( 5B ) 



extent of the value of 3 lb. of meat, in a quarter of 

 mutton, compared with that of an equal weight of 

 bone. It has been calculated, that every inhabitant in 

 the kingdom eats a fheep in the year. The calculation 

 di.es not feem to be extravagant, and therefore the 

 great queftion in a national point of view, whether 

 the breeds of thefe animals are improved, or reduced, 

 to the value of i s. the head, appears of very great im- 

 portance, and no doubt merits every degree of at- 

 tention which the Board of Agriculture can bellow, 

 the difference either way being nearly equal to 

 L. 400,000 a-year. The manner in which this fpe- 

 cies of (lock is managed, and the prices, and con- 

 ditions on which the tups are hired out, are fo parti- 

 cularly mentioned in other reports of this nature, that 

 it is judged proper to avoid a minute detail here, as 

 not tendmg in any degree to promote the objed in 

 view. 



OBSTACLES to IMPROVEMENT. 



The obftacles to improvement may be claffed un- 

 der the following heads : 



The continuance of open field lands ; 

 Tithes payable in kind ; and, 

 The want of leafes. 



Open Field Lands. — The management of the open 

 field farms is governed by the eftabliflied cuftoms 

 which have prevailed in the parifh for ages. An 

 open field parifli may be claffed into three divifions, 

 viz. tillage, meadow, and paflurage. 



The tillage lands are cropped in the manner be- 

 fore mentioned, and the feveral occupiers muft con- 

 form to the ancient mode of cultivation of each di- 

 vilion or field in which their lands are refpedively 

 fituated ; from which it will appear, that one obfti- 



nate 



