!96 THE NATURAL HISTORY [LETT. 



but then the wicks of those have two ribs of the rind, or peel, 

 to support the pith, while the wick of the dipped rush has but 

 one. The two ribs are intended to impede the progress of the 

 flame and make the candle last. 



In a pound of dry rushes, avoirdupois, which I caused to be 

 weighed and numbered, we found upwards of one thousand six 

 hundred individuals. Now suppose each of these burns, one with 

 another, only half an hour, then a poor man will purchase eight 

 hundred hours of light, a time exceeding thirty-three entire days, 

 for three shillings. According to this account each rush, before 

 dipping, costs -^ of a farthing, and T ' T afterwards. Thus a 

 poor family will enjoy 5i hours of comfortable light for a 

 farthing. An experienced old housekeeper assures me that one 

 pound and a half of rushes completely supplies his family the 

 year round, since working people burn no candle in the long 

 days, because they rise and go to bed by daylight. 



Little farmers use rushes much, in the short days, both 

 morning and evening, in the dairy and kitchen ; but the very 

 poor, who are always the worst economists, and therefore must 

 continue very poor, buy a halfpenny candle every evening, 

 which, in their blowing open rooms, does not burn much more 

 than two hours. Thus have they only two hours light for their 

 money instead of eleven. 



While on the subject of rural economy, it may not be im- 

 proper to mention a pretty implement of housewifely that I 

 have seen nowhere else ; that is, little neat besoms which our 

 foresters make from the stalk of the Polytricum commune, or 

 great golden niaid.en-hair, which they call silk-wood, and find 

 plenty in the bogs. When this moss is well combed and 

 dressed, and divested of its outer skin, it becomes of a beauti- 

 ful bright chestnut colour ; and, being soft and pliant, is very 

 proper for the dusting of beds, curtains, carpets, hangings, &c. 

 If these besoms were known to the brushmakers in town, it is 

 probable they might come much more into use for the purpose 

 above mentioned. 1 



SELBORNE, Nov. 1, 1776. 



1 A besom of this sort is to be seen in Sir Ashton Lever's Museum. 



