president’s address. 
639 
Ruston can remember the hovers being cut to any social 
or uniform size, although there must have been some 
regularity in their dimensions, for. as I have said, the space 
of ground that 1000 should occupy was definitely laid down 
in the Trustees’ regulations. The tools used in cutting the 
hovers differed a little in size and shape, the width of the 
spade being from 6i to 7^ inches, and the depth 5 to 7 inches, 
the blade was either heart — or shield — shaped. The wooden 
cot or tee handle was fixed at a slight angle to the blade. 
The following dates were set for the inspection of fuel by 
the Trustees : July 20th and 30th, August 4th. September 17th 
and 28th, and October 10th. beginning each day at the Town 
house at 7 a.m., proceeding to the gravel pit (9 — n a.m.). 
Fox Hill Common at 1 p.in., Long Common 4 p.m.. finishing 
at the Holmes at five o’clock in the evening. A good long 
day’s work, showing how much peat was cut here seventy 
years ago. All fuel was to be cleared by October 10th. 
The following alterations and additions to the rules were 
made in 1845 : Trustees were to attend in person at the 
commencement of the hover cutting, to see that each cutter 
had a fair start. No selling of hovers to other than poor 
inhabitants was to be allowed, the penalty being five years 
exclusion from cutting, and on repetition of the offence, 
total exclusion and prosecution. We here get a suggestion 
of the Trustees’ fear that the peat was being too rapidly- 
worked out. Parishioners who were assessed at less than 
£2 were not to be now allowed to exercise common rights. 
This was mentioned again in the handbill of 1853. but I can 
find no subsequent reference to it. and its object seems 
somewhat obscure, unless it was meant to exclude thriftless, 
casual inhabitants, or that householders only were to exercise 
common rights. If a nominee was appointed to cut hovers, 
he must be a parishioner, and his name must be given to the 
agent of the Trustees on the day previous to the commence- 
ment of cutting. One day only (the last Saturday in July), 
