82 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY 



the attention of the new Board will, I truft, foon 

 be fixed upon this important object, fo as to find 

 the means of removing the great impediments 

 which prevent their inclofure, upon which I have 

 made a further obfervation under the head of com- 

 mon fields. 



After making a fair deduction for roads, there 

 are fuppofed to be fomewhat more than eighty 

 thoufand acres. 



From obfervation and enquiry, I find, that in 

 the mod fertile parts of England, the people em- 

 ployed in agriculture, and the rural trades con- 

 netted with it, are in about the proportion of one 

 to fix acres; and if a proportionate number be ad- 

 ded for the towns, and people employed in other 

 trades, not connected with hufbandry, the number 

 will be, perhaps, as one to four acres of land. But 

 as the more ordinary parts will not carry lo high a 

 population, the fafer average may be to fet the fcale 

 generally, as one to five acres ; and as thefe lands do 

 not fupport a third of the number of people which 

 they would do, if they were cultivated ; however, 

 llippofing they do, at this time, fupport a third of 

 what they would do if improved, (till there is an 

 apparent lofs of io,666 perfons, in this county only, 

 which being highly agricultural, with a large pro- 

 portion of manufactories and trade, I {hall leave 



the 



