444 The Agriculture of Worcestershire. 



be paid at those turnpikes where it was thought necessary for a 

 person to sit up at night and watch, that no horned stock passed 

 through without showing proper certificates, with some other 

 interesting facts about the cattle-plague, showing that when the 

 authorities relaxed their vigilance it broke out afresh. In speak- 

 ing of the old customs, he says it was customary for the farmers to 

 finish wheat-sowing by Allontide eve ( Allhallows, November 1st), 

 and further mentions the saying — 



At Michaelmas fair (2nd Oct.) 

 The wheat should cover a hare. 



Aeea and Population. 



Worcestershire is bounded on the north by the manufacturing 

 districts of Staffordshire, on the north-east and east by Warwick- 

 shire, with its important manufacturing towns of Birmingham 

 and Coventry ; on the south-east and south by Gloucestershire 

 with its sheep, dairies, and ports ; on the west by Herefordshire, 

 with its cattle, cider, hops, and timber, and on the north-west by 

 Shropshire, with its sheep, cattle, and timber. 



It will thus be seen that many valuable commodities have to 

 pass through the county to and from the manufacturing districts. 



Its area is, according to ' Kelly's Directory,' about 780 square 

 miles, or 459,710 acres ; Avhile Dr. Nash, in his ' History of 

 Worcestershire,' published in 1781, estimates it at 618,240 

 acres, at 10^. per acre. 



The acreage assessed to the county rate in 1865 is 455,013 

 acres, and the amount 1,146,2667. ; but this does not include the 

 boroughs, and is, therefore, an approximation only. The gross 

 estimated rental of property assessed for the poor-rate is about 

 1,457,196/., and the rateable value about 1,262,1317. 



The population, according to ' Kelly and Go's. Directory ' 

 was, in 1831, 222,655; in 1841, 248,460; in 1851, 276,926; 

 and in 1861, 307,397. Of these the mines employ 2000 per- 

 sons ; hardware, 8000, of which 6000 are engaged in making 

 nails, the rest needles, &c. ; irozi and steel, 1200 ; glass, 400 ; 

 porcelain, 500 ; brick-making, 400 ; glove-making, 2000 ; car- 

 pets, ] 500 ; woollen, lace, ribbon, &c., 2000 ; and all these 

 manufactories have great influence on the agriculture of the 

 county, more especially on the garden produce. 



It has navigable rivers, the Severn, the Avon, and the Stour. 



The Stour, which is converted into a canal, forms the con- 

 necting link between its agricultural districts and the manu- 

 facturing districts of Staffordshire. The Birmingham and Wor- 

 cester Ganal, the Kington Ganal, and that to Droitwich, all 

 afford facilities for the conveyance of agricultural produce. Water 

 conveyance has, however, to a great extent been superseded by 



