Farming of Kent. 
295 
done within the last dozen years to place beyond doubt that the 
Weald of Kent is susceptible of an immense and profitable im- 
provement. 
It must not, however, be supposed that this portion of the 
county can ever be made a strictly open district, since nature has 
designed it otherwise. There are extensive woods and narrow ravines 
running in all directions, where coppice and timber ought to be 
preserved. Here the oak frequently attains a great size, owing to 
its sheltered situation ; and a large produce is every ten or twelve 
years yielded of hop-poles, faggots, &c., in such spots as are free 
from timber. The fatal mistake characteristic of the district is to 
allow high icood and trees to grow in the hedges of arable land in 
small enclosures. Besides, hedge-row timber, from its exposed 
situation, is generally short and of stunted growth, consisting 
principally of boughs, and therefore of but little value in the market. 
It is common to see very inferior trees do more injury in three or 
four years to the crops than the whole value of the trees will amount 
to after continuing the mischief for half a century ! 
The produce of the hedge-rows consisting of timber and roots, 
would, after |)aying the expenses of grubbing, leveUing, &c., go a 
great way in defraying the cost of thoroughly draining the whole 
of the Weald. In some situations it would be more than ade- 
quate. The district therefore possesses within itself the means of 
its own amelioration. All that is required is to go about the 
business in a judicious manner. The Weald of Kent cannot be 
cleared up and drained in a year. Even if it could it would not 
be desirable. Haste is not always sound progress. There is 
now a dense population in this district owhig to the increasing 
hop-culture, a large portion of whom were in former years fre- 
quently thrown upon the rates in the winter months. By following 
out a comprehensive system of progressive improvement.^ every 
hand in the district for an indefinite time to come might be 
profitably employed throughout the year. The cheapest and most 
effective way of carrying o\it this great object would be for the 
owners of land to commence their operations systematically , and 
to do nothing by piece-meal. Whatever is done should be done 
thoroughly, and not interfere with any improvement to be sub- 
sequently effected. It would be well for eveiy estate to be 
annually looked over with great care, with reference to permanent 
improvement, and to commence with what is most needed. The 
best way, perhaps, would be for the landlord to pay the whole 
expense of the draining, conducting it under his own superintend- 
ence, and to charge a fair per cantage on the rental. A judicious 
outlay might be made to yield in many parts of this county five 
or six per cent, with a very great advantage to the occupying 
tenant. 
