LONDON AND SUBURBS. 29 



time the cattle they had bought for slaughter ; some to 

 brewers or others, to turn their horses in. [T. I. p. 381.] 

 A fixed charge was paid per day for every animal that 

 had freedom to go there, which for the whole year 

 mounted up to a considerable sum. On the north side 

 of London in particular there were the most meadows, in 

 which there was the most beautiful grass-growth which 

 can be. By the 18-20 May, the grass-growth was as long 

 as in our best meadows in Sweden at the close of July. 

 It was also at the afore-named time in May that they 

 everywhere began to mow those meadows, which through 

 the spring had not been baited by any animals. 

 Bromus panicula erecta coarctata (Linn. Flor. Svec. 87) 

 [Banks. MS. " varietas secalini ; " Sw. Raklosta]. 

 And the above-named Alopecurus formed nearly all the 

 beautiful growth on these meadows, although red or 

 white clover, vapling, had sometimes mixed with it. 

 It is said that the owners commonly manure them every 

 autumn, in September and October, with the dung and 

 dirt which is collected in London in the streets, and is 

 laid outside the town in large heaps, from which they 

 afterwards carry it out on to their meadows, which par- 

 ticularly contributes to this their luxuriant growth. 



The -znd May, 1748. 



To hinder thieves from climbing over garden 



"walls. / 



The fence, hagnad, which was seen here around 

 gardens and kitchen gardens, was commonly walls of 

 4, 6, or 8 feet high. In some places, though seldom near 

 London, there were hedges of several thorny trees. In 

 some places only were plank fences seen ; but walls were 

 most used, partly because they were the most durable, 

 and could best fence off violent and cold winds, partly 

 because the twigs of several fruit trees could best be 



