own, all of which the Crown has a full power to lay open again.

"The New Forest is divided into nine bailiwicks, which are subdivided into fifteen walks, viz.

"The officers of the Forest are, a Lord Warden, Lieutenant, Riding Forester, Bowbearer, two Rangers, WoodWard, under Wood-Ward, four Verdurers, High Steward, Under Steward, twelve Regarders, Nine Foresters or Master Keepers, and thirteen Under Foresters or Groom Keepers. Besides the above officers, there is a Surveyor. General of the Woods and Forests, who appoints a Deputy, and a Purveyor of the Navy; but these are not properly officers appointed solely for the New Forest; the Surveyor General being superintendant over other forests; and the Purveyor of the Navy is paid by the Navy Board as an officer of Portsmouth Dock-yard.

"It does not appear to us necessary to mention here, the duties of each officer, but we are warranted in saying this much, that if each officer were to do his duty, without considering his private emolument, it would tend much to the increase and preservation of the timber in this forest; whereas on the contrary, it is certain, that the interests of all the inferior officers so clash with that of the forest, that it is in vain to expect either a preservation of the timber now growing in the forest, or an increase from new plantations, while the present system remains, as it clearly appeared to us from the survey we made of the New Forest in 1787, by order of the Commissioners of the land revenue, that the principal care of the timber, and inclosures for its preservation, depended chiefly upon the Under-Keepers, whose emoluments are mostly derived from deer, sale of browse wood, rabbits, and swine, all of which are inimical to the preservation

preservation and increase of timber; and the evil consequences of these emoluments, being allowed instead of an adequate salary, are very conspicuous.

"In the first place, the forest is so overstocked with deer, that upwards of three hundred died in one walk in 1787. With respect to the cutting of browse-wood, it admits of many depredations, such as cutting away the holly and thorn, the great preservation of the young oak, and too often the oak itself is included in the fall.

"With respect to rabbits, they are encouraged in almost every walk, but particularly in those of Welverly and Rhinefield, where three inclosures, made for the preservation of timber, have been converted into warrens, to the amount of 835 acres; and with respect to swine, some of the keepers are considerable dealers in them, which are suffered to continue in the forest during the whole year. One of the keepers only, had between seventy and eighty swine at one time.

"All these circumstances concur in the destruction of young timber, and unless some means are taken to prevent these and other abuses, in a few years there will be no timber worth mentioning left upon the forest. As it appears from actual surveys made of the timber at different periods, how much the timber has decreased, and what the forest was formerly capable of producing, which account we shall take the liberty of subjoining.

"From other accounts, it appears that the Navy have been supplied with about 885 loads of oak timber per annum, on an average, from this forest, for the last twenty years, which is the only produce to the public. The annual expenditure of the forest appears to be about 3400/. per annum, and the annual clear profit, about 1,015/. on an average; therefore it appears that all the timber in the New Forest growing upon 63,844 acres of land, has produced a profit only of 1,0157. per annum, on an average, for the last twenty years, without making any allowance for

the

the deficiency in the present stock, compared with the stock twenty years ago, or rent for the land.

"Having thus pointed out the improper management of this forest, it may be expected we should endeavour to form some plan for its improvement; we shall therefore take the liberty to suggest our general ideas upon that head."

Among those suggestions are the following hints to Government.-P. 39. "To give up certain privileges, and to destroy or park the whole of the deer, which are now extremely numerous, and injurious in a great degree to the adjoining lands."

P. 41. "With respect to the number of officers necessary to superintend the forest, after it is properly regulated, it may not be necessary to particularize here; but we may just mention that a very few, under a competent Board, would be fully sufficient for the whole management, and those should be paid a salary adequate to their employ, and on no account suffered to receive any emolument or fee whatever from the forest."

These are, in truth, valuable suggestions. But had it struck Messrs. D. that their plans would interfere with the SACRED RIGHTS of PATRONAGE and PLUNDER, they would scarcely have given themselves the trouble to propose them.

Some account is offered, concerning the other forests of Hampshire. But it is not of sufficient interest to require particular notice.

MANUFACTURES.-P. 15. "There are but few manufactories of any extent in this county, and those are chiefly of cloth, shalloons, and coarse woollens."

TITHES. Having lamented the evils which attend the present method of tithing, the Reporters relate, apparently from their own knowledge, the following ludicrous transaction; which, in itself, is sufficient to show the impropriety, regarding the existing mode of remunerating the labours of those whose duties are to disseminate the principles of peace and harmony among mankind.

P. 33. "We will mention one instance in a parish in this county, which happened last autumn, where tythes were taken in kind. The clergyman and the farmer were at variance, and the farmer, determined to be even with the clergyman, gave him notice that he was going to draw a field of turnips on a certain day. The clergyman accordingly sent his team and servant at the time appointed, when the farmer drew ten turnips, and desired the other to take one of them, saying he should not draw any more that day, but would let him know when he did."

SOCIETIES.-P. 11. "At Odiham a society has been established for the improvement of agriculture."

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This

This, if I rightly recollect, was one of the very first of the establishments that are now common in most parts of the kingdom. Where men of experience take the lead, they are well calculated to promote the true principles of practice, and to give a right bias to agricultural con

versation.

RURAL ECONOMY.

TENURES.-P. 21. "In this county a considerable

quantity of land is held under the Bishop of Winchester, as well as under the Dean and Chapter, upon lease for twenty-one years, renewable every seven, which is a very great bar to improvements in agriculture, as the fines upon renewal are always increased, in proportion to what improvements have been made.

“A considerable quantity of land is also held upon three lives, and though it is now the custom in many places, for the lords to let the lives run out, yet it is much against their interest so to do, upon a fair calculation; as, when the lives all drop, the land is generally in very bad condition, and the buildings very much out of repair."

There is some truth, in the last remark; but by no means to the amount intended to be conveyed by it. All life, lease holders are liable to pay to the full amount of dilapidations; and I have rarely known an instance, out of many, of its not being settled to the satisfaction of the proprietor of the estate. The great and almost only difficulty, in allowing lifeleasehold tenements to revert to the "lord," lies with the stoppage of income. A man who has no other income than what arises from the fines of leasehold tenements, cannot, unless his estate is large, and his expenditure comparatively small, suffer his farms "to fall into hand." For, at the demise of the last life, instead of receiving, immediately, an ample portion of the fee-simple value of the land, he is bereft even of its rental value, for six or twelve months to come.

IRRIGATION.-P. 19. "This county is particularly famous for water-meadows, which are extremely productive, and in general very well attended to. The farmers seem aware of the great advantages arising from them, as in many instances they are at considerable expence in purchasing a supply of water, besides the first expence, which is from five to six pounds per acre, exclusive of the continual repair of the sluices, &c."

P. 11. "From Overton towards Stockbridge, and from thence

thence to Redbridge, there is a beautiful vale, well covered with water-meadows."

P. 12. "Towards Fordingbridge and Downton, there are some good water-meadows."

P. 14. Near Warnford there are some good watermeadows on the banks of the river Itching."

REMOVALS.-P. 21. "They are principally Michaelmas farms, and the new tenant enters upon part of the land the first of January, and the first of May, preceding the end of the lease, in order to prepare for wheat and turnips; in a farm of 500 acres about thirty acres the first of January, and about seventy acres the first of May; a certain quantity of saintfoine is also to be left, and paid for by the new tenant."

WOODLANDS.-See Appropriation, aforegoing.

AGRICULTURE.

FARMS.-P.

ARMS.-P. 17. "The size of the farms in this county vary much, the most predominant are from 200l. to 300% per annum."

WORKPEOPLE.-P. 27. "The servants of farmers are generally fed with pork and pudding the greatest part of the year, except on Sundays, when a joint of meat is sometimes allowed,"

IMPLEMENTS.-P. 18. "A nine-share plough is frequently used for the opening of land, in order to make furrows for wheat before sowing, with four horses double; this is also found very useful for backing in barley which was ploughed after wheat, in the autumn, and then only with this nine-share."

MANURE.-P. 12. "Here" (New Forest) "we find chalk a principal manure, which is brought ten or twelve miles of which they generally allow ten or twelve load per acre."

P. 19. "There is on the sea coast, near Emsworth and Havant, a fine marle, that is found to improve the deep land very much."

HOPS.-P. 13. "The planting of hops has of late years increased in the following parishes, viz. Bentley, Froyl, Binstead, Hollybourn, Alton, Chawton, Farrington, Silbourn, Kingsley, Great and Little Worldham, Hartley, Maudit, and Shoulden, South Warnborough, Neatham, and Long Sutton; all of which are upon the borders of Surry, and the great repute of the Farnham hops has been the principal cause of the planting in these parishes. Upon the best information we have been able to procure, the

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whole