310 



On the Fanning of Suffolk. 



the most during the last twelve months without any assistance 

 from his landlord. 



1840. Mr. Robert Foulsbam . 7243 235 



1841. — Francis Skoulding, of Kelsale . . . 8689 270 



1842. — Francis Skoulding, of Kelsale . . . 6725 270 



1843. — Francis Skoulding, of Kelsale . . . 4805 270 



1844. — Samuel C. Goodwyn, of Huntingfield 6064 334 



1845. — Charles Smith, of Svveffling . . . 1149 342 



1846. — George Edwards, of Monk Soham 11,395 290 



1847. — Henry Moore, of Badingham . . . 9075 279 



I extract the following note from Sir John Cullum's 'History 

 of Hawstead, in Suffolk' (1780) :— 



" The greatest improvement of which this strong soil is capable is 

 draining. The drains cut with curious tools made on purpose are about 

 two feet deep, wedge-shaped, and fitted at bottom with bushes, and 

 over them with haulm. Six or seven score rods are cut upon an acre at 

 a cost for cutting of 2d. a rod." 



"The difficulty of discovering the antiquity of thorough-draining 

 arises from its being by old writers confounded with spring drainage. 

 This latter was practised even by the Romans with drains 3 feet broad 

 at top, 4 feet deep, and ll foot wide at bottom, filled half full of 

 stones, or the bottom was made narrow and a rope of twigs fitted to it." 

 — Lojidon Ency. Agricidt., 1831, p. 27. 



To return to Saffolk thorough-draining. In the Suffolk Report it is 

 said that Mr. Makyns, of this county, was about twenty years ago 

 (1770) rewarded by the Society of Arts for a plough for cutting these 

 drains, but that it had been laid aside as more expensive than hand- 

 labour. James Young, Esq., of Clare, also describes the method then 

 common in that vicinity, which was exactly the same as that still prac- 

 tised, lie mentions a field drained in 1773 which had every drain in 

 the field (except one) running in April, 1786. He drained 30 inches 

 deep, using the plough for the first 14 inches to 20 inches; put eight 

 score rods on an acre, and paid for digging only 1^. BcZ. per score rods, 

 for filling with stubble 4c?. per score rods. 



The following extracts from a book printed 120 years ago, styled 

 ' A complete Body of Husbandry, collected from the Practice and 

 Experience of the most considerable Farmers in Britain; particularly 

 setting forth the various Ways of improving Land by hollow-ditching, 

 draini?ig,' &c., by R. Bradley, Professor of Botany in the University of 

 Cambridge, F.R.S., 1727, will be additional evidence as to the anti- 

 quity of thorough-draining in Suffolk. Professor Bradley mentions 

 hollow-ditching or draining as lately invented, and introduced to the 

 North of Essex ; and therefore we may take it for granted the same 

 system of draining was adopted at that time on the adjoining wet land 

 of Suffolk. It would take up a considerable space to extract the whole 

 of Bradley's description of holloiv-ditching, though. I shall give suffi- 

 cient to show that the system then adopted resembles the present 

 practice, the latter being an improvement on the old method of 

 draining : — 



