hui-ft-lieath, Wickham-heath, and the numerous 

 commons that are to be found in all direaions, con- 

 tain, without exaggeration, at leaft 40,000 acres. 

 ' In their prefent wild and uncultivated ftate, little 

 or nothing is returned by them to the community : 

 except fome deer in the Royal Foreft, we generally 

 fee, on all the commons and wafte lands, a number 

 of miferable cattle, (heep, and horfes, which are a 

 dif^race to their refpeaive breeds, and the caufe of 

 many diftempcrs, which I am perfuaded have their 

 origin from the animals which are doomed to the 

 impoverifliing fubfiflence of grazing on them. 



The wafte lands and commons of this kingdom 

 have, for centuries part, been the theme of many 

 publications, and a fubjea on which many fpecula- 

 live thoughts have been given. The plans propofed 

 for their improvement have been various, but they 

 have all agreed in the propriety of their cultivation; 

 and complained of the lofs the nation fuftains by 

 their prefent negleaed ftate. 



At this time, when agriculture is fo highly patro- 

 nized and encouraged, it may be hoped fome effec 

 tual plans may be eftabliflied ^o polifti this rough 

 jewel, which lies difregarded, and unproduaive, m 

 all parts of this induftrious iftand. 



To apportion the wafte lands and commons, is 

 certainly an arduous and difficult ta]k. We often 

 find the poft'effors of large property, as difcontented 

 and adverfe to any ftep that leads towards bringmg 



this 



