WEST DEVONSHIRE. 207 



this farm havln? been monaftic, one is led 

 to conclude that the pra(!^ice was introduced 

 under the aufpices of the Church : or, if 

 we go flill farther back, we may conjedure 

 that it was brought over by the firfl: fettlers, 

 or by future Colonifls, from the South of 

 Europe ; where it has been, for ages paft, 

 in ufe. 



But this by the way : Hi{lory,ecclefiaflic 

 or profane, may perhaps furnifh thofe, 

 who have leifurs to look for them, with 

 better lights. 



The quantity of watered lands, in this 

 Diflrid:, is, in fome townfliips, conlide- 

 rable ; while, in others, where the vailies 

 are narrow, and their fides wooded, little 

 watered ground is feen. There remains, 

 however, much to be done in this refpet^t. 

 Perhaps, not hllf the quantity of the lands, 

 capable of receiving this admirable improve- 

 ment, enjoy it at prefent ; and 



The managemeijt of thofe which are fub- 

 jetfted to the practice, whatever it may have 

 been heretofore, is, at prefent, far from 

 being accurate. Tlie foil is imperfed:ly 

 drained, and the water imperfectly fpread 



over 



