il800. during a Tour through Etigland, 2^3 



care beftowed upon the working of the landj could not 

 prevent Summer f;illo\v from being nectlFary, as the feed 

 furrows, for both crops, were generally given at a period of 

 the year, when the ground was not in the moft favourable 

 condition for receiving benefit; though I had not a doubt, but 

 that, if the beans were fufiiciently cleaned, the line orcourfe 

 of crops might thereby be extended, providing the ground "^ 

 was duly manured. His Lordfliip then mentioned, that he 

 thought, in the bean hufbandry, the intervals of the drills 

 fhould not exceed eighteen inches ; and that a hand-hoe, 

 invented by the celebrated Mr Ducket, which, in the hands of 

 a woman, was capable of cleaning one acre per day, was the 

 beft inftrument to be ufed. I remarked, that cleaning an 

 acre per day by one hand, was an uncommon circuniftance ; 

 as three women would hardly, in that time, go over an acre 

 of turnips, which were generally raifed upon fofter foils, 

 and had received a greater extent of culture ; and that, with 

 fubmiflion, I was of opinion, if beans were m.eant to be raifed 

 upon the great fcale, that no mode of working them was 

 equal to the horfe-hoeing hufbandry. under which the bufi- 

 nefs was performed at lefs expence, and in a completer ftyle, 

 than it was pofTible to execute upon locims and clays by hand- 

 work. His Lordlhip referred me to the office for a fight of 

 Mr Ducket's hoe, which, he politely obferved, would con- 

 tribute to produce a change in my fentiments. 



His Lordfhip appeared to poffefs a good deal of informa- 

 tion refpe6l:ing practical hufliandry, and difplayed a degree 

 of keennefs when difcufTing the different fubjedts which oc- 

 cupied our converfation. 



I next went to the ofHce, but was forry to learn that the 

 bean-hoe was returned to Mr Ducket, for fome neceffary 

 alterations ; fo my prepoiTefTion in favour of the horfe-hoe- 

 ing fyftem continues unremoved. The clerks very civilly 

 Ihewed me the innumerable models of hufbandry implements 

 belonging to the Board, which, if preferved from deflru6lion, 

 will, in a couple of centuries, prove an immenfe gratification 

 to the antiquarian. 



I have been out at our friend in Hertfordfiiire, who 



has a fnug little box, and a fmall property in that county. 

 He keeps the latter entirely in grafs, which certainly faves 

 him a deal of trouble ; and I do not think profit feems to be 

 his object. The Hertfordfliire plough, for flrength and fize, 

 exceeds every inPurument in the kingdom for breaking up 

 ground : our old Scotiih plough ij but a child, incomparifou 



with 



