On the Farming of Suffolk. 



309 



of draining* can be traced to the early part of tlie seventeenth 

 century is a fact well authenticated by many writers on the 

 subject. 



Much of the heavy land of Suffolk has been repeatedly 

 drained, though^ from inquiries which have been made in various 

 parts of the county, the system of close-draining has never been 

 carried to a greater extent than it is at the present time ; that it 

 has been progressively on the increase is shown by the state- 

 ments of old farmers^ who allege that sixty or seventy years ago 

 the practice was just being introduced into the parish in which 

 they had been brought up, and that previous to that time the 

 system of thorough draining by placing drains at regular and 

 close intervals throughout a whole field was not practised, but 

 merely drains put in here and there to carry the water from a 

 particular v/et spot. 



The extent to which draining is carried is well authenticated 

 by the statement that throughout the entire heavy land of Suffolk 

 there are very few arable fields in which drains are not to be 

 found. 



The following list of the quantity of draining done by the suc- 

 cessful competitors for the prize of 4/. offered by the West 

 Suffolk Agricultural Society, will be a proof of the extent to 

 which draining has been carried by the modern race of tenant- 

 farmers. I have to thank Mr. Beeton, the secretary, for this 

 information. 



The conditions for competition for this prize are — 



" To the tenant who shall have spade-drained vvithin the last twelve 



months the greatest number of rods in a husbandlike manner, relative to 



the extent of his occupation." 



These conditions were altered in 1838. 



To the tenant who shall have expended the largest sum in 

 spade-draining within the last twelve months relative to the ex- 

 tent of imt land in his occupation : — 



Rods. Acres. 

 1833. Mr. Jolm Rollinson, of Rede, drained 4000 Occupation 150 



1835. — George Doel ' 7520 „ 150 



1836. — Janies Lee, Whepstead . . 6435 „ 300 

 1S37. — James Lee 4059 



1838. — John Simpson, Wyken Hall . 5858 (Wet land) 275 



1839. — John Boldero, Rattlesden . . 7039^ „ 330 



1840. — Jolm Boldero 7010^ „ 330 



1811. — John Simpson, VVylcen Hall .5125 „ 275 



1842. — R. B. Harvey, Norfulk. 



1843. — James King, Felsham . . . 4016 „ 150 



1844. — J. S. Flowerden, Hinderclay .7105 (Wetland) 120 

 1846. — H. Lugar, Hengrave . . .2415 (Wetland) 150 



I have also to thank Mr. ]\Ianning Keer. the Secretary of the 

 East Suffolk Agricultural Association, for a list of the successful 

 competitors for the draining prize to the tenant Vvho should drain 



VOL. VIII. \ 



