8z B R O K H A M. 



found the land fo exceffively ftoney, that the 

 expence of clearing was too great to be within 

 a poffibility of anfwering. One field of eight 

 acres coft lool. in clearing: walls were built 

 jo feet thick, with ffones that arofe in clear- 

 ing the land. The undertaking went on for 

 4 years, but was then concluded in the way 

 one might have expected. The men were ruin- 

 ed, and Mr. Town-fhend fufFered confiderably 

 by the expences of the undertaking, rifing in- 

 finitely beyond what he had ever thought they 

 could amount to. 



Had Mr. Townfhend met with farmers of 

 fufficient knowledge in their profeffion, they 

 would' not probably have fixed on this fpot at 

 all ; certainly when they found to what excefs 

 it abounded with ftones, they would have per- 

 fuaded him either to give them other land, or 

 have hired a more favourable foil of fome other 

 landlord : at aft events to perfift in improving 

 a fpot, the improvement of which could never 

 be repaid, whether it was upon their own, or 

 their landlord's account, was equally inexcufa- 

 ble in point of prudence, and the lure way to 

 bring difcredit on the undertaking, and ridi- 

 cule on what falfely acquired the name of Eng- 

 lifi hiijlandry. Planting is the only proper im- 

 provement for land abounding to iuch excefs 

 with recks. 



From hence I reached Sir John Coulthurft's 

 atKnightibridge, who has a very extenfive ef- 

 tate here, 7000 acres of which are mountain 



and 



