266 Agricultural Capabilities of the New Forest. 
soil, broken up at a cost of 11. per acre, is now let at the annual rent of 5?. 
per acre. Another piece in Hound parish, brol^en up at a cost of 111. per acre, 
is poor land, and although it is under cultivation at a rent of 20s. per acre, 
it should have been planted with larch and firs to yield the best rental : this, 
however, has not been done, as I am lool^ing to its future value as a site 
for building, it being an elevated spot and giving one of the most splendid 
views to be found in this county. I can only say that these dirterent pieces 
of land represent nearly all the soils to be found in the New Forest, except 
bog, the climate being also the same. Again, as agent to the late Kichard 
Trench, Esq., two pieces of land, called Sanday Hill and Windmill Hill, 
I had brought into cultivation, both being part of Bursledon Common. 
The former was purchased at 25?. per acre, and although the surface was 
very irregular, caused by old sand and gravel pits, yet it was broken uj', 
levelled, drained, and chalked, at a cost of about 12Z. per acre. This land has 
been in cultivation ever since, and is now worth 35s. per acre rent per 
annum. The land on the Windmill Hill was allotted to Mr. Trench under 
the enclosun?, and is now useful land, having cost about 8Z. per acre to bring 
into cultivation, and is worth about 32s. per acre rent. Both these pieces 
of land are in parts, I consider, as poor as the worst parts of the New Forest." 
XIII. — Military Purposes. 
An idea started some years ago has since been revived and 
received with favour, viz., the appropriateness of the New Forest 
for the extensive manoeuvring and movements of troops ; and it 
is certainly much to be regretted that before such large sums of 
money had been expended at Aldershot, preference had not been 
given to the Forest on account of its equality in other advan- 
tages, and its superiority in regard to extent and variety of sur- 
face. Should the idea be revived, it is not at all likely to supplant 
Aldershot after the enormous expense there incurred, but may 
be used as supplementary to it. For the purpose of a camp the 
highest and driest portion of the Forest will be found most suit- 
able, and the district occupied by the Bagshot sands will afford 
abundant scope for the manoeuvring of troops, for sham fights, 
and for a summer camp. There is no necessity whatever that the 
land should continue unutilized in order that it should be em- 
ployed for the exercise of troops. Should it be desirable that a 
camp should be formed near the railway, the Old Beaulieu Road 
Station would afford a very convenient locality, there being a dry 
sandy soil on both sides of the railway; or, should a turnpike- 
road be preferred, the neighbourhood of Picked Post would be 
equally suitable. It is, however, by no means necessary that 
upwards of sixty thousand acres of land should remain unutilized, 
in order that a camp for our troops may be available. 
XIV. — Summary. 
Having now described imperfectly, but as well as the circum- 
stances will admit, the various points connected with the New 
Forest, I cannot do better than atone for discursiveness by 
