36 MINUTES SEPT. 



23. about three years ago) at Great Ellingham, 



DIBBLING near Artleborough, gives the following ac- 

 count of the rife and practice of the dibbling of 

 ivbeat. 



The dibbling of peas, he fays, has been a cuf- 

 tom of that part of Norfolk time immemorial ; 

 but the practice has not been extended to wheat 

 above eighteen or twenty years ; nor has it 

 been in any degree general for more than ten 

 years. 



The practice of dibbling wheat probably 

 arofe in this manner. At Deepham, an adjoin- 

 ing parifh to Ellingham, lived one James 

 Stone, a labouring man, who was, in that 

 neighbourhood, a noted dibbler of peas, and 

 who cultivated for himlelf a few acres which 

 he rented with his cottage. He had three chil- 

 dren, who were as expert at " dropping" as the 

 father was at " dabbing ;" and having tome 

 acre or two of clover- lay, which came in courfe 

 for wheat, he conceived the idea of dibbling 

 in the feed ; probably thinking that he mould 

 thereby keep his children from idlenefs, and 

 fave them, at the fame time, an unexpected 

 fupply of bread. 



He accordingly fet about putting Us fibtine 

 in execution, and prefenrly brought his neigh- 

 bours 



