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common. The possession of a cow or two with a hog, and a few 

 geese, naturally exalts the peasant in his own conception, above his 

 brethren in the same rank of society. It inspires some degree of 

 confidence in a property, inadequate to his support. In sauntering 

 after his cattle he acquires a habit of indolence. Quarter, half, 

 and occasionally whole days are imperceptibly lost. Day labour 

 becomes disgusting, the aversion increases by indulgence, and at 

 length the sale of a half-fed calf, or hog, furnishes the means of 

 adding 'intemperance to idleness. The sale of the cow frequently 

 succeeds, and its wretched and disappointed possessor unwilling 

 to resume the daily and regular course of labour from whence 

 he drew his former subsistance, by various modes of artifice and 

 imposition exacts from the poor's rate, that relief to which he is 

 in no deoree intitlcd. 







This description is by no means exaggerated. The parish of 

 Wedmore, abounding with cottage commons, and one of the 

 largest and most opulent in this county, will illustrate its truth and 

 justice. Within twenty years there have been inclosed upwards of 

 3000 acres of rich moor land, heretofore when in commons ren- 

 dered unproductive by inundations and their consequences, six or 

 seven months in the year, and when pascible for the remaining months, 

 of little value from being overstocked ; which land is now set 

 with liberal allowance of profit to the occupier from ten to fifty 

 shillings per acre. These inclosure are made by ditches, which by 

 annual cleansing and spreading the contents over the surface afford 

 an excellent manure, with a new and extensive source of labour of 

 the most productive kind, whereby the poor's rate have been gra- 

 dually reduced one third of their former amount, before any in- 

 closure had taken place. 



The second objeclion to inclosing is the supposed injury done to the 

 breeding system. 



Few observations will suffice on this head. Commons are in gene- 

 ral overstocked. Young cattle abridged of theirfood become stunted 

 in their growth, and injured in shape and form. To restore them 

 in these respects by better keeping is sometimes impracticable— 

 always expensive. It is more than problematical with many in- 

 telligent farmers in the neighbourhood, whether from the circum- 

 stances, before mentioned, the breeding system on an average of 



F seasons 



