12 



Thus then have I represented to you, gentlemen, what I could not see without admiration, nor deny 

 myself the pleasure of communicating to you without great violation to my feelings, considering the ho- 

 nourable situation in which I stand amongst you, and what I think I have clearly pointed out to you, 

 ~Viz. a practical plan in the feeding of horses and cows, so as to derive great advantage to your- 

 selves and benefit to the pubUc. These are not the ideal reveries of a man intoxicated with conjectural 

 agriculture, nor the precepts of a book'learnt farmer, but deductions drawn from the useful economical 

 practice of a man, who has pursued from necessity, (the best of teachers) those means of supporting a 

 great number of horses and cows, which otherwise could not have been kept upon the farm he occupies. 

 The consequence would have been, his collieries could not have been worked without an enormous out- 

 going expense, nor the inhabitants of Workington (consisting of 8000 persons) been supplied with one 

 quarter of the milk necessary. And as to the comparison of carts and waggons, it is past contradiction, 

 tliat in this county we are using a heavy, cumbersome, expensive, tumbril and waggon, requiring one- 

 horse at least to drag each unloaded, and by that means increasing the number of horses to be kept > 

 whilst in the county of Cumberland, the agriculture of which it would be an affront to you to put in 

 competition with your owft, {as you may well believe after what I have stated of it in general) a neat, 

 light, strong one-horse cart, capable of carrying manure, lime, marl, coals, corn, &c. is used for any 

 weight and for any distance, to the advantage and benefit of the farmer and the ease of the horse. I 

 speak not of quick carriage ; I know perfectly well the activity with which our harvest is got in, but 

 surely a light neat BerksWre waggon, or a waggon formed by joining two Cumberland carts together, 

 (which might very easily be done) would be better for the purpose than that now in use, and be far less 

 expensive. I might go nmch farther in my observations upon these statements, and shew how much is 

 lost to the kingdom at large, by the present general plan of managing and feeding horses, and increas- 

 ing their number beyond what is absolutely necessary :* but such statements are more proper for the 

 statesman ; the farmer will learn but little from them, and I think I have neither suppressed, what is for 

 his interest to know, nor in anywise over-rated the advantages to be gained by him in his individual ca- 

 pacity by the simple methods I have used. Indeed I am convinced, that whatever may be his senti- 

 ments upon the particulars I have stated, every farmer will conclude with me in general, that economy 

 in the management of the food of horses and stock,t is an art necessary to be learnt. 



I conclude by proposing premiums for the reduction of the food of horses and stock, and for improv- 

 ing <:arriages of burden, and have the honour to remain, 



Gentlemen, 



Your obedient Servant, 

 % 



Seaming^ November Isf, 1807. 



SECRETAliV. 



* It is almost incredible, what the number of acres absolotely necessary ls» The horses necessary for two mail coaches 

 up and down from London, to a place 108 miles distant, require 730 acres of oats, allowing each acre to produce 12^ 

 toombs, and allowing to tach horse \ a bushel per day. 



f Quere. — 3Iay not all kinds of stock, even grazing stock, eat more food than is necessary ? 



■A 



Norwich : Printed by f? , " 



•Stevenson & Matcbett. " ' . i* 



