Agriculture of Norfolk. 
315 
Norfolk, Laving been brought thither from other counties, or bred 
from those that were so brought ; but the best breed they can 
show, as their own pecuhar and original stock, are their cart- 
horses. Many of these are such as any county might well be 
proud of ; and I observed very few there that would not, in any 
place, come within the description of good and useful horses. At 
Mr. Aylmer's of Fincham, I had the jileasure of seeing ten better 
cart-horses than I ever saw together at any other place : each had 
every essential of a good farm-horse — substance, compactness, 
strength, shape, and activity. The real Norfolk cart-horses are 
generally dark bays or browns, hardy in appearance, possessing 
good bone and sinew. I certainly do not think them small (as 
!Mr. Kent described them in his time) ; and, if I were required to 
suggest anv change, I should say reduce their size, knowing that 
small horses, if equally well shaped (and they are generally better 
shaped), are more free from illness and unsoundness, and, conse- 
quently, most certain to be ready when wanted. I have reason to 
believe their size has been increased since Mr. Kent wrote. 
Besides Mr. Aylmer's, I observed remarkably good horses at 
Mr. Raven's of Somerfield, and at several other places too nume- 
rous to mention. The gentlemen I have named breed none them- 
selves ; therefore, if we make certain allowances for their judgment 
in selection, their stock may be taken as a fair representation of the 
district generally. 
Many of the " Suffolk chesnuts " may also be seen in this 
county. These too are a very active and useful breed, and he who 
possesses good specimens of either, or crosses of both, cannot 
be far wrong. Every farmer who keeps a horse for riding should 
have a really good hackney ; which would cost no more keeping 
than the most worthless one. Peculiar circumstances made me 
acquainted with the history of a breed of roadsters which Nor- 
folk once possessed, but of which it has now to lament the loss. 
A good specimen of that celebrated breed took its rider, in a case 
of necessity, 104 miles in 12 hours, without being injured; but 
such feats spread their fame — liberal offers from strangers fol- 
lowed — and, as men seldom know the value of a first-rate animal, 
so long as it is in their own possession, the best of the blood were 
bought, and taken from the county ; and I was repeatedly told 
that their loss is irreparable. I do not mean that there are no good 
hackneys in Norfolk, but the people of that county say that they 
have lost their best, which is perhaps the strongest ground for 
hoping that their loss is not, as they suppose, irreparable. The 
fact is, they have not only sold the best specimens, but have crossed 
the others, in too many cases, with blood-horses ; thus producing 
a nondescript animal in lieu of what might otherw ise have been most 
valuable. Had they contented themselves with crossing the 
