16 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



a second harvest in September by hop-picking. Formerly, in the 

 dead months they availed themselves greatly by spinning wool, 

 for making of barragons, a genteel corded stuff, much in vogue at 

 that time for summer wear ; and chiefly manufactured at Alton, 

 a neighbouring town, by some of the people called Quakers ; but 

 from circumstances this trade is at an end.* The inhabitants 

 enjoy a good share of health and longevity; and the parish 

 swarms with children. 



NOTE TO LETTER V. 



1 Mr. Bell, who lives in the house which was White's, says that the rainfall 

 at Selborne now is much a.bove the average, and White rightly attributes this 

 to the hilly and wooded nature of the district. 



LETTER VI. 



SHOLLD I omit to describe with some exactness the forest of 

 Wolmer, of which three-fifths perhaps lie in this parish, my account 

 of Selborne would be very imperfect, as it is a district abounding 

 with many curious productions, both animal and vegetable ; and 

 has often afforded me much entertainment both as a sportsman 

 and as a naturalist. 



The royal forest of Wolmer is a tract of land of about seven 

 miles in length, by two and a half in breadth, running nearly from 

 north to south, and is abutted on, to begin to the south, and so 

 to proceed eastward, by the parishes of Greatham, Lysse, Rogate, 

 and Trotton, in the county of Sussex ; by Bramshot, Hedleigh, 

 and Kingsley. This royalty consists entirely of sand covered 

 with heath and fern ; but is somewhat diversified with hills and 

 dales, without having one standing tree in the whole extent. In 

 the bottoms, where the waters stagnate, are many bogs, which 



* Since the passage above was written, I am happy in being able to say 

 that the spinning employment is a little revived, to the no small comfort of the 

 industrious housewife. 



