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general and comprehensive knowledge of agriculture, both prac- 

 tii al and speculative, and of genius to suggest such modern im- 

 provements as are best adapted to the situation and soil. Two per- 

 sons thus qualified, are fully competent to execute the office with 

 credit to themselves, and justice to the proprietors. But should 

 the concern sutler by the absence of either through sickness, private 

 business, or any other cause, a clause in the act might be inserted 

 impowering them, or the proprietors, to choose a third for the 

 purpose of avoiding delay. Commissioners whose residence is at a 

 great distance, should only be resorted to, as an alternative from 

 the impossibility of getting others properly qualified near home, on 

 account of the extra charges of time and travelling expences. 



The office of commissioner is without doubt the first in conse- 

 quence and authority, under an inclosing act, but with respect to 

 emolument the very lowest. Even the clerks bill of charges, not as 

 a solicitor acting in that capacity, but as any other indifferent per- 

 son did in times past exceed twice, and sometimes three times the 

 amount of the fees of the former. The public have been not a 

 little misled in their conceptions of this subject. The real fact is, 

 that the whole of the responsibility attaches to the office of commis- 

 sioner, which in pecuniary recompence is by far the most insig- 

 nificant. 



Thus have I impartially stated the defects of the present system 

 with their correspondent remedies. In its most improved state it 

 will retain somewhat of imperfection which perhaps cannot be en- 

 tirely obviated- 



I shall only add, that within a few years past in the neighbour- 

 hood of Wells, an inclosure was farmed by an attorney of extensive 

 practice, and well known respectability, at a sum considerably less 

 than it would have amounted to in the usual way. The commis- 

 sioners were appointed by the proprietors ; the business executed 

 with singular dispatch, and all parties interested perfectly satisfied. 

 Fences, roads, &c. were made by the proprietors. 



When the inclosing system is appretiated by its obvious tendency 

 to increase the produce of land, and the demand for labor, to aug- 

 ment the rate of wages to the husbandman, and to lessen the 

 amount of the poor's rate, it is a subject of regret and astonish- 

 ment, that so few means have been devised by the legislature, 



either 



