THE WESTERN COUNTIES. 237 



average is 30s., and it rises to double, and even treble in 

 the Vale. 



A country uniting so many advantages, so near to 

 London, and with such outlets as Bath and Bristol for 

 its produce, favoured besides by nature with that beauti- 

 ful grass vegetation which produces such high rents, might 

 be supposed to be in a very flourishing condition. The 

 working classes suffer, however, and the manifest cause 

 of it is over-population. It is just this over-population 

 which, by provoking an undue competition for the farms, 

 has caused at once high rents and the too great division 

 of land. Since 1801, the population of Somerset has 

 risen from 280,000 to 444,000, while the land has not 

 proportionately increased in richness ; the balance being 

 thus destroyed, a remedy can only be effected by an 

 increased production of the land, or a reduction in popu- 

 lation. 



Gloucestershire, which adjoins Somerset, divides itself 

 into two parts what are called the Cots wolds, or high 

 grounds, and the Vale, or valleys of the Severn and Avon. 

 These two agricultural districts require to be considered 

 separately. 



The Cotswolds form a series of table-lands from five 

 hundred to six hundred feet above the level of the sea, 

 intersected with shallow valleys. The character of the 

 soil is poor, and the climate cold. At one time they were 

 almost entirely devoted to sheep pastures, but cultiva- 

 tion has gradually extended itself over this naturally 

 unproductive soil, and by means of the Norfolk rotation, 

 and the purchase of extra manure, remarkable results 

 have been obtained. The average rent now reaches 

 16s. per acre. The farms are extensive, and farmers 

 in general well off. Paring and burning is much prac- 

 tised, and is better understood than in France. In place 



