l8oO. Review of Midd/efex Survey. *Jf 



greater abfurdity can hardly be found, than to tax land, houfes, 

 money, flock in trade, merchandife, tbipping, &c. for the fupport 

 of the church. Land has certainly no more analogy than (hipping, 

 to the church ; yet, no one ever thought of taxing fliipping for the 

 fupport of it. Neither, I repeat, ought land to be affcffable for 

 that purpofe. " 



Mr Middleton is a friend to Leafes^ and thinks the with- 

 holding them is a powerful bar to improvements. Fie is alfo 

 an advocate for the tenant having power to fell or afilgn his 

 leafe, and thinks it b.ul policy to deny him that liberty : fen- 

 timents, in v.hich we heartily concur. 



Under the article of Expence and Profit^ (a feflion which 

 ought r.ot to have been included in the plan laid down by the 

 Board) we notice a ftatement of the produce of 150 aicres of 

 grafs land, which is fuppofed to yield the farmer 2I. per acre 

 of profit. We have no idea that any land will admit of be- 

 ing annually cut for hay for any length of time, unlefs it is 

 very frequently recruited with dung ; and cannot think the 

 quantity of dung applied (300 loads) would prevent its pro- 

 grelfive deterioration. We know no method fo efFeftual to 

 fcourge land, as to cut hay from it every year ; indeed the 

 crops in the neighbourhood of London (which are but poor 

 indeed) corroborate this do6trine. 



Speaking of the Implements of Hujhandry^ Mr Middleton 

 makes a comparifon between the fwing plough, and one of the 

 fame conflruilion upon wheels, and very jurtly gives the pre- 

 ference to the former. No excufe can be admitted for ufing 

 the latter, except where unfkilful ploughmen prevail ; and, 

 from our obfervation, good ploughmen are very fcarce in 

 Middlefex. He juftly reprobates the fwing plough common- 

 ly ufed in that county, which is, without queflion, the mofc 

 awkward implement for tilling ground that can be imagined. 



The Commoiis in Middlefex are next defcribed ; and the 

 great difadvantages fuftained by the public, from their being 

 allowed to remain in that unproduiflive flate, are detailed in 

 a perfpicuous manner. It muft excite aftonifliment, that, in 

 this county, where the means of improvement are fo nu- 

 merous, the wafte lands fhould equal the quantity annually 

 fown with corn ; yet fuch is the fa6t. 1 Mr Middleton ftates, 

 that the neighbourhood of commons is unfriendly to the health 

 and longevity of mankind ; which is an additional leafon for 

 improving them. 



The calculations, p. iir, refpecting the number of per- 

 fons wholly fupported by agriculture in England and Wales, 

 are curious. 



" Cultivators 



