OF NORFOLK. 183 



the year, and to leave the ftool in a jagged fiate, fo 

 as to admit the wet into it, which caufes it to dccav. 

 On the contrary, wood fhould never be cut bat in 

 the winter feafon, and fhould be cut upwards to 

 a fmooth point, and as clofe to the (tools as poffi- 

 ble, and then it will fhoot agrain with more vigour. 



I have taken the liberty to point out thefe prac- 

 tices, as discreditable to this county, but I do not 

 know of any other which are very reprehenfibie, 

 but there is one, which is prevalent in fome other 

 counties, which has a very hurtful tendency, I 

 mean that of burn-baking, upon which, I trnft, I 

 mall not be confidered as going much out of my 

 way, if I exprefs my fentiments upon it with free- 

 dom, in this place; I will frankly avow I doit 

 with the double view of preventing its introduction 

 here, and checking its progrefs elfewhere ; for 

 though the crops obtained from it, are fuch as to 

 produce a temporary advantage to the occupier, 

 it is a mortgage without redemption upon the 

 fee-fimple of the land, by reducing the flank*, 

 and depriving the foil of it natural grades. The 

 better way is to fcalc-plough the furface, and af- 

 terwards bury the roots and give them time to rot, 

 and land, thus ufud, is generally very fertile and 

 kind. Bum-baking is, in my opinion, a very per- 

 nicious practice, and 1 trull will foon be explod- 

 ed. If it is any where to be allowed, it is upon 

 the coarfe fenny parts of Lincolnfhire — upon a 



mallow 



