Hedges and Enclosures of Devonshire. 
421 
study practical chemistry, and copy the example of farmers in 
better cultivated districts, if we are not allowed to enlarge our 
fields by taking down those immense banks, or even to cut down 
the wood growing on them but once in seven years, and then 
only that which has not been previously marked for rearing? 
Look at what I lose from the shade of these hedges and trees, 
besides what they actually occupy. For nearly a ridge wide on 
each side the corn is hardly worth reaping." And who can deny 
that this is discouraging? Is it not to be seen e\ery where in the 
county, and every year the same ? The necessity of making ex- 
tensive alteration in this respect will, I trust, be evident by con- 
sulting the following Table, which gives the total number of acres 
in each of ten parishes, all within a circuit of 1 5 miles of Exeter, 
and extending over a district of 20 mdes ; varying from 700 to 
9000 acres, and amounting to nearly 37,000 acres. It also gives 
the number of miles of hedge, the number of acres and per 
rentage occupied by them ; the number of cultivated enclosures 
of different sizes above half an acre, all under that size being left 
out as gardens, &c. No enclosures are taken into account but 
such as are cultivated by the farmer; that is, such as are arable, 
pasture, or orchard. Coppices, woods, plantations, &c., are not 
included, as these are in most cases in the hands of the landlords. 
The tithe apportionments have been my authority for the number 
of fields of different sizes. Fractions have been as much as pos- 
sible avoided, as being unnecessary, and to prevent confusion. 
In some of the parishes there are parks, commons, and large 
woods, which, if deducted, would make the per centage much 
greater on the portions which are divided. 
In the Table it is shown that in the parish of Huxham, con- 
taining 762 acres, there are 34 miles of hedge, which occupy 54 
acres, being 7 per cent., or 1 acre in 14. There are 55 in every 
100 fields under 4 acres; 9 of 10 acres and upwards, being 142 
acres in all : and 1 field larger than 10 acres in every 16 fields, or 
in 100 acres. There is a portion of the parish, containing 84^ 
acres, in which there are 5 miles of hedge, containing about 8 acres ; 
being 9^ per cent., or 1 in 10^. Lately there have been more 
than 3 miles of hedge taken down, thus saving between 5 and 6 
acres. 
In the parish of St. George's Clyst, containing 1040 acres, 
there are 52 miles of hedge, occupying 83 acres, being 8 per 
cent., or 1 in 12^. There are 126, or about half the number of 
fields, under 3 acres; 163, or 61 of everv 100 fields, under 4 
acres ; 9 of 10 acres and upwards: being 264 in all ; and 1 field 
larger than 10 acres in every 30 fields, or in 115 acres. In the 
upper half of this parish the hedges occupy 10 per cent., but the 
large marshes in the lower half reduce it to 8 per cent. If we 
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