lSd3« Agricultural JnielUgence — Englanck 3^7" 



lOO acres of very low poor land, cowred with aquatic weeds and coarfe' 

 graffcs, along tlie higheil part of wliich ran a cojjious ilream of ricli wa-' 

 tor, carefully kept from flowing over this poor low laud. Here I re-- 

 commended irrigation, as it would foon double or triple the value of the' 

 land ; and gave the gentleman a ])lan for flooding, which is to be put'' 

 iilto execution as loon as convenient after the enfuing harvt-ll. \ 



< In the county of Huntingdon, which I left yellerday, the crops 'of 

 grain, grafs and potatoes, are very good this year, except upon fi)me of' 

 the lightell foils, where they are rather fcanty ; hut upon the rich barns',- 

 cfpccially upon the new •enclofed iields of Somerdiam Heath, and n^nuiy- 

 other places, the crops are as rich and heavy as could be wifhed for. 



' In the Great Level of the Fens (and I have refided in that diftfift 

 for many years), which extends itfelf into fix counties, and is by much- 

 the largeft and ri^-heft plain in the United ICiugdom, the ground is co- 

 vered at this time with as many thoufands of acrcvS of luxuriant crops of 

 wheat, oats, hemp, beans, potatoes, grafs and hay, as ever were pro- 

 duced upon any foil. The fen hay is almoli: all ripe, and much of it is 

 cut, and thoufands of loads already carried in fine condition. As the 

 winter-^and fpring v»'ere fo dry, the feed, efpecially oats, was fown many 

 weeks earlier than ufual ; therefore all tlie grain, particularly oat€, if 

 the harveft fliould be favourable, will probably prove much heavier and 

 better this year than cultomary. Some wheat in the fens begins already 

 to turn of a yellow colour, and if the weather continue hot, it will be 

 ready to cut the firft or fecond week in Auguil ; other graiiis are likely 

 to be ripe proportionally early. 



' A few weeks back, a nobleman, of firft-rate agricultural abilities, vi- 

 fited the Fens, and appeared to admire the country, exprefiing much ap- 

 probation of its hufbandry. The foundation of the i^w hufbandry is 

 ploughing and burning the fward, and then fo^\'ing colefeed ; which, 

 v/hen eaten on the land, enriches the ground fufHciently for two or three 

 crops of oats, a crop of wheat, a crop cf hay, and to graze feveral years 

 afterwards ; and then ploughing and burning again, without any other 

 manure, except what dung is made on the premifes. Though almoil all 

 this dung is carried to the circumjacctit, and interfperfed higli lands, yet 

 the crops are generally very good, whicli demonllrates the goodnefs of- 

 the fen fyllem. Yea, I believe the fen farmers are the beft iu the world 

 to manage low marfhy foils. The fen crops this year are, as the noble- 

 man before alluded to faid wlien he faw them, * too rich, ' the feafon 

 having anfwered well for all fuch fituations. 



* The fame nobleman was highly admired by at! that heard his accurate 

 remarks, and profound obfervation^, about flock, fen drainage, rotation 

 of crops, artificial feeds, and the management of land, &c. &c. When 

 going over one of the befl managed fen famw, he came to a field where 

 feveral ploughmen were employed ; and after looking fome time at 

 t-he men ploughing, he took hold of a plough : — the men all began to 

 flare, and expefted to fee plenty of balks and bjiuiders ; but, to the 

 great allonifhment of us all, the Noble Lord ploughed his furrow as well 

 as th^ fen-men thcmfelves : and one preferxt fiiid, ' his Honour is proba- 



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