CHAPTER X. 



MINOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 



I HAD not intended at first to treat these particulars sepa- 

 rately. But I found that by grouping them I might more con- 

 veniently call attention to certain facts in the progress of 

 English agriculture and gardening, than by including them 

 in the inevitable list of sundry articles. But some few are in- 

 cluded in the corn prices, and it will be found that some are still 

 left with the sundries to be commented on hereafter. As I 

 deal with the successive periods, articles which formed the 

 subjects of special tables, and required particular comment, 

 because they were so common in the accounts, disappear 

 altogether, or so rarely occur that they are most conveniently 

 treated among the mass of sundry purchases. The first 

 entry with which I deal is one which is printed among the 

 corn prices. 



GRUDGINS. At the present time, this name is understood 

 in the Eastern counties to be a kind of rather fine pollard, 

 containing more flour than bran does, but still a fully-ground 

 bran. It may be quite correct to define it thus at the present 

 day, and quite incorrect to understand it in such a sense when 

 used three centuries ago. 



My entries of grudgins are all from King's College, Cam- 

 bridge. They are found over a space of sixty-one years, from 

 1583 to 1643 inclusive, when they suddenly and permanently 

 disappear. They are plainly (i) a produce of the bakehouse 

 or mill, and bear but a small proportion to the annual con- 

 sumption of the College ; (2) what is entered in the account is 



