( 38 ) 



FARM BUILDINGS. 



In this county, as well as in the greater part of 

 England, the farmers rtill live crowded together in 



villages, 



arrives, ■wliicli is as foon as the leaves are completely off. That operation is perform- 

 ed under the direftion of the owner of the woods or his agent. The part intended to 

 be cut is parcelled out for the convenience of the purchafers into regular fized lots, con- 

 fifting of 20 flatute fquare poles each. The whole of the underwood growing upon 

 each lot is indifcriminately cut, and laid in one direftion, on the ground from which it 

 is produced ; and in feme inftances care is taken to feleft fuch aflr poles, as are of a lar- 

 ger fize and proper to be converted to more valuable purpofes, than thofe which are in- 

 difcriminately fold with the underwood. So foon as the operation of cutting is com- 

 pleted, and the wood parcelled out as above defcribed, a valuation is put upon each lot 

 or parcel, according to its quality, and what it may confift of ; and the whole is then 

 fold to fuch perfons as may be inclined to purchafe the refpeilive lots or parcels, who, 

 over and above the price of the underwood, repay the expence of cutting it, which is 

 proportioned at fo much per pole upon each lot according to its quantity. Such as the 

 prefent mode of management is in thefe woods, their produce is much more coniide- 

 rable to the proprietor than foreft; or chafe woods ; but it is believed it is by no means 

 equal to the produce of well cultivated woods in other parts of the kingdom. The 

 average price of underwood, cut from 1 1 to 14 years growth, is about L,.6per flatute 

 acre ; but it is fometimcs fold fo high as L. 8 per acre. 



The underwood of the purlieu woods, as well as of the other woods in this dillri£t, 

 (the management of which is exa£Hy the fame as that of the purlieu woods), is princi- 

 pally bought by bakers, who confume it as fuel. A confiderable quantity of the fmooth 

 wood is manufactured into llieep-hurdles, which are ufed for tempor<.ry fencing : but 

 in all cafes, a refervation is made by the purchafers of the alti and fallow poles which 

 are ufed for various ufeful purpofes in hufljandry. A fall of oak timber is ufualiy made 

 in that part or quarter from whence the underwood is cut ; the quantity of which, 

 of courfe, depends upon the ftate of the wood, as to a flock of timber. 



The oak timber in the purlieu and private woods, on account of tliere being io good 

 a fucceffion, as well as on account of there being a great deal of underwood, feldom at- 

 tains to fo large a growth as that found in the forefl and chafe woods ; it is therefore 

 much more fit and convertible for country ufcs, and for all purpofes of building and 

 Imfbandry, and is principally bought by carpenters, joiners, wheelwrights, and other 

 artificers in the neighbourhood. 



Chafe IVoods. — There are two chafes in the county, viz.. Gcddlngton and Yardly. 

 Til'; form:r was one; a part of Rockingham foreft ; but permiflion was given by the 



Crown 



