WILTSHIRE. THIS COUNTY aptly divides into The Vale Lands of North Wiltshire; The Chalk Hills of South Wiltshire; and The Sandy Lands which separates it into nearly equal parts. This line of separation, however, though nearly correct, as to the outlines of the County, is not quite so in regard to its internal distinguishments:-the Marlborough and Albourn Downs-detached Chalk Hills-being situated to the northward of it. In reviewing the Reports from the Western Department, I extracted much valuable information from DAVIS'S WILTSHIRE (the only one sent in from this County); concerning its Vale Lands, or Dairy District. What I have to consider, in this place, regards the Chalk Hills and their intervening valleys; and to notice the Sandy Lands; which, compared with the other two, are inconsiderable: Thus taking cognisance of the whole County. "GENERAL VIEW OF THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF WILTS. BY THOMAS DAVIS, OF LONGLEAT, WILTS, STEWARD TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUESS OF BATH. 1794."* THE HE QUALIFICATIONS of this Reporter, as a practical man, intimately acquainted with the RURAL ECONOMY of WILTSHIRE, * When I examined the part of this Report, which relates to the Western Department, the quarto edition, now before me, was the only one in being. Since that time, and some years after the death of the author, it was, I understand, reprinted, and published. But not finding, on enquiry, that any useful addition, or alteration, had been made in it,-I prefer the original. WILTSHIRE, were such, perhaps, as no other man possessed, for the purpose of giving a masterly account of its best practices. It is to be observed, however, that his Report is not wholely free from theories which would seem to have been too hastily formed. But the shortness of the time, expended on the performance, gives the less room for censure. Mr. Davis's report was one of the earliest that were sent in to the Board. It was delivered to the members in January 1794. After speaking of the queries put by the Board, and the answers they required, the Reporter proceeds, in his "Introduction," p. 5, as follows." These answers will be deduced not only from the observation of the compiler during the present survey, but also from the practice and opinions of the most experienced farmers in the county of Wilts, collected during a long and extensive intercourse with them; and will, it is hoped, comprize a full and just account of the present state of husbandry in the county, with candid and unbiassed remarks on its merits and demerits. "The author is well aware, that notwithstanding he has taken the liberty of altering the arrangement of the queries proposed by the Board, so as to suit the particular circumstances of the county, and avoid repetition as much as possible, he has still found it necessary, in some instances, to use the same arguments more than once, in order to give full and satisfactory answers to each query; and on that account he hopes he shall stand excused. "The hasty manner in which this account was necessarily drawn up (which is of less consequence, as the Board purposes to have it well revised and corrected before it is published) must apologize for numberless tautologies, inaccuracies, and omissions, which have unavoidably escaped detection." Mr. Davis appears to write, throughout the work, from his own knowledge, of the practice of the County :-not, as an enquiring tourist, from memorandum-scraps, taken down from the prompt assertions of others. The MANNER in which this Report is written, is of a superior cast:-a circumstance which appeared to me as a matter of some surprise. It seemed extraordinary that a man, who, I understood, had been introduced into active employment, at a very early age, and who through life had been practically immerged in business, should have acquired a habit of classical composition; a qualification which evidently shows itself in various parts of the work ;until I was informed-from very good authority I believethat, that, in this part of the business of Report, Mr. D. was assisted by a friend; "but in this part, only." Nevertheless, some of the immature theories, spoken of, betoken them to be the reveries of a scholar, rather than the experiencial conclusions of a landsteward. This by the way. I dwell not, here, on the frequent want of perspicuity, nor on the total want of appropriate digestion. The latter is with me a minor blemish. The work, viewed in the aggregate, is so abundantly furnished with good sense and useful information, that, had it not at length been published, I might have been induced to transcribe a still more ample portion of its contents, than I have, under that circumstance. It is one of the few Reports to the Board of Agriculture whose entirety is worthy of preservation. The number of pages-one hundred and sixtythree. A perspicuous map of the County, colored agreeably to its lands, is prefixed to the volume. THE COUNTY AT LARGE. EXTENT.-P. 6. " It is about 54 miles in length, and 34 in greatest breadth, and contains about 1,372 square miles, or 878,000 acres." SURFACE.-P. 6. "There is a very striking difference in the external appearance of the south-east and north-west sides of this county, the former being composed of a bro⚫ken mass of chalk hills, which enter the county from Berkshire, Hampshire, and Dorsetshire, and terminate in an irregular line of bold breaks and disjointed masses, running from the north-east to the south-west side of the county; and the latter being chiefly composed of a rich tract of vale land, stretching north-east and south-west through the county, under the foot of those hills, but rising gradually north-west till it joins the high lands of Gloucestershire." DISTRICTS of Wiltshire.-P. 6. "In speaking of this county, it is usual to separate it into two districts, viz. 'South Wiltshire,' and North Wiltshire;' and the division is generally made, by supposing an east and west line passing through the county at or near Devizes, thereby leaving Marlborough Downs in North Wiltshire; but in treating of the county agriculturally, it will make a more natural division to draw an irregular line round the foot of the chalk hills, from their entrance into the north-east part of the county from Berkshire, to their south-west termination at Maiden Bradley, thereby comprehending the whole of Wiltshire Downs, with their intersecting vallies and surrounding rounding verges, under the name of South Wiltshire,' or, perhaps, more properly speaking, South-east Wiltshire,' and calling the residue of the county North Wiltshire,' or more properly North-west Wiltshire.' "The natural appearance, as well as the agricultural application of the two parts of the county, well warrant this division into south-east and north-west Wiltshire, the first comprehending the chalk hills, usually called Wiltshire Downs, whose general application is to corn-husbandry and sheep-walks; and the latter being remarkable for its rich pasture land on the banks of the Lower Avon and the Thames, so famous for the feeding of cattle, and still more so, for the production of one of the most excellent kinds of cheese this island can boast. "As the difference in the soil, situation, and productions of the two districts is so very great, it will be necessary, after premising some general remarks on the whole county with respect to its property, to treat of them as two distinct. and separate districts, at least so far as the queries proposed relate more peculiarly to either district separately, and then to subjoin the answers to those questions which relate generally to the whole county. "The answer to the 1st head, viz. 'The soil and cli mate,' will fall more properly under enquiry, when the two districts come to be spoken of separately. "But the answer to the second, viz. The property of the land,' will be best understood as applied to the county at large, and is therefore given here in a short summary, reserving the detail to be given in the description of each district." This is duly considered, masterly writing. ESTATES and TENURES.-P. 8. "The greater part of this County was formerly, and at no very remote period, in the hands of great proprietors. Almost every manor had its resident lord, who held part of the lands in demesne, and granted out the rest by copy or lease to under-tenants, usually for three lives renewable. A state of commonage, and particularly of open common fields, was peculiarly favourable to this tenure. "Inclosures naturally tend to its extinction. "The north-west part of Wiltshire being much better adapted to inclosures, and to subdivision of property, than the south, was inclosed first; while the south-east or Down district, for many reasons that will hereafter be given, has undergone few inclosures, and still fewer subdivisions; and during the same period that a great deal of the property of the former district has been divided and subdivided, and gone into the hands of the many; property in the latter district district has been bought up by the great landholders, and is now in fewer hands than it was in the last century. "There are undoubtedly many exceptions to this general remark, and there is in both districts a great deal of property in mortmain, belonging to churches, colleges, schools, and other pious and public foundations, which necessarily remains in its original state; but, generally speaking, it may be said, that a great part of the north-west district of the county, is possessed by small proprietors, and that by far the greatest part of the south-east district, is the property of great landholders." OBJECTS OF HUSBANDRY, in the County at large.-P. 4. "The principal productions of the county, serving immedi ately for human food, are, Corn-chiefly wheat and barley. Fat calves. Fat cattle and sheep. Fat pigs. "The manufacturing towns within the county, and in the eastern part of Somersetshire, and the cities of Bath and Bristol, furnish a constant regular demand for these productions, and London takes no inconsiderable part of them. "To these articles serving immediately for human sustenance, may be added one that serves eventually for that purpose; viz. Sheep for store; of which great numbers bred in this county, are sold off yearly, to be fatted elsewhere, chiefly in the eastern counties, for the London market. "And to these productions of human food, may be added a very material article of human necessity, viz. "Wool, of which the vast quantity that is raised here, finds a never-failing demand in its own manufactories, and those of the adjoining counties." SOUTH WILTSHIRE. SUBJECT THE FIRST. NATURAL ECONOMY. EXTENT XTENT.-P. 9. "The district usually called South Wiltshire, but more properly South-east Wiltshire, comprehending that part of the county called Wiltshire Downs, is divided into two principal subdivisions, called Salisbury |