INTRODUCTION 



15 



appearing." The effect of Pringle's policy has been so detrimental to 

 the agriculture of the county and to the general interest of the country, 

 by its elimination of men born on the land, that the entire reversal of 

 it by bringing men back to the land and re-creating the old peasant 

 proprietorship has been the continued policy of governments during 

 the last twenty years. 



In 1829 the statesmen in the county numbered 899, and in 1849 

 they numbered 549, showing a diminution of 350 in twenty years. 

 The following table shows that the diminution was general throughout 

 the four wards : — 



The diminution in the number of statesmen was not entirely due 

 to economic causes. A well-known baronet once said to a statesman 

 on the death of one of his class : "I suppose he died of drinking." 

 " Well," was the reply, " I'se niver heard out to't contrary." 



The inclosed lands adjoining the farms were divided by hedges 

 and stone walls into inclosures of irregular shape, " many of which 

 do not contain half an acre ; there are a few of 8 to 10 acres, and in 

 general they may contain 3 to 5 acres." In the early winter the ash 

 trees which grew in the hedges and along the road sides were lopped 

 and the branches strewed in the fields for sheep and cattle to browse 

 on, a custom which still continues in some of the higher dales. 



In addition to the restricted inclosed lands, the farmer had the 

 commons and unlimited rights upon the fell, nearly all of which were 

 without " stint," upon which their stock had to take its chance along 

 with that of their neighbours. In 1793 Bishop Watson estimated that 

 three-quarters of the total area of the county was uncultivated waste 



