caused to be weighed and numbered, we found up- 

 wards of one thousand six hundred individuals. 

 Now suppose each of these burns, one with another, 

 only half an hour, then a poor man will purchase 

 eight hundred hours of light, a time exceeding 

 thirty-three entire days, for three shillings. Accord- 

 ing to this account each rush, before dipping, costs 

 ■g^ of a farthing, and -^ afterwards. Thus a poor 

 family will enjoy five and a half hours of comfort- 

 able light for a farthing. An experienced old house- 

 keeper assures me that one pound and a halt of 

 rushes completely supplies his family the year 

 round, since working people burn no candle in the 

 long days, because they rise and go to bed by day- 

 light. 



Little farmers use rushes much, in the short days, 

 both morning and evening, in the dairy and kitchen ; 

 but the very poor, who are always the worst econo- 

 mists, and therefore must continue very poor, buy 

 a halfpenny candle ever^^ evening, which, in their 

 blowing open rooms, does not burn much more than 

 two hours. Thus have they only two hours' light 

 for their money instead of eleven. 



While on the subject of rural economy, it may 

 not be improper to mention a pretty implement of 

 housewifery that I have seen nowhere else ; that is, 

 little neat besoms which our foresters make from 

 the stalk of the Polytricum commune, or great golden 

 maiden-hair, which they call silk-wood, and find 



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