1782. 



NORFOLK. 



'53 



quently as near the root, as may be; it being 89. 



an idea, even unto a proverb, that one inch CUTTING 



REED. 

 below the water is worth two above.it; for the 



part which now appears green changes to a 

 blackifh-brown, and becomes as hard as horn ; 

 whereas that which grows above the water is 

 brittle, and of a more perilhable nature. 



Having encumbered their boat they pufh it 

 to the fbore, and make up the reed into 

 fheaves (with thumbands made of ftraw) of 

 fuch a fize that five of them will make a fa- 

 thom of fix feet in circumference : (fome- 

 times the fheaves are made fix to a fathom) 

 fixty of thofe fathoms are a load ; and a hun- 

 dred and twenty are termed a hundred of 

 reed ; worth about three pounds. 



The matts of roots frequently feparate in 

 cutting the reed, and float about the water, 

 ftill propagating reeds in fmall clumps ; not 

 larger, perhaps, at firft than the top of a 

 bufhel. 



This feems to be the fpeediefl way of propa- PROPAGAT. 

 gating reed ; namely, feparate the beds of roots; 

 drag them to different parts of the water ; and 

 fatten them with flakes, until the roots get 

 hold of the bottom. 



The ftarlings have done confiderable da- 

 mage to this patch of reed : the outfides look 



fair ; 



OF REZD. 



