THE EASTERN COUNTIES. 221 



of the East Saxons, now the county of Essex, containing, 

 like Sussex and Kent, about one million of acres, and 

 in point of history very similar to these. Notwith- 

 standing its proximity to London, however, we shall not 

 find it in a better condition. It almost all rests upon 

 the clay ; owing to which, as in similar districts of Sus- 

 sex, the system of farming is that which has cereals for 

 its object. From the same cause, also, there is a greater 

 division of property and farming than in three-fourths of 

 England. The generality of farms are from one hundred 

 to three hundred acres, and many are cultivated by their 

 own proprietors. Formerly the agriculture of the county 

 owed a relative prosperity to these different circumstances. 

 At the beginning of the present century rents averaged 

 20s. per acre, and rose gradually to 25s. ; but since 

 strong lands lost favour, this was followed by a down- 

 ward movement, which reduced them nearly to their 

 former figure. 



This falling off in the return produced the ordinary 

 consequences ; properties, generally speaking, have been 

 mortgaged to the extent of more than half their value. 

 The English do not fail to attribute this to their too 

 great division. Whatever be the cause, the evil was real, 

 and it left the proprietors defenceless against the crisis. 

 The result has been a pretty large number of forced 

 sales, which has lowered the average value of the land 

 by one-fourth, or probably a third. 



Fortunately for Essex, it possesses, like its neighbours, 

 one of those energetic individuals who anticipate the 

 future while seeking by every means to escape from the 

 difficulties of the present. In one of the worst parts of 

 the county, near Kelvedon, is situated the famous farm 

 of Tiptree Hall, belonging to Mr Mechi, a cutler in the 

 City, who is devoted to agriculture. 



