Book I. 



AGRICULTURE OF SUSSEX. 



1127 



elegance of its country seats. [Encyc. qf Garden, Surrey.) Pos- 

 sesses a jgreat advantage over the north and east of Middle- 

 sex and Esiex, in this resi)ect, as the prevalence of the S.W. 

 winds drives away the smoke of London. Pro)jrietors 

 generally reside on their estates, and eagerly introduce im- 

 jirovements. 



Farm lumses and qfpces. Ruinous and mean in the weald, or 

 clayey district bordering on Sussex; better in other places. 

 Oldest of brick covered with slate, stone, or brick nogging and 

 tiles ; situations seldom central or convenient to the farm, in 

 villages. Stables not divided into stalls. Cow-houses near 

 London, good. Cottages often large, convenient, and pictur- 

 esque ; with a porch, a flower-plat, and vine in front. 



Drinking ponds. Great attention paid to these on the Surrey 

 hills; generally a first pond,.\vhere the water deposits its gross- 

 est dirt and mud before it enters the second.. 



4. Occupation. 



Farms of all sizes, but mostly small, forty and fifty acres to 

 three hundred. Largest farm between Guildford and Famham 

 is Wan borough; it contains 1,600 acres; formerly occupied 

 by Morris Birkbeck, and now by his son. Average size one 

 hundred and seventy acres. Tendency to large farms, by which 

 the public is unquestionably benefited, certainly by the saving 

 of labour, and, in all probability, by the superior cultivation 

 and increased produce. The driven out farmer may generally 

 support or enrich himself equally well though in a different 

 line of life. " But in every country, in all situations and cir- 

 cumstances, and in our own country, particularly in the situ- 

 ation in which it is now placed, it is ot the highest importance 

 to consider, whether a mere increase of wealth may not be 

 purchased too dearly ; whether it be prudent or wise to dimi- 

 nish the number of those whose souls are knit to their native 

 land, by stronger ties than are known to the mere manuf.c- 

 turer. To the patriot, it can be little satisfaction to see his 

 country the richest in the world, if the measures and causes 

 which make it rich diminish in the most trifling degree, its 

 independence ; either by raising any passion above the love of 

 our country, or by diminishing the number of those who must 

 be its most natural and powerful defenders. To the moralist it 

 can afford little pleasure to be told, that by the saving of agri- 

 cultural labour, the manufactures of his country will be ex- 

 tended or increased, if he perceive that by the change of 

 employment the health and virtue of part of the community 

 are sacrificed." {Stevensmi.) 



Farmers. Old class about the clayey wealds, equal enemies 

 to improvements in agriculture, and relaxations in morals : 

 have no idea of educating their sons, and so little of the spirit 

 of commerce, that they prefer selling their grain to an old 

 customer at a lower price than taking a higher from a new 

 one. Go to market in round frocks, the dress of their fore- 

 fathers, and shy and jealous to strangers. Nearer town the 

 farmers are more on a level with the age ; but either unable 

 or unwilling to communicate information ; some exceptions 

 of liberal, enlightened, and communicative men. Many trades- 

 men have turned farmers, and occupy lands near town. 



Rent low. Tithe rigidly exacted, jjoor's rates and other out- 

 goings high. 



Leases general, for fourteen or twenty-one years, or on three 

 lives. 



5. Implements. 



Great variety of ploughs, swing ploughs, the Scotch swing 

 plough used only in two places ; bad effect of so many different 

 sorts of ploughs on the servants. The cultivator used by Birk- 

 beck, and highly approved of : with six horses, goes over eight 

 acres in a day. I.,ester's friction threshing-machine introduced 

 in a few places, and found to succeed : but it threshes very 

 slowly, and has no advantages over Meikle's, but that of not 

 breaking the straw of wheat. This advantage is too trifling 

 ever to render it general. Very few winnowing machines. 

 Sowing troughs in use, the advantage of which is, that the 

 sower fills it himself instead of having a woman, toiling through 

 rough ground. Smut machines also in use, in one or two in- 

 stances. ('2796.) 



6. Arable Land. 



Proportion considerable, tillage bad. Drilling,' though intro- 

 duced by Duket of Esher, and strongly recommended, is con- 

 fined to a few adjoining parishes, where the soil is light. 

 Fallowing on clays general, but roost imperfectly executed. 

 Kotations generally good. 



Turnips, supposed to have been grown in Surrey as long or 

 longer than in any county in England. Sir R. Weston, of 

 Sutton, having described the Flanders culture in 1645, and 

 as he addressed his book to his sons, it is thought they would 

 attempt culture. Very badly cultivated at present, and seldom 

 in raised drills. The Siberian turnip has been tried ; it is a 

 variety between the cabbage and turnip, but with a root in- 

 ferior in point of size and flavour to the latter, and a branchy 

 loose top : it does not seem adapted for field culture, though as 

 a novelty it deserves trial and attention. Carrots answer well 

 on the sandy soils. Potato tops sometimes given to cows, cut 

 when in flower ; a bad plan with a view to the tubers. Clover 

 introduced by Sir R. Weston at the same time as turnips. 

 Saintfoiu succeeds well on calcareous soils, producing good 



crops for eight years. In forming a new road though a field of 

 saintfoin, between Croydon and Godstone, the roots were found 

 to have penetrated several yards below the surface. The culture 

 of hops, brought from Suffolk to Famham about A.D. 1600; 

 prefer a calcareous sub-soil: occupy 800,900 acres. Famham 

 hops esteemed more than others, because picked earlier, and 

 hence more delicate, and better sorted. Peppermint, lavender, 

 wormwood, chamomile, liquorice, and poppy, grown near 

 Mitcham ; and more extensively than in any other county. 

 One hundred acres of peppermint. Elecampane, rhubard, 

 soapwort, coltsfoot, vervain, angelica, rosemary, the damask 

 and red roses, hyssop, horehound, marsh mallow, pennyroyal, 

 and several acres of daisies, wall-flowers, sweet-williams, prim- 

 roses, violets, pinks, batchelors-buttons, and the like, are also 

 grown for Covent Garden market, where they are carried, 

 either as entire plants in flower with balls for planting in town, 

 flower-pots or in pots, or the flowers are gathered and sold for 

 nosegays. Weld is grown in a few places. 

 , 7. Grass Land. 



But in small proportion to the rest ; most pasture in the 

 wolds. Paring and burning considered by Birkbeck as the best 

 first step of breaking up old grass lands. 



8. Gardens and Orchards. 



Asparagus grown in great quantities at Mortlake, East 

 Sheen, and Battersea. Radish and other seeds also grown 

 extensively at Battersea. Onions for seed at Mortlake and 

 Barnes: though chiefly at Deptford. Three thousand five 

 hundred acres of Surrey employed in raising vegetables for the 

 London market. Orchards attached to many of the farms, 

 sufficient to supply from four to twelve hogsheads of cider. 

 Generally in a very bad state of cultivation ; trees covered with 

 moss; many walnuts grown at Norbury, and at some other 

 places ; produce 20 to 50 busliels per tree. 



9. iVoods and Plantations. 



The wold formerly a wood : some copse there still : shoots for 

 hoops grown ; charcoals for gunpowder made from hazel, dog- 

 wood, &c.; common charcoal, hop-poles and faggots. Box Hill, 

 formerly called Whitehill, by tradition originally cultivated, till 

 the Earl of Arundel, in the reign of Charles I., brought box 

 trees from Kent, and planted there. Many with good reason 

 think it not planted, but aboriginal. Soil of the hill, pale loam 

 or chalk; timber now all cut; brought only five pounds per 

 ton. Many fir trees on chalk hill : at Crowhurst, one fifty feet 

 high and thirty-six in circumference. Brooms made from 

 the ware or spray of birch to a great extent. Fine limes at 

 Beckworth. Osier holts or grounds about Chertsey and Byfleet, 

 brought the same rent one hundred and fifty years ago which 

 they do now. Furze grown for the burning of bricks; sown 

 both broadcast, and in drills ; cut every three years, and bound 

 like com, then stacked. 



10. Heaths, Commons, and Common Fields. 

 Extensive heaths on south-west ; surface flat, soil back sand, 



and gravel. A number of commons, and great extent of com- 

 mon-field lands. 



11. Improvements. 



Draining, iparing, and burning. Manuring with London 

 manure of a great variety of kinds. 



12. Live Stock. 

 Very inconsiderable ; only six hundred and nineteen cows 



1 a great extent ; many 

 cattle teU by the distillers and starch manufacturers. Adam 

 of Mount Nod, one of the archiiects of that name, has con- 

 structed extensive buildings for cattle, and stall-feeds six 

 hundred at a time. Sheep kept in considerable numbers on 

 the chalk hills and wealds. Birbeck has been very successful 

 in cross-breeding with merinos, that is, with the Ryeland 

 merino of Dr. Parry, and the South Down. Immense number 

 of pigs fed at the distilleries, and of geese kept on the wealds. 

 Dorking hens are well known. (7443.) A hare warren near 

 Banstead Downs, already described. (7365.) 



13. Rural Economy. 



Hands scarce ; servants unsettled ; prejudiced, like many 

 of their masters, against all new practices. 



14. Political Economy. 



Bad roads, though flints and other good materials abound 

 in many places. An iron railway between Wandsworth and 

 Westham for general use ; the first in the kingdom of that 

 kind, the rest being confined to the carriage of goods belong, 

 ing to individuals ; this open to all who choose to employ the 

 waggons ; as a canal is open to all who choose to employ the 

 boat*. Though on a level, and admitting of carriage both ways, 

 yet not found to pay. The first canal locks in England were 

 erected on the VVey. Sir R. Weston, of Sutton, brought the 

 contrivance from Holland ; and, under his direction, the Wey 

 was rendered navigable from Guildford to Weybridge, about 

 1690. Numerous fairs; several flour, paper, and oil mills. An 

 extensive iron work at Garratlane, near Wandle ; a mill for 

 staves at Stoke; a delft manufactory at Mortlake. A hori- 

 zontal air-mill of a new construction at Battersea bridge; 

 several distillers, brewers, and starch manufacturers. Poor, 

 numerous and degraded. Poor's rates enormous. 



7779. SUSSEX. A maritime county of upwards of 900,000 acres ; distinguished by chalk hills and ex- 

 tensive wealds, a rich soil, but little excellence or variety of agriculture : excels in South Down sheep. 

 (//. Young's Sussex, ISOa Marshal's Review, 1818. Smith's Geological Map, 1819. Edin. Gaz., 1827.) 



1. Geographical State and Circumstances. 

 Climate. Warm in western parts, bleak on South Down hills ; 



westerly gales violent, unroof stacks, hedges injured by the 

 spray of the sea. 



Soil. Chalk nearly the universal soil of the South Down 

 hills; clay of the wealds, which constitutes more than half 

 the surface of the county. Rich land about Chichester, and 

 sand and gravel in a few places. 



Surface hilly, most so where the soil is chalk. No high 

 hills. 



Minerals. Sussex or Petworth marble used by the statuaries, 

 but not generally. Limestone, ironstone, sandstone, chalk, 

 marl, and fuller's earth. 



2. State of Property. 



Largest estate 7500/. a year. Most proprietors hold land 

 1X1 their own occupation, and pay great attention to its eul- 



4 



ture, as E. of Egremont, D. of Richmond, E. of Chichester, 

 Lord Sheffield. 



3. Buildings. 



Noblemen's seats splendid, of stone; farm-buildings gene- 

 rally of stone ; on the South Downs built of flints : houses 

 very generally faced with tiles, which keeps the walls dry. 

 Corn generally stacked on circular stone piers, which prevents 

 vermin. Sheep-yards, or permanent folds walled round, and 

 furnished with sheds and hay-racks, have been built by EUman 

 and some other eminent sheep farmers on the Downs. Large 

 wooden bams. Cottages of stone, and on the Downs of flints, 

 and more comfortable than in many parts of England. Mag- 

 nificent semicircular piggery, erected by E. of Egremont, at 

 Petworth. 



4. Mode of Occupation. 



The most extensive farms on dry soils. Average of the 



C 4 



