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I am by no means willing, howevef , to 

 concede to Mr. B., that the great supe- 

 riority of the Gloucestershire meadows 

 over the Dorsetshire, can arise from the 

 difference that subsisted in the quality of 

 the soils before they were floated ; for the 

 soil of the best of our meadows, is, in 

 general, of that very kind which Mr. B. 

 seems almost to contemn ; either strong 

 clay or boggy soil. The best meadow 

 in the pariah to which I allude, is entirely 

 a strong cold clay ; and the hay that is 

 cut from this meadow, will fat an ox as 

 soon as the best upland hay in the neigh- 

 bourhood, though it is an excellent grazing 

 county. This meadow is the best in the 

 parish, merely, I presume to say, because 

 it is the highest upon the stream, and 

 being well attended to, is the fii-st that 

 receives the water, after it is enriched by 

 the wash of the streets, &c., ©f the town of 



Cirencester. 



