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6 * a cuftom in that part of Norfolk, time i: 

 " memorial ; but the practice has not been ex- 

 " tended to wheat above eighteen or twenty 

 ' years ; nor has been in any degree general 

 " for more than ten years. 



" The practice of dibbling wheat proba- 

 bly arofe in this manner. At Deepham, 

 ' an adjoining parifh to Ellingham, lived 

 6 one James Stone, a labouring man, who 

 " was, in that neighbourhood, a netted dib- 

 " bier of peafe, and who cultivated for him- 

 " felf a few acres, which he rented with his 

 cottage. He had three children, who were 

 as expert ^at " dropping," as the father was 

 at " dabbing ;" and having fome acre or 

 ** two of clover-lay, which came in courfe 

 w for wheat, he conceived the idea of dib- 

 ; bling in the feed ; probably thinking, that 

 u he (hould thereby keep his children from 

 a idlenefs, and fave them, at the fame time, 

 c% an unexpected fupply of bread. 



" He accordingly let about putting his 

 lU fcheme in execution, and prefently brought 

 " his neighbours about him. Some of them 

 " fmiled, and others laughed at his experi- 

 " ment. He, neverthelefs, proceeded with 

 u his little crops, and finilhed his patch. 



" The 



*,. 



" 



c 



