ENCLOSING. 14'? 



cr oats ; 3. Land for shackage ; no seeds : now four 

 shifts. 



Improvement. — Mucli has been and will be clayed, and 

 the success very great: clover introduced and wheat on it, 

 and the crops bear quite a new face: Dr. Hinton has 

 had seven comb an acre of wheat. In all respefls the im- 

 provement very great indeed. The fen is not cultivated, 

 for the drainage depends on Bedford Level ; and it is not 

 dry enough to pare and burn. In 1799, they were drown- 

 ed so late as May. 



Sheep. — There were once 3000 very bad and ill-fed 

 sheep, with numbers dying for want of food ; now there 

 are not more than 1 100 kept, but they are far more valua- 

 ble, from being better fed ; though no change in breed. 



Cows. — There were about 240 or 250 kept in a 

 wretched manner, wandering the day through half-starved: 

 now much lessened ; perhaps half. 



Rates. — Average of three years, to Michaelmas 1799, 

 23. 3d. in the pound. In 1800, 4s. 



Poor. — There were 72 commonable messuages. They 

 are supposed to have received land to the amount of 81. lOs. 

 per annum, for each right. The value of a common 

 messuage, about five years before the enclosure, was iio 

 guineas. Now, the house and allotment would sell for 

 340]. These are freehold ; but for copyholds, the value 

 less. They may, on an average, be reckoned, rent of 

 habitation, 3I. ; allotment, 81. los. ; total, ill. los. ; and 

 value, 300I. Besides this allotment, each has l| acre ol 

 fen set out for fuel, supposed to yield 12,000 turfs yearly, 

 for one hearth, the calculated consumption. The ancient 

 cottages, of 20 years standing, that had no common rights, 

 were favoured with a right of turbarv over 113 acres, sub- 

 je6l to the controul of the fen reeves, to cut each 800 turfs. 

 There might be about 20 cottagers, who without a right 

 L 2 kept 



