C 183 ] 



which they fend to departure upon thefe commons 

 is liable to fo many difeafes and accidents, as, one 

 year with another, nearly counterbalances any ad- 

 vantages which can be derived from poffefling this 

 right J while, on the other hand, the keeping fuch 

 extenfive trafts of land in a flate of commonage is 

 attended with one very great difadvantage to the 

 farmers in the neighbourhood, becaufe, while thefe 

 rights of commonage are continued, no attention 

 whatever will be paid to the improvement of the 

 breed of flock; for it is not to be fuppofed that a 

 farmer, who depends upon the fcanty food which 

 thefe commons afford for the maintenance of his 

 cattle, horfes, and ftieep, will ever be at much ex^ 

 pence or trouble for the improvement of the diffe- 

 rent breeds. Without enumerating all the various 

 commons of fmall extent, fituated in different parts 

 of the county, or the nature or extent of the com-? 

 mon rights of paflurage, poffeffed by thofe who re- 

 fide in the neighbourhood of the forefls and chaces, 

 it may only be neceffary here to mention particularly 

 that of 



THE GREAT PETERBOROUGH FEN. 



A traft of fine level land, containing between fix 

 and feven thoufand acres, of a foil equal to any per- 

 haps in the kingdom of Great-Britain, and fufcep- 

 tible of the highcfl cultivation. It is fituated between 

 Peterbgrough and Crowland, towards the North- 



Eaft 



