employed, or to be in any wise consulted, by the Board of Agriculture, either directly or indirectly, has held out this uniform language, "that this country, under any improved system of husbandry whatever, can neither grow corn, nor stock enough for the consumption of its present population, unless more land is converted into tillage, and more laid down to pasture."

Indeed the strongest proof that can possibly be brought forward in support of this assertion, is the state of this country in the year 1800, when the poor were almost starving, and every class of his Majesty's subjects were making use of every substitute, to supply the deficiency of bread corn; and notwithstanding the greatest importations of grain from the four quarters of the globe that were ever known, amounting to no less than 2,917,823 quarters, 4 bushels of wheat. 1,460,576 cwt. of flour. 252,960 quarters of rye. 259,115 quarters of barley. 1,641,867 quarters of oats. 81,633 quarters of peas. 37,791 quarters of beans, during that and the two succeeding years, assisted as they were by very abundant crops of all kinds of grain, yet this country was only emerging from its perilous state, when the crop of 1803 placed us in a state of temporary independence; unfortunately, however, the crop of 1804 has been such as must convince every unprejudiced mind, that even assisted by the surplus of the preceding years, together with a large importation, it is not possible to keep the price of bread corn within any moderate bounds; and hence we may be satisfied of the absolute and positive necessity for a very extended cultivation.

We have an administration formed, and what is better, disposed to do every thing within their

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power to make this country prosperous. We have in the two houses of parliament the most enlightened statesmen that this kingdom ever beheld, and who, to their honour be it said, have taken the plough by the handle; let us hope, therefore, that their united efforts will get the better of every difficulty that has hitherto prevented the passing a general inclosure bill, as a prelude to the inclosing of the several common fields, commons, heaths, and wastes throughout the kingdom; and in order to prove of how much substantial consequence it is, I herewith present those of this county as a specimen; and I am convinced that the accomplishment of this measure, and the rapid effects it will have throughout the country, will be of more lasting benefit, and confer greater credit upon it than the most brilliant victory that ever was effected by its arms.

State of the Common Fields.

Acres Present Rental Total value Rent when Improved value

Since the former Report was published, there have been several inclosures of common fields, as well as of the wastes in the same parishes made, and I am happy to say, that a very active spirit for inclosure seems to pervade the noblemen, gentlemen and yeomanry of the western part of the county, particularly within the last two years; no less than the following having been inclosed, or being now in the act of inclosing; Great and Little Bookham, Effingham, East and West Horsley, Clandon, Meroe, Send, &c. besides Ewell and Croydon; there are also the wastes at Frimley, Pease Marsh, &c.

In the foregoing statement I have selected the number of acres which each common field is supposed to contain, to which I have affixed the present average rent, and the supposed improved rent upon an inclosure; by which it appears that nearly 100 per cent would be gained thereby : much of the land is unquestionably good in a state of aration, some of it is superior to the inclosed land in the same neighbourhood; and many of them, from being so near the London dunghills, are forced to produce two large crops in succession, without any intervening ameliorating one. Some again, from being still nearer the metropolis, such as Battersea, Mortlake, East Sheen, Putney, &c. especially the former (every acre of which would let for 4 or 5 pounds as garden ground,) and being divided into an infinite number of long narrow. slips, from one to five or six or more acres, are only ploughed up and down, the larger ones sometimes across, and being drunk with dressing, are as full of couch as

it is possible for land to be; even the very beds of asparagus, onions, or whatever may be the crop, are in this vile state.

The circumstance of these fields being in a state of commonalty does not make them produce couch, and other noxious weeds, more than lands in severalty under the like treatment; but being exposed to the inroads of cattle at certain seasons, to the hazard of receiving the seeds of thistles, bents, &c. &c. having no hedges to separate them, and being obliged to dress highly in order to make them sufficiently productive to pay the additional charges of labour, seed, &c.; the more it is dressed, the fitter it makes the ground to receive the contagion. That this is really the case, we have only to look at the inclosed grounds belonging to those occupiers who possess and farm those several allotments in the common fields, and make the comparison, and we shall in the one case see every inch well cultivated and free from weeds, and highly productive, subject also to a very high rent; while the other is every thing that is bad. Is it not cruel to see land, whose soil and depth of staple is scarcely any where exceeded, capable of yielding the most immense crops, and which, as Mr. Middleton says, would yield a return of £150 per acre, not averaging more than 30 or £40?

Indeed, I do not know a better spot to invite the members of the two houses of parliament to, than Battersea fields, during those winter months when there is little or no corn sown, and the ground in a state of fallow; and I am much mistaken if they did not return home fully convinced, that this salutary measure

has been too long delayed; and if a general inclosure would result therefrom. Such a measure would also, most happily for this parish, get rid of the tithes; which produced so long a scene of warfare between the vicar and the occupiers of these fields, that they not only forsook the church, but pulled up all the land marks, in order to lead the tithingman into endless difficulties and perplexities; obliging the vicar to hawk the produce about the streets of London, &c. to the great diversion of many people; and although a system of moderation has fortunately followed, yet it is still remembered, and makes every man cautious how he crops his land.

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With respect to the common meads, the land is not only of the first quality in itself, and productive under its present destructive mode of occupation, but capable of bearing the greatest possible crops, either by irrigation by means of the Thames, or by the usual mode of dressing grass land. In their present state they are overcharged with cattle, let the season be wet or dry, which, by being kept on them from August until March, cannot fail of poaching them, destroying thereby the herbage, and preventing its being cut so low as it might or ought to be, and does not do the cattle any sensible good.

From the most accurate calculations I am able to make after the most mature consideration, I am led to believe, that no less than £28,000 will be gained to the community by inclosing the fields I have before stated; and the quantity of corn grown