HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 133 



rents, and the tenants were mostly in low circumstances ; by the 

 enclosure the rents have been trebled, and the tenants better en- 

 abled to discharge them. 



" The whole parish contains about 1900 acres ; 1053 of which 

 belong to the Lady Viscountess Andover ; 240 to the Rectory ; 

 578 to different Freeholders; and the remainder is laid out in roads. 



" Of the above land about 500 acres are annually in tillage, 

 and which, we suppose, bring as much grain to market as the 

 whole parish did in its open state ; the quantity of cheese made 

 now, in proportion to that made prior to the enclosure, is more than 

 three to one ; the proportion of beef and mutton produced on the 

 land, is still greater, as much as ten to one : for though there were 

 sometimes many sheep kept in the common fields, they were so 

 subject to the rot, that little or no profit arose to the farmer, or 

 produce to the community. 



" Respecting population, there were, prior to the enclosure, in 

 the parish, 57 houses or tenements; at present (1794), there are 

 76 houses and 360 inhabitants. This increase has not arisen 

 from any manufactory, but merely from the increase of labour 

 necessary for the improved cultivation. That enclosures sometimes 

 injure the small farmers, if laid in large farms, must be admitted; 

 but that they are advantageous to the community must appear 

 from the above statement of the produce of this place. 



"Elford, October 10, 1794." W. BOURNE." 



The same enlightened observer also transmitted the following 

 document to Mr. Shaw, respecting the peculiar mode of cultivation 

 successfully practised in Elford and the neighbouring parishes : 



"Elford, Staffordshire. 



" In looking over Mr. Pitt's report of the state of this county 

 to the Board of Agriculture, it appears to me that he has not 

 noticed the mode of cultivating land in this neighbourhood, viz. 

 Clifton Campville, Thorp, &c. where the land is kept in a high 

 state of culture with few summer fallows, except small parcels for 

 turnips, which by the nature of the land must be drawn off. The 

 usual mode in this district is to take the land in rotation : we will 

 suppose one-third of the farm in tillage at one time, they plough 

 up the turf, sow oats or beans, (mostly the former,) wheat at 

 Michaelmas, and barley the Spring following the getting of the 

 wheat. This will be called a bad system by all theory farmers; 

 they will say, Can there be a worse than to take three white crops 



