86 
On  the  Farming  of  Sussex. 
When  the  ditches  were  made  in  wet  land  with  these  fences,  it 
supposed,  no  doubt,  a benefit  to  the  drainage;  but  where  little 
advantage  is  taken  for  this  purpose,  a proper  under  drain  would 
be  more  beneficial. 
Extirpation  of  Charlock. — The  only  way  is  by  constantly  pull- 
ing it ; the  expense  is  considerable  at  first,  but  by  perseverance 
becomes  trifling.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Brighton  I have  seen 
land  in  the  occupation  of  Mr.  C.  Beard,  so  nearly  cleared  by  this 
mode,  that  the  cost  of  cleaning  all  that  was  visible  on  80  acres  of 
barley  together  would  not  be  more  than  20s.,  and  this  was  on  light 
chalk  soil.  The  management  of  this  land  was  principally  rape, 
for  sheep-feeding  (the  charlock  pulled  out  of  it),  next  wheat, 
carefully  looked  over,  the  charlock  pulled  out,  and  also  from  the 
barley  (which  is  sown  with  seeds),  generally  for  two  years’  pasture. 
I am  of  opinion  that  a clean  winter  and  summer  fallow  would 
weaken  it  very  much ; I observed  this  from  experience,  but  as 
the  land  on  the  downs  is  generally  wanted  for  feed  of  some  sort, 
this  can  be  but  very  little  done.  I have  seen  the  rape  drilled 
and  liorse-lioed  to  some  advantage.  Then  the  charlock  in  the 
rows  only  requires  pulling;  this  is  attended  with  less  expense,  but 
is  not  so  effectual.  I have  observed  that  where  the  land  is 
turniped,  it  is  much  cleaner  of  this  nuisance  by  means  of  the  hoe- 
ing. I visited  a great  many  parishes  in  Hampshire  for  tithe,  and 
the  general  system  there  practised  of  turnips,  barley,  seeds,  &c., 
for  wheat  makes  their  land  certainly  cleaner  altogether  than  in 
Sussex.  But  the  turnip  system  on  the  downs  not  being  adapted, 
for  the  reasons  before  stated,  of  the  unkindness  for  wheat,  &c., 
compels  them  to  do  the  best  they  can  by  feeding  it  before  it  seeds, 
and  by  previously  growing  it  out  before  the  rape  is  sown.  For  if 
all  were  inclined  to  do  it  effectually  by  pulling,  they  could  not 
for  want  of  hands.  This  I advance  from  experience  in  the  parish 
I farmed  in  many  years  ; and  consequently  when  it  gets  ripe  in  the 
rape,  the  sheep  not  liking  it,  disperse  it  on  the  land  when  feeding 
the  rape. 
Improvement  of  Dwellings  and  Condition  of  the  Farm  Labourer. 
— I do  not  think  much  complaint  can  be  made  of  the  labourers’ 
dwellings  in  the  county : they  are  of  course  airy,  and  in  some  instances 
rather  too  much  so,  where  the  repairs  are  not  properly  kept  up. 
In  the  villages  they  are  generally  cleanly,  and  accommodated  with 
some  proportion  of  garden  ground ; much  improvement  may  be 
made  in  this  department,  very  few,  comparatively,  taking  any  pains 
about  the  produce  which  might  be  raised  by  cultivation  and 
manuring : much  benefit  may  be  obtained  from  a small  piece  of 
land  if  properly  attended  to.  In  every  parish  I would  recom- 
mend premiums  to  be  given  to  the  best  cultivated  garden  or 
gardens,  and  also  for  the  best  vegetables  ; the  mode  of  culti- 
