188 NATUEAL HISTORY 



of comfortable light for a farthing. An experienced old 

 housekeeper assures me that one pound and an 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 an 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 oeconomy, it may not be 

 improper to mention a pretty implement of housewifery that 

 we have seen no where else ; that is, little neat besoms which 

 our foresters make from the stalk of the polytricum commune, 

 or great golden maiden-hair, which they call silk-wood, and 

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

 dressed, and divested of it's outer skin, it becomes of a beau- 

 tiful bright chestnut colour ; and, being soft and pliant, is 

 very proper for the dusting of beds, curtains, carpets, hang- 

 ings, &c. If these besoms were known to the brushmakers in 

 town, it is probable they might come much in use for the 

 purpose above-mentioned. 1 



I am, &c. 



* [The following extract from tlie act of Parliament imposing an 

 excise duty on candles (8th. and 9th of Queen Anne) is directly appli- 

 cable to the custom so particularly described in this letter : " N.B. 

 Small rushlights as shall be made by any person to be used in their own 

 houses only, so as none of them be made for sale, and so as such &c. be 

 only once dipped in or once drawn through grease or kitchen-stuff, and 

 not at all through any tallow melted or refined, shall not be chargeable." 

 The rush-burners are now quite obsolete. I have one in my possession ; 

 and there is one in the museum at Kew Gardens, which I sent thither 

 several years ago. The Rev. Mr. Howard of Blackmoor has one of them ; 

 and there may possibly be some still hoarded in the cottages as relics of 

 a former custom ; but their use has long been a thing of the past. T. B.] 



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



