HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 



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in proportion. It has been said, they are so much attended to in 

 Flanders, that a farmer near Louvain sold a thousand stocks annu- 

 ally at five shillings each. 



PRODUCE and CONSUMPTION of PROVISIONS : Poor andPopula- 

 tion. The number of acres of the different kinds of grain grown in 

 the county was attempted to be ascertained about 20 years ago, 

 by returns made by the high constables to the Quarter sessions, in 

 answer to certain queries proposed. These answers were not ge- 

 neral, but promiscuous from all quarters, and the parts omitted were 

 supplied by analogy, and may be brought down to the present 

 time, by adding a certain proportion for land since inclosed and 

 brought into cultivation. The result is, supposing the enclosed 

 and cultivated land of the county 640,000 acres, as follows : 



The rest of the county, besides homeage and garden-ground, 

 may be reckoned, waste land, woodland, roads, rivers, plantations, 

 or unimproved land. 



Poor. The increase of paupers is no more than a natural con- 

 sequence of the increase of population, and the alteration in the 

 money-price of provisions. If we calculate by analogy from the po- 

 pulation acts, the poor, as well as all others, have increased in that 

 time as two to three; and the money-price of provisions of all sorts, 

 corn, butcher's meat, cheese, as well as malt liquor for beverage, 

 has nearly doubled. These circumstances will account for the nomi- 

 nal advance of the expence of maintaining the poor. Respecting 

 aids to the poor, this county is by no means remiss. The property 

 of the poor, under the management of ministers and churchwardens, 

 left them by charitable donations, is very considerable, and pro- 

 perly applied to the relief of those who keep themselves from being 

 chargeable to the parish. Voluntary subscriptions have often been 

 set on foot, and very liberally supported, in scarce and inclement 



