another place, " By mixing " itfelf with the oleaginous particles of the ** foil, and converting them to the nou- " rifliment of plants, lime becomes in this *' fenfe, provocative to the foil -f" Now is it not fufficiently evident, from this defcription of lime, that the effect of it on a foil in the rich flate of nature, that mufl: abound with oil, muft be very great. It is mifchievous upon worn out land J for the fame reafon it is excellent on new. But even then it is advifable, if dung is added which is the addition of what the moory foil contains in the greateft plenty. Further, lime dilFolves all vege- table fubflances, and prepares them for the nourifhment of plants: this is an opera- tion of the greateft confequence, on moors which feem to confift of fcarcely any thing elfe. Lime is a provocative to the {oil. * Ibid. 70. f Mid, 72. This [ 125 ] This is all the moors want, they abound with natural fertility, but require the af- liftance of lime fpeedily to render it fit for the produ6lion of new vegetables. That thefe moory foils are abundantly fraught with oleaginous matter, cannot be doubted, from this circumftance. It is a common cuftora, and has been fo for many years, with thofe farmers who cultivate their foil, to lime their land both arable and grafs every year, if they can get it cheap; and this, whether they dung thejii or not. Now, all writers agree, that per- petual liming of common foils will reduce them, alnofl: lo a caput moj'tuiim, uniefs a regular acceiFion of dung be alfo gained. But on moor foils, the benefit of thefe repeated limings are indifputable ; and the farmers from long experience afiert, that you can fcarcely lay on too much. Now, let me a(k thofe gentlemen, who affect to call the moors pooi- land, what they think of this fact ? Is it not the flrongefl: proof imaginable, that the foil is an aftual dunghill ? That it is fo fraught with ferti- lity, you can hardly dellioy it ? But there are iome other' general cir- cumftaiices concerning lime upon moors, which [ 126 ] which merit greater attention. There are three points which an improving landlord fhoLild particularly attend to: Firft, the cxiflence of limeftone upon liis eflate : Secondly, if it is not on his own land, that it be within a fliort cartage of it on roads either good, or eafily to be made fo : Thirdly, that if he enjoys neither of thefe circumftances, but is forced to draw his line from a diftance, that the roads be good enoL!2;h for the ufe of a broad-wheeled waggon. If an eflate is fo unhappily fituated, as to pofiefs none of thefe advan- tages, then the improvement of it muft not depend on lime, but on paring and burning alone ; the efficacy of which, on moory foils, I am not acquainted with ; for wherever I made my enquiries, lime was always at command ; nor do I appre- hend, that one efcate in a hundred is in fuch a predicament : the fuppofition, there- fore, is not material to the point of im- provements in general. There are fome tra6ls of moors, that rre fuppofed to be without limelione j and the farmers adjoining them, bring it 5 or 6 miles ; but I could never find that dili- gent fearch had been made after it : it is 3 the f 127 J the opinion of the mofl unprejudiced gen- tlemen, that it might be found, if atten- tively fought after j for thefe tracls are not exterLfiv^, and lime to be found at a few- miles diilance all around them. This fearch, diould therefore be the firfl bu- fmefs of an improver, in fuch a fituation. [ >28 ] «:: LETTER IV. AFTER the inclofure, paring, burn- ing, and liming, the next bufinefs in the cultivation of moors, is the tillage and cropping them : it has been proved by va- rious experience, that thefe lands do much better for grafs than for arable farms. Pafture and meadow gained from the moors, are both good^ equal to moft in the countries ; but the common opinion is, that they are not equally beneficial un- der arable crops : vsrhether this is fa6l or not, I am not a judge, but I may remark, that the crops they gain, intimate no fuch matter. Lime from fpecific gravity cer- tainly will fooner fubfide in arable than in grafs l?.nd, vv'hich is one reafon in favour of the conduft. How^ever, relative to all gentlemen improvers, this circumftance of grafs being preferable, is very fortunate, for the more they reduce arable to grafs, the greater will be their profit. I fliall [ 129 3 I fhali, for thefe reafons, venture to re-« commend the converting the moor inclo- fures to grafs as foon as poflible ; and this is done with amazing expedition by means of the paring and burning hufbandry. The common farmers throughout all the north, although their view is grafs land, yet after paring, burning and liming, take four, five or fix fucceffive arable crops, and all but the firft, corn. This is execrable hufbandry — it is the effect of avarice to get as much as poflible from the land, and as quick as poffible : after this, they lay down to grafs ; an operation, which in the hands of comm.on farmers is never well performed, and yet the padures fo im- proved, let from los. to 20 s. The variation from this condu6l, which an improver mufl by all means purfue, is to take only two arable crops, the fecond oats, and with them to fow his grafs feeds. By thefe means the grafs cannot fail of being incomparable, for it inherits all that prodigious fund of fertility which the far- mers beftow on 4 or 5 crops of corn, ail great ones. In this method, they would silfo have lefs occafion to Hme fo often as the common people do. Vol. n. K la [ >30 1 In puifuing this condudl, It will be nc- ceirary to improve a certain quantity of land every year, by which means a proper fupply of winter green food, hay, flravi^, and oats will every year be fecured j an obje6l of much importance. And the teams find a regular employment, which is likewife matter of confequence. The fiid crop in the common farmer's management, is always turnips, which are univerfally very finej they never were known to fail after paring and burning. But cabbages may undoubtedly be fubfli- tuted inftead of that root with vail: profit. In the improvements of moorland by Mr. Scroope * of the North Riding of Torkfiire^ he ufed cabbages for the firit crop feveral times in the lame field with turnips, and they univerfally much exceeded them. The Earl of Darlington * has alfo planted cab- bages on pared and burnt land, and with only one ploughing and with great fuccefs 5 but his Lordfhip found two plough- ings better for this vegetable. The ge- neral fa<5l: of cabbages fucceeding well on * Thcfe improvements are to be feen at large in. .fhe S>> xlj'onthi Tuur through the North of England. pared [ 13' ] pared and burnt moors is proved, however, by Mr. Scroope fo clearly, that there re- mains not a doubt ; I fhall therefore, in the following calculations, fuppofe both cabbages and turnips 3 part of one, and the reft of the other. The gentlemen in all thefe articles of improvement, fliould contra<5l for as many as poflible : all the buildings the wall- ing and the paring and burning mull be done by the great j the other bufmefs he muft provide teams and fervants for. It might alfo be done by contract : but as the improvement muft be an annual work, the difference in expence would be too ereat. Refpe61ing wet moors, I ftiall confider them feparately, but as few large tracts of dry ones are to be met with, without fome fpots that are wet, the draining fuch muft be included in the following calculations. Having touched upon thcfc circumftan- ces — I fhall, in the next place, proceed to ftate feveral cafes of imciovement, which will throw the neceffary light on the fub- je6l. K 2 t 132 ] LETTER V. SHALL here funpofe a gentleman with a large tract of moors, v/hich he has a right at pleafure to inclofe : the fe- veral attendant circumftances to be the data for his calculations as follows; Walling performed from the ftones on the land at 5;. Gd. a rood. Paring and burning at 20s, an acre. No lime on his own eftate, to be brought from the diAance of 4, 6, or 8 miles. The fiifl objcd: is the buildings ; thefe mull be proportioned to the fize of the in- tended farms. For feveral reafons, I think it in this refpccl particularly advifable to form a farm of each year's improvement ; for by that means, the workm.en employed upon the buildings, will ever be at hand to go fjom one fet to the other j and the preparatory hufbandry to letting the land, will coincide \o well together, that one im*- provement will always be a preparation for another. Upon this plan of proceeding, the [ 133 ] the ann'jal improvement fliould be of fuch extent which, in farms, lets in the coun- try to mod advantage. I fiiall fiippofe the quantities various. The buildings for a farm from 80 to 160 acres all, or at lead, much the greateft part, grafs land will confift of a dwelling houfe, that will cofl about 50/. complete. One fmall barn, a flable, a cow-houfc, and a hogftie which with fome wall- ing in mortar fliould inclofe a yard, as I before fketched in the firft part of this work. All thefe offices will coft about 80 /. or 130/. in all: this, where limeftone and flate are fo extremely cheap, is an ample allowance; but to obviate objeilions, I fhall call the fum 140 /. for any farm from 80 acres to 160 j and from thence to 200 acres 160/. From repeated information, find thefe fums are above the truth. The quantity of walling v.'ill depend on the iionynefs of the moors." — ^ — In moft parts, fields from 20 to 40 acres, vvill, v/ith the buildings completely clear the furface of them j however, I (hall firft calculate for various divifions, and then form variations of other fizes. The firft farm I iliall fuppofe of 80 acres, in lo acred K 3 fields [ '34 ] fieWF, which will lay as follows : Plate V. Fig. 2. The building for fuch a farm com^ to, as I before obferved, 140/. There are 2^ miles of walling, which at 5 j. a rood of 7 yards come to 189/. 15;. Paring, burning and fpreading the aflies, at I /. comes to 80 /. The reft of the improvement mufi: be executed by the improver's men and teams; for which purpofe, a regular farming (lock muft be fixed on the land. This point re- quires a more explicit difcuffion. The number of horfes is the grand point : five will be amply fufncient for the firft team : which number in a large fouth country narrow-wheeled waggon, will draw three chaldrons of lime at a time. No other live flock fliould he brought in except fheep, of which as large a flock fhould be purchafed, and turned upon the adjacent waftes, in the fame manner as the common farmers a6l, as can be provided for in winter. This is a point of m.uch impoitance, and muft not be flighted : the moorfide farmers keep their flocks at leaft 10 montlis in the year on the moors 3 never giving them turnips or hay, but in deep fnows j the breed is very paltry, and they r '35 1 they know nothing of folding : my im« prover mufl: a61t upon a different plan : he mufl change the breed, feed l3etter in winter, and fold all the year round. For this purpofe, I would not recommend a bringing another breed of flieep at once up- on the moors, but on the contrary, to buy a flock of moor ewes, and tups of a good hardy nature and well made, thefe will im- prove his (lock by degrees, and yet keep them pretty nearly to their original hardi- nefs, which is a point of confequence : in winter let him feed them better than the farmers ; which will make it anfwer to fold in that feafon as well as fummer. Folding will be an objeil: of vaft confe- quence to him J for his liming, with this affiftance, will form fuch grafs as has not been of late {ncn in the moors. His firfl flock fliall be icoo j the purchafe will be 6/. each and fifty guineas for tups. His liiied labour mufl be two men fer- vants to go with the team : they muft be ufed to plough with a pair of hories and without a driver. I fliali reckon their board and wages at ^^L alfo a fhepherd at 20 /. a vear. K 4 As r 136 ] As the team nf five hbrfes will be brought in at Michaelmas^ -nd kept at work coii- flantlyfor Tome time before the farm will yieki a produce for them, their expcnces muft be calculated : I fhall fuppofc for hay, cats, litter, fhoeing, ^c, 10 1, per horfe, per annum or 50/. Guppofe the improvement is begun at Michaelmas^ the walling fliould all be fi- r.ifned by April or May. the team will liave, nothing to do with this work as the carriage of the flones is included in the price per rood : it mufl therefore be em- ployed in bringing lime \ that it may all be en the premifts ready to fpread with the afiies of the burning, 2 chaldron per acre, each of 32 buOiels, is a common quantity, but 1 fiiall fuppofe 3 per acre, which over So acres is 240 chaldron. The pai ing and burning muft always be finifn- cd in April -y it is begun in March^ and the fooner over the better, as there is ccnfe- qucntly the more time for the following tillage. From the fuft of Oclobcr to the middle of March, are 1 40 working days, out or which v/e ought not to dedud above 20 days for accidental interruptions from ex- treme bad vvcathe;-, ^.c. there remains 120^ vvhicli [ 137 ] ,which I fliall, to obviate obje6lions, call I GO. Now a waggon brings 3 chaldron at a time, confequently 80 journeys com- plete the bufinefs ; there are therefore 30 days work of the team to fpare, which mud be employed in whatever works may be moil: wanting. It would be very allow- able to fuppofe it eniployed that time in carting ftones for the walling, and the value of the time dedu61ed from the amount of that expence, but as fome allow- ances fhould, in fuch eflimates as thefe be m.ade for incidental work, I fhall let this pafs, without being carried to account. As fail as the paring and burning is jione, the team muft cart the lime on to the land, and fpread it, and then imme- diately plough both that and the a(hes into the ground. I fliall fuppofe 50 acres fown with turnips on one ploughing according to the cuftom of thefe countries ; and 30 acres planted with cabbages on two earths. There is one material reafon for planting a large quantity of cabbages 3 the turnips tliroughout thefe countries are none of them hoed : good turnip hoers confcqi-tnt- ly not to be had, fo that that crop n^uft be hand-hocd by the day, a circumitance, ? ,. which [ 138 ] which will render the cabbage culture in thcfe cafes of gieat importance ; for the hand-hoeing beiiowcd on cabbages, bears no proportion to that of turnips; nor does it depend on any thing but the m-ere drength of tlie hoer, being planted at the proper diftances ; whereas, the fetting out turnips in the hand-hoeing is a matter of ikill and dexi'^rity much acquired by prac- tice. I have little doubt, but it will in a long courfe of feveral year's improvement, be found advifable to plant all the land with cabbages.; but fuch undertakings fiiould ever come on by degrees, and not all attempted at once. In the enfuing efti- mates, I (liali vary the quantities according to circumfcances. One earth on 50 acres, and two on 30, is equal to the ploughing no acres once, that is ^^ days of two ploughs; there is very good time for this work, forthefow- ing and planting will lad, in proper feafon, from the laO: week in May to the end of The improver is to make it a rule of conducl always to keep his team employ- ed ; the works that do not require the hoifes muft be executed by labourers. After I 139 ] After the turnips and cabbages are In the gr®und, the team has no more employ- ment that year, except twice horfe-hoeing the cabbages, which is trifling j fo that other employment muft be found for them : the beft method of employing them will be the cbllecling the ftones for the build- ings, and walls of the next year's inclofure, and laying them where they are to be ufed.j by which there will be a dedudlion from the expence of next year's walling, which may be efl:imated from 30/. to 40 /. Refpecling the ufe and value of the crop : the price per acre of turnips in the moory parts of the North Riding of Tork- Jhire^ which contains vaft tra6ls of moors, under the circumftanccs J have here de- lineated, is upon an average about 3 / ic j*. fer acre, unhoed; confequently the hoed ones mud be much m.ore valuable. Cab- bages from numerous trials have been found to be worth at lead 8/. 105. per acre on new land : but I fliall calculate on much lower rates. And the turnip price is not only a fuppofcd one, but what va(t quantities might be fold at, to be fed on the ground. The [ HO ] The fiifl: application of the crop muft be to the winter feeding the flock of looo /heep ; but as they are only to be fed with them in very hard weather and after lamb- ing, a fmall quantity goes a great way 5 50 acres of turnips will be an ample pro- vifion for them, as I was informed by feve- ral very accurate improvers ; however, as in thefe cafes, one had much better be mo- derate in our fuppofitions, I fliall make a further allowance of 10 acres of cabbages : there will then be 20 of cabbages to fell ; which I (hall rate at only 5 /. per acre, to be fed on the land: no obje6lion is to be made on account of any difficulty in fell- ing them, becaufe an equality of the tur- nips may be fold, and the cabbages re- ferved for the flock. In this manner we get to the end of the firftyear:« we mufi:, next place, caft up the account, and fee the amount of the diluuriements. The buildings, 2 miles and 4 of walling, at ^s. td. ■Si rood. Paring, burning and fpreading, 240 chald. of lime, at 8 j. Carried forward, J05 J 5 /. s, d. 140 189 15 80 96 [ H' ] Farming Stock, I, 5. d» I. s, d. Brought forward, 505 15 o 1000 flieep, at 6 s, 300 o o 5 hories, - 80 o o Harnefs to ditto, 7100 1 Waggon, - 20 o o 3 fmall, 3 wheeled carts, 12 00 2 ploughs, - - 770 2 pair of harrows, 3 00 Roller, - - 2 10 o Sundry fmall implements, 15 o o Labour, 2 men board and wages, ^^ 00 One fhepherd ditto, 20 o o Hand-hocing, 50 acres turnips, at 10 j. 25 00 Planting 30 of cabbages, at 5J. - 7 10 o Hand -hoeing ditto, at 3 J. 4 10 o Sundries, Maintenance of 5 horfes 50 o o Wear and tear of one way;- gons, 3 carts, and fun- dry implements, 5 c o Tythe •, fuppofe the gene- ral compofition of the 447 7 ^ 112 o o Carried over, 55 o o iqS^ i o [ 142 ] /. S. d, /. J. d. Brought over, 55 o o 1065 2 o neighbouring cultivated country, about 2 i. per acre, - 800 Sundry unfpecified expen- ces, - - 20 o o 83 o o Total of the firll year's difburfements, 1148 2 o Produd of 1000 ftock fheep, lamb and wool, at, 6 J. 300 o o Sale of 20 acres cabbages, at 5 /. 100 o o — V 400 00 Total firft year's expence, - 748 2 o It will certainly be agreed, by all who arc acquainted with the prices of the north, that I have rated every article of expence higher than the faft 3 and the produce I have equally lowered. I make a thoufand fheep little more than pay the common price of the turnips, though kept three fourths of the year on the moors ; for it is no unufual thins: to fell manv hundred acres of turnips fro^i 4/. to 5/. an acre, and unhoed ones : this would on 80 acres alone make the Vv'holc produce I have fup- 7 pofed [ H3 ] pofedj whereas, 30 acres being cabbages^ raifes the value much : but as I have often remarked, one fhould in fuch eftimates ever be under the truth in fuppofed profit, and above it in fuppofed expences. I ftate no- thins in thefe calculations, that I would not undertake to realize upon any fimilar moors in England, at the ftated expence, and with the fuppofed profit. I did not before obferve, that the flieep are to be kept conftantly folded the year round, the benefit of which, both from manuring, and treading a loofe foil, is im- menfe. Give to each llieep a fquare yard, and in 340 days, 1000 will fold 68 acres. The value of this may be eafily imagined, I fliould advife a gentleman on no account to keep houfe at the n^vf farm for his men, but to place one of his labourers in it, and have his men board v^^ith him, which might very eafily be managed. We now come to the next year's under- taking, which will vary in fomc particulars from the laft. I fliall fuppofe 100 acres this year to be added to the former improvement, the eftate will then lie as follows j Plate V. Fig. [ H4 ] Fig. 3. the double lines, the boundaries of the farms. The buildings are the fame as before. The walling extends two miles and three fourths, and one eighth, which comes to 198/. ']s, 6d. and twelve gates com- plete 21 6 s. 3/. 12^. but I fhall callit4/. Paring burning and fpreading 100/. The reft of the woi k depending on the team, we muft eftimate the whole amount, to fee if 5 horfes and 2 men continue fuf- ficient for all. Days, Bringing lime for 100 acres, 100 Ploughing 50 acres of new inclofurc, once for turnips, - - 25 Ditto 50 twice far cabbages, 50 Ditto the laft 80 acres, thrice for oats, j 20 Harrowing and rolling 180 acres, 12 Harvefting 80 acres oats, - 20 Horfe-hoeing 50 acres cabbages, 12 339 Suppofing 300 W'Orking days in the year, we hence find the old team infufii- cient. The addition of one horfe, fo as to go [ ^^5 ] go with three ploughs and 3 pair of hai*- rows, with another ploughman will an- swer the deficiency, and leave a large furplus for incic'ents : and if we v/ork upon the firfb farm with the new addition, will keep the teams regularly employed, fo as they will not have a great deal to do at one time, and but little at another. Refpeding the management of the land, the So acres cropped the firfl year with turnips and cabbages, muft be ploughed up as fail as the flieep eat them off j and receiving two earths more, be perfe611y flat and fown with oats : from repeated expe- rience it is found, that oats pay much bet- ter than any other grain j the crops are immenfe, without the peculiar benefit from fheep which thefe enjoy. They frequently amount in common to 7, 8, and even 10 quarters per acre ; and fcarcely ever lefs than fix. I fnall for moderation fuppofe our produ6t to be 7 j. per acre, and the va- lue 1 2 i. per quarter. With thefe oats, and at the fame time, grafs feeds muft be fown ; white clover is furprizingly natural upon all the moors, for if you lay a large quantity of lime on i fmali fpace of ground, it will kill all the Vol. II. L ling.. [ 146 ] ling, and bring up a full crop of white clo- ver in many places; burnet alfo, and rib- grafs fliould be fown, and fome clean hay feeds. I riiall fuppofe the whole 20s. an acre. Of the 100 new acres, 50 of cab- bage I fliall allot to the winter feeding the flock, and 50 of turnips to feeding beads, by which means the ftraw of the oats will be converted to manure. The account of this year will ftand therefore as follows : /. s, d. The buildings, 140 Walling and gates. 202 7 6 Paring and burning, 100 300 chald. lime, at 8 s. 120 Stock, I. s. d. I horfc, - 1600 60 oxen, at 6 /. 360 o o I plough, - ^ ^i ^ I pair of harrows, - 200 ■ I II 1 ■ 1 . 1 ■ Labour. 3 men, - - 82 10 o Shepherd, - - 20 o o 562 7 6 381 13 6 Carried over, 102 10 o 944 i o Hand- [ 147 ] L s, d. /. s, d. Brought over. 102 10 944 I Hand -hoeing 50 acres of turnips, 25 Planting 50 of cabbages, at 5J. ^ 12 10 Hand-hoeing ditto 3 s. 7 lo Sowing 130 acres. I Ditto 80 grafs, I Mowing and harvefting 80 acres oats (except carting) 2 s. 8 Threfhing 560 qrs. of oats, at I s. 28 — 18^ 10 o Seed, 50 acres turnips, - - 2100 50 cabbages, - - 500 80 oats, at 5 bufh. at I4J-. 35 o o So grafles, - - 80 o o 122 10 o Simdn'es. Maintenance of 6 horfes, 60 o o Wear and tear of imple- ments, - - 25 o o Tythe, at 2j. - 1800 To anfwer unfpecificd de- mands, - <;o o o Total diiburfcrrtent. L 2 153 o o J 405 1 o FroduclJ ■[ 14^ ] /. s,d. /. J-. d. Brought forward, 1405 1 Producl of looo fhcrp, at ys. Gd. - 375 60 oxen improved by 50 acres of turnips, with the draw too, - 510 560 qrs. oats, at lis. 336 — I22I O O Total fecond year's expencc, 184 i o The flraw of Ho acres of oats, is an ob- je6l too important in making manure to be omitted : for this purpofe, the 50 acres of fpare turnips, I allot to fatting oxen in the farm- yard, that they may eat what they like of the ftraw, and tread the reft into rich manure, which being turned over, mufteaily next year be mixed with lime, and carried on to ihe grafs land, an im- provement that will be of great utility. It is the cleareft method in thefe accounts to ftate the expences of horfcs at a certain fum, rather than to forni tedious deduc- tions from the crops. The flieep are fup- pofed to pay fomcthing better than the firft year, and that will increafe from the improvement of the breed. They are ever to be kept folding as fbon as the oats are [ H9 ] are off the ground, they fliould be brought on to the ftubble to fold the young grafs. The third year, I fhall fuppofe 1 20 acres more improved as before, but it will be ufelefs to continue dividing into ten-acred fields, for no part of the moors are fo ftony as to require above 180 acres in fuch fmall pieces. I fhall therefore vary them in future. The eftate will this year, con- fiil of the following land. Plate V. Fig. 4. The buildings the fame as before. The walling extends 2 miles and ~ and T-s-th which comes to 1 59 /. 1 1 ^. 3 ^. and eight gates to 2/. 10 ;. In ail, 162/. IS. 3^. Paring, burning, and fpreading 120/. Refped:ing the work which depends on the team ; the increafc of it will require an increafe of that alfo. Two horfes more mufi: be bought, in all eight, which will be fufficient for the work ; as will appear from the following (late of this year's bu- fmefs ; Days* Bringing lime for 120 acres, 7 chald. at a time in a broad-wheeled wag- gon, 360 chaldron. 52 L 3 Ditto, [ ijo 1 Daysl Ditto, 60 chaldron to mix with the yard dung of bfl year, 9 Carting the lime and dung fo mixed, 500 loads on to the land, 30 a day, 3 carts, 17 Ploughing 60 acres once, 15 Ditto ditto twice, 30 Ditto 100 thrice, j^ Harrowing 200, 8 Harvefting 100 oats, 3 waggons, 12 Horfe-hoeing 60 cabbages, 1 2 Carting, 80 acres of hay, 10 240 which total leaves a furplus fufficient to anfwer many other trifling matters, that do not require being particularized. The addition to the team requires material addi- tions to the implements -. eight horfes de- mands a broad- wheeled waggon, the ufe of which in the carting of lime, is parti- culaily profitable in faving expence. Alfo another narrow-wheeled one, fo that three may be in the field at hay-time and har- veftj likewife fome carts, &c. Another man alfo to plough with the new pair of horfes. 8 But [ 15' } But having extended our Improvements to the fpace of 300 acres, we mufi: take in a frefh variation, which is that of draining. It is to be obferved, that many hundred contiguous acres of moor, may be found without any that is wet j but as I would, in every particular, chufe to fup- pofe an improver in no refpeft peculiarly fortunate, I fliall, even in the calculation of dry moors, fuppofe fome fpots that re- quire draining — 40 acres, for inftance, in the prefent year's improvement. In wet moors, drains are cut and filled with lefs expence than in molt foils ; for the moor digs with much eafe, and flone is every where to be met with to fill them. The breadth and depth of the cuts fhould be various ; in a piece of 40 acres, one main drain may be fuppofed, 3 feet wide ami 5 deep, and 150 perch long j Ibme others 4 feet deep, fuppofe 200 perch ; and 500, 3 feet deep: the digging a^id filling the lad", may be calculated at 4^. a perch : the 4 feet ones 6^. and the 5 feet 8i. In all other refpeds thefe moors are to- be treated coi- aftiy the fame as the dry ones ; they ai'e when drained equal, and very CiiQn fupe» rior in fertility. L 4 Tluj [ 15^ 1 This year's general condiifl of the crops is as follows 3 the 8o acres laid to grafs laft year, is now mown for hay, and the after-grafs fed by the horfes and flieep. The ICO acres laft year under turnips, are now Town with oats and grafs feeds; and the new broke up, 120 acres are half un- der cabbages and half turnips. Oxen to be fatted as before, on the fpare turnips j to convert the ftraw into manure, and part of the hay into money. It fliould here be further obferved, that I fuppofe the firfl improved farm of 80 acres to be kept in the gentleman's hands one year after he certainly might let it: I have two rcafons for this ; the firfl Is gaining a flock of hay, one crop of which, he will now have every year ; but before he wa5 forced to buy it. Secondly, the grafs, by gaining a year's age, will fully fhew it- felf to the tenants, that offer for it, fo that they will have only to view it to be con- vinced of its excellency ; whereas, if they viewed it upon the oat flubble, fome doubts, cavils, or obje6tions might be flarted. The conflant regular bufmefs from this time therefore in the gentleman's hands will [ 153 ] will form an extremely well appointed farm. His new inclofure will be his tur- nip and cabbage crop. His laft year's one, will be in oats; and the preceding, in hay; fo that he will every year have a crop of oats, draw, hay, turnips and cabbages—*- that is, he will have all the wants within himfelf and every year let a new farm. The third year's account will fland as follows : /. The buildings, - - 140 Walling, &c, - - 162 Paring and burning, - 120 420 chaldron lime at 8/. 168 150 perch drains, at 8^. 5 200, at 6 this decides the quantity of walling, of par- ing and burning, of liming, &c. But fup- pofe a gsntleman fixes 4 horfes on a moor, and he finds that the proportioning his work in this manner will take too much money, in fiich cafe but half the requifite improvement will be done, all proportions will at once be broke, the team will wait for every on^, — the building will wait for the walling — the walling for the paring, and all \v\\{ at once languifn. To remedy this, only two horfes will perhaps be fet at work, then will a man be employed with a paltry cart to fetch lime, at 40 per cent, lofs, at Icaft, for vy^ant of a waggon and 2 horfes more. Workmen of all forts will find only a little fpirit of employment once a year, and confequently make you y/iiit the motions of thofe, whofc bunnefs M 3 is [ ,66 ] - IS more important. But when every work is properly proportioned to each other; one part aflifls the other, and every part con- fequently gains : the exa^l feafon is always taken— — ^— you have a command of men of all forts your work is cheaper, and at the fame time better done. One material point in my propofition, is an improved fiock of (liccp for folding; but the grafs which 1 faw in various parts that had been taken from the moors had nevex' known a fold fmce the day it was created. Upon the whole, the advantages of pro- ceeding with a due fpirit in the affair of improving moors, are clear and decilive ; the profit m.ufl inevitably be vaflly greater, than from an annual m,oderate expendi- ture. Let a narrow-wheeled waggon and 4 horfes, and two men be fixed on as the very firfc criterion of the extent of the im- provement ; and all other things propor- tioned to it. The improver will then find (under the given circumiftances of the moors now under confideration) that he mufl take in a farm of not lefs than 8o acres of land every year: and put 3147/. in his pocket, the firfl: day of his under- taking. 3 ^'^ [ »67 ] In anfwer to this, I have been more than once told, / cannot fpare the money ^ and this from men of large eflates : Who the deuce fuppofes they can fpare three thoufand pounds on demand ? But cannot they borrow it ? Cannot they fpare 4 per cent, for that fnm, while it brings them in 40 ? I have feen fo much of the languor of thofe undertakings that depend on a fmall annual fum, that I declare, if a nobleman was on that plan, to offer me 20 per cent, on an improvement propofed, for execut- ing it ; and ^ per cent, on the fame advance; but executed with the whole fum ready j the latter is the offer I fliould prefer. It is fomewhat paradoxical what objedfion the mofl prudent landlord can have to bor- rowing a fum of money for an improve- ment in hufbandry. It is fo extremely common for all other purpofes, that no good reafon can be given for this particu- lar exception. Flowever, the improvements that are attempted with annual fums, un- lefs they amount to an equality with the fums Iketched above, can never turn out half fo profitable. It is for thefe reafons, that I value my new-improved grafs at 20 s. an acre; the languid improvements rifmg M 4 to [ ,68 ] to I5J-. would jullify my flating a much higher rent, but I am defirous of being moderate in fuch articles. Objc6iions ought never to be raifed againft a Ipirited condu6t in matters of this fort, bccaufe uncommon: moors have not been improved in fo fnort a time, therefore fome v\'ill think they cannot, but there is no reafon in fuch conclufions. No man has attempted the imiprovement of moors, with moderate funis of money, that has failed : a general fuccefs has attended fuch under- takings. And fume have made confide- rable fortunes by them. I fliall now proceed with the calcula- tion, and fuppofe 120 acres to be taken in every year 5 the fifth year, the eftate will confift of the following fields. Plate V. Fig. 6. Buildings, walling, paring /. s. d. burning, draining, and lime, as in the lafl year. 642 I 3 100 oxen ditto. 700 Labour ditto, wiili addition of 20 acres of hav, 302 15 10 Seed ditto. 185 5 Sundries, ditto 214 y;. 2044 2 I [ "69 ] /. J. d. Product of 1000 fheep, joo o o 100 oxen improved by 70 acres of turnips and cab- bages ; 105 of hay and i2oofftraw; to, 1067 10 o 840 qrs. of oats, at i2x. 504 o o 2071 10 o Dilburfement, - 2044 2 i Balance, 27 7 II General account at the end of the fifth Tear, Cafh in hand at the end of the fourth year, - 2890 19 p Expenditure of the fifth,. 2044 2 I Balance in hand, - 846 16 11 Amount of a new farm of 120 acres, let at 120/. a y^3r, - - 3000 o o Produ6l of the fifth year, 2071 10 o CaOi in hand at the end of the fifth year; which is clear profit, . /;. 5918 6 11 [ i;^ ] Here you niufT: allow me to remark, that as long as the improver continues his works, it is at a profit of 3000-/. a year, and all from the original fum of 3147/. for he will every year, upon this plan, let a farm of 120/. a year, which is a perpetual fund for borrowing 3000/, a year: and this, amazing as it may feem, is only a different vi^ay of ftating the point : for the annual acquifition of 120 /. a year incomey is certainly 300c /. a year principal. But it is even more, for if he fold the eftates as fail as improved, they would raife even larger fums j for inftance, at only 30 years purchafe, 3600 /. But being now arrived at near 6000 /. in hand, clear, we muft fuppofe the im- provement increafed : I fhall (late two farms taken in every year, each of 120 acres : it would render it more profitable to make but one of them, but as 1 20 may be eafier let than 240, I fhall calculate accordingly. The fixth year's eftate will therefore be the following : Plate VI. Fig. i. And V. -^ -&- -4 -s- C a h /• r\ [ ^71 ] And the account this. /. s. d. Buildings, - - - 280 Walling and gates. 324 2 6 Paring and burning. 240 Draining, 80 Lime, ^ « 360 1284 Stock, I. 200 Oxen, •>■ 1400 8 horfes, - - 128 1 broad -wheeled waggon, 70 2 narrow ditto, - 50 6 carts, - 60 Ploughs, harrows, rollers, ^c, 50 Harnefs, , - ^o Labour, A bailiff, - 80 o o 8 men, - 200 o o Shepherd, - 20 o o Hand hoeing 120 acres turnips, 60 00 Planting 120 of cabbages, at 5 J. 30 o o Pland -hoeing ditto, at 35, - 18 o o Sowing 360 acres, 3 00 Picto 120 grafs, 2 00 1788 o o Carried over, 413 00 3072 o o [ 1/2 ] /. s, d, L s. d. Carried over, 413 o o 3072 2 6 Mowing and harveftjng 120 acres oats, at 2 J. 24 00 Threlliing 840 quarters, at IS, - 42 o o Turning over, mixing, fiK'no; and Ipreading 1000 ioiids compofl", II 13 4 Mowing, making, and f^ackino- goacres hay, at 7 :. bd. - 33 15 o Sunury labour, 30 00 554 Seed. 120 Of turnips, 600 120 cabbages, 12 00 120 oats, - 56 5 o 1 20 grafs, 120 00 Swidnes. Maintenance of 16 horfes, 160 00 Wear and tear, 80 Tytlv", To anfvver unfpecified demands. 50 100 00 194 5 o 490 Total difbiirfcment, - 4310 15 10 Produ6l of io.,o fheep, 500 o o 200 oxen improved by jfjo acres of turnips ■ Carried forward, /jco o o 4310 15 lo [ ' 73 ] /. s. J. /. s. d. Brought forward, 5C0 4310 15 10 and cabbages ; 90 of hay, and 120 ftraw; i to, 2105 840 qrs. oats, at 12 J. 504 3109 /-v ^\ Total expenc'e, 1201 15 10 General account at the end of the fixth yeat\ Cafh in hand at the end of the fifth year, - - - 591S 6 11 Difburfement of the fixth, Remains, Amount of a new farm, of 120/. a year, - _ _ Product of the fixth year, Cafli in hand at the end of the lixth year, ' - - - 7716 11 i 4310 ^5 10 1607 II I 3000 3109 In the preceding account, I have charged many expences higher than or- dinary, and inferred feme new ones ; fuch as 80/. a year to a baihff, which, in this extent of bufinefs, though not abfolutely necefl'ary, may yet be allow- ed. I have charged the expence of the horfes the fame as ufual: thouc^h at the fame time I have fuppoicd 90 acres cf hay t '74 1 hay mown infteadof 120. I have allowed 30/. for unrpecified labour, and loo/. to anfwer incidental demands : I have like- wife continued to charge 20 s. an acre for paring and burning, though 16^. 6d,\s the price. Thefe and other articles amount together to a confiderable fum, and are abundantly fufficient to anfwer minute ob- je6lions. The feventh year will be as follows : Plate VI. Fig. 2. And the account as under j Buildings, walling, paring, draining and lime as in the iaft year, 1284 26 200 oxen, - - 14CO o o Labour, Bailiff, men, and fhep- hcrd, - 300 o o Labour on turnips and cabbages as laft year, 108 o o Sowing, - 500 Mowing and harvefting 240 acres oats, 48 o o Threfhing 1680 qrs. at I J. - 8400 Turning over, mixing, filling and fpreading 2000 loads compofl, 23 6 8 90 acres hay, - 33 ^ 5 o Sundries, - 30 o o 6:;2 Carried over, 3316 4 2 I 174 1 I. s. d, J, s. d. Brought over, - 3316 4 2 120 Turnips, - 600 120 cabbages, - 12 o o 240 oats, - 112 10 o 240 grafs, - 240 o o 370 10 o Sundries, as in laft year, - 490 o o —4 Total difburfement, - 4176 14 2 Produftof looofheep, 500 o o 200 oxen improved by 190 acres of turnips and cabbages; 90 of hay, and 240 of ftraw ; to - 2105 o O 1680 qrs. of oats, at 12 5, - 1008 o o 3^13 Total expence, ;£. 563 14 2 General account at the end of the feventh year, Calh in hand at the end of the fixthyear, - - 7716 11 i Difburfement of the feventh, - 4176 14 2 Remains - - • 3539 16 11 Raifed on a new farm of 120/. a year the fifth that is let, 3000 o o Product of the feventh year, 3613 o o Cafh in hand at the end of the feventh year, - £. lo^ic^i 16 11 [ 176 ] It is here to be obferved, that the gen- tleman might now take 5000/. from the improving fund, and apply to whatever ufes he thought proper : this would of courfe depend on his neceffities, but I fliall here fuppofe (for the fake of difcovering what may be done from a fmall beginning, which is an important objedl) him to in- creafe his improvements as fafl as his im- proving fund will allow; for this purpofe, we poliefs the data that are requifite ; 'vtz, 16 horfes by 8 men, are fufficient for an- nual improvement of 240 acres j and alfo the proportion of 8 horfes and 4 men, for 120. I fiiall therefore fuppofe 360 acres broke up the eighth year, to be formed in the following inclofures. Plate VII. The farms being in number three, the buiklings will be the fame proportioned as before. The walling extends 7 miles ^ and i., confequcntlv comes to 567/. 45. 4^. The paring and burning, and lime, will be in the former proportion. Draining, I fliall call 200 /. to the three farms ; which upon moors in general dry, is an ample allow- ance. . 7 , ^^^ ' /' a t ^ a A- ■. - m'f u '■ 5L ..• .c- r ■ /' /' ' "7" d ^ [i^ ■^ L? j^ v" - > -■ : ■ ^ ■ ■.^ LI' ■., L^ ^ ., Vh -h: "* n ru- ^rii L^ "1 J r [ ^77 ] in the regular progreffive method of in- creafing improvements here pointed out, there can enfue no difficulty for want of men ; a very great number may not always be at once at command j but any perfon who has conftant employment, that keeps 3 GO this year, may undoubtedly have 1 50 next year, 200 the next, and fo on : keep them but regularly, and you may every year increafe to any number; but make a break of a (ingle year, and then much difficulty will be found to regain half the number. The following is the account of this year : /. i. d. Buildings ; three fets, = 420 Walling, ^c. - S^l 4 4 Paring and burning, - 360 Draining, - 200 D 1080 chaldron lime, at 8j. 43* 500 ditto. 2CO 2179 4 4 Stock. I. ;. a. 300 Oxen, at 7/. - 2100 Shorfes, - - i?.y Carried forward, 2228 o o 2179 4 a. Vol. II. N [ '73 1 /. s. d. /. s. d. Brought forward, 2228 o o 2179 4 4 1 broad-whreled waggon, 70 o o 2 narrow ditto, .50 o o 6 carts, - - 60 o o PJoughs harrows, rollers, harnefs, &c. 80 o o 2488 o o Labour, Bailiff, 80 12 men, 300 Shepherd, 20 Hand-hoeing, 180 acres turnips, 90 Planting 180 ditto of cab- bages. 4 50 a Hoeing ditto, 3 s. 27 Sowing 42c acres. 5 Ditto 240 of grafs, 4 Mowing and harvefting 240 of oats, 2 J-. 48 Threfhing 1680 qrs. oats. at I J. 84 Mixing,filling,and fpread- ing 3000 loads com- poti. 25 200 acres of hay, at 7 s. 6d. 75 Sundry labour, - 50 S63 o o Seed, Carritd forward, 27 o o 5530 4 4 180 turnips, 900 180 cabbages, - 1800 [ ^79 3 /. s, d. I s. d. Brought forward, 27 00 5530 4 4 240 oats, - - 1 12 10 o 240 grafTes, - 24b o o 'Z1^ 10 o Sundries. Mamtenanceof24horres, 240 o o Wear and tear, - 200 o o Tythe, - 80 o o To anfwer unfpecified demands, ^ 150 o o 6'JO o o Total dlfburfement, - ^379 14 4 Product 1000 fheep, 500 o o 300 oxen improved by 3 10 acres of turnips and cabbages, 200 of hay, and 240 of ftraw, to, - 3330 o o 1680 qrs. oats, at 1 2 J. 1008 00 4S38 o o Total expence, 1741 14 4 In this account, as before, I have in- creafed many chaiges beyond the former proportion, to anfwer incidental expences: a method which obviates all objedions of the inferior fort ; for they amonnt to feve- ral hundred pounds. The excefs in p.^ring N 2 and [ j8o ] and burning is continued ; the allowance for draining is very great -, and alfo the quantity of lime. Refpe6ling the imple- ments, the number of waggons, &c, pur- chafed, may to fome appear very great, but it fliould be confidered, as an univerfal rule in hufbandry of all forts, that the teams are at any time ail to be fet to one fort of work ; which is a matter of prodi- gious importance when feafons are to be catched. Thus, there muft always be one broad-wheeled waggon to every 8 horfes, with two narrow ditto, and 4 or five carts j and a plough, and a pair of harrows to every pair of horfes. Hence, all the teams may be fet to lime cart, or all to plough- ing, or all to harrowing , by which means the farmer will always be able to make the mofl of a feafon when he has it. Gsneral State at the End of the Eighth Tear, /. 5. d, Cafli in hand at the end of the feventh year, 10,152 16 11 Difburfements of the eighth, 6579 14 4 Remains, - - 3573 2 7 Il n 1 /■ r I / t 1, .1- ,. r ,■ 71 1 h 1 ■ l^ I" J n pj , ri h •^ •'■ '■ ■ n ,1 B r^ 1 .f / .r r /, ■ < , \r r /■ I /• J- t d ri * 1 ■ r ,/ ^ 1 s r / r ■ h ■ £ * h t - ■ m 3' r >i t /i Vf' ■ LT LT [ i8i ] /. s. d. Brought forward, 3 573 2 7 Raifed on two new farms of 240 /. a year, the fixth let, 6000 o o Produ6l of the 8th year, 4838 o o Cafli in hand at the end of the 8th year, - i4j4ii 2 7 Which fum of money will allow of breaking up fix farms in the ninth year, each, as before, of 120 acres. The eftate that year, will lie as in Plate VIII. And the account as under, /. s. d. Buildings, _ , „ 8^0 o o Walling, &c. - 11 34 8 8 Paring and burning, - 720 o o Draining, - - 400 o o 3160 chaldron of lime, 1264 o o 435S 8 8 Stock. 600 Oxen, - 4200 o J 6 horfes, - 25600 2 broad- wheeled vv^aggons, 140 o o Carried forward, 4396 o o 4358 8 8 N 3 [ 1^2 ] /. S. d. /. s,d. Brought forward, 4596 4 narrow, ditto, - 100 12 carts, - 120 Ploughs, £f?f. ^c, - 160 00 4358 8 g 4976 9334 8 8 Labour* Bailiff, 100 20 men, 500 Shepherd, 20 Hand-hoeing 360 acres turnips, 180 Planting 360 of cabbages , 90 Ploeing ditto. 54 Sowing 720 acres. 10 Ditto 360 grafs. 8 Mowing and harvefling 300 oats, - 36 O o Threfhing 252oqrs. oats, at I J. - 126 6000 loads compoil, - 70 200 acres hay. 75 Sundry labour, 200 1489 n c \J V Seed, 360 Turnips, 18 360 cabbages, 36 360 oats. 168 15 360 graiTes, 3^0 -— — 582 '5 « Cariicd forward, 11405 3 8 [ '83 ] Sundries, L s. d, J. s. d. Brought forward, - 11406 3 8 Maintenance of 40 horfes, 400 o o Wear and tear, - 500 o o Tythe, - 150 o o To anfvver unfpecified de- mands, - 300 o o — — 1350 00 Total difburfement, 12756 3 8 Produfl of (heep, - 500 o o 600 oxen improved by 670 acres of turnips and cabbages ; 200 of hay and 360 ft raw, to, - - 6510 o o 252oqrs. ofoats, at 12J. 1512 o o 8522 o o Expence, - 4234 3 8 General State at the End of the Ninth Tear, Calh in hand at the end of the eighth year, - - 14,411 2 7 Difburfements of the ninth, 12,756 3 8 — - ■■■■ — wi --MM^MMtfl Remains, - - 1,^54- 18 11 Raifed on two new farms each of 120/, a year, the fcventh let, 6,000 o o Produ(5l of the ninth year, - ^,522 o o Ca(h in hand at the end of the ninth year, - 16,176 18 11 N 4 The [ i84 ] The tenth year I fliall finifli the increafe of land, by mclofing only two farms each of I20 acres; which, and running a plan- tation around two fides of the cftate which now forms a fquare of two miles each fide, in the following manner. Plate IX. Thefe two farms, I fliall, for winding up the bufmefs the fooner, fuppofe them fown after the paring and burning, on three ploughings with the grafs feeds, omitting the turnips and cabbages and oats : This is a condu6l, which 1 by no means advife to be praclifcd in common, becaufe it will (notwithftanding the goodnefs of the grafs in this management) be attended with lofs. But it is proper, at the conclufion of an improvement, that every thing may finini together. I Ihall fuppofe the plantation inclofed like the reft, with a wall, and alfo pared, burnt and limed in the fame manner, then ploughed three times, and planted with firs and pines, &c. three to every fquare perch, which is very thick, but in bleak countries you cannot plant too thick, on account of warmth and flicker. The plantation to be 20 perch v/ide ; and being 4 miles long, will contain 160 acres; or 25,600 fquare perches, confcquently, there will be want- '-^-'-ij'^ ^^^ t^i-^^^t^^ N ^^a^i^M^ c^^ [ '85 ] ing 76,800 trees, which, at 20 s~. a thou- fand, will be yyl, but I fliall call it 100/. and allow 50/. for planting and charges. The accounts of this year as under : /. s. d. Buildings, 280 Walling, farms and planting, 550 Paring and burning 400 acres. 400 Draining, 100 Lime, 1200 chaldron, 8 s. 480 Planting, - 150 i960 Labour', Bailiff, - 100 15 men, - ^js Shepherd, 20 Sowing 720 acres, 10 Ditto 960 with grafles, 20 Mowing and harvefting 720 oats, - 72 Threfliing, 5040 qrs. oats. at I i. - 252 300 acres hay, - 112 10 Sundry labour, - 100 1061 10 o Seed, 72P Oats, 960 graffe?, 3^7 10 960 o 1297 10 o Carried forward, 4310 00 [ i86 ] Sundries, /. J. d, /. 5, d, Brouglit forward, 4319 o o Mainttnance of 40 horfes, - 400 o o Wear and tear, 300 o o Tythe, - 150 o o To anfwer unfpecified de- mands, - 200 o o 1050 o o Total difburfemcnt, 5369 00 Produd I coo fheep, 500 o o 5040 qrs. oars, at 12 ^. 3024 o o 300 acres hay, - 450 o o 3974 o o Expences, ^ "^Z^S o o General State at the End of the T'enth Tear, Ca(h in hand at the end of ninth year, - - 16,1761811 Difburfements of the tenth, 5->3^9 o o Remains, - - 10,807 18 11 Railed on three new farms each of 120/. a year, tiie Sth kt, 9000 o o Frodudt of the tenth year, 3974 o o C.i^-i in hand, at the end of the tenth year, - - 23,781 18 11 2 — — [ i87 ] All works of tillage ceafe with the tentl% year. It is requifite to keep the two lad improvements in hand one year long«r, on account of mowing the grafs of them once: but as the teams will for that work be wanting, but at one feafon ; they muft be kept in the grafs alone without corn, and the labour of the hay executed by la- bourers. The account of the eleventh year as follows ; /. s, d, /. s. ^» Bailiff, - 100 o o Shepherd, ^ - 20 o o Mowing, making, cocking, carting and {lacking 900 acres of hay, at 10 s, 450 o o Tythe, Unfpecified demands. •• 96 50 716 Produdl 1000 flieep, - 500 900 acres hay. ^ 1350 Expences, - - 1850 7.6 Balance, - ii,j4 r j88 ] General Account at the End of the Eleventh Tear, CaHi in hand at the end of the tenth year, - 23^781 iS 11 Difburfements, the eleventh year, 716 o o Remains, - - - 23>°^5 ^^ 11 Raifcd on eight new farms, each 120/. a y^'ar, - 24,000 o o Produdl of the eleventh year, 1850 o o 48,915 iS u Sale of Stock. 1000 Sheep, at 15 J. 750 o o 40 horfcs, at 5 /. 200 o o All the implements, coft 1262 /. as mod of them are nearly as good as new, as well from the IKort " time of ufe, as the good repair they have been kept in, I fhall fuppoie, fold for - - 500 o o 1450 o & Cafh in hand, at the end of the eleventh year, - 50,365 18 11 Raifed upon the farms at various times, - - 585500 o o The above total, - 5^^^^5 i^ ^^ All the mortgages paid off, there remains a debt of, - 8,134 i i [ > 89 i The eftate confifts of the following farms : Firft year, i of 80 acres. Second, - 100 Ditto Third, - — 120 Ditto Fourth, - 120 Ditto Fifrh Ditto Ditto Ditto Sixth, 2 ^'^° ^120 Seventh, 2-J"° c 120 Ditto Ditto f 120 Ditto Eighth, 3 —j 120 Ditto C 120 Ditto ri2o Ditto 120 Ditto 120 Ditto Ninth, 8 -< '^° 120 Ditto Ditto 120 Ditto 120 Ditto -120 Ditto 2340 acres rent. Valued or fold at 30 years purchafe, exciufive of 160 acres of planta- tion, the amount is, Deduifl the remaining mortgage. £' 2340 Remains neat profit on the improvement, 62,066 From [ 190 ] From this fiiould be deducled the origi- nal value of the land : but thefe unin- clofed waftes have no value, unlefs let to tenants ; then they will fell for 50 years purchafe. But fcarcely any of the unin- clofed^yield a farthing an acre rent . the value of the 160 acres inclofed and well planted, which is not reckoned in this account, will much more than balance this matter. Sixty two thoufand pounds made In eleven years, is nearly at the rate of 6000 /. profit per annum. It is all the produ<5l of the original 3147/. But this matter is fo very unufual fo much beyond the ideas of thofe men who judge of polTibilitieSj only from paft experience, that fomething further muft be faid to it dcfenfivc, if not explanatory ; and this I fliall referve for the fubjecl: of my next letter. [ 191 ] LETTER VI. T N my lafl letter, I have endeavoured to -^ prove the truth of the data upon which I calculated : mofl of them are indifput- able {3.S:Sy and the refl perfectly confiftent with thofe collateral truths acknowledged by the moft doubtful. The grand point which is the nature of the foil and the profit of ii-nproving it at all is confidered in two lights : one is the pofTibllity of improving it ; and the other, the profit of it. The firfl is acknowledged by all thofe gentlemen, and farmers that are moft ftrenous in denying the latter : they allow to a man, that the moors which I have defcribed, are capable of being made excellent grafs land : indeed it would be flrange, if they denied what might in moft parts be proved by a few hours ride : they therefore confine themfelves princi- pally to the unprofitablcnefs of the buil- nefs ', the buyhig gold too dear. Relative r 192 J Relative to all the articles of the preced- ing expences, I will pofitively affure the reader, that they are in no refpecl matter of opinion j but aclual facts, which I gained in various excurfions on the moors from gentlemen, common farmers, and little improvers. The prices are known to the whole North Riding of Tork, which contains amazing tracls of thefe moors ; and there is fcarcely one article, but what I have increafed, that I might be fure not to be under the mark j witnefs my cal- culating, paring and burning at 20 j. an acre, though i6j-. 6 ^. is the price. Like- wife my fuppofmg the improvement to be 6 miles from lime, a circumilance of vail: expence, and ^ which not one tra6l in twenty labours under. In all other articles of expence, 1 have been equally liberal. The rating the improved grafs, at 20 s, per acre, I before particularly explained; by fhewing that the fame 'moors in common, and very execrable management, were ad- vanced to lis. and ijj". and fome to 20 5. without a tenth of the advantages my farms enjoy j a contrail, which I am con- fident muft ftrike every one, and force the moll dubious to allow, that if fuch ma- 7 nagement [ m ] nagement can bring an advance to izs. or 15 J. the condu6t here propofed is very moderately eftimated at 20 s. — — Nor is the rent of thofe badly improved moors too high ; I viewed many fuch fields, and think them well worth the money : Were I to live in that country, I would readily give 15 J. an acre for them: and I faith- fully affure the reader, that I would in the like circumftances agree to give 20 s. an acre for fuch grafs as my propofed methods would form. In anfwei* to thefe afTertions, it may be rationally afked, If what you fay is truct how come the landlords and fantiers of this jirange country to be fo blind to their intere/l ? I'd be able to make above 60,000 L in 11 years, from fo fmall afum as 3000 /. is fo enormous a profit, that it.muji ftrike every one. This may feem a puzzling queftion, and I will anfwer it fatisfaclorily, when I am fatis- fadtorily anfwered fome quellions of my own. How comes many farmers in the norih, to keep from 5 to 40,000 foeep^ and yet fic-vcr fold them ? It is afa^ that fiich farmers Ife from 500/. to 2000 I. a year in this manner, — How likewife comes it that fuch farmers re- tain their old wretched brsed offi^'p^ when a Vol. II. O Jnwil [ 194 ] fmall e>:pet2ce in tups for improvement would add fot?^e ihoufand pounds a year to their profit ? Who will give me a good juftification of the condudl of fuch farmers ; or even of their landlords? when we fee and know fuch inftances of barbarifm — acknowledg- ed fuch, not only by a few fpeculative gen- tlemen, but by all the hufbandmen and ftock breeders that travel through thofe countries — can we be furprized at feeing moors unimproved, however great the profit ? A man who has been habituated from his infancy to fee thoufands of acres around him in a flate of nature, and al- ways reputed barren and worthlefs, comes at laft to believe them actually as reputed, Vvithout ever taking the trouble to examine the matter. None of his anceftors, how- ever fenfible, ever thought of improving thefe defarts, why therefore fliould he? None of thofe farmer's anceftors ever folded fheep, or improved the breed, why therefore fhould they ? Cuftom is fuffi- cient to unravel many of thefe perplexi- ties. It is not to be Vv^ondered at, that little landholders who can fcarcely live, fhould not [ ^95 ] not improve their moors. The aftonidiing thing is the remiflhefs of rich ones ; men, who pofTefs even ready money for twenty fuch undertakings as I have fketched ; men, who would make a bet of three thoufand pounds, forty times in a year ; yet will not they make a bet with their moors j tho' more chances than ever Demoivre calcu- lated are in their favour. Where would the poflefTor of moors find fo ready a way of raifing a very large fum of money for any purpofe ? The man who has three daughters, 4, 5 and 6 years old, may portion each with 20,000/. by the time they are 15, 16 and 17 years old ; and that without injuring or burthening a penny the eftate he received from his an- ceflors. To what courfe can he take ? what feat in parliament ? what favour at court ? what plan of life will enfure him above two thoufand pounds a year in eleven years, with a beginning only of 3147/.? Men fly from this beautiful, this free, this healthy kingdom, to feek fortunes in the enflaved, unwholfome Indies, lefs than they might acquire at home witli pica- fure; and, comparatively fpeaking, without difficulty or hazard. Where can a country O z geuije- [ 196 ] man find a profefTion or a trade fo proper for his younger fbns as this branch of agriculture ? where will the young man with 30C0/. turn tq difpofe of it to one tenth the advantage ? I defy any perfon to fkctch a line of trade, in which he can with equal probability make a like fortune in tlie fame time. We find, from the preced- ing calculations, that 3000 /. is an impor- tant fum fo employed, but what is it in trade ? — a nothing ; unlefs in the hands of a frugal lad, that never knew an idea be- yond two and two make four. I fnould here likewife remark, that tliefe cflimates are equally applicable to the man who hires moors, as to him who pof- felTes them ; for any quantity may be had on leafcs for 99 years, if improvement is engaged for. ^And as to the rent, im- proving the eirate would be reckoned rent fufficieiit ; however, if a fhiilling an acre, or I s. 6 ii. the variation on that account would be very fmall. Hei^e kt me alfo obfcrve, that I find this, fubied of improving moors demands the greater attention, on account of the A range Jicgle6l of former writers. Not one that 1 have yet met with, gives the leall: atten- r ^97 ] attention to them. I turned over Blythe^ fully expedlng fomething in him, but was difappointed ; he particularizes nothing concerning them ; and Mr. Mills^ who in his New Syjlem of HiijhaTidry quotes numer- ous authors in general, yet, when he comes to this fubje<5l, he confines himfelf to bogs, which is another branch of agricul- ture. The fubje6l is therefore a6lually new. All hitherto written on this mod important part of hufbandry, might be contained in two pages. For the fatisfadion of thofe who may be determined to think that 20 j-. an acre is too high a rent for the improved farms : I fhall here vary it to 12 s. which may be done in a very fmall compafs. In the preceding calculation, the re- quifite fum of 3147/. is difcovered at the end of the fourth year : The general account mufl: then be varied j Inftead of 4500/. raifed on 2 farms of 180 acres, tlie fum of 2500/. muft be fubftituted, which thofe farms will pay tlie interefl of, let at \2s. Nor muft the Oiiginai fum be paid off. The account at the en(i of the fourth year, will then be as follows: O 3 Produtl [ '98 ] Produfl of the fourth, - - ;^. 2441 Raifed on two farms 80 and 100 acres, 2500 Dedufl 4 years intereft on 3147, Expenditure of the fifth year, Intereft of 3147, z Remains, - - - Railed on a farm of 120 acres, Produdt of the fifth year, Cafn in hand, Difburfemeni of fixth, Intereft of 3147, Remains, - - Raifed on 120 acres. Product of fixth year, Cafh in hand, Dift)urfement of feventh, Intereft, - : Remains, Raiftd on 120 acres, Prududl of Icvcnth year. £■ 4941 " 503 jC-4438 2044 125 2169 £' 2269 1800 2071 £• 6140 4310 125 4435 1800 - 3109 4176 ,6614 125 ■" 4301 £ •2313 - 1800 3613 Cafti in hand, (carried over,) 8 I' 77^^ t ^99 Brought over, ^. 7726 Dlfburfement of the eighth, - 6579 Intercft, - - 125 — -. 6704 Remains, . - - C 1022 Raifed on 240 acres, 3600 Produd of the eighth year. 4838 Cafli in hand, . - - 9460 In the ninth year, a variation is ne- ceflary, 6 farms of 120 acres were broke up, the expenditure above 12,000/. for this reafon. I fuppofe only 4 new ones. The total dlfburfement of the ninth year, will then be. 85^ 10 Intereft, - - - 125 Remains, Raifed on 240 acres. Prod u (51 of the 9th year, varied as before. ^379 10,804 Cafh in hand, Difburfcmenc of the loth year, va- ried according to that of the 9th, 4717 Intereft, - - - 125 4842 Remains, - - - Raifed on 360 acres, Pro'-iuft of the joch year, varied as above, _ - _ Cafh in hand, (carried forward,) - 5962 5400 2966 77,128 [ 200 ] Brought over, £. 14,328 Difbiirfement of the nth year, varied as above, - 596 Intereft, - - 125 ' 721 Femains, Rniffd on 6 farms. 13,607 10,800 prociu6i: 0^ the iith year, varied as before, - • " 1,490 Sale of dock, varied as above, 25,897 1,300 Original fum, - • 27,197 3>i47 Remains, 24,053 Ralfed on the farms at various times, . - - Dedud the above amount. 31,300 24,050 AH the mortgages paid off, there remains a debt of, - " y^^^o The eftate confifls of 2100 acres rent, at 12 s, 1200/. Valued or fold at 30 years purchafe, exclufive of 160 acres of plantation, tht amount is, - - 37,800 Dedud the remaining mortgage, - 7,250 Remains neat profit on the improve- nrient, - • 30'550 [ 201 ] I ftiould here obferve, that I adhere to the firfl calculation, which is the doublef'of this in profit ; the grounds I went upoa are fo clear to me, that I have not a doubt concerning them: The fecond eftimate I ofrer for the ufe of thofe, who agreeing to fome of my data, rejefl the valuation of 20 s. an acre. To fuch, I reply, that granting their objection to be juil. Granting fuch excellent hufoandryas I have flated, and allowed the expence of. — — Granting that fuch uncommon advantages as are enjoyed by thefe farms. — Granting, that all this reduces the rent of the land below the improvements efFe6led by exe- crable hufbandry yet even in fuch cafe, the profit in eleven years on the dilburfe- ment of 3 147 /. amounts to above thirty THOUSAND pounds clear. If this is not anfwering fuch obje61:Ions fatisfaclorily, I confefs it totally beyond my comprehenfion and my power. [ 202 ] LETTER VII. T SHALL, in the next place, lay before -■• you an eftimate upon a larger fcale, that fuch landlords as can fpare a more confiderable fum than 3147/. may apply it to the bed advantage, by beginning his improvement upon a fcale proportioned to his money : the data upon which I fhall form this calculation, are the fame as the preceding : I fliall not be fo particular in my explanations, as mofl: of the circum- ftances which require fuch minute atten- tion, are already touched upon in the lafl calculation. Firft Year. I fnall fuppofe the work begun by form- ing two farms; 200 acres together, to lie as in the firft phteof Letter V. the corner completed by two more inclofures. The expence will be as follows : Buildings, t 203 ] I S, d' Buildings, - 280 Walling 6 miles and gates, 420 Paring and burning, • 200 600 chaldron lime, at 8 si 240 Stock, I 140 O Q /. 5» d. 1000 fheep, - 300 8 horfes, - - 128 Broad wheeled waggon, 70 2 narrow, ditto, - - 40 5 carts, - - 50 4 ploughs i 4 pair of har- rows i rollers ; harnefs, fcff. - 40 628 Stock to eat 150 acres of turnips and cabbages, fuppofe 5/. ^er acre, - : • 750 2518 o o Labour. A bailiff, = - 50 o o 4 men, - - 100 o o I fhepherd, - - 20 o o Hoeing 106 acres turnips, 50 o o Planting and hoeing 100 of cabbages at 8 j. 40 o o Sundries, : - 30 o o 290 o o Carried forward, 2808 o o [ 204 ] /. A d. Brought over, - 2808 o o Seed, L s, d, 100 turnips, - - 500 100 cabbages, - - 10 o o 15 © o Sundries, 8 horfes, - - 80 o o Wear and tear, - - 20 o o Tythe, - - 20 o o Sundries, - - 50 o o 170 o • Total difburfement, - - 2993 o o FroduEl, 1000 fheep, at 6 J. 300 o o Improvement of ftock, by 150 acres of tur- nips, ^c, - - 1 200 o o — 1500 o e Expence, - - - 1493 o o Second Year; This year I fhall fnppofe, 300 acres added to the eftate in three farms. One farm in 8 inclofures, and two in 6. The extent is 6 miles and 4. Buildings, [ 205 J Buildings, - Walling, Ume looo chaldrons, Paring and burning, Suppofe draining, - Stock, For 250 acres turnips, &c. - - 1250 o o 4 horfes, - - 64 o o 2 narrow wheeled waggons, 40 o o Carts, ploughs, i^c. - 60 o o Labour, Bailiff, - . - 80 6 men, - - 150 Shepherd, - - 20 Hoeing 150 acres turnips, 75 Planting and hoeing 150 cabbages, - - 60 Sowing 350 acres, - 4 200 Ditto grades, - 5 /. s.d. 420 445 16 8 400 500 200 1765 16 8 1414 o o 3179 16 8 Mowing and harvelling' 200 oats, - - 20 o o Threfhing 1400 qrs. at is. 70 o o 3000 loads of cornpo.l, 24 o o Sundries, • - 50 o o 558 o o Carried over, 2137 ^^ ^ r 206 ] Brought over. Seed. 150 Turnips, 1 50 cabbages, 200 oats, 200 grafles. Sundries, r2 horfes, r Wear and tear, Tythe, Unfpecified demands. Expence, I. si ell 3737 16 8, /. J. d, 7 10 o 15 o o 94 o o 200 O O 120 00 ICO o o 50 o o 100 00 Difburfement, - - Product 1000 jfheep, 7 J. 6d. - 375 o Q Improvement of flock by 250 turnips, ^c. 2000 o o 1400 qrs. oats, at 12s. 840 o o 316 10 «f 370 o ^ 4424 6 8 3215 o o 1209 6 8 Third Year. This year four farms, each of 100 acres, to be broken up j the inclofures of tv\ to be three in number. Of one to be 4, and of one to be 8. The walling is 7 miles. Buildings, [ 207 ] Buildings, - - i W 2924 6 8 Difburfement of the third, - - 6856 10 o Produd of the fccond, 3215 00 ' '" ■ 3641 10 o Total fum requlfite for this im- provement, - - * 9558 16 8 Produflof the third year, - 4860 o o Raifed on two farms of 200/. a year, 5000 o o Cafh in hand at the end of the third year, ... 9860 o o Fourth Year. This year I fhall fuppofe five farms, each of 160 acres, to be added to the im- provements. Each of them of fix fields. The walling will extend ten miles and an half. Vol. II. P Buildings, [ 210 ] /. s. d. Buildings, - - - 700 o o Walling, - - - 833 o o Paving and burning, - - - 500 o o Liming 2000 chaldron, - - 800 o o Draining, - - - 300 o o 3133 o o Stock, I. 5. d. For 450 acres of turnips, ^c. - - - 2250 o o Eight horfes, - - 128 o o One broad-wheeled waggon, 70 o o Two narrow ditto, - 40 o o Carts, ploughs, 6fc. - 200 o o Labour, Bailiff, - - 100 o o Shepherd, - - - 20 o o Sixteen men, - - 400 o o Hoeing 250 acres turnips, 125 o o Planting and hoeing 250 of cabbages, - - 100 o o Sowing 650 acres and 400 grafs, - - - 20 o o IVJ owing and harvefting 400 acres of oats, - 40 o o Threfhing 2800 quarters, at I J. 140 o o 4000 loads of compofl, 48 00 2688 o o Carried over, ^^^ o o 3821 o o [ 211 ] /. s. d. I So d. Brought over, 993 o o 5821 00 Mowing, making, and (lacking 300 acres hay, 112 10 o Sundries, - - 100 o o — 1205 10 Seed } 250 Turnips, - - - 12 10 250 cabbages. 25 400 oats, - - - 188 400 grapes. 400 — 625 10 c Sundries, 11 horfes. 320 Wear and tear, 250 Tythe, - - ^ no Unfpecified demands, 100 ~—' jo(j Difburfement, ^ 8432 Produdl 1000 {heep, - 5C0 Improvement of ftock by 4^0 acres of turnips, i^c, and 300 of hay, 4050 ^ 800 quarters of oats, 1680 J-^ - ■— 0230 u Expence, 2202. b P 2 General [ 212 ] General Account at the End of the Fourth Tear, I s. d. Cafh in hand at the end of the third year, - - . - 9860 o o Difburfement of the fourth, - 8432 o o Remains, - - - 1428 o o Raifed on three farms of 300/. a year, 7500 o o Produd of the fourth year, - 6230 o o Cailiin handattheendoffourthyear,i5,i58 o o Fifth Year. I fuppofe five farms, each of 160 acres, taken in this year; in the whole 800 acres. Four of them divided into nine inclofures, and one into lixteen, make feventeen miles of walling. /. s. d. Buildings, - - . 700 o o Walling, - - - II 90 00 Paring and burning, - - 800 o o Lime 3000 chaldron, - - 1200 o o Draining, - . - 500 o o Stock. I. s. d. For 750 acres of tur- nips, ^c. - - 3750 o o 4390 o o Carried over, 3750 o o 4390 o o [ 213 ] /. /. I I s. d. Brought over, 3750 o o 4390 o o Sixteen horfes, - 256 o o Two broad-wheeled wag- gons. Four narrow ditto, with ploughs, carts, ^c. i^c. - 500 o o 4506 o o 'Labour. Bailiff, fhepherd, and 24 men, ... 720 Hoeing 400 acres turnips, Planting and howing 400 200 of cabbages, 160 Sowing 900, and 500 of grafles, ZS 500 acres ot oats 50 Threfhing 3500 quarters, 5000 loads of compoH, - 400 acres of hay, -^15 to 150 Sundries, 200 1750 o 400 turnips, 400 cabbages, 500 oats, 5Q0 grafles ^eed. 20 o o 40 o o 235 o o 500 o p 195 o o Carried over, 11 441 o o P 3 Su?jdrieu [ 214 1 Sundries: /. s. d. I. s. d- Brought over, 11441 o o 48 horfes, - - 480 o o Wear and tear - 400 o o Tythe, - - 160 o o Unrpecified demands, - 150 o o ■ 1 190 o o Difburfements, ; - - 12,631 o o Produ<5l 1000 flieep, - 500 o o Improvement of Hock by 7/50 acres of turnips, ^c. and 400 of hay, 6600 o o 3500 quarters of oats, 2100 o o • 9200 o o Expence, - * - 3,431 o o General Account at the "End of the Fifth Tear. Calh in hand at the end of the fourth, - - 15*158 o o Difburfement of the fifth, - 12,931 o o Remainc, - - - 2,527 o o Rajfcd on four farms, 400/, a year, 10,000 o o Produd of the fifth year, - 9,200 o o Calh in hand at the end of the fifth year, - - - 21,727 o o Sixth [ 2'5 ] sixth Year. Twelve hundred and "eighty acres added this year, in eight farms. Six, each of nine fields. One of fixteen, and one of twelve. The walling twenty-fix miles. /. s. d. Buildings, - - 1120 o o Wailing, - - - 1820 o o Paring and burning, - - 1280 o o Lime 4500 chaldron, - - 1800 o o Draining, - - - 600 o o Walling 40 acres into 25 divifions, and building a cottage in each, - g6^ o o 7585 Stock , /. s. d. For 1230 acres of tur- nips and cabbages. 6150 Forty-eight horfes. 768 Six broad-wheeled wag- gons. 420 Twelve narrowed ditto. 240 Twelve carts. 120 Twenty-four ploughs. 90 18 Twenty-four pair of har- rows. ^8 Rollers, 20 Harnefs, 96 Sundry implements. 50 — Rnro 1 R n ^■"OvJVJ^ M. ij C Carried over, 15587 18 o P 4 ' hohour. I 2>6 ] Labour, /. J. d. /. 3. d. Brought over » I 55^7 iB Bailiff, 100 Three others. 90 Shepherd, - - 20 Forty-eight men, - 1200 Hoeing 640 acres of turnips, - - 320 Planting and hoeing 640 cabbages, 256 Sowing 1 440 acres, and 800 gralTes, - 45 Mowing and harvefl- ing 800 oats - 80 Th'.eliing 5600 qrs. 280 10,000 loads compofl. 120 500 hay. I [7 10 Sundries, 100 2798 10 Q ^eed. 640 turnips. • 32 640 cabbages, 64 800 oats. 576 Boo Grafles, - 8qq 1272 ^un dries. gC Horfes, 960 Wear and tear, 500 Tythe 240 Unfpecified demands, 200 IQCO 21558 8 piiburfcment, m „ ^ Pfpatj^'t [ 217 ] /. s. d. I. s, d. Brought over, 21558 8 o Produft 1000 fheep, 500 o o Improvement of ftock by 1230 acres of turnips, i^c. and 500 hay, - - - 10,590 o o 5600 quarters of oats, 3,360 o o ■ 14450 o o r I ._ ,_ Expence, • , . 7108 8 o General Account at the End of the Sixth Tear'. Calh in hand at the end of the fifth year, - - - 21,727 o o Pilburfement of the fixth, - 21,558 80 Remains, - - - . 168 12 o Raifed on 500/. a year, - 12,500 o o Produft of the fixth year, - 14,450 00 » -■ II Cafh in hand at the end of the fixth year, - - - 27,118 12 o Seventh Year. I fhall fuppofe 17 10 acres broken up this year; fix farms of 160 acres each, in nine fields : and five farms, each of 1 50 acres ; two in twelve fields, one in eight, one in fix. £ 2l8 ] fix, and one in four. The walling juft thirty miles. / s. d. Buildings, . - - - 1540 o a Walling, - . - - 2100 o o Paring and burning, - - 171000 Liming, 6000 chaldron, - - 2400 o o Draining, - - - .^00 o o 8250 o o Stock, L s. d. For 1660 acres of tur- nips, l^c. - 8300 o o Eight horfes, - 128 00 "Waggons and imple- ments, - - - 200 o o 8628 o o Labour* Bailiffs, and fhepherd, 210 00 Fifty-two men, - 1300 o o Hoeing 855 acres of turnips, - - 427 10 o ■Planting and hoeing 855 cabbages, - - 342 o o Sowing, - - - 60 o o Mowing, y334 ^7 <> f iti Ninth Year. The only bufinefs that remains to be done, is the mowing and making 1710 acres of hay : but it will not anfwer to to keep all the ftock for that purpofe : nor is there occafion for it; fo great a number of furrounding tenants will be very glad to contract for it. /. J. d. Bailiff, 100 1 7 10 acres of hay, all the work, at 12 i. 1026 Tythe, 171 SuriHries, - - - 100 Difburfement, - - 1397 [ 221 1 /. J** d, Produft of 1710 acres at 30;. 2565 00 Dirburfements, - - 1397 o o Balance, - - 1168 o o General Account, Ca(h in hand the end of the eighth year, - - 74*334 17 «> Difburfement of the ninth, - 1^397 00 72,937 17 O Raifedon 1710 4/>tfrflK««w, - 42,700 00 1 15.637 >7 o Produa: of the ninth, - - 2,565 00 n8j2Q2 17 c» Sale of Stock. 1. s. d, I OCX) Sheep, - - 750 o o 104 horfes, - - 500 o o Implements, - - icoo o o 2,250 o o Ca(h in hand at the end of the ninth year, - - 120,452 17 o I Original mortgage, - : 9^55^ Raifed upon the farms at various times, - - 129,700 7 Carried over, jC- i39»258 t «24 ] Brought forward, £. 139,25? Dedu6l the above total, - - 120,451 All the mortgages paid, there remains a debt of, - - 18,806 The eftate confifts of 5370 acres, be- fides the plantation, let at as many pounds. Valued or fold at 30 years pur- /. chafe, the amount IS, - 161,160 Dedu6l the remaining debt, - 18,806 Remains neat profit on the im- provement, - - - i42j294 This profit in nine years from ten thou- fand pounds, is, I apprehend, infinitely greater than is polTible to be made in any other undertaking, to which it can be ap' plied : but this by no means contains the whole profit : 320 acres of a thriving plantation" (there can be no doubt of its iiiccefs after paring, burning and liming, as for grafs ^ and 3 ploughings) are no trifle : befi*des, an eftate, which is repaired by the tenants, in a country where reparations are too flight to calculate ; and gained % without [ 225 1 v/ithout a land-tax, would fell for far more than 30 years purchafe ; 35 would be very moderate, and this would add above 25,000/. to the profit. Throughout this calculation, you will cbferve, that I have increafed many arti- cles of expence, much beyond the propor- tion of the former eftimates j allowing for all thofe circumftances which could polfibly raife expences from the magnitude of the undertaking j I purpofely did this, though againft my judgment of the fa6l, for I would engage, that in fuch an under- taking, the longer I continued improving, with fo much money in my pocket, as to enable me to take ail hands that offered, v/hether builders, parers, labourers of all forts, &c, the cheaper I would get my work done. Refpecling the quantity of 5000 acres, no difficulty occurs j for, in the moor counties, numerous gentlemen, even of middling eftates, poflefs much larger tra6ls; and the nobility and gentry of great efbates, thofe which are ten times as extenfive ; fo that I fpeak to a very numerous body of people, who have thefe vaft improvements at command. Vol. II. Q^ I have [ 226 ] I have found feveral gentlemen in moor countries that feemcd more intent on plant- ing than cultivating. A wafte tract had certainly better be planted than continue vvafle J but a general fpirit of planting land that can be converted into grafs fields, I will venture to afiert pernicious to the public good J and to yield to the pofTef- for not a fortieth part of the benefit which I here propolej for what is the planting in queilion ? not woods of oak to build our future navies, but every kind of the inferior forts j which are and ever will be purchafed in any quantities from the Baltic ; and I will venture to afTert, and nothing can be worfe, in a national light, than to plant land that would yield corn or grafs, with woods to be bought of our neighbours. In a rich, populous, induftrious kingdom, every inch of the foil fliould be applied to feeding man ; will any one fuppofe fo well cultivated a kingdom will want money to buy firs and pines ? and calculate the product in a given number of years, the growth of a fir, for inftance, of an acre of grafs worth from 12 J. to 20 J. an acre; and compare that Vvith [ 227 ] with the value of an acre of firs, and efii- mate the compound interefl gained In one cafe, and Icjl in another. Such a coropa- rifon would foon convince you of the im- menfe difference in value. It is in this light, that all groves, and vv^oods of under- wood are fo many nuifances in a kingdom where coal is to be had in every vilkge : fuch grounds fliould all produce corn and grafs. The furface of the kingdom pro- ducing your food, and its bowels your firing. But, relative to the planting moors, it 15 impoffible to fay too much in praife of it, if only fuch fpois are planted, as can be cultivated to neither corn nor grafs j fuch are fleep banks, forae mountains, and all fpots that abound exceffively with the whin flone, which will not burn to lime, and is fo hard that you cannot rive or cut it. \\\ fuch places, by all means plant. But foto ufe land which can be made worth from 1 2 J", to 20 J. an acre is execrable ; be- fides, the profit to the landlord is immenfe in one cafe and in the other, to himfelf -^^x- haj)s a lofs. And as I am at prefent ex" plainiiig the methods by vvliich landlords Q 2 may [ 228 ] may gain great fums of money in a fliort time, planting has nothing to do with the affair, except in fuch fpots as I defcribed, or by way of fcreens. I cannot but earneftly recommend to the poflefibr of moors, to confider thefe eftimatcs : in what other ways can they gain fuch incomes, or fuch large fums of money ? Thefe are not the fchemes of a vifionary projeclor; but a train of fa6ls, conneded and examined. They are fads gained on the fpot :•— -I viewed, with the utmoft attention, vaft trads of thefe moors : I minuted the expence of every operation in their culture : I viev^ed the fields that were improved from them -, I faw the cattle thofe fields carried : I made memorandums of the rent. In a word, I offer nothing ?2ew to thefe gentle- men : I take their own fads, their acknow- ledged fads — and I only fay to them. If your faSfs are truCi you may^ with fuch a fum of money y dofo and fo. I have merely conneded fads the connedion in- deed brings to light advantages to be reaped, and fortunes to be gained much beyond the common ideas, even of thofe men [ 229 ] men who are as well fatisfied of the truth of thofe facts as I am myfelf. The immenfity of the profit is nearly the fame to thofe who would hire thefe moors, for rent is too trifling to calcu- late. Q3 [ 230 ] LETTER VIII. EFORE I quit the fubjea of this kind of moor, I fliall offer another calculation for the ufe of the fmaller land- holders ; in which I lliall examine the leafi extent of improvement that can profitably be undertaken : this is a matter of much confequence, form.any landlords and ethers might poiiibly be induced to cultivate a fmall q-jantity of miOor at a time, if they were convinced that it would not be too expcnfive to am'V/er in fmali : I (hall there- fore, examine this point, and difcover the profit that may be expecled from the con- duel. I fhall fuppofe only 20 acres broken up the firil: year. Four horfes will be requifite for bringing lime, but I fhall ftate but one man and a plough. As the buildings will clear away many fcones, the 20 acres ihall be in one piece : lefs than one man and one plough cannot befuppofed; I fee not how a fmaller improvement can be {ketched. Buildings^ [ 231 ] Buildings, Walling ; J: and 4 of ^ mile. Paring and burning, at ly s. Lime 60 chaldrons, at 8 j. Stock I J. ^. 200 Sheep, 4 horfes, - • 100 50 I waggon. - 20 3 three wheeled carts. 20 1 plough, I pair of harrows. _ 3 2 13 6 I roller, - - 2 Harnefs, - 6 Sundries, - 10 Labcur. I Man, - - 25 o o A boy, - - 1200 Hand-hoeing 10 acres of turnips, - - 500 Ditto and planting, 10 of cabbages, at 8 j. 400 Seed, 10 Acres of turnips, - o 10 o 10 of cabbages, - 100 s.d. I40 Gi 5 17 24 242 5 213 13 6 46 o o I 10 o Carried over, 503 8 6 [ 232 ] ^imdrics. /. s.d. /. s.d. Brought over. - S'^S 8 6 Keeping 4 horfes, 40 Wear and Tear, 5 Tvthe, 2 » Sundry unfpecified ex- pences, 10 57 /\ i^ nent, Total difburfen 560 8 6 200 Sheep profit. - - 60 Expence, - 5C0 8 6 The man and team are employed by the lime and tillage, only 50 days ; there remains at leaft 230 days for him and his 4 horfes and waggons to perform the carting of Hone, ^c. for the buildings and walls : fuppofe the deduilion from the expence of thofe articles only 5 J. a day, and that he works 100 days, - - 25 o o £-^7i The paring and burning in this account, the quantity being fo fmall, is reckoned only 6d, above the c< maion price. The fheep I have propcrtioned to the turnips j I fuppofe [ 233 ] I fuppofe a good breed bought in at loj. a head : and calculate their profit, only the paying 3 /. an acre for the turnips and cabbages, though kept the whole year. This point of keeping flieep for eating the turnips, &c. off, and folding the land, cannot be too much infifted on, it is ab- folutely neceifary in thefe improvements. The boy is kept to attend and fold them. The man and team has 130 days to fpare j thefe mull be employed in carting ftones for the next and fucceeding year's walling, and charged to that year at ^s. a day: a price extremely low, but in fuch charges better be under them, than over the mark. Second Year. Twenty acres more to be broken up this year, in two divifions ; the walling con- fequently is half a mile and one eighth. No addition to be made to the ftock. Walling, Paring Lime, Paring and burning. /. s.d. 43 2 6 J7 24 Deduct 6^ days work performed lafl year, - - - - 16 5 o Carried over, £> 6y 17 6 [ 234 ] Labou7\ I. s. d. L s. d. Brought over, - 67 17 6 i Man and boy, - 37 © o Handhoeing 10 acres of of turnips, - 500 Ditto and planting 10 of cabbages, - - 400 Mowing 20 of oats, - i 10 o Threfliing 140 qrs. - 7 00 54 10 o 122 7 6 Seed, 10 of turnips, 10 of cab- bages, - - I 10 o 20 oats, - - 8150 20 graffes, : - 20 o o Sundries, 4Horres, - - 40 o o Wear and tear, - 500 Tythe, - - 400 Unfpecified expences, 15 00 — — — — 64 o o Difburfement, - 216 12 6 Produd; of fheep, - 80 o o 140 qrs. of oats, - 84 o o 164 00 Expence, - j^. 52 12 6 30 5 ^ [ ^3S ] This year the profit of the fheep is rome- what raifed, which is rcquilite. The man and his wao;2:on brin^iis the Hme in three weeks. He ploughs tlie new land in two more. And the turnip land thrice for oats, in about 9 more: this is 14 weeks; we may allow 6 more for harveft, and horfe- hoeins: and cabba2:es ; there will then re- main 32 weeks: fuppofe we allow for trifles, and call it 20 efFeclive ones : in this time, he mufl: bring ico chaldrons of lime, which will take him 5 vv^eeks : lay them in a heap; then kt him with the fmall carts, move the liable dunghill of two years, to the heap of lime ; and alfo as much of the earth of the nearell wet or boggy moor, as his time will allow, ready to be mixed up, and fpread next year on the grafs land. Suppofe 200 fmall loads of dung J in 3 weeks, and in the remain- ing 12 weeks, 10 load of earth per diem, or 720 in all: 100 chaldron lime, 100 loads dung, and 720 loads of rich black peat moor will make an excellent compoft of 1C20 fmall (three wheeled) cart loads ; a quantity fufficient to manure the 20 acres cf grafii, 50 loads per acre, which will make [ 236 ] make it as fine meadow as any in the world. Third Year. Another addition of twenty acres to be made this year, in two fields as before • /. s. d. Walling, - - - - 43 2 6 Paring and burning. 17 Lime, - - - - 24 Pitto ICO chaldron before mentioned for compofl-, - - . 40 124 2 6 Jlemaining dedudlion of carting flones, 16 5 Labour, I Man and a boy, - 3700 Hoeing 10 acres of tur- nips, and planting and hocing JO of cabbages, 9 o ® Mowing and harvefting 20 acres of oats, 2J. 2 00 Threihing, 140 qrs. 7 00 Mowing, making, and (lacking 20 acres of hay, ys. 6d, - 710Q Mixing, filling and fpread- ing 1020 fmall loads of compoft at 2 J. 6d. a fcore, - - 650 Sundries, - - 10 o o 107 17 6 78 15 o Carried over, 186 12 6 t 237 ] Seed. /. Brought over, 10 Acres of turnips, 10 of cabbages, - i 20 oats, - - 8 20 graffes, - - 20 s, d. 10 15 186 81 J", d, 12 6 5 Sundries, 4 Horfes, - - 40 Wear and tear, - 15 Tythe, - - 6 Unfpecified expences, 20 Difburfement, Produ6l of 200 fheep, 100 140 qrs. oats, - 84 20 acres of hay, - 30 297 214 17 6 6 - Expence, S3 17 6 The bufmefs of the team as before on lime, and tillage harvefl and horfe-hoeing, will, with allowances, amount to 20 weeks j in addition to which, there is this year 20 acres of hay, which will take him, fuppofe two; and driving 1000 loads of compofl:, 40 in a day, which is 4 weeks, but call it fiv^e. In all 27 weeks; there remains t 238 ] remains 25; which call 20 for carting compoft: 100 chaldrons lime, the ftable, dunghill, and 700 of earth as before : there will be ample time for this, with due al- lowances for weather. But we muft here confider tlie manage- ment of the 20 acres of grafs that has been mown : it will be advifable to feed it pretty often ; the moory foil is loofe, and nothing is of greater ufe than treading fuch a foil: the regular ftock that is kept thro' winter fliould be cows : but for fummer alone, I iliould advife the (locking with young cat- tle J buying in Scotch heifers, for inftance, of two years old 5 and felling them after a year's grafs. It is very profitable, and will certainly pay 40 j-. an acre, clear profit for the grlafs, one cannot eftimate the produdl jn this manner at lefs : it is certainly un- der the mark, and fo I would chufe the calculation fliould be; but it is to be ob- ferved,that I fliall, in purchafmg the cows, allow for the feed of the 4 horfes. They mull be kept in winter on the ftraw, with fome hay at proper times 3 the farm will thus be a very v/ell appointed one. There will be every year 20 acres of Itraw, 20 of hay, and 20 of turnips for the flieep. I fliall [ 239 ] I (hall fuppofe only lo cows, bought at firft. Fourth Year. The fame addition, made as before, of 20 acres in two fields. /. s.d. Walling, , - - ; 43 2 6 Paring and burning, - - 17 o o Lime, - - - - 24 o o Ditto 100 chaldrons for compoft, - 40 o o 124 2 6 Lalfour, /. s. d. I Man and boy, - -3700 On turnips and cabbages, 900 Mowing and 20 acres oats, 2 00 ThreOiing 140 qrs. - 700 Compoi't 1000 loads, at 2 J. 6 i. a fcot e, - -6 26 Sundries, - - 10 o o 71 26 10 cows, - - 40 o o Seed as before, - - 3^ 5 o Sundries ditco, except horfes, with 2 /. tythe, - - - 43 o o Difburfement, - 308 10 o Produfl of 200 fheep, 100 o o BroJght forward, 100 00 3O0 10 o [ 240 ] /. s. d, I. s. J, Carried forward, lOO oo 308 loo J 10 quarters oats *, - 66 o o 10 cows -f", - - 45 o o • 2 11 GO Expence, - - #97 10 o This year the bufinefs of the team is exsdly as it was the laft j and having the fame leifure, the fame compoft of Hme, and earth is formed ; with the addition, how- ever, of the yard dung of 10 cows, which, from 20 acres of oat-flraw, and much hay feeding, may be eftimated at 20 loads per head, fo that the compoit vv/ill be 1200 fmall loads ; the team will have much more time than requifite for carting this addi- tion ; for the man may with one or two liorfes and three carts, carry with eafe 40 loads a day.. That quantity will manure 20 acres, at the rate of 60 per acre. I * 30 qrs. deduced from the whole produce for the 4 holies, which is I qr. per week for 30 winter weeks. •f The horfes, I fuppofe to eat 10 acres of hay, and 5 of grafs, there remains 15 of the latter at 405. for the cows ; and 1 o of the former at 30 j. and I fuppofe the cows to pay for your land at thofe rates ; whether by dairying, fuckling ; or fmall fatting beafts inftead of cows, kept the year round: whatever the flock is, the data are the fame. would [ 241 ] would always advife the year's compoft to be laid, either on the new grafs after the oats are carried, or on that which has been once mown. The grafs and hay are not charged, as the heifers will not be fold till next year. Fifth Year. The addition the fame as before j but there being a frefli acquifition of another 20 acres of grafs, more flock mud be bought in : and the 20 acres of grafs fed laft year, will be much better this — -for a new lay increafes in value for feveral years j hence the neceflity of likevvife buying more on that account : The management 'of the ftock is this: the ten cows bought in lafl: year, are fcanding flock. This year he has 20 acres of grafs for his horfcs and cows as before, and 20 more that will fummer 40 heifers ; but let me here remark to the readji-, that it is not a matter tliat den^andsmuch accuracy, becaufe the p7'ofit on them will not be reckoned by the bccJ, but the cere of l-iiid fed : I flate the ftock bought, that the improver may fee that at fuch and fuch Vol. II. R times. [ 242 1 times, nearly fuch fums of money will be requifite for buying flock for his land. /. s. d. Walling, paring, lime, &c. as before, - - - - 124 2 6 Labour, ditto, with addition of 200 loads to compoft, - 72 7 o Seed as before, - - - 30 5 Sundries. I. s. d. Wear and tear, and flioe- ing, &c. - 20 o o Tythe, - - - 500 Unfpecified demands, - 20 o o — 45 o o 40 heifers or beafts, - - 80 o o Difburfement, - 351 14 6 Produ(5t of 200 fheep, 100 o o iioqrs. oats, - - 66 o o lo cows, - - 45 o o Stock improved by 20 acres grafs to, - 120 o o 331 00 ExpencCj • - 20 14 6 [ 243 ] Sixth Year. Addition to the cultivated land as be- fore ; and the courfe of the bufinefs is this year alio the fame : ten cows and four horfes, the (landing flock for winter and fummer, to expend twenty acres of ftraw, twenty acres of hay, and twenty of grafs ; and heifers or fteers, or young cattle, to be bought in for all tlie reft of the grafs, late in fpring, and fold again in autumn. /. s. d. Walling, paring, burning and lime, as be ore, - - - 12426 Labour ditto, - - - - 72 7 o Seed ditto, - - ' 3^ 5 ^ Sundries ditto, with 2/. addition to tythe, - - - - 47 o o Stock (heifers or Oeers) for 40 acres of grafs, at 4/. per acre, - - 1 60 o o Difburfemenr, /. s. d. 433 14 6 Produ6t 2CO fheep. 100 1 10 quaitwrs of oats, 66 Ten cows, - - - 45 Stock improved by 40 acres grafs to - - 240 451 Difburfemenr, - 4 33 14 6 Balance, - 1 7 5 6 R 2 Seventh [ 244 ] Seventh Year. The acldilion of land to be this year the fame as before j and I Ihall ahb fuppofc the ftock the fame, that twenty acres of grafs may be mown to keep as a ftack of hay in ftore. . I (hall alfo charge the expence of another man to anfwer the de- mand of incidental vv'ork relative to cattle, extra mowing, C^c. &c, I. s. d. 1. s. (I. Walling, paring, lime, y^. 124 2 6 Labour as before, - - 72 y o One man more, - - - 25 00 A large crut, - - » 10 o o A plough, - - 3 ^3 6 Harrows and roller, . -300 97 7 o 16 13 6 Seed as before, _ _ - - 30 5 o Sundries dirco, with 2/. tythe, - 49 o o Siock as before,' - - - 160 o o Dirburfemenr, - - 477 80 Produce 200 flieeD, - 100 00 1 10 quarters of oats, - 66 o o Ten cows, - - 43 o o Stock improved by fony 240 o o ' 451 00 Expence, - - £. 26 ^ o Seventh L [ 245 ] Eiglith Year. Addition the -fame as before, and the whole flocked this year as ufual. /. s. d. Walling, paring, lime, - - 124 2 6 Labour as before, - - 97 7 Seed ditto, -- - 30 5 Sundries ditto. - 51 Stock for 80 acres, at 4/. /. s.d. 320 Difburfement; 622 14 6 ."^^ Produd Iheep, - - - 100 Oats, - - - 66 Ten cows - - - 45 Stock improved by eighty acres to - - - - 480 691 /^ r\ Difburfem.ent, - 622 14 6 Ballance, - - 6^ ^ 6 Ninth Year. Addition to the cultivated land ; and the purchafe of (lock as ufual. The whole will then lie as in Plate X. R 3 Walling, [ 256 ] I s. d. Walling, iSc. t3c» - - - 124 2 6 Labour, - - - - 97 7 o Seed, - - - - ' Z^ S o Sundries, - - - - 53 o o Stock for 1 00 acres, _ - - 400 o o Difbiirfemenr, - - 704 14 6 /. J. d. Produfl fheep, - - 100 o o Oats, - - - 66 o o Ten cows, - - 45 o o Stock improved by 100 acres to - - 6co o o • 811 00 Difburfement, - - 704 14 6 Balance, - - 106 5 6 We are now arrived at the produd^ that will enable us to calculate the total fum for fcock ; which before Vv'e could not Cio^ for the expence of next year will exceed that of the prefent only by 80/. for flock of another twenty acres of grafs ; and 2 /. tithe, which will make the fum of 786/. 1 4 J-, td, whereas the produce of this year is 8ii/. fo that nov^ the produce one year will be more than fufficient for the expences of the next. Dxfburfement [ ^17 ] /. J. d. I s, d. Difburfement of the firft year, - - "- 560 8 6 Diiburfement of the fe- cond, - - 216120 Intereft of 560/. - - 22 8 o 239 o 6 Produ6t of the firft, - 8500 Difburfement of the third, - - Intereft of 710/. - - Difburfement of the fourth, Intereft of 870/. - Produd of the third, Difburfement of the fifth, - - - - Intereft of 1000/. Produ(5t of the fourth. 297 28 17 6 8 327 164 5 6 308 34 10 16 342 214 16 35^ 40 14 6 Z9^ 211 14 6 154 o 6 163 5 6 128 6 o 180 14 6 K4 [ 258 ] /. s. d. I. s, d. Dirburfcment of the fixth, - - < 433 14 6 Incereft of 1180/. - - 47 4 o 480 18 6 Producl of the fifth, 331 00 Difburfementof the fe- v^nth, - - _ 477 8 o Interell of 1330/. - c^^ 40 149 18 6 560 12 o Produfl of the fixth, -451 00 DifbLjrfcment of the eight'., - - - - . 622 14 6 Interell of 1400/. - 56 o o 69 12 o 678 14 6 Produ(5l of the feventh, 451 00 Difburfement of the ninth, _ - - 704 14 6 Inteiedof 1627/. - 65 o o 227 14 6 j6c) 14 6 Product of the eighth, 691 00 78 14 6 Total requifite for this improvement, 1713 46 A years inrereft to come, - - - 68 H o 1781 12 6 Hence [ -59 ] Ken'ceit appears that a profitable improve- ment of moors cannot be undertaken with a Prilling lefs capital than i;. Si/. 12 s, 6d, clear of all extraneous expences: no main- tenance of family — no private expences -j-no connection with another farm : this amount mufl be clear, and facredly applied to the improvement alone. The largenefs of it gives us at once the reafon of fo few improvements of this fort being made ; and of the opinion of the unprofitable- nefs of the work : — men who have thought of improvements, and began to execute them, have never confidered the great im- portance of a regular condu6l in the work. They have fome money in their pocket, Vv'hich they are willing to lay out in fuch a work ; they begin it they inclofe twenty acres. They pare, burn, lime, plough it, and fow turnips : by that time, if they calculate at all, they find they have not teams enough for the tillage and har- veding twenty acres of oats, and at the fame time improve another twenty acres — and yet lefs to add as much every year-^ their money prcfcntly falls fhort, aad a gap is made in the improvement till more is readv. I could prove to demonftration, 'y a cai- [ 26o ] a calculation, how great a lofs mull: be luftained by a Tingle interruption in the improvement. The annual increafe fur- nifhes the turnip crop : what becomes of the flock that year? But they mufl: be had; the laft year's land is therefore turnipped again, which upon fuch loofe land, that requires for many reafons to be laid as foon as poffible to grafs ; as well for binding it, as to keep the afhes and lime from fubfiding is fatal, and the future meadow da- maged greatly. But this is not all : fl:raw mull: likewife be had j fo the oats are like- wife fown twice j can any thing be more imprudent? Were I to enlarge on this head, I (hould find no difficulty in convincing my readers j but I think the argument is felf-evident. The facls are fo ftrong, that I have no doubt, but if my former grand improver, who I fuppofed to begin with 10,000/. had, in the midll: of the work, flopped for one year only the annual in- creafe, that it would, in the above refpe6ls in the difmilTjon of his hands, and in various other points, be attended with the lofs of from 20 to 40,000/. in the nine years undertaking. Whoever [ 26' 3 Whoever therefore undertakes, even in the loweft ilile, to improve a moor, let him lay it down as a determined point to make an annual increafe of his land. He may certainly make a profit without fuch a plan, but I will venture to aflert that profit to be trifling, compared to what he would reap from a different conduct j and it is very obfervable, that among the im- provers I met with in the north, no one of them had proceeded upon this plan, fo ex- tremely requifite; and yet their improve- ments were very profitable. What would they not have been, had they given due attention to fo indubitable an ad- vantage 1 Refpe(?l"ing the profit of this improvement, it is extremely great. Suppofing it carried on juft as hitherto, with the addition of only twenty acres per amnim, it will be as follows : The increafe of expence each year is 82/. that is, 80/. fur buying flock, and 2/. tithe. And the increale of pro- duct is 120/. that is the flock improved by twenty acres to that amount. The ac- count will therefore be as follows : a Pfoduft [ 262 ] ProQuft of the ninth year. - ► 8 1 1 Expences of the tenth year, - - 786 Balance carried to next year, - 25 Produdt of tenth, 7 - - - 931 Balance, - - - 25 Expences of nth, intereft included, - g^^ 20 Product of the eleventh, « '^ 1051 1071 Expences of the twelfth, - - - - 10 18 Balance, _ ^ - 5^ Produ6t of the twelfth, - • 1 1 7 1 1224 Expences of the thirteenth, ^ - noo Balance, * - 124 Thi"? balance is fufficient for an in- creafe of the annual improvement, about five acres, for inftance •, which would be much the moft profitable ufe it could be applied to. — — Carried over, £. 124 Brought over, 124. Produ 61 of the thirteenth, - - 1291 1415 Expences of the fourteenth, - - 1182 Balance, - - - 233 Produfl of the fourteenth, - -. 141 1 1644 Expences of the fifteenth, - - 1264 Balance, - - - 380 Produd of the fifteenth, - - - 1631 2011 And fo on. But I fhall flop here, as the improver certainly fhould not, longer delay an increafe of his annual improve- ment. He has here gained, cafli in hand, 20 11/. ready to profecute his undertaking, befides all the ftock of his farm, and the fee fimple of 300 acres of admirably im- proved land, that would let for 300/. a year: worth at thirty years purchafc 9000/. which, with the above 2000, and his flock, is little fl:iort of 12, ceo/, and all from the original fum of 1781/. It is certainly the moil advantageous method in the world of expending fuch a fum of money, and is a frc.ai [ 26+ ] frefli proof that no man can difpofe of his money to greater profit than by im- proving moors. Upon the whole, it appears that the undertaking improvements of this nature is a work that requires very large fums of money: 1700/. I hold to be the lov^efl that a man can fafely begin with 5 as lefs than twenty acres annual improvement will be very unprofitable in requiring an equal team, and in many refpecls an equal expence j from whence we may determine that the profit which thofe reap from moor improvements, who begin with lefs fums of money, though perhaps with larger quantities of land, being lefs than I have proved in thefe calculations, are no real arguments againfl their accuracy, fince they blundered in the effentials of the un- dertaking. [ --^5 ] LETTER IX. T FLATTER myfelf, that the preceding ^ calculations will fufiice to fet the im- provement of one fort of moor land in a clear light : in that light every landlord ought to view it, before he undertakes the bufmefs, that he may be (Irongly impreficd with the neceffity of applying a fufficient fum of money to the work, and, with the certainty of immenfe profit, takes that ne- cefTary precaution. 1 proceed, in the next place, to calculate the improvement of an- other fort of moor ; viz. the fame as the preceding, except the circumilance of ftone that is found either ii[)on, or under the furface in' quarries, being limeftone. This variation is very important, and will give rife to new combinations in every particu- lar; dillindfions of this nature are abfo- lutely requifite: for if a gentleman, from an accurate eftimate of improving the grit- ftene moors, 5 or 6 miles from lime, de- termines to improve a limelione moor, he will [ 2!3 ] will unavoidably be a confideiable loier; the data are fo dificrentj notwithftanding the finiiiaiity of foil, that the expences of one, niUiL never be implicitly followed in the conduct of the other. In the iir>piovement of this fort of moors, lam particularly fortunate in authentic data i for, the reader by turning to the work above quoted, Vv ill find, that the very ingenious Mr. Scroopc^ from many years experience of this fort of moor, deduced the following cii cumftances : Walling, 5 J. bd. a rood. That all expences of burning lime, are 9 5. 10 ^. /;<:r chaldron. That paring, burning, and fpreading the afties, is \t s. 6d, per acie. That the products of the moor, are turnips worth 2/. ijs. 6 d. per acre. Oats, 5 quarters. Cabbages, 25 tons. MaOin, 3 quarters. Grafs that v.' ill keep 7 flieep per acre through fummcr j or a ccv/ to an acre and an hah'. But [ 257 ] But I cannot avoid remarking, that thefe produ6ls are thole gained by a con- duct, in fonie refpecls, very different from what I particularly recommended in the preceding letters -, turnips were oftentimes repeated once, twice, and even three times — fome fields were actually fallowed. In others, oats and mailin were fown feveral times before the gralTes j infomuch that in the 12th year of the improvement, when J 27 acres were brought into cul- ture, no lefs than 81 of them were un- der arable crops, and even 6^ in oats, which fhews how httle the material obje6l of laying to grafs as foon as polhble, had been adhered to ; for though much of the farm is white land, yet the more kept un- der the plough, undoubtedly the lefs could annually be improved : I by no means offer this in arraignment ofthecondu6l of fo fpirited a cultivator, to whom the world is fo much obliged, but merely to fliew that the crops the land yielded, were in no proportion to what would have been pro- duced, had it fulted tlic improver's general defign to convert the land as fpeedily as poflible to grafs, that the annual increafe might be unbroken. Another remark I Vol. II. iJ muft [ 258 ] mufl: make, is, that no flieep were folded on any of the lands. For thefe reafons, I fliall make fome fmall variations in the produ6ls, fuch as the moft rigorous accu- racy will allow me in confideration of a great variation in conduct. I fliall fuppofe the improvement to be undertaken by the inclofure of 120 acres. Firfl Year. One hundred and twenty acres to be inclofed in fix fields, each of 20 acres: and the farms to be let in various quanti- ties according to the fpace improved, each • year's inclofures to form one farm, by which means, as before, a fet of buildings will be ere61ed every year, and workmen always at command : building in thefe moors, on account of lime, is cheaper than in the former ones, but I fliall adhere to the price of 140/. before u fed. For paring and burning I fnall alfo, as before, allow 20 j-. an acre. Liming is the mere expence of the lime, which I fhall call 45. a chaldron ; the car- riage is in carts diredly to the land, for the lim.e kilns are erected about the fields where mofl convenient, In refpecl to the 2 conduct [ 259 ] conducl: of the land, I fl;iall, on all accounts, adhere to the former rules, to take the firfl crop, part turnips, and part cabbages, the fccond oats, and with them to lay down to grafles : 1 fhal!, in purfuance of Mr. Scroopes practice, ufe 4 chaldrons of lime per acre, inflead of three. As to the value of the crops, turnips I fliall rate at 3 /. per acre. Cabbages at their average value of 7 j. * per ton ; which, at 25 tons, is 8/. i^s. per acre : but to obviate fuppofed obje6lions, I fhall calculate at 6/. Grafs 20 J-. per acre, which is certainly the lowed rate that can, in any eftimate, be allowed. In the former moors, I had no ahfolute authority for the culture of cabbages, there- fore was moderate in the fuppofed quan- tity ; but the cafe being different here, I fhall fuppofe a much larger quantity of them than of turnips. /. s.d. Buildings, - - - 140 3 miles of walling, and gates, 210 Paring and burning. 120 480 chaldrons of lime, at 4 j. 96 566 * S/a- Months Tour, Vol. iv. p. 176. S 2 [ 26o ] /. s. d. Brought over. - 566 Stock, /. s. d. lOO oxen, 700 Six horfes. 72 looo fheep, at ys. 6 d» 375 3 light narrow-wheeled waggons, for home ufe. 55 5 fmall three wheeled carts ^3^ Harnefs, 9 3 Ploughs, JO 10 3 harrows, 6 Rollers and fundry imple- ments, 20 1277 10 Labour, 3 Men, - - - 75 I (hepherd. 20 Hoeing 40 acres turnips. 20 Planting and hoeing 80 of cabbages, at 8 J. 32 Filling and ipreading 480 chaldron, or gbo loads, at 3 J. a fcore, 8 4 Sundry labour. 10 16 £ 4 Q Seed, 40 Acres of turnips, - 200 80 cabbages, - 800 10 o o Carried forward, 2018 14 o [ 26l ] /. s. a. Brought forward, - - 2018 14 o Sundries. I. s. d. Keeping 6 horfes, - 60 o o Wear and tear, - 20 o o Tythe, - - 12 o c To anfwer unfpecified de- mands, - - 20 o o 112 o o Difburfemenf, - 2130 14 o Produd of 1000 fheep, ziys. 6d. - - 375 o o Improvement of flock by 3oacrescabb3ges, and 40 turnips ; to, - 1000 o o 1375 o Q Expence, - . 755 14 q The work done on thefe lands by the team being much lighter than the former, as the lime is all at home, I have charged cheaper horfes. The charge of labour is much higher than the truth, for the three men are not a third employed at plough- hig, 6V. confcquently would be fct about other work, but that number wasrequifite, for ploughing the land in proper time. The carting lime, I fuppofe, put out to the labourers, who, with the fmall carts, and I or 2 horfes, Vvill carry 40 loads a day with eafe. I eltimate the fhecp to confume ijo acres of the cabbatrcs. S 3 Secon4 [ 262 ] Second Year. This year, T rnnpofe, 160 acres to be broken up, and inciofed in 9 fields : an ad- dition of two horfes and one man, will be fufFicient for getting all the tillage finidied in the proper feafons. /. s. d. Buildings, - - - . uo o o Walling 3 miles and an half, ^t. 241 100 Paring and burning, - - 160 o o 640 chaldron of lime, - 128 o o 100 ditto for compoftj one to every ox, winter fatted, I. S. d. 2 Hor fes, - - 24 o o 120 oxen, - - 840 o o I waggon, 2 carts, i plough and i hariow i^c. " - 36 o o Labour, 4 Men, - - 100 o o Shepherd, - - 20 o o Floeing 60 acres turnips, 30 o o Planting and hoeing 100 of cabbages, « 40 o o 20 o o 689 10 Q 900 O Q Carried over, 190 o o 1589 10 q . [ 263 ] /. s. d. Brought over, 190 o o Filling, i^c. 740 chaldron lime, 1480 loads, at 3J. a fcore, - - 1 1 2 o Mixing, iillingand fpread- ing 500 loads compoft, IS. 6 d, a fcore, - 320 Sowing 180 acres, 200 Mowing and liarvefting 120 acres of oats, - 12 o o Threfhing 600 qrs, of oats, at I J". Sundry labour. 30 o o 50 o o 15S9 s. d. 10 o — ■ 298 4 6 Seed. 60 Oats, 300 100 cabbages, 10 120 cats. 5^ 5 J 20 grades. 120 189 5 o Sundries, 8 Horfes, - - 80 o o Wear and tear, - 40 o o Tythe, - - 28 o o I'o anfwerunfpecified de- mands, - - 30 o "O ' 178 00 Difburfcmcnt, S 4 2255 19 6 [ 264 1 /. s. d. Brought forward, /• -'• d. 2255 19 6 Product of 1000 fhet-p, 450 o o Improvement of ftock by 50 acres of cab- bages, and 60 turnips, 1320 o o 600 qrs. oats, at 125. 360 o o I -130 o o Expence, - 125 19 6 Third Year. I fuppofe an addition to be made this year of another farm of 180 acres : I have calculated the v^^ork of the team, and find that another plough will be neceffary, only for giving the tillage for the 160 acres of oats in due time, however, it muft be had, though there comes much idle time, dur- ing all the reft of the year. All the year's tillage and harvefting employs them only 181 days. To call the year 280 days of effective work, there remains 100 for lime cart ; in which time, the 8 horfes in four fets of carts, with labourers fufficient, will carry each 40 in a day, or 160 per diem in all, of 16,000 in the 100 days: this is 8000 chaldrons. The new ground takes but 720 ; there remains 7280, which is fo vafl [ 265 ] yaft a quantity, that it will be ufelefs to jay it on all at oncp j but I have given the calculation to fhevv vv'hat the teams have time for. We mud: therefore employ them in another way. Lail year were wintered 6 horfes and loo oxen ; fuppofe they make 1500 fmall loads of dung, to which (as only 100 chaldron were before ufed) we will add half as much lime or 750 loads, being 375 chaldrons^ together 2250 loads J the teams then have 5030 loads to carry, thefe fhall be virgin earth mould or black bog earth, and the whole formed into one grand compofl to be mixed for the grafs land. Jn all 7280 loads. And in this manner, our improver fliould plan his work all the time to fpare from tillage ^c, and 4 chaldron per acre of lime to the burnt ground, fliould be employed in forming a comport:. /. s.d. Buildings, - - - 140 o o Walling, y^. Similes, - 258 150 Paring and burning, - - 180 o o Lime 720 chaldron, - - 14^ o o Ditto 375 ditto for compoft, - 75 o o Draining; luppofe - - 200 o o Carried over, 995 15 o 1040 O Qi [ 266 ] /. J". d. Brought over, i 995 ^5 o Stock. I. s, d. 140 Oxen, - - 980 o o 2 horfes, - ix 24 o o Implements, - 1 36 o o ■ 1 — Labour, 5 Men. - 125 00 A baiiiii, ^ - 50 o o Shepherd, - ^ 20 o o Hoeing 80 acres turnips, 40 o o Planting and hoeing 100 cabbages, 8 j. - 40 o o Filling, ^c. 1095 chal- - "f lime, 2 c olo ds, J J. a f'" . 16 7 Q ^vJixim). fiiJiog. fpreading ;; 280 'I . ^mpoft, ac ' .«, 6 , Sowing ^40 acres, I2'j .^clesof hay, js. 6 d. Mowing and harvefting 1 60 acres oats, Threfhing 800 qrs. '^ Sundry labour, Seed, 80 Turnips, 100 cabbages, 160 oats, 160 gralTes, 45 10 5 45 16 40 50 4 10 H 7 6 160 492 17 Q '^5^ 7 ^ Carried forward, 2786 19 6 t 267 1 /. s. d. Brought forward, m 2786 ^9 6 Sundries. /. s.d. JO Horfes, 100 Wear and tear, - 60 Tythe, 46 Unfpecified demands, 50 256 r% KJ SO+z ^9 "6 Produft of IOO0 fheep, 500 Improvement of ftock by 50 acres of cabbages 80 turnips, and 120 hay ; to, 1700 8co qrs. oats, « 480 2680 o o Expence, - - «' 362 19 6 Fourth Year. 200 acres added this year j the teams mufl have an addition of one plough, they will then have 85 days to fpare, for com- poft, carting, &c. part of which muil be proportioned as follows : Days, 150 head of cattle, i^per head, 2250 loads dung, 240 per diem, 10 1 125 loads of lime (562 chaldron) 240 per diem, - - 5 5000 loads earth, 240 per diem, - 20 S^y^ Loads, • " * 35 [ 268 1 Buildings, Walling, (^c, 4:^ miles, Paring and burning, Lime 8oo chaldron, Duto 562 ditto compoft. Draining i fuppofe Sto(:k, 1^0 Oxen, 2 horfes. Implements, /. 1260 24 - - 36 5. d, Bailiff, Shepherd, 6 mt-n, Hoeing 6q ac Lahour, - - 80 20 150 res turnips, 30 q /. S. d. 160 293 5 20.0 160 112 8 200 1125 13 o n2o p o Planting and hoeing 140 cabbage?, - 56 o o Filling, &c 1362 chal- dron, 2 7 24 loads, at 3 J. 20 80 Mixing, fill-ng, ^f. 8375 loaus conipolt, at 2j. 6d. 52 50 SowinL 2^o acres, - 300 Mowing and harvcfling 180 oats, - 1800 Tnrelhing 90oqrs. at u. 45 Q q 160 acres ot hay, m ys. od. - - - 60 o o Sundry labour, - 50 o o 584 13 o Carried fprward, 3030 [ 269 ] /. s.d. Brought forward. - 3030 6 Seed. /. s.d. 60 Turnips, 140 cabbages. 3 14 1 80 oats, J 80 grafles, - - 94 180 18 5 ,291 18 5 Sundries* 12 horfes. 120 Wear and tear, 100 Tythe, Unfpecified demands. 56 59 ni^ f\ r\ t~\ Difburfement, - - _ 3648 4 5 Produdlof loooflieep, 500 o o Improvemenc of (lock by 90 acres of cabbages, 60 of turnips and 160 of hay, - 2220 c o 900 qrs. oats, - 540 o o — — — '^t6o o o Expence, - - - - 38845 General Account at the 'End cf the Fourth Tear, Difburfement of the firft year, j^. 2130 14 o [ 27t> ] /. s. J^ Brought over, - 2130 14 o Difburfement of the /. s. d, fecond, - - 2255 19 6 Intereft of 2130/. 85 00 2340 19 6 Produfl of the firil, 1375 00 Difourfement of the third, - - 3042 19 6 Intereft of 3095 /. - 124 00 9^S 19 ^ 3166 19 6 Produft of the fecond, 2130 00 . 1036 19 6 Difburfement of the fourth, - - 3648 4 5 Intereft of 41 3 1 /. 165 o o 3S13 4 5 Produft of the third, 2680 00 1 133 4 ^ Total fuin requifite for the improvement, - 5266 17 5 Prod u a of the fourth year, 3260 00 Raifed on a farm of 120 /. a year, 3000 o o Cadi in hand at the end of the fourth ygar - - 6260 o o Fifth Year. I fuppofe an addition made to the culti- vated land of a farm of 280 acres in 10 divifions : [ 271 ] dlvifions : for this purpofe, 4 horfes muft be added, which will get all the work done in good time, and have 80 days to fpare for carting compoft. Days, igi head of cattle at 15, 2880 loads dungj 320 /'^r <^zV/», - 9 1440 loads lime (720 chaldron) at 320, - - - 5 5000 loads of earth, &c. - - 15 29 Thus there will be much fpare time after this is doubled. /. s, d. Buildings, - ^ 200 Walling 4 miles, - 276 Paring and burning. - - 280 Lime, 1 120 chald ron. - 224 Ditto, 720 ditto. - - 144 Draining, - - - 200 • 1324 Stock. /. s. d. 300 Oxen, - 2100 4 horfes, - 48 Implements, - 72 2220 Carried ( ovei i 354+ t 272 ] Brought over, - 3544 ® o Labour. L s, d, BallifT, - - 100 o o Shepherd, - - 20 o o 8 Men, - - 200 o o Hoeing So acres turnips, 40 o o Planting and hoeing 200 of cabbages, - 80 o o Filling, l^c. 1840 chal- dron of lime, 3680 load;, at 3 J. - - 27120 Mixing, filling, ^c. 9320 loads, at 5 J. twice, 116 10 o Sowing 280 acres, 4100 Mowing and harvefting 200 acres oats, - 2000 Threfhing 1000 qrs. - 50 o o 180 acres hay, at 7J. 6d. 67 10 o Sundry labour, - 50 o o 776 2 o Seed. 80 Turnips, - - 4 200 cabbages. - 20 200 oats. - 131 5 200 grafles. - 200 Sundries* 16 Horfes, - - 160 o o Wear and tear, - 1 60 o o Tythe, - - 66 o o Inrereft of 5266 /. 211 00 UnfpeciFjcd demands, 100 00 Difburfement, \DJ •? L 273 J /. s,d. L s.d. Dlfbiirfement, - 53^2 70 Product of 1000 (lieep, 500 00" Improvement of (lock by 150 acres of cab- bages, 80 of turnips, and I So of hay ; to, 351000 ioqo qrs. of oats, - 600 o o 46 1 o 00 7 o Expence, . 762 General Account at the End of the Fifih Tear, Cafli in haad at the end of the fourth year, - _ _ . 5260 o o Difburfement of the nfth, - 5^72 70 Remains, - - - 8871JO Raikd on a farm of 160 /. a year, 40CO o o Produ6l of the fifth year, - 4610 00 Cafli \n hand at the end of the fifth - year, -. - - Sl^")! ^Z ^ Sixth Year. The additions this year may confiil of 480 acres in four farms; one of 160 acres, and one of 8oj one of 100, and one of 120. I fliall fuppofe the addition of 8 Jiorfcs, with men, ploughs, waggons, &c, proportioned. They will have loo days Vol. II. ' T to [ 274 ] to fpare from the flated work : in part of which time, they fliould execute the fol- lowing : 3 1 6 head of ca ttle, at 1 5 load each, is 4700 loads, at 480 in a day, - 10 2350 loads of lime, {1175 chaldron) at 480, - - 6 120C0 loads of earth, at 480, - 25 41 19050 loads, ^ -^ DaySj 82 /. s. d. Buildings, - - 560 Walling, 6 miles. - 414 Paring and burning, - 480 Lime, 1920 chaldron. - 384 Ditto, 1 175 ditto. - 235 Draining, - 200 2273 o o Siock, 600 Oxen, 8 horfes. Implements, /. s.d. 4200 96 144 ' 4t4" Carried over, 6713 o q [ 275 ] /. Brought over, Labourm BailifFand fliepherd, - 120 12 men, - - ^oo Hoeing 100 acres turnips, c^o Planting and hoeing 3 80 cabbages, Filhng, ^c 3095 chal- dron of lime, 6190 loads, at 3 J. 19,050 at 5 J, Sowing 380, Mowing, i^c. 280 oats, Threlhing 1400 qrs. 200 acres of hay, Sundry labour, - 46 238 7 28 70 IS 50 Seed. 1 00 turnips, 380 cabbages, 280 oats, 280 graffes. 5 280 s. d. o o o o o o 152 O 9 /. 6713 s.d, o o o o o o o o o — ' 1136 7 9 o o o o 8 9 o o 495 8 9 Sundries, 24 Horfes, Wear and tear, Tythe, Interelt, UnfpeciBed dcmandf 240 o o 200 o o 96 o o 211 00 ICO o o 847 o o Difburfemenr, 1' 2 9192 15 9 [276 ] /. Difbiirfement, Produfl: of looo ^^ecp, 500 s. d. /. s. d. 9192 15 9 Improvement ot Itcck by 330 acres of cab- bages, ICO turnips, and 200 of hay ; to, 67S0 1400 qrs. oats, - 840 §120 Expence, - 1072 15 9 General Account at the End of the Sixth Tear, Cafli in hand at the end of the fifth, year, - - 9497 13 o Difburfement cf the fixth, 9'^9'^ 15 9 Remains, - 304 17 3 Raifed on a farm of 180 A a year, 4500 o o Produfl; of fixth year, - 8120 o o Cafh in hand at the end of the f:xth year, - - - 12,924 17 3 Seventh Year. The addition of tliis year I fiiall fup- pofe to be 500 acres in three farms, one of 180 acres, and two each of 160. No addi- tions will be requiiite to the team : they will have time for all the tillage and regu- lar work, and alio for carting the com- poft. 624 I ^77 1 Day. 624 Head of cattle, 15 each, 9360 loads, 480 /If r^/t7i7, - 20 4680 of lime, 2340 chaldron at 480 per diem, - - - jo 6000 of earth, - - - 13 r *- 43 20,000 loads. Days, - / 420 483 5C0 400 468 300 86 Buildings, - Walling y~ miles. Paring and burning. Lime 2000 chaldron. Ditto 234O5 Draining, - s. d. 2571 StccL xoGO Oxen, 7000 Labour, I, J. d. Bailiff, (hepherd, and men, - 420 o o Tloeing 100 acres turnips, 50 o o Carried over, 470 o o 9571 o o T 3 [ 278 ] /. s. d. I !. d. Brought over, 470 9571 planting and hoeing 400 of cabbages, 160 Filhng anJ fprcading 4340 chaldron of lime. b68o loads, at 3 s. % 2 20,000, at 5 J. 250 Sowing 580 acres. 12 Mowing 480 acres of oats. 48 Thrcfhing 2400 qrs. 120 280 acres of hay, at 7/. 6d. 105 Sundry labour. 100 1330 2 O Seed, too turnips, 5 400 cabbages, - 40 480 oats. - 253 2 6 480 grafTes, 480 Sundries, 778 2 6 24 Horfe'^, M^ear and tear, Tythe, Intereft, Unfpecified demands. 240 300 126 211 00 150 ■w r\ ■ Difburftment, i2 7( o o r 279 J /. s. d. /. s. d. Dlfburfement, - 12706 4 6 Produ(5l of I coo (heep, 500 o o Improvement of ftock by 350 acres of cab- bages ; 100 of turnips; and 280 of hay; to, 9820 o o 2400 qrs. oats, - 1440 o o 1 1 760 o o Expence, - - 946 4 6 Cmeral Account at the 'End of the Seventh Tear, Cafh in hand at the end of the fixth /. jr. d, year, - - _ 12,924 17 3 Difburfement of the feventh, - 12,706 4 6 Remains, - 218 12 9 Raifed on a farm of 200 /. a year, 5,000 o o Produdl of the feventh year, 11,760 00 Cafh in hand at the end of the feventh year, - - 16 978 12 9 Eighth Year. This year I (hall fuppofc 580 acres added to the cultivated land, in four farms, three of 160 and one of ico. The t^^am requires an addition for this parpofe, of T 4 four [ 2So 3 four borfcs j with men and implements in proportion ; it will then have above 80 days for carting compofl. 1000 head of cattle j 150CO loads at 560 per diem, - 28 2coooflime, 1000 chaldron at 560, 4 5C00 earth, - - 10 42 22000 leads. Days, - 84 /. s. d. Buildings, - 560 V.' ailing 8 miles. - - 552 Paring and burning. - - 580 \J\mt 2320 chaldronj » - 464 Ditto 1000 ditto, - - 200 Draining, 200 2556 Stock. I. s d. 1100 Oxen, 7700 4 horffs, 48 Implements^ 72 , "rPorx r\ f\ Labour. Bailiff and (hephcrd, 120 o o Another bailiff, - cio o o Carried ovef;, 1 70 o o 10376 00 t 28, ] /. s. d. /. s. d. Brought over, 170 10376 Q £4 men, 350 Hoeing 100 acres turnips, 50 Planting, &c. 480 cab- bages. 192 Filling and fpreading 3320 chaldron, 6640 loads, at 3 J. 49 16 22000 at 5 ^. 275 Sowing 680 acres, • - 15 Mowing, ^c. 500 acres, at 2 J. - •» 50 Thre(hing 2500 qrs. - 125 480 acres of hay, at ys. 6d. 180 Sundry labour. 225 1 68 1 16 o Seed. 100 turnips, 480 cabbages, 500 oats, 500 gralTes, 5 48 295 500 o o o o o o o o 848 O J 28 Horfes, Wear and tear, Tythe, intereft", Unfpecified demands, DKburfcmcnt, Sundries, 280 300 156 211 150 o o o o o o o o o o — - 1097 o o 14072 16 o [ 282 ] L s. d. h s. d» Dlfburfement, - 145O72 16 o Produd of 1000 (heep, 500 o o Improvement of flock by 430 acres of cab- bages, 100 of turnips, and 480 hay, to 113 o o o 2500 qrs. oats, - 1500 o o 13*300 o o Expence, s ;: 772 16 o General Account at the End of the Eighth Tear, Cafh in hand at the end of the 7th year, _ _ _ 16,978 12 9 Dilburfement of the 8th, - 14072 160 Remains, - 2,905 16 9 Raifed on a farm of 280 /. a year, 7,000 o o Produ(5lof the 8th year, - 13*300 00 galh in hand at the end of the 8th < year, - - - 23,205 16 9 Ninth Year. This year 700 acres maybe taken in, in four farms j one of 2co acres, one of j8o, and two of 160. The team for this addi- tion miill be increaled with fix hones, &c, which r 283 1 ^vhlch then will perform all the work in proper time, with 90 days to fpare for compofl cart. 1 1 2 8 head of cattle, 1 5 loads/'^r head, are I 6,920 loads at 680 per diem, - - 24. 4,000 loads, 2000 chaldron of lime at 680, 6 io»ooo loads of earth, at 680, - 15 45 •3 30,920 loads, r Days, 90 /. s. d. Buildings, - - - s^'^ o o Walling 9 miles, - - 621 o o Paring and burning, - - 700 o o Lime, 2800 chaldron, - - 560 o o Ditto, 2000 ditto, - - 400 o o Draining, - - 400 o ^ Stock, L s.d. 1200 Oxen, - 8400 o o 6Horfes, - - 72 o o Implements, " ic8 o o 3241 o o 8580 o o Labour. Bailiffs and fhepherd, 1 70 o o ly men, - - 425 o o Carried over, 595 o o iio^i o t 284 ] /. s. d. I, s. d» Brought over, ^^^ o o 11821 o Hoeing 100 acres of tur- nips, - - 50 o o 600 cabbages, - 240 o o Filling, i^c. 4800 chal- dron of lime,96ooloads, at 3 J. - - 7200 30,920 loads, at 5^. 386 10 o Sowing, - - 20 o o R^ovving and harvefting 580 acres, - 58 o o Threfhing 2900 qrs. 145 00 500 acres of hay, 187 10 o Suridry labours, - 225 00 1979 o o ^ccd. 100 turnips, 600 cabbages, 580 oats, 58ograires5 <;4 Horfes, Wear and tear, Tythe, Intereft, Sundries, - 5 60 318 2 580 ^^1 2 O ^lundries. 340 300 178 211 © 200 1229 Diiburfement, 15992 2 £ 285 ] /. s, d. I. s. d. Difburfement,- - 155992 2 o Produ6i: of 1000 flieep, 500 o Improvement of flock by 650 acres cabbages, 100 turnips, and 500 hay; to, - 135350 o o 2900 qrs. oats, - 1,740 o o ■ ^5^59'^ o o Expence, - - 402 2 o General Account at the End of the Ninth Tear, Calh in hand at the end of the 8th year, - - 23,205 16 9 Difburfement of the 9th, - - 15,992 2 o Remainf?, - - 7*213 14 9 Raifed on a farm of 480 /. a year, 12,000 o o Product of the ninth year, I5i590 o o Cafh in hand at the end of the 9th year, - - 3-^'^o3 H 9 Tenth Year. This year is to be applied to the form- ing a plantation of 200 acres, around a part of the eftate : and farming the hay and oats of the laft inclofurcs. For the whole, fee Plate XI. Wallirg, [ 286 ] Walling 5 miles. Paring and burning. Lime, 800 chaldron. Ditto, 2000 ditto. Planting, Labour: L s. d. Bailiffs and (hepherd, 170 00 17 men, - - 42 o o Filling, i^c. 800 chal- dron of lime, 1600 loads, at 3 J. - 12 o o Ditto 30,920 loads of compoft, at 5 J. - 386 10 o Sowing, - - 12 o o Mowing, y^. 700 acres, 70 o o Threfhing, 3500 qrs. 175 00 580 acres of hay, - 217 10 o /. 5. di 345 200 160 400 200 1305 o o Seed, 700 oats, 700 graffes. 34 Horfes, Wear and tear, Tyche, Interelt, ^ 413 700 b-ies. 340 200 178 21 1 1468 o d - 1113 o (^ 929 b d Dlfburfement, 4815 o ° [ 287 J /. s. d. I. s, d* Difburfement, - 4815 00 Produdlof 1000 fheep, 500 o o Ditto fold, - ' 500 o o 580 acres of hay, 870 00 — ' 1870 o o Expence, - 2945 o o General Account at the End of the 'Tenth Tear, Ca(h in hand at the end of the ninth year, - - - 34»So3 14 9 Difburfement of the tenth, 4>8i5 00 Remains, - - 29,988 14 9 Raifed on a farm of 500/. a year, 12,500 o o Produce of the tenth, - - 1,870 o o 44^358 14 9 Original mortgage, - - 5,266 o o Cafh in hand at the end of the tenth year, - - - 2><^^o^^ 14 9 Eleventh Year. This is applied to making the hay of the laft inclofed farms. The work muft be put out to the neighbouring far- mers to cart : fomc of the horfes may run at grafs to aflill, and the waggons be kept. Bainii; [ 288 ] /. s. d. Bailiff,. - - ^ - loo o o Mowing, making, carting and flack- ing 700 acres at 10^. - 350 o o Tythe, " , " " ' 70 o o Difburfement, - Produce 700 at 30 j. • Balance, - - Gejieral Account, Cafh in hand at tke end of the tenth year, - - - 39>092 14 9 DifDurfcment of the eleventh, 520 o o Remains, - - Z'^^Sl'^ H 9 Raifed on 1280/. a year, - 52,000 o o Product of the eleventh, - 1,050 00 520 1050 520 530 71,622 14 9 Sale of Stock, 34 Horfes and implements, - 500 o o Cafh in hand at the end of the eleventh year, - - 72,122 14 9 Raifed on the farms at various times, - . - 8o,oco o o The above total, . - - 72,122 o o Remaining debt, ^ 75^78 o o [ 2^9 ] The farms confifl: of 3200 acres, befides 200 acres planted ; let at 3200 /. a year ; valued or fold at 30 years purchafe, amounts to, Dedu6l the above debt, Remains neat profit on the im- provement. Valued or fold at 35 years pur- chafe, Remaining debt, Neat profit, _ . - 96,000 7,878 s. d. 88 22 1 12,000 7,878 10^,122 Confidering all the circumftances of the perfect reparation of the eftate, the 200 acres planted, it bein^ a iimcftone coun- try, &c. this is a moderate calculation. I have reviewed every particular of the calculation, and from the ilrideit atten- tion t© all concurring circ urn fiances, I am convinced, that the advantages attending the improvement of thefe moors are by no means exaggerated. I have charged tlie expences in a moft liberal manner — much beyond the truth. And the value of the crops, I found upon thofe, gained from thefe very moors ; but the hulbandry here Vol. II. U fK'itchcd, [290 ] iketched, is fo much more excellent than any I ever yet heard of being applied to moor land, tiiat the erops are lower rated than moderation would have allowed. The llighteil confideration of a few circum- flanccs will evince this fufiiciently. The land is almofl amply limed with the allies of the paring beyond the pra6lice of mod farmers ; and the virtue of the frefh foil, the aflies, and the lime kept in the foil by not being exhaufled by fucceeding crops. Turnips and cabbages the firfl year; theil oats, and with thofe cats, the graffes: whereas the methods hitherto ufed, have been to take feveral crops of corn be- fore laying to grafs, which makes an im- menfe difference. Another circumllance, is the conftant fold of 1000 fheep, an ob- je6l of vaft importance, for it manures 100 a.crts per annum moft excellently : next we are to remember, the moft ample m^a- nuring given by compofts, which amounts throughout all the improvements, to above 40 loads per acre. A rich mixture of dung, half as much lime, and an addition of rotten peat earth or virgin moukl, this is fpread on the new grafs. — Such fpirited management, carried confifbently through a whole [ 291 ] a whole improvement, has I beheve never been feen : the expence of it is high, but the profit mud alfo be great -, and un- doubtedly would juilify, upon the whole, a much larger return than I have fup- pofed. The conclufions to be drawn from the account, are obvious to the meanefl: capa- city : Vv'here can any landlord spply him- felf with five thoufand pounds, to make in fo Ihort a time fo large a fortune? An hundred thoufand pounds are an obje6l of fome confequence to the largeft fortunes in the kingdom. In what trade, bufinefs or profeflion, can a ion be placed that will do greater things for him. Five thoufand pounds are a common younger fon's por- tion if you look into life, wdiat a poor figure is made by them, not for want of a larger original fortune, but for want of an application for it. In the purchafe of a commifFion or a place, it buys four or five hundred pounds a year, with an ex- penfive life annexed, that requires half as many thoufands. Put to common intercfl:, the poircffor flarves. In trade, it is no- thing ; as every one knows who has occa- fion to place his gentlenia?2 fon in a mci- U 2 chant's [ 292 ] chanfs counting-houfe. The capital is Icarccly fuHicicnt for the partner of a filk mercer j and Httle Aiperior to a haber- dadier of fmall wares. But on the con- trary, what imnfienfe profit attends the culture of the earth ? and in relpcc^ to ho- nour^ where will a more liberal profeiTion be found ? Heroes retire to the plough, but never to the counter *. Where * Nothing is here meant in refleftion upon trade ; I honour it, as every B'iion ought ; but I cannot fee the propriety of the pra£tice, which every day grows more common, of fending fo mnny lads ot quality into the city : fome, it is true, fucceed and make fortunes, but it muft be under the influence of very fortunate circum- ftances : from the cradle, they imbibe maxims and ideas totally contrary to that ri,i,id frugality, and con- tradled fphcre of ideas whkh are requifite to ftia.ke a fortune : the bufinefs to which a man is brought up, ought furely to be adapted to his birth, his education, and the ftation of his pareiits in life. Let a poor Scctch ]ad be turned out of his father's houfein the Highland?, with fivpence in his pocicet, and the blefrmg.— — — " There ! — Go, make your fortune" — I v/ijl bet upon him againlt any of your otiKr end of the toivfi gentry; all whofe advantages, as they are called, arc the very rocks on which they fplit. Suppofe one of them fails in his aim, what becomes of him ? /i^% ')e is my Lo>dfttch a cnisfon^ he iv'iil be mode Joir.ethlri.g elfe of: this idea muft ever be ftrong in the lad ; and as any profeffion might probably be more agreeable to him, twenty to one but he takes his meafures accordingly. But a lad, whofc grand advancement is to fweep the countiog houie, gains ground by very flow but fure degrees : induftry, fobriety, and frugality are food, raiment and lodging — he [ 293 ] Where can the landlord who Is cramped for money, find fo ample a reiource ? Suppofe his eftate mortgaged for ninety- five thoufand pounds, in what other man- ner is he, by adding for a few years the other 5000 to the debt, to find an under- taking that in 12 years will clear the whole? And I might add, if his wailes are very extenfive, in a very icw years more, put another hundred thoufand in his pocket. From every light in which 1 can view the facls on which 1 have calculated, I have the flrongefi: confidence in the mo- deration of my eftimates : they undoubt- edly are to be realized on prodigious traces of moors, which are in fo many places to be met with, under nmilar circumiflances to thofe vt'hich I have defcribed : nothing is wanting bat reiolution in their poiTefibrs to enjoy much greatec advantages than any I have flated. But ready money muft be appropriated to the v/ork, not income, or fums dependent on income. he has no refourcc. Can human nature admit of ftronger principles to diredt the actions of mankind : the f(;rtune of fuch a lad is indubitable. Men of edu- cation and ideas can never rival them : it is an attempt againft nature. U 3 Before [ 294 J Before the fubje6l is well confiderecl, fome obje6lions may pofllbly be made on the fcore of the exteiit of fome of the an- nual improvements : it may perhaps be thought diOicult to procure the requifite number of hands of all forts: but whoever will refled on the matter with a little at- tention, will be convinced of the contrary. This point is one grand reafon for my be- ing fo very particular in recommending a liridi determination to improve frefh land every year, to make no gap in the under- taking : this has been done more than once by improvers, the lofs attending it is al- ways great, and in fuch large under- takings as I have recommended, would, in the refpe6l I am now treating of, be fatal. If you want five hundred labourers, two hundred builders, ^c. all to go to work at once, every man muft be fenfible of the impoffibility of getting them : if you want but (ifry of a fort to be at work only in a certain month, the like difficulty may be found. Thefe are not the inquiries, be- caufe it is not the plan of operation : I every where on this and other accounts, have recommended to increafe the works gradually : there is no moor to be found, 7 where [ 295 ] where I could not in one year, and at the proper feafons, improve the quantity of 120 or 160 acres: — but if I could do only ioo or even 80, the obje6tion would be obviat- ed ; for the next year, whatever the quan- tity be, I would engage to double it. In undertakings of this fort, hands in- creafe every hourj a little reputation of high wages, will make them flock from all parts, as they every where do to take work of commiffioners of turnpikes, navi- gations, &c. many of v^hom expend in a fingle fcafon much greater fums than any I have fuppofed. Thus I have allowed 20 J-. an acre for paring and burning, in- ftead of i6i. 6^.; that difference v/ould bring all the parers within 20 miles to you. But the grand o\y\tdi u regular employ- ment. Taiie ail hands that offer, and keep them the year round, and you need not fear having your number. In the im- provements I have fKCtched, there is em- ployment the whole year. Take, for in- fiance, th.e laft article of inclofuie, which is 70Q acres in one year ; the buildings are 560/. a fum and an article that has no difficulty j the paring, burning and U 4 draining [ 296 1 draining are 1 100 /. : thofe works are thofe of the hit for winter, the firfl- for fpiing : walling 621 /. is done either in the winter, or the preceding fummer, here are 172 1 /. Then comes the article Labour of 1979 /. which is nine-tenths fammer work fuc- cetfling the other > fo that the fame num- ber of irbjarers may be kept conftantly employed : this is ever an advantage in the rate of the work. The employing a great many hands at once, much attracts others j all workmen arc fond of contracting with a man who employs a great number j there is a cheer- fulnefs in fuch a farm which captivates them 'ucommonly: the reputation of it, with tne ability of making great earnings b^; contra6t working, will always enable an improve'" to break up whatever land he pleaics : the e.nployment of 100 men this year, will fecure to him that of 200 the next 'j 300 the third ; 500 the fourth and fo on ; and for the truth of tiiis, I appeal to ail men who have had the conduct of publick works, that have required great numbers of working hands. But let a gap be made but fc r one year, that is, the in- creafe of land difcontinuedj and confe- quently [ 297 ] quently the wallers, parers, drainers, Ilme- burners, (^c. difcharged — whatever dcfire the irentleman mav have to renew his un- dertaking the year following, it will be in vain ; inftead of 700 acres he muft con- tent himfelf perhaps with a fixth part; that is, his work is to do over again 3 his hands to colle6l gradually as at firfl. All objections therefore, that can arife from a want of hands for executing the impiove- ments I have propofed, have no weight, unlefs the improver commit great miflakes. All the cor'ipiaints that are generally heard on this head, relate only to the price of the labour ; or come f]om thole who have only an irreoiiidr employment : which have nothing a> do with the prefcnt en- quiry.. Mat:y a time, in the condu6t of my own farm, have 1 been diltrefled even for a fingle man, v^hereas I have foon after had fcores at my command : the more men I have employed, (and I have often had from 20 to 40 at work) the more I have univerfally been able to get. Another circumftancc relative to very large undertakings, is the findi.i^ extent of wafte land fufficient ; but this objection can arife only from thofe who hav- not viev\lo 1 1 _3 It is requifite to keep the firll farm in hand, till the fainfoine has been once mown, that the (late of the crop may be known. It rarely fails on dry foils, but that knowledge is by no means fufBcient to let a farm : I do not fuppofe cattle bought in to feed the hay or the turnips, till they become a regular fupply of borh, and in all countries of this nature winter food is ever ready money: I have chaiged a very low value for the fainfoine, but it is not in perfection the firfl: year. X 4. Gene nil [ 3^2 ] General Account at the "End of the Third Tear. Difburfement of the firfl: ycar^ - 1019 15 ^ Ditto the fccond, - 1178 18 9 Jntcreft of 1019/. - - ^o 10 o 1119 E 9 Prcdiifl of the fjrflr, 4D0 o o Difbiirfement of the third, - - '^ZZ^ ^13 Intereft of 1 840 /. - 73 10 o 19 8 9 1404 I 3 Product of the fecond, 760 o o 644 I 3 Total fum requifite for the improve ment, - - - - ^483 5 6 Prod.uclof the third year, - 960 o o Raifed on a farm of ']c^ I. a year, iSoo o o Cafh in hand at the end of the third ysear, ; - 2760 o o Fourth Year. I fnall fuppofe a farni as before of 150 acres taken in this yearj and a plantation of 10. Management, the fame. I s. d. Buildings, « - - 1 60 o o Walling, ^f. - - - 228 163 Planring, - - - 30 o o ^ pond, ;: ^ 2 50 o o g ^68 16 ^ [ 3^3 ] /. s. 4, Brought over, - 468 i6 3 Stock. To eat the turnips and hay, - 300 o q Labour, I s. d. Ploughing, - 52 lo o Harrowing and rolling, 1000 Sowing, - - 3 10 p Hoeing 200 acres of tur- nips, - - - 100 o o Mowing, i^c. 150 acres of barley, - 37 10 o Threfhing 450 qrs. 22100 100 acres fainfoine, - 50 o o Carting, (^c. manure, 20 o o Shepherd, - - 20 o o Sundry labour, - 20 o o " ^'^6 o o Seed, The fame as leaft year, - - 120 o o Simdries. j2 Horfes, ^ - 120 o o "Wear and tear, - 5000 Rent, i^c. - - 70 o o Unfpecified articles, - 50 o o Intereft of 2480/. - 100 o o 390 o o Dfburfcment, - 1614 16 3 Produdl of 500 fheep, 250 00 Improvement of flock by 150 acres of tur- nips and 100 of hay, 637 10 o ^ Carried over, 887 10 g [ 3'4 ] /. /. d. I. s. d. Difborfement, - - 1614 16 3 Erought over, - 887 10 o 450 q:s. bailey, - 360 o o • 1247 10 o Expence, - 367 6 3 General Account at the End of the Fourth Tear, Ca(h in hand at the end of the third year, - - - 2760 o o Difburfement of the fourth, - 1614 16 3 Remains, - ii45 3 9 Raifed on a farm of 75 /. a year, i8co o o Frcdiid of the fourth year, 1247 10 o Cafn in hand at the end of the fourth year, .... 4192 13 9 Fifth Year. This year I fnall fuppofe a farm of 500 acres added to the cultivated land, and likewife a plantation of 40. The for- mer arrangement of the lands into fain- foine, and arable for barley, and turnips will be continued. Buildings, 3 [ 3IS ] Buildings, - Waliing 54- miles, (3'c. Planting, Ponds, - To eat the turnips and hay, « Labour, I J. d. Ploughing 500 acres thrice, - - 75 o o Harrowing and rolling, 13 00 Sowing, - - 500 Hoeing 350 acres of tur- nips, - - 175 o o Mowing and harvefting 150 acres of barley, Threfhing 450 qrs. 100 acres fainfoine. Carting, ^c. manure. Sundry labour, Shepherd, - - 37 10 22 10 50 0,0 60 20 Seed, I. s, di 300 400 100 100 900 600 4SS o o 350 Turnips, 150 barley, 100 fainfoine, 17 10 : 60 50 10 VQV, - 127 Carried 0^ 2 I 15 10 I 3'6 1 /. J. d. Brought over, - 2115 lo o Sundries, fTorfes, wear and tear, /. s. d. and intereft, - 270 o o Rent, ^c. - 80 o o Unfpecified demands, 50 o o 400 o o Difburfement, - 2515 10 q Produd of 500 fheep, 250 op Improvement of ftock, by 300 acres of tur- nips, and loociiiay, 1162 10 o 450 qrs. barley, - 360 o o — — ^77'2- 10 G Expence, « 743 00 General Account at the End of the Fifth Tear,. Calh in hand at the end of the fourth year, - - 4192 13 9 Difburfement of the fifth, - 2515 100 Remains, - 1677 3 9 Raifed on a farm of 75/. a year, 1800 o o Produd of the fifth year, - 1772 100 Calb in hand at the end of the fifth year, : : - - 5^49 ^3 9 Sixth [ 3^7 ] Sixth Year. Two farms each of 225 acres; and a plantation of 30, to be taken in this year. /. s. d. Buildings, _ - - 400 o o Walling 6 miles, - - 4^0 o o Planting, - - - 50 o o Ponds, - - : 200 o o 1 1 10 00 Stcck, I. s. d, 4 Horfes, - - 4800 Implements, - - 50 o o Stock to eat the turnips and hay, - 1000 o o 1098 o o Labour, A bailiff, . - - 60 o o Shepherd, - - 20 o o Ploughing 800 acres thrice, - 120 o o Harrowing, ^c - 25 o o Sowing, - - 10 o o Hoeing uQoacres turnips, 250 o o Mowing and harvefting 300 acres of barley, ys ^ ^ Threfhing 900 qrs. of barley, - 45 o o 100 acres fainfoine, 50 o o Carting manure, - 50 o o Sundry labour, - 100 o o 805 o o Carried over, - 3^13 o o [ 3>8 J /. S. d. Brought over, 3013 00 Seed* L s, d, 500 Turnips, - 25 o o 300 barley, — 120 o o 200 fainfoine, - 100 o o 245 o o Smidries, i6Horfes, - 160 o o Wear and tear, - 80 o ® Rent, &c. ' - 90 o o Unfpecified articles, 100 00 Intereft, - - 100 o o 530 o o Difburfement, - 3788 00 Produ6l of 500 fheep, 250 00 Improvement of ftock by 450 acres of tur- nips, and 100 of hay, 1787 100 900 qrs. barley, - 720 o o 2757 10 o Expence, • 1030 10 o General [ 3^9 1 General Account at the End of the Sixth Tear, CaHi in hand at the end of the fifth /. /. r/. year, . . - . 5249 13 9 Difbuifement of the fixth, - 3788 o o Remains, - - 1461 13 9 Raifedon a farm of 75 /. a year, 1800 o o FroduA of the fixth, - - '^157 10 o Ca(h in hand at the end of the fixth year, - - - 6019 3 9 Seventh Year. Two farms to be added of 300 acres each, and a plantation of 40 acres; but in thefe I fhall fuppofe a variation ; that of laying down of the lad year's inclofures, three-fourths inflead of two-thirds to fain- foine. /. s. d. Buildings, - - _. Walling 9 miles, (^c. Planting, Ponds, - - - 600 690 60 00 200 1550 Stoclz. t 320 ] /. s. d. Brought over, 1550 o o Stock, To eat the turnips and /. s. d. hay J - - 15CO o o 2 horfes, - - 24 o o Implements, • 50 o o 1574 o b Labour, Bailiff and (hepherd, - Ploughing 1 150 acres thrice. Harrowing, ^c. Sowing, Hoeing 700 acres of tur- nips, 450 acres of barley, Threfliing i;550 qrs. - 200 acres fainfoine. Carting, &c. manure, Sundry labour. 80 a 162 10 Z5 15 350 112 10 07 10 100 80 200 1202 10 o Seed. 700 Turnip?, 450 barley, 340 fainfoine, 35 o o 180 o o 170 00 3-5 o o Carried over, 471 1 10 o r 321 ] /. s. d. Brought over, 471 1 10 o Sundries, t. s. d. tS horfes, - 180 o o Wesr and tear, - 100 o o Rent, Cfff. - no o o Intereft, - - 100 o o Unfpecified demands, 100 00 ■ ■" ■ ' ' 590 o o Difburfement, - 5301 10 o Produ6l of 500 fheep, 250 o o Improvement of flock by 650 acres of tur- nips, and 200 hay, 2700 o o 1350 qrs. barley, - loSo o o • — — 4030 o o Expence, - 1271 100 General Account at the End of the Seventh Year. Cafh in hand at the end of the fixth year, - - - - 601939 Difburfement of the feventli, 53°* ^o ^ Remains, - 717 '3 9 Raifed on a farm of 150/. a year, 3600 o o Produfl of the feventh year, - 4030 ^ o Calh in hand at the end of the feventh year, - - /^. 8347 r^ 9 YoL. II. Y Eighth [ 322 ] Eighth Year. Nine hundred acres this year, added in three farms of 300 each, and 120 acres planted. /. s. d. Buildings, . - - 900 o o Walling, Cs?*MJ«.it.SPw»S^^^ ^ gggggg^i^ifg gaw^^ [ 325 ] Brought over, /. s. d. ' 3339 5 Stock, I 6 horfes, - - 72 Implements, - 150 To eat the turnips, ^c. 2500 s, d. ® 2722 a Labour, BailifTand fhepherd, 120 00 Another bailiff, - 50 o o Ploughing 2100 acres thrice, - - 315 o o Harrowing, 6fr. - 50 o o Sowing, - - 25 o o Hoeing 1200 acres of turnips, - - 600 o o Mowing, ^c. 900 acres of barley, - - 225 o o Threfiiing 2700 qrs. 135 o o 450 acres iainto.ne, - 225 o o Carting manure, (^c. 100 00 Sundries, - - 200 o o 2045 o o Seed, 1200 turnips, - ^000 <^oo barley, - 360 o o (.75 fainfoine, - 337 10 o 7 "'7 ro o Carried forward, fe^(>3 150 Y3 f 3'-6 ] /. s. d. Brought forward, 886j 15 o Sundries, L s. d. c>6 horfes, - 360 o o Wear and tear, - 200 o o Rent, ^c. of 3450 acres, 190 00 IntereQ, - - 100 o o Unfpecified demands, 200 o o 1050 o o Difburfement, - 9913 15 o Produ(5t of 500 fheep, 250 00 Implements of ftock by 1 1 50 acres of turnips, and 450 of hay, - 47^1 o o 2700 qrs. barley, - 2160 00 ■ — 7141 o o Expence, » 2772 15 o General Account at the "End of the Ninth Tear, Cafh in hand at the end of the 8 th /. s. d. year, - - - 11,248 i 9 Diiburfemei^t of the 9th, - 9'>9^o 15 o Remains, - Ij334 69 Raifed on 300 /. a year, - 7,500 o o Produ<5b of the ninth year^ - 7*141 o o ^5^975 ^ 9 I 327 ] ^5^975 6 9 Original mortgage, 3 - 2,483 ^6 Cafli in hand at the end of the 9th year, 1 11 2 i3>492 i 3 Tenth Year. I now fuppofe the increafe of land to ilop ', this year is therefore only to be ap- plied to the continuation of the culture of that before taken in. Labour* /. J. d, L s, dn Ploughing 1050 aorcs thrice, - - 157 10 O Ditto 150 acres, 22 10 o Harrowing, ^c, and fowing, - 30 o o 150 acres of turnips, 75 00 Mowing, Csff. 1050 acres of barley, - - 262 10 o Threfhing 3i5oqrs. 157 10 o 750 acres of fainfoinc, 375 00 Carting manure, ^c. 8000 Bailiff and (hepherd, 120 00 ■ 1280 o o Carried over, 1280 00 Y4 t 328 3 /. J. d^ Brought over, - 1280 00 Seed, I. s, d, 1050 barley, - 420 o o 786 fainfoine, - 393 00 Sundries. 0^6 horfes, - - 360 o o Wear and tear, - 150 o o Rent, ^c. of285oacres, 165 o o Unfpecified demands, 100 00 775 o o 815 o o Difburfement, - 2868 00 Product of 500 flieep, 25O 00 3i5oqrs. barley, - 2520 o o 150 3Cres turnips, - 225 o o 750 acres fainfoine, - 843 12 6 3838 12 6 Difburfement, - - 2S6800 Balance, - 970 12 6 General Account at the End of the Tejttb Tear* Cafh in hand at the end of the ninth year, - - - 13492 1 3 Difburfement of the tenth, - 2b68 o o Remains, 2 • r 10624 i CI [ 329 ] Brought over, r Raifed on a farm of 450 /. a year, Product of the tenth year, Cafh in hand at the end of the tenth year, . - - Eleventh Year. /. 5. d. 10,624 I 3 11,200 3^613 12 6 25»437 13 9 1 "he only bufinefs of this year, Is to mow the kft crop of fainfoine. The account as follows : /. s. d. L s. d. Bailiff" and 'orth IS, bd. per acre uninclofed, and unim- proved. Under thefe circumftanceSj \ conclude it would let readily at los. per acre ; I know not how, in the bounds of probability, to fuppofe a lefs rent. But if 9 J". 8 J. or even only 'j s. 6d. be taken, it is extremely vilible, the profit will yet re- main very great. If it lets for only 8 s. an acre, the clear profit is near fixty thoufand pounds. What other obje6rions can be raifed, I know not. I apprehend, I have more than once obviated all that can arife from the quantity of land. annually improved : it is gradually increafed, fo that any num- ber of hands may be procured : this is a principal point in all fuch undertakings as the prefentj gaining hands fufficient for extended works, all depend upon an- nually increafmg themj the very higheft fum here fuppofed in one year to be paid for labour, is but 8300/. or at 25/. a head Tor 332 men, a mere trifling number compared to vv^hat I would engage to pro- cure at any fpot in Kngland : men who were employed the whole year, at fuch A a 3 ver [ 358 ] very advantageous works as filling cart, and hedging and ditching, and all by the mca- fare, fo that they miglit by working hard, earn as much as they pleafed, would flock from all parts to reap advantages they could gain no where elfe. But it is cer- tain, they would earn greatly more than 25/. a man at the high prices I have Hated ; and confequently not fo many be requifite. No one I think can obje6l, to the total quantity of the land ; I can refer fuch to many parts of England^ v»^here inflead of 11,000 they may have feveral hundred thoufands of fuch acres. But at lad comes the old queflion, Why has nobody executed fuch a plan^ fi^'^^'^g ^bat every landlord mujl know as much cf the mat- ter as you ^ I am by no means bound to anfvver this query; it comes not within the verge of any calculation. But I fliali jufthint that a man's pofrcfllng the know- ledge of certain circumftances of import- ance, is in fucli cafes of little utility, un- lefs he throws them together, and exa- mines the refult of every connection. To marie an acre colis 3 /. ; to build a houfe, 300 /.5 to make a fence, 35. a perch. Land 5 worth [ 359 ] worth IS. 6d, worth loj. can any one from fuch unconnected circumflances dream of another nhiety thoufand pounds profit in eight years. The data themfelves are not of more ufe, than the capacity to arrange and calculate them. Few land- lords will give themfelves the trouble to gain the requifite knowledge of certain circum.ftances, and then to calculate the refult of expending a given fum of money, according to the principles on which thofe circumfiiances are founded. And I flatter myfelf, that thefe eftimates, fuppofing them ever fo incorrect and miftaken in the fums, may yet be of no trifling ufe to thofe who may think of calculating an im- provement.—^ — ^But there remains yet an- other circumflance to be confidered. There are many farmers poffeffing con- fiderable fums of money, and fixed in thefe countries, who ufe marie, and yet make no fuch fortunes as I have fuppofed j but this is no objection. I have not recom- mended to any improver to turn farmer : farming and improving are effentially dif- ferent let the landlord ever make the former fubfervient to the latter j never let him (when making much money is his A a 4 plan) [ 360 ] plan) farm more than reqniiite for can Vr jng on his improvements; by improving, I mean turning his vvafte lands into farms, as foon as poflible : this in every flage of. it is twenty, nay forty times mere profit- able than any farming in the world for liis money, though a fmall fum comes round very fpeedily; and proportioned to its amount, brings ten times the quantity of land into profit than farming it would allow. Thus the fm.ali comparative profit of farming, mud never be ufed as an argu- ment againfl the greater benefits of im- proving ; lince they are utterly diflinft : merchandize and improvements m.ight as well be compared. The confideration of this point leads me here to remark, that this great profit on imiprovements all depends on the im- prover's mortgaging his new farms, as fait as he makes them. If he changes this condu6i, all the preceding immenfe profits vanifh at once. In the lafi: calculation, the firfl fum is only 1700/. Suppofe the farm made by it is not mortgaged, in that cafe he m>uft provide at the fame time for the expences of the fecond year, or 1361 /. piore j thus mud his capital be double at once. [ 36i 3 once. The expences of the third year are J 800 /. what is to anfwer that fum ? Not the income of his two firft farms, that would not equal it in lix years favings. Thus muti he not begin his woiks with- out a vafi: fum of ready money, which not one in ten could, or would think of j-aif- ing. It is not income the impiover wants, but large funis of money, which he pays 4 per cent, jor^ and makes forty hy. Hence is this plan of annually raifmg money on the new farms, the very foul of fucu un~ ^dertakings. [ 362 ] LETTER XII. 'T^HE improvement of thofe wafles, which are fituated on rich foils and overrun with a luxuriant fpontaneous growth, come next to be confidered. There are vaft trails of thefe in many parts of thefe kingdoms, which call for improvement from their pofleflbrs, but at prefent with none. The foils of thefe tracts are various; but in general wet, from not enjoying the advantage of being cut by ditches and water-courfes, or ever having had any drains made in them : they confift of clays, loams and gravels ; and are overrun with various forts of trees, fhrubby wood, bu flies, whins, &c, but no ling. The foil is acknowledged by every one, to be equal to the furrounding countries which are well cultivated ; thefe v/aftes will admit of any hufl^andry, from the natural excel- lency of the foil ', they may be converted to grrafs [ 363 1 grafs or arable farms with great profit, but 1 fhall fuppofe the former, as in all cafes it ought to be the rule, when the land will admit it. Of this nature is Enfield Cbacey "Epping For eft. New For eft and a vaft many tra6ls in the moors of the north, called there lohife land -, where the fponta- neous growth is principally whins. I be- lieve the average rent may be called in the fouthof England, 2s. td. but in the moors it brings no more than black land, for all are equally wafte : however, I fliall fup- pofe the average rent to be 2 j-. 6 d, per acre while unimproved. But relative to moors, let me obferve, that the improve- ment differs but little from that which I have exam/med in another place ; therefore I (hall confine mvfelf now, to countries where building is dear, and where no lime is to be had. Another circumftance to be taken into this account, is the value of the fpontaneous growth, for it is in general of fuch luxuriance as to amount to a very confiderable value, and will certainly more than fill up all the drains that can be re- quifite. The manner of draininc; thcfe lands fhould be by deep ditches where necefiary, and t 364 ] and covered drains laid into them : thcfe covered drains I have fufficiently explained in the firfl: part of this u'ork. I fhall fuppofe the farms large ones, and all of grafs, and to let, when improved upon a proper plan, at 20 s. fer acre. In working this improvement, the landlord is to acl on the principles already laid dov»'n ; particularly that of inclofing a farm ccery yearj and mortgaging it as foon as let for money, to proceed with his defigns. The fences are to be the fame as in the laft ftated improvement; that is, ditches, the banks planted with white thorn, and defend- ed by a dead hedge. It would on many tracts of this fort of land, be no improbable fuppofition, to ftate the dead hedges to be made out of the bufiies that arofe in clear- ing the land; but I fhall wave fuch advan- tage, and charge the whole coil as before. Refpedling the grubbing up of the fpontaneous growth, it is to be obfcrved, that the common pra6lice is very clear and determinate. The men cut off all the wood, and make it into faggots at a given price; they then grub up all the roots, fo as a plouiih fliall meet with no cbftru6lion, ^ " for [ 365 ] for 6 s. a. ftack, which is 14 feet long, 3 high, and 3 broad; if the roots are very fmall and triiiing, they fell at 7j-. a ftack, but if of large ftubbs, or any greater fize, from 9;. to 10 s. 6 d. and of the ends or bodies of fhriibby and pollard trees, at from 10J-. 6{i. to 14^. a liack. But to prevent complex accounts, I fhall in this article give up a very material advantage, and fuppofe them only to pay the charge of taking up; and I fnall not ftate more faggot wood than requifite to fill up the covered drains. As to the management of the land, tlie foil is not of the proper fort for turnips ; it is therefore abfolutely neceifary to plant it with cabbages for the firil crop, u£X)n three ploughings : after the cabbages, bar- ley to be fown, and with that barley, na- tural grades as before explained. It is of much importance to determine upon the culture of cabbages in this ,cafe, for no other crop can be fubftituted for them ; if corn is fown, which is too often prac- tifed, the hufbandry will be rendered too complex ; or the gralfes fown without the land being in that peifec^Ttly clean ilate which is abfolutely neccdary. I fliall [ 366 ] I fliall charge all the labour by the piece J and as the foil is ftrong, I fliall al- low IS* 3 ^. per acre for the labour of ploughing, including the taking care of the horfes, and i^ d. per acre harrowing. Firfl: Year. The beginning to be the taking in a farm of 320 acres in four fields. Building's, - . - Fencing j\.1 miles, at 3 J. a perch. Gates, and paling, Suppofe 200 acres want draining, at the rate of 70 perch per acre, at 5(i. jO^/ perch, including all labour of digging, cutting bu fli- es and filling ; this will amount 30 o o 'b ■> to 291 II 6 ToS; II Stock, L 128 16 60 60 14 Eight horfes, Harnefs, 3 light waggons, - 5 caits, 4 ploughs, 4 plough harrows, - 8 o rollers, - . 6 Sundry fmall imp'cments, 20 S'.ock for 320 acres of cabbages, - 4000 Carried over, s. d, o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 4312 00 5399 II ^ [ 3^7 ] /. s. d. Brought over, 5399 n ^ Labour. I. s. d. A ballifF, - - 60 o o Thrice ploughing 320 acres, - - 60 o o Twice harrowing, - 1200 Water thorrowing, at 3 1^. 12 00 Planting 320 acres, at 5 J. 80 o o Hand-hoeing, at 3 J. 48 00 Horfe-hoeing thrice, at 8^. - - 32 Cutting and carting, 5 J. * 80 Sundry labour, - 60 444 o o Seed, 320 acres, at 2 j. ^ 3 32 o q Sundries, F.xpences of 8 horfes, - Wear and tear. Rent, at 2S. 6d. Tythe, at 2 s. per acre. Carried over, 180 o o 5875 11 6 * In thefc eftimates, where men were hired, and fpare time allowed for fuch work as this, it was omit- ted, bur here it is requifitc to infeit it. Town 80 30 40 32 t 368 1 I- s. d. L s. d. Brotij^ht ovc^r, 180 o o 5875 n 6 Town charge?, 2 j. dt/. in the pound, dn zs. 6d. an acre *, - - 500 Sundry unlpecified articles, 50 o o 237 00' Difburfemfht, - 6112 11 6 Produ(5t of 320 acres of cabbnges, at 6 /. improvement of ftock, 5920 o o Expence, - - 192 11 6 Confidering that tbefe waftes, which are naturally very rich lands, are thoroughly drained, and that the foil is well pulve- pizffid, not oiily by three ploughings, but by the grubbing — and that from lying fo long wild, it muft be in 'great heart ^ tlic^fc points con{ictered, 6/. per acre for the cabbages laid into the farm-yard for the beads, is a moderate price, and certainly tind-er the truth. Second Year. The fame addition to be made this year «s tlie firff ; confequently the fences wilt ■be -tbree miles ^nd three quarters. * This article I add here, becaufe much of this fort of }ai)(i lies in the fouih, where rates are high ; and the rent of ihis wdle is higher than any yet c:;lculated ; it l^as ulw^ivs too low an objc6l before. Buildings, [ 3^9 ] Buildings, - - - 550 o o Fences three miles and three qrs. with gates, ^c. - - 200 o o Suppofe 200 acres to want draining, as before, - - - 291 11 6 » — I 1041 II 6 Stock, In every article the fame as lafl: year, 43 12 00 Labour, L s. d. Bailiff, - 100 o o Thrice ploughing 640 acres, - - 120 o o Thrice harrowing, 24 o o Water thoroughing, 24 00 Planting, horfe and hand- hoeing and carting 320 acres of cabbages, at 13 j. %d. - - 240 o o Sowing 320 acres barley, 400 Harrowing thrice, - 1200 Sowing grafs feed, - 12 00 Rolling, - o 15 o Mowing and harvefling, 320 of barley, - 80 o o Threfhing 1600 qrs. at IS. 6d. - 120 o o Carting manure, - 3,0 o o Sundry labour, - 50 o o • 816 15 © ■ Carried over, 6170 6 6 ^" Vol. II. B b [ 370 ] /. s. J. Brought over, • 6170 6 6 Seed, I. s. ci. 320 acres of cabbages, 32 00 320 barley, - 128 00 320grafles, - 320 o o Sundries, Keeping 16 horfes, - 160 00 Wear and tear, - 60 o o Rent, - - 80 o o Tythe, - -. 64 o o Town charges, - 10 o o Sundry unfpecified arti- cles, - - 80 o o 480 o • 454 o o 7104 6 6 Frodudf* Improvement of ilock by 320 acres of cab- bages, ~ - 5920 o o loooqrs. barley, at i6j. 1280 00 » — .. . — 720© o o Dilburfement, -\ 71 04 ^ ^ Balance, - - 95 ^3 ^ [ 371 ] We here find, that we can ah-eady cal- culate the fum rerjuifite for the prefent im- provement, for the produ6l of this year will evidently be fufhcient for the expences of the next. /. s. d. Difburfement of the firft year, - 6112 ii 6 /. s. cl Ditto of the fecond, 7104 6 6 intcrcft of 6112/. - 244 o o 7348 6 6 Prod udl of the fir ft, 5Q'-^o o o 1428 6 6 Total requifite for the improvement, 7540 18 o Relative to the above product of barley, I muft obferve, that five quarters an acre upon an average is the fmalleil: quantity I can fuppole; and the confiderate reader will not think me the leafb extravagant ia fiich an idea, if he reflects on the firfl: breaking up of old fward and woodlands, for fo amelioiating a crop as cabbages, that are planted upon land well drained if wet, and kept in peifccl order by hojfe and hand-hoeing: and that the barley is fown upon three earths after fuch crop; B b 2 if I [ 372 ] if all thefe points are confidered, it will be concluded, that five quarters an acre muft be under, inflead of over the mark. Third Year. Additions as before i this year the grafs fown with the barley comes to be mown for hay the firll time. /. s. d. Buildings, ;; r- - ^^o o o Fencing, - - - 200 o o Suppofe 100 acres drained as before, 145 15 9 895 15 9 StocL For 320 acres of cabbages, - 4000 OQ Labour, I. s. d. Bailiff, - - 100 o o Ploughing, harrowing tfc. as before, - 168 00 320 acres of cabbages, at 13J-. 8 ^/. - 240 o o Sowing as before, - 16 o o Rolling, - - o 15 o 320 acres of barley, - 80 o o Thrcfhing i6ooqrs. 120 00 Mowing, making, cart- ing and ftack'Hg 320 acres of hay, at -js. 6d. 120 00 Carried over, 844 15 o 48<^.3 ^5 9 [ 373 ] /. J. d. I. J. d. Brought over, 844 15 o 4895 15 9 Suppofe laP: year's cab- bages in fatting, made with the help of the llraw lolarge loads of dung per acre : it is 3200 : filling fpread- ing and driving at 4 J, 6d. 2i fcore, - 36 o o Sundry labour, - 50 o o 930 15 o Seed. 320 cabbages, 320 barley, 320 gralTes, 32 128 320 480 o o Sundries, i6horres, 160 Wear and tear, 80 Rent, at 2 J. 6 d. 120 Tythe, at 2 J. 96 Town charges, 2 J. 6 d. in£. 15 Interell of 7540/. - 300 Unfpecified articles, - 1 00 ' - *^ 7 00 £■ 7177 ^'o 9 -* w -' — — . Bl 1 J) I [ 374 1 Frodu6l, Implements of (lock by 320 of cabbages and /. s. d. L s. d. 320 of hay, - 6400 o o 1600 qrs. of barley, i2'^o 00 76C0 o o Diiburfement, 7' 77 ^° 9 Balance, - - 502 9 3 General Accou?it at the 'End of the 'Third. 1 Cdi\ Produ6l of the fecond year, 7200 o o Diiburfement of tne third, - 7177109 Remains, - - 22 9 3 Kaifed on a farm of 32r- /. a year, 8oco o o Produffc of the third year, - 7680 o c Cafh in hand at the end of the third year, - ■- is 'jo')^ 9 3 Fourth Year, This year I fiiall fuppofe two farms, each of 320 acres to be added to the cul- tivated land 5 and managed in all refpcCls as before. Buildings, f 375 ] /. s.d* Buildings, • - - iioo o o Fences, - - 4.00 o o Suppofc 400 acres want draining, - 5:;:^ 30 2083 3 o Stoch, For 540 acres of cabbages, i^c, - Sooo o o Labour. /. s. d. Bailiff, 100 Ploughing thrice 960 acres. 144 Thrice harrowing. 36 Water thorough! ng, 36 64.0 acres of cabbages. at 1 3 i. 8 ti. 480 Sowing, 24 Rolling, I 10 320 acres of barley. 80 Thrediing 1600 qrs. 120 320 acres of hay, 120 Manuring, 36 Sundry labours, 80 1557 10 Seed. 640 cabbages, 64 320 barley, 128 azografTes, 320 r.ll 00 Carried over, 12 152 13 o ^ b 4 [ 376 ] /. J. d. Brought over, 12,152 13 o Sundries^ /. J. d. i6horfes, - - 160 Wear and tear, 100 Rent, 1 60 Tythe, - - 128 Town charges. 20 Intereft, 300 Unfpecified expences, 100 ^—m •aa 968 I 3,120 13 ProduB, Improvement of ftcck by 640 acres of cab- bages and 320 of hay, - 12,320 o o J 60c qrs. of barley, 1,280 o o i3i^oo o o Difburfement, 13,120 13 o Balance, - ^ 479 y © General [ 111 ] General Account at the End of the "Fourth Tear, Carti in hand at the end of the third year, - - 15,702 9 3 Pifburfement of the fourth, - 13,120 13 o Remains, - 2,581 16 3 Raifed on afarm of 320/. a year 8,000 o o Prod uft of the fourth year, - 13,600 o o Cafli in hand at the end of the 4th • y^^r, r • : 24,181 16 3 Fifth Year. This year I fhall fuppofe two farms, one of 640 acres and the other ^i 320 to be added to the inclofures j and managed as before. /. 5. d. Buildings, i - : 1^00 o o Fences 10 1- miles, - - 600 o o Suppofe 500 acres want draining, 728 18 o 2628 18 o ^tock» [ 378 ] /. s. d. Brought over, - 2,628 18 o Suck, /. /. d, 11 horfes, - 352 o o Implements to ditto, 450 o o Vox 960 acres of cab- bages, - - 120C0 o o Labour. BailifF, - - 100 o o Another ditto, - 50 o o Ploughing 1600 acres, 150 o o Harrowing, - - 30 o o Water tlioroughing, - 20 © o ^60 acres of cabbages, at 1 3 J. 8^. - 720 o o Sowing, - - 36 o o Rolling, - - 300 640 acres of barley, - 160 o o Threfhing 3200 qrs. 160 o o ^^20 acres of hay, - 120 o o Ivlanuring, - - 72 o o Sundry labours, - ico o o 12,802 o Q — 1,8 ?[ o Seed, 950 cabbages, ^ 96 o o 040 bariey, - - 256 o o 640 grailes, - - 640 o o 992 o C Sundries, 38 horfes, - 380 o o Wear and tear, - J50 o o Rcnr, - - 240 o o Carri.d over, 7^0 o o 18,293 i Ji o r 379 ] /. s. d» L 5. d» Eronght over, 770 o o 18,293 18 o Tythe, - - 192 o o Town charges, - 3000 Intcreft. - 300 O o Unfpecified articles' - 150 o o — — ' f,4-'12 00 Difburf^^ment, ,- 19,735 18 o FroduB, Iniprovemcnt of flock hy 9G0 acres cab- bages and 320 of hay -, to, - 18,240 o o 3200 qrs. of barley, 2,560 o o — 20,800 o 9 Diiburfement, - ^9^735 i^ Q Balance, - • 1,064 2 o General Account at the End of the Fifth Tear, Cadi in hand at the end of the fourth year, - - 24,181 16 3 Diiburfement of the fifth, - ^9^135 ^^ ^ Remain?, - 4^445 i^ 3 Raifed on 320/. a year, - 8,000 o o Vioducl of ihe fifth year, ■ 20,800 o o Cafh In hand at the end of the fifth year, - - f 33^245 iS 3 t 380 1 Sixth Year; The addition of this year may confift of 1600 acres of land, in three farms; two of 640, and one of 320 acres. The fences 15 miles long. /. s. d. Buildings, - - Z - 2000 Pencings 15 miles, Suppofe 750 acres to want draining. 900 the expence is, - - 1093 7 399Z 7 Stock. /. J. d. 18 horfes. 288 Implements to ditto. For i6co acres of cab- 400 bages, i^c. - - 20,000 20688 r\ Labour, Three bailiffs, 2eo Thrice ploughing 2560 acres. 480 Harrowing ditto thrice, 48 Water thoroughing, 1600 acres cabbages, at 32 1 3 J. 8^. 120c Sowing, Rolling, 960 acres of barley, Threlhing 4800 qrs. - 56 5 240 240 2501 Carried over, 24681 7 I 38. ] /. s. d, I. s. d. Brought over, 2501 o o 24681 7 o 640 acres of hay, - 240 o o Manuring, - - 100 o o Sundry labours, ^ 150 o o 2991 o o Seed, 1600 acres of cabbages, 160 o o 960 barley, - 384 o o 960 grafles, - 960 o o Sundriesi 56 horfes, - 560 o o Wear and tear, - 250 o o Rent, - - 400 o o Tythe, - - 320 o o Town charges, - 50 o o Interefl, - - 300 o o Unfpecified articles, - 300 o o 1504 o q 2180 o o Difburfement, ^ 3^35^ 7 o Produdl, Improvement of ftocic by 1600 acres of cabr bages and 640 of hay, - - 30560 o o 48CO qrs. of barley, 3840 o o — — — 34400 o o D-fburfemenc, - 31356 70 Balance, _ - - 3043 13 o [ 3,82 ] General Account at the E?td of the Sixth Tear, Cafh in hand at the end of the fifth /. s. d. year, - - - 33^245 ^8 3 Difburfementof the fixth, - 3i»35^ 7 o Remains, - - 1,889 11 3 Kaif.-d on 640 /, a year, - - 16,0 jo o o Product of the fixth year, - 34,400 o o Cafh in hand at the end of the fixth year, - . - 52,289 11 3 Seventh Year. The additions of this year, are {out farms, each of 640, making 2560 acres. Alfo 14 fmall inclcfuics with a cottage in each : the wallinr; of the whole 30 miles. /. J. d. Buildings, - - - 3000 o o Cottages, - - * - 700 o o Fences, - - - 1800 o o Suppofe 1000 acres to want drain- ing, the ex pence will be 1457 16 o ^957 J6 o y Stock. [ 383 ] /. s. d^ Brought over, - 6^jy 16 o Stocks L s,d, 14 horfes, - - 224 o o Implements to ditto, 300 o o For 2560 acres of cabbages, ^c. - 30000 o o 30524 o p Labour, Four bailiffs, - 250 o o Thrice ploughing 4 160 acres, - - 780 o o Harrowingditco thrice, 78 o o Water furrowing, - 58 o o 2560 acres cabbages, at 1 3 J. 8 d. - 1920 o o Sowing, - - 70 o o Rolling, - - S o o 1600 acres of barley, 400 o o Threfhing 8000 qrs. 400 o o 960 acres of hay, - 360 o o Manuring, - 150 o o Sundry labours, - 300 o o Seed. l6co grafll-s, • 1600 o o 4774 o c 2560 cabbages, - 256 o o 1600 barley, - 64O o o Carried over, - 447 5 ^ ^^ ^ [ 3^4 1 /. s, a. Brought over, 44,751 16 o Sundries, /. s, d. 70 horfes, Wear and tear. 700 300 Rene, 640 Tythe, Town charges, 512 80 Intereft, Unfpecified articles, 300 300 Difburfement, 2,832 o o 47,583 16 o TroduB, Improvement of (lock by 2560 acres of cabbages, and 960 of hay, 46,800 o o 8000 qrs. of barley, 6,400 o o ■ 53j200 o o Difburfement, - - 4-7^5^3 i^ o Balance, - - 5,616 4 o Ge?2eral [ 385 ] General Account at the 'End of the Seventh Tear, L s, d, Cafh in hand at the end of the fixth year, - - - 52,289 11 3 Dirourfement of the feventh, - 47,5'- 3 16 o Remains, - 4-705 \^ 3 Raifed on 960/, a year, - 24,000 o o Product of the feventh year, - 5:,, 200 o o Original mortgage, - - 7v 4- o o Cafh in hand at the end of the feventh year, ^ 74o^5 ^5 3 Eighth Year. This year I fhall fuppofe the fame addi- tion as the preceding, for a regular annual work. /. s. d. Buildings - - - 3000 o o Fences, - - - 1800 o o Draining, - : : '^^Sl ^^ ^ 6257 16 o Vol. II. C c Stock, t 3S6 ] /. s. d. Brought over, 6,257 ^^ ^ Stock* I. s. d. 30 horfes, - 4800 o o Impieinents, - 500 o o For cabbages, - 30009 o o 30,980 o e Labour* 4 bailiffs, - - 250 o o Thrice ploughing 5120 acres, - - 960 o o Harrowing, - 96 o o Water furrowing, - 70 o o 2560 acres cabbages, 1920 o o Sowing, - - 85 o o Rolling, - - 900 2560 barley, - 640 o o Threfhing I2,8ooqrs, 640 o o 1600 of hay, - 600 o o Manuring, - 200 o o Sundry Ubours, - 300 o o Seed, 2560 cabbages, - 256 o o 2560 barley, - 1024 o o 2560 grafies, - 2560 o o 5,770 o 3,840 o o Carried over, 46,847 16 o [ 387 ] /. J. d. Brought over, 46,847 i6_o Sundries* I. s. d. 100 horfes, - 1 000 o o Wear and tear, * 500 o o Rent, - - 840 o o Tythe, - - 672 o o Town charges, - 105 o o Unfpecified articles, 4O0 o 6 Z^5^7 o o Dlfburfement, - - 50,364 16 o Product, Improvement of liock by 2560 /. s. d> acres of cabbages and 1 600 of hay, 47,760 o o 12,800 qrs. of barley, - 10,240 o o • 58,000 o o Difburfemenr, - 50,364 16 o Balance, - - 7,635 4 o C c 2 General [ 388 ] General Account af the End of the Eighth Tear, 1. 3, d. Cafh in hand at the end of the feventh year, - - 74,:; 65 15 3 Difburfement of the eighth, 50,^64 16 o Remain^, - - 24 006 193 Produd of the eighth, - 58,000 o o Cafli in hand at the end of the 8th year, - - 82,000 19 3 Ninth Year. Increafe of cultivated land, the fame as laft year. As it was plain that the above remainder and product would be more than fufficient for the expenditure of this 'year, , I did not fuppofe any frelh funi raifed by mortgage. The eftate will lie as in Plate XIII. /. s, d. Buildings, fences and draining, - 6.257 i^ o Stcek to eat the cabbages and hay, 30,000 o o .^6,2SJ 16 o Labours 4 Bailiffs, - 250 o o Tillage as before, - 1220 o o Carried over, 1470 o o 36,257 16 o n F ( r ■ B ■' '■ '■ >i / // ■ ■ - ■ ^ _j a a ■^ ■ ■ /" <■ u ■ t /i ^ B F 1 r t ■ ■ ■■■^ G B 0! S ,' r ■ n ,1 - ■'- ■'• m ^ ■ r 1, T Jl , r ,/ F a ' .' ■ r „ C^ r 3S9 ] /. s. d. I. s. d. Brouf'hc over, 1470 o o 2.^,2c,y 160 2560 cabb.iges, - 1920 o o 2560 barley, - 1280 o o 2560 h-Ay^ - - 960 o o ivj inuring, - 200 o o Sundry labours, - ^^o o o 6,130 o o 3,840 o o Seed as before, - Smidries, lOO ^lorfcs, 1 000 Wear and tear. 500 Rent, 960 l-ythe, 768 Town charges, 120 Unfpecified articles, 500 3,848 o o Difburfement, - 50,075 16 o Product. • Improvement of ftcck by 2560 acres of cibbages and 2560 of hay, /. s. d. to, - - 49,200 o o 12800 qrs. barley, 10,240 o o •— ■ 59,440 o o Difburrement, - - 50,075 16 o Balance, - - 9,364 4 o C c 3 [ 390 1 General Account at the End of the Ninth Tear* Cafh in hand at the end of the 8th /. s. d, year, - - 82.000 19 3 Dilburfement of the ninth year, 50,075 160 Remains, - - Z^^^'^-S 3 3 Produft of tliC ninth year, 59 440 60 Cafninhand, - - . 9I5365 3 3 Here I mud (lop to obfeive, that the improvement ia cafe there is waHe land enough for continuing it, is now become a regular annual bufinefs, for I fliall fup- pofe the improver (by way of variation from the preceding eilimates) to keep his flock employed in this manner, inflead of felling off as I before fketched. At the end of this ninth year, he might draw up his account, in the following manner. /. s.d. Cafh in hand at the end of the ninth year, - - - 9Ij3^5 ^ o Raifed on the farms at various times, - - - 64,000 o o Remains, - '^7->3>^5 o <^ The farms confift of 6720 acres, let at as many pounds ; which valued or fold at 30 years purchafe is, 201,600 o o Totals - - 228,965 o o [ 391 ] This is the amount of his improvement in 9 years ; that is, let and convertible to that fum J but it is exckifive of 5120 acres in his own hands, and all the flock : from the lafl account, we find that the annual expenditure is 50,000 /. we muft therefore ftate thus, /. s. d. Total, - - - 228,965 o o Deduct for the future operations, 50,000 o o Clear remainder, - - 178,965 o q applicable to any purpofe foreign to the improvement, and without that bufmefs at all flackening. Further, We found from the account of the ninth year, which is the fame as the fucceeding ones will be, that the annual produce ex- ceeds the annual expence by 9364 /. which is confequently fo much annual profit; from this time, therefore, the agregate of increafing annual profit will be as follows; C c 4 Tenth [ 302 ] Tenth Year. /. J. cl Rent o^ 6720 acres let, - 6,720 o o Inififil of 22,6:^5 to make the xz- -ma'nder 27,365 up, the fum of 50 000 /. for the annual expendi- ture, r - " 905 o o Neat rent, - - - 5,815 o o Annu.d proBt on the improvement, beins; t^.e balance of the dilburfe- rneni and produce, - - 95364 o o Rent of a farm Lt this year, - 2,560 o o Income of this year, - 17,739 o Eleventh Year. That of tb'' tentb, - - ^7^719 o o Rent ot another fa.-m, - 2,560 o o Total, - - • 20,299 o o Tweh^th Year. Thatof the elevenrh, - - 20,299 o o |lent of ar.wther farm, '. - 2,560 o o Total, a - 22,859 o ^ Suppofing the improvement then at an end, the ^^eneral account would be as foh lovvs ; [ 303 ] Total improved land 19,520 aces IcZ at 19,520/. valucu or told at /. s. d. :;o years purchale, amounts to, 585,600 o o Product cf the lad year, -" 59,440 o o DedU(5l the debt of Total, - » 64.5,040 o o 22,02- o o Remains neat profit on the im- proyenTcflt, beildr.s the iiO'^k, 622,405 o o T- '' tMl to be ^aihdd from fo fm3.ll 9- ' i I. y.^AoI. in fofhorta time as 12 yeais, iiiQit appear adonirning to fuch as l^rver applied figures to data of the moft common nature. But the fa6ls are fuch ; and I apprehend thofe readers, who will take the trouble of examining thefe calcu- lations with attention, will in every part of th-m fir.d large allowances for^ all inci- dental as well as regidar expences, and a very moderate efcimation of produci. That the quantity of land is no objec- tion, from the mere extent, I think, will appear from this circumftance : an oblong fquare of only fix miles long by five broad, contauis more than the whole amount of this improvement j ^ciz. 20,200 acres. There are fome hundreds of fuch tracts in this [ 394 1 this kingdom. Let me obferve, that £;;- field Chace would, in the improvement, yield a much more confiderablc profit in this method of culture, than half a million of money ; and increafe the induftrious population of the kingdom moft power- fully. Upon the whole, I cannot but afllue the proprietors of fuch foils as I have now calculated the improvement of, that the undertaking fuch a work is amazingly pro- fitable, and impoffible to fail of fuccefs : the original expenditure of a very fmall fum of money by means of a fyftematic and regular condacV, enfures immenfe pro- fit, fuch as no other profefilon, bufinefs or application can poffibly pretend to; an obje6l of the higheil importance to every landlord pofiefling fuch foils ! LETTER [ 395 ] L E T T E Pv XIIL J-T A V I N G, in the preceding Letters, pro- pofed the improvement of feveral forts of wafte land, as well as the raifmg the rents of that which is cultivated — I (hall now, my Lords and Gentlemen, take my leave, with offering a few general remarks on thefe fubjecSls — explanatory of certain prciimftances, not fufhciently touched up- on in the former Letters. I fliall beg leave firfb to obferve, that the PuBLiCK Good is intimately concerned in all fuch undertakings as I have here pro- pofed J indeed the general interefbs of the State receive as gr^at benefits as indivi- duals from fuch works, for the riches of the nation are increafed j the income ; " — and alfo the induftrious population. The improver makes half a million of pioney clear profit : this is aduaily created, and almoftout of nothing ; it is a fund of wealth that did not exift before, and is jconfequently a clear addition to the na- tion's t 396 i tion's (lock. Tliis wealth in its circula- tion and increafe, necefTarily enriches a vail namher of people. The iiiCieafe of income is alio very great. Firif, The Improver makes The tenant's profit, The parfon's tythe, The induftriou. poor in labour ; fuppofe, The non-induflrious poor in rates ; iuppofe. Wear and tear ; being the income of artizans : fuppole. Thirty-four farms, the leaO 320 acres ot land ; luppoii only 15 fouls per head ; and that ^ ach confum , in all forts of msiu- faftur s, to the amounr of 5/. it is 73 /. t'er farm : or an in- creafe of maaufailu.ers income of, - - - Suppofe all thefe claflt's to pay in the agg'^gate of all taxes 20 per cent, ot income. It is an ircrcaf- of the public re- venue of Per anmim, L s. d. 20,000 o o 20,000 o o 2,500 o o 6,000 o o 2jOv'C O O 3,000 o o 2,500 o o 11,100 o o 66,600 o o Her€ [ 397 ] Here is a palpable incrcafe of national in;ome, to the amount of fixty-fix thou- fand pou^^ds a year, from an individual putting l.alf a million of money in his own pocket. But the amount of new created income is infinitely more than here fpecifiedj or poiTible to calculate ; for the landlord's 20,000 is expsnded greatly in manufactures, and tlie whole amount of the 6 6, coo paid by all thefe clafTes to other fett?, and then again by them to others, and fo on ; in every flage of which journey, the public revenue in- creafes by its numerous taxes. So that I do not think it would be exaggera- tion, to aHert that a creation of 20,000 /; a year income, in one individual, could increafe the general income of the nation lefs than half a million a year. And it fliould be further remarked, that much of this increafe is in perpetuity ; the decline is gradual J and connfcs in the clafTcs through Vv'hofe hands the money pafTes, confuming luch wares as are paid for in calh to foreigners : or fuch perifiiable commodities as yield no cmploym.ent to the induftiious; fuch particularly as horfes, ^c. It is no objeclion to this, to fay that 2 the t 398 3 tlip metal, the fig?is of fuch commoditieSs continues its circulation j but to follow the idea would lead me too far from the prefent fubjed. Nor is population of the moft valuable kind lefs increafed by fuch improvements. The creation of people is in proportion to that of income J for no income can exift without people, if that income is expend- ed. The landlord with his rent the farmer with his profit — the parfon — the manufadurers the government : all the clafTes fet hands to work, in proportion to the money which paffes thro' their own : -and as the income is new^ none exifting before the improvement, the increafe of work is, by juft its own degree, the in- creafe of population \ for the increafed de- mand for the one could not be fupplied without a proportioned increafe of the other. Here arc 34 farmers, each employ- ing 5 men fuppole j from whence camiC they ? they occupy kind which was never occupied before. I am 'ax\{sNtxtiS. from fuch a place. But whence the men that fuccced them ? and fo on through the circle. A farmer moving out of one farm into ano- ther eld one, creates, it is true, as many 7 removals [ 399 ] removals as the death of a bi/hopi but they are nothing ; the number is the fame as before. Into a new farm the cafe is very different ; for though a farmer comes into it, who you knew to be a farmer before ; yet, could you trace the whole line of al- terations, you would find at the end of it the creation of a new one ; or at leaft fe- veral fmall, becoming large ones. But the grand point of induftrious po- pulation being increafed by fuch works will admit of no difpute ; and the vaft im- portance of fuch increafe is equally indif- putable* For thefe reafons, men who have the fpirit to undertake fuch improvements, have alfo the fatisfa6lion of knowing that they add to their country's welfare, in pro- portion as they increafe their private wealth. Hence fiirely king's minlfters, and flatefmen fliould give a particular and marked attention to the encouragement of fuch improvements; and to the means of promoting and acquiring the due know- ledge of the fubjecl ; that clearnefs and pre- cifion may be found in every circumftance concerning works of (o great and indubi- table importance. I have * -* * i have, in thefc letters, fo orten men- tioned the neceility ot applying "the lums requifite Tor inipioven.ents, in ready mo- ney, and at once— -lb that the works may be unde:- an abfolute certainty of depend- ing on no income or contingencies j that I think it will be very conducive to a right underftanding of the fubjedi:, t^) offer a few explanations of this material part of the defign. Improvements upon whatever fund or principle they are undertaken, v/ill always be found very pn fitable ; but to carry them to a tenth of the profit which 1 have fuppofed, it is abfolutely requifite to pjo- cced upon tie plan which I have laid down. Eirft,. let the gentleman gai'n thofc particulars which aie the data.of his cal- culation J then let him proceed to ionr. an ercimate of the improvement which can be eiieded by the fum of money in his hands, or v^hich he is determined to borrow. That fum mufc be fixed before betakes pen in hand j and upon the right propor- tioning the annual quantity of land to be taken in, to the atnount of cafn, is the principal part of the whole work. Let him [ 401 ] him take a certain number of acres, and draw up all the expences attending an an- nual improvement of that quantity, in the manner of the preceding elfimates, until the product of one year will fufficc for the expences of the nextj efpecially remember- ing, that he is to let his farms as foon as polTible, not only to be rid of the trouble, but to be able immediately to mortgage them ; and the fums fo raifed by mort- gage to be thrown to the product of the preceding year, to form a fund for the operations of the next. When, in this method of calculating, a requifite total is gained j he will find whe- ther it is more or iefs than the fum of money he has appropriated to the bufincfsj if more, he muft begin again, and calcu- late for a fmaller quantity of land j if Iefs, for a farger j till he com.es pretty near the mark. And that muil be his guide in the beginning of his whole undertaking. And he fhould in particular determine to form a farm of fuch quantity, (and calculate the buildings accordingly) however fmall : he can mortgage land that is let, much readier than improvements in his own hands which have never been let. Vol. II, D d If [ 402 ] If objeclions are raifed to mortgaging the farms as faft as they are let j the per- Ions who make thofe objedions Ihould cal- culate improvements upon any other prin- ciple; and they will then find the im- menfe difference in profit between fuch confined operations, and the plans which ' I liave recommended ; the one will un- doubtedly make an hundred thoufand pounds before the other gets twenty thou- fand. Thus are the operations of lending and borrowing money the grand principle of kich undertakings ; wherein they are exe- cuted upon the plan of moft public works; fuch as turnpikes, drainings, navigations, &c. If the commiflioners of fuch were to expend their income, inftead of mortgag- ing it, when would their works be com- pleted ? Such pofTeffors of wafle land as are of more tim,orous natures, or who rejeft the trouble of executing fuch works, Ihould by all means lend money to underftanding people, to execute them upon their own account. The man who pays 4 per cent, in te reft for money to be expended on the lender's land, when fuch land will let for nothing t 403 ] nothing without improvement, furely pays a virtual intereft, at leaft half as important as the real one ; for the landlord gains the common intereft for his money, and his eftate is at the fame time improved ; an obje6l of vafl importance to his family, and perhaps even to himfelf. There is much lefs hazard in fuch a mode of lend- ing money upon perfonal fecurity than in any other j for the cafh as fad as received, is expended upon the lender's land, and confequently he is almoft imn-icdiately put in pofTeiTion of what m.ay be called land- fecurity j and if the undertaking fails, he has all the expenditure of the money in hi» own hands to pay himfelf ^ a cafe widely different from all other modes of lend- ing on mere bond. In proceeding on fuch a plan, the caution only fliould be taken o£ advancing the money borrowed by degrees ■ never to refufe the improver any fums (within the fpecified total) provided the cafh. already advanced is expended on the land: this precaution is only to be fecure that the money is applied to the ufes agreed to. In fuch a plan, a landlord who has, or can get money, and poflefles wafte land, fliould feek out for f])irited improvers to lend D d 2 them [ 404 ] them money, with as much eagernefs as other men rim to borro"S} it. — But even in this cafe, ihey lofe the chief of thofe pro- digious advantages which I have flated in the preceding calculations : for which rea- fon it is much more advifable to under- take the bufmefs themfelvcs. To fuch landlords whofe knov/ledge or praclice of agriculture is very confined, m.any objections will arife on tlie head of conducting fuch large undertakings, per- haps, witliout proper men for fuperin- tending the works. A gentleman who underftands and has praclifed hulbandry would be under no great difficulties of this fort, others might ; but then they fhould commit their improvements to the guidance of fomc other perfon they could trufl. Of what great ufe in another walk, has been the creation of what m.ay be called a nrcD prc>fe[jion in the perfon of a very inge- nious man, who has done great things in the ornamenting and laying out of grounds i which, but for him, would in all probability never have been done : confequently large fums of money have been expi.Tided in a moil: advantageous m.anner. t 405 ] manner. Many men of large fortunes will expend money freely ; but will allow nei- ther time, attention nor trouble. Such muft commit their undertakings to the hands of others, or they would never be executed at all. It is much to be regretted that utility of the greateil and moft acknowledged im- portance is not, in this rcfpecr, placed on the fame footing as beauty. There doubt- lefs exifts many landlords, who would difburfe confiderable fums in the improve- ment of their eflates ; but fome have not time to diie6l the execution, and others like not the trouble of it. Hence {o many efcates being left in the fame v.-ade condi- tion in which they were received. Hence the languid manner in which fo many im- provements are conducted ! But were there a man who could depend fufficiently on himfelf, to undertake im- provements on the largell fcale, and reil his own gratification on the fuccefs of fa ch improvements, the grand obf.acle would be removed ; all landlords pofTediiig im- provable efiates, and willing to expend money, if pretty fure of a large leirfiburfe- ment, would be encouraged to determine the [ 4o6 } the work of improvement, when the at- tention and trouble of it were completely removed. I'he bufmefs of fuch an improver would be much more complicated than any that couid ?rife in the ornamenting of grounds j it would require a man who was fo vv^ell acquainted with all kinds of foils as to pro- nounce upon examining them, whether tiicy were improvable ; to what degree 5 and for what crops. He. fliould be well pra6lifed in common agriculture j for thofe who proceed on theory alone, are apt rather to raife brilliant edifices, thari lay folid foundations. His knowledge of the huibandry of various countries fhould be yet greater than his own piacSlice; and he Ihoukl be perfectly well acquainted with the prices of all forts of work, the rates of land, &^c. in every county, that he may be as little to feek as pofiible for data whereon to form a calculation of any given improvement. He Ihould have correfpondents and agents in fuch counties as pofl'efTed an agriculture fuperior to the common practice of the kingdom ; that the procuring workmen of particular kinds, and even tenants ufcd to particular modes 3 o^ [ 407 ] of culture, might be no difficult matter to him. The adivity of fuch a bufinefs would require the vigour of a healthy conftitu- tion a bcdy that never Hirunk from the execution of the moil extenfive ideas. Such a man, from the various practice of a few years, would reduce the bufinefs of improvement to as much certainty as a mathematical demonitration j and, confe- quently, be the greateft means in the world of reducing ail the waftes of thefe king- doms to well cultivated farms ; and of raifing the rental of tJiofe parts already in culture to their true height and value. — Under a peiibn poHefTed of fuch qualifica- tions, and whole fatisfa6lion (at leafi: by much the greateft part of it) depended on the degree of his fuccefs, reckoned after the dedu(51:ion of every expencc whatever the grand bufinefs of improvement might be fecurely undertaken by thofe, who at prefent cannot v/ith prudence at- tempt it. FINIS. 5 5 2 110 > 6 5 ^ - ^ — ^ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is DUE on the last date stamped below ! I . Ul.\I JAN ^ 1945 "^^^i Returned Col. Lib. 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