RdrofpeWiie v'lenv of jlgr'icidturc — Norfo/l'. 5^7 



veftlj^ate the nature of foils and of manures, and difcovcr new and be- 

 nelicial comports ; the ikilful mechanic may improve old and invent 

 new machines ; — whenever fvich improvcmcnrs arc difcovered, I 

 venture to affirm, thdt the hufbandman of this county will not be the 

 laft to encourage and to give them a fair and liberal trial. 



Stock in this country, tdl within a few years, has been but a fccon- 

 dary objedl with the farmer, and he ftill depends chiefly on Scotland 

 for his fupply of bullocks ; but Iheep are now become an obje6l of 

 peculiar attention. Mr Coke, member for the county, claims great 

 merit for the example he has fet, and the encouragement he has given, 

 for the improvement of this animal. He is allowed to be an excellent 

 judge, and, by a judicious fele^lion of breeding flock, has certainly 

 raifed flocks of very fuperior excellency of the kinds he has introduced, 

 \iz. South Down and the new Leicefler ; and at his annual flieep- 

 fliearing, which is always attended by feveral of the Nobility and other 

 amateurs, he generally produces 15 to 20 tups of each kind, to be 

 Jet for the leaion, and liberally fixes the highefl price at 40 guineas. 

 You will I am pcrfuaded allow that the epithet Uba'al is here very 

 properly applied, when I aflfure you 1 have frequently fcen more than 

 30 candidates for feveral of the neft flieep ; and that amongft them, 

 not unfrequently, are to be found eminent breeders from the native 

 country of thefe animals, aproof that they have not degenerated by mi- 

 gration. I am fully perfuaded had they been bought by audlion in- 

 ftead of being difpofed of by lottery, they would frequently many of 

 them have obtained double this price. The old Norfolk, a wild ac- 

 tive flieep, though ftill allowed by the Epicures, to be the beft mut- 

 ton in the kingdom, is faft difappearing from the county, and indeed 

 it certainly is not now (in its prefent ftate of almofl general enclofure) fo 

 well adapted to it, as 50 years ago, when a conliderable part 

 confiited of large open barren iheep walks, where the animal had to 

 traverfe a great extent of ground, in fearch of n half belly lull. Two 

 favourite toafts with the breeders and graziers of this animal, may 

 perhaps afford you forae imperfecl idea of w^hat they conflder its chief 

 excellencies : ' Small in bone, and large in value."* * Symmetry well 

 * covered J^ 



There is one circumftance refpe6ling the agriculture of this 

 county, which, to my comprehenfion, indicates a very high and 

 improved flate of cultivation, and I own, knowing as I do the foil 

 we have to work upon, it has often afforded me matter of very fcrious 

 aftonifliment. The kingdom, I prefume you know, is divided 

 into diftricls for regulating the imports and exports of grain ; 

 and though Norfolk is a diftridl by itlelf, and contains but very 

 little of what can be termed a good natural wheat foil, yet it 

 appears by thefe returns, that the quantity of wheat it exports exceeds 

 that from any of the other diflrids, though in feveral of thefe are unit- 

 ed tw-o or more counties, where the foil appears peculiarly adapted to 

 the growth of that grain. Such is the fa6"l, and a fact which I am 

 perfuaded you will allow fully juftiiieo mc in re-afl'erting that the fpi- 

 rit of Agriculture in this country has improved, is improving, and is 

 not likelv to be diminiflied. 



