L ^37 1 



raoft of fuch Inclofures mud have been brought 

 about, from motives not ftri£Hy combined with views 

 to improved agriculture. 



In but few inftances, have we feen improved 

 fyftems of farming, adopted upon the new inclofures 

 which have taken place j and except Lydlington, the 

 property of the Earl of Upper OiTory ; Sundon, 

 the property of Sir John Buchanan Riddell, 

 bart. and Potton; it does not appear, that any 

 regular fyfteras of farming were laid down upon the 

 inclofmg of land, or have been fince purfued upon 

 it ; but it has been a praftice for the perfons who 

 were the tenants in the open field flate, to take the 

 new inclofed land at a confiderable advance of rent, 

 without any knowledge or view towards improved 

 agriculture, and generally without any falutary rc- 

 flriftions as to management, or any example or en- 

 couragement towards good hufbandry. No wonder 

 that fuch tenants purfued profpeifts of immediate 

 gain, without any view to future advantage; the 

 land was cropped fucceflively with the mod exhaufl:-> 

 ing crops, it became poor and foul, and fuch proceed- 

 ings have brought the meafure of inclofmg very 

 undefervedly into difrepute in this county. 



The town of Bedford is chiefly furrounded by 

 common fields, the foils of which are of the mod 

 improveable nature by means of inclofing, whereby 

 the barbarous practices of the common fields might 

 be abolifhed, and the foil applied fuccefsfuUy to the 



purpofcs 



