the fruit by means of canals, &c. In many places the fruit was left on the ground until it perished, and in some orchards where it had been gathered in heaps, it was ancle deep in rotten fruit. So great was the waste, that I have heard it asserted, that the greater half was thus left to rot upon the ground. One farmer, not 20 miles from hence, threw away at one time ten hogsheads of what was made early, to make room for the latter making, which is considered more valuable; but to his credit be it recorded, he first filled (says my informant) the casks of all his poor neighbours.— What pity there should be such waste of so useful an article. Were the orchards held each one by a sepa rate tenant, there need not be any wasted; consequently a less quantity of malt would be wanted, and the barley might then be used for other purposes. One proof, out of many, which might be given of the more happy effects of industry on a small farm, than of occupying a large one, and managing it in the present careless method, arises out of the experience of a venerable old man in this county, with whom I am acquainted. For many years he rented the largest and best farm in a large parish, and with it he occupied a small place, for which he paid only 201. a year, but did not then think it worth renting, nor of any consequence to him but having bred up his sons more like gentle men than farmers, they were wild and extravagant, and the father in his old age has been obliged to quit the large farm, and now lives upon the small one, that he formerly did not think worth his notice; and which, by increased industry and close attention, he

has made so productive, that he is now more comfortable than in any former period of his life.

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Many instances might be produced of men having brought up large families in credit and comfort on farms rented formerly from 101. to 301. a year, who were more useful members of society in every sense, than the greater part of the farmers of the present day. Indeed a great many now are grievous nuisances, as their conduct is of ruinous tendency in every point of view. It tends, in the first place, to misery and ruin, in that the necessaries of life are decreased in quantity as the farms are increased in size. As the small farms lessen in number, which they continue to do, the fewer goods are, and will be produced for sale. It may be said, our markets are generally well supplied, and there seems to be as much goods brought "for sale now as ever there was." Possibly it may be so; but let it be considered, that through the monopoly of farms the cities and towns are become far more populous, and therefore need a much larger supply than formerly. Then great numbers of the country people could procure their provisions in the country, and hardly ever came to town except to purchase clothes, or something else than provisions; but now all the country people (the farmers excepted) must buy their provisions in towns, or at second or third hand in the country, as there is neither bacon, cheese, butter, nor milk, to be had at the great farmers. Formerly all these could be got at the farin-house, and wheat in small quantities also, but now it must all be sold wholesale, or carried to a distant market; and the

country people must lose at least half a day's labour, or go on the Sabbath Day, to procure what little they are enabled to purchase. It being the case, that there are abundantly more purchasers come to market now than formerly, the markets are by no means supplied in proportion; and this proportionate scarcity will always cause an increase in price. I am fully persuaded that there is a less quantity of every kind of provisions produced now, than would be if the farms were divided as before proposed, and more especially of pigs and poultry, which would then be particularly attended to by the small farmers, as necessary to their well doing.

Secondly, This system of monopolizing the farms is productive of much immorality. Formerly a young couple, whose parents could give to each a small sum of money, or something to stock a small farm, (which was then easy to he had,) married young, laboured hard, led a virtuous useful life, bred up a healthy, hardy family and having a little property of their own, considered themselves as having a stake in the country; consequently they were lovers of order, good subjects, and ready to defend their sovereign, their own, and their neighbour's property, against foreign and domestic foes. But now the small farms are thus swallowed up, instead of marriages among young people, how common is fornication? how many natural children? and (horrid to think on) how frequent is nurder committed, the infant being destroyed in the womb, or as soon as born; sometimes the mother falling a victim to her own wickedness, being destroyed

by the means made use of to hide her shame, or dying on the fatal tree. Others, having lost their virtue, fly to the metropolis, or some other large and populous place, and too often are added to the list of prostitutes, and become guilty of deeds too vile to name. Nor is this all,-many who heretofore lived comfort ably on a little farm, and attended the house of God regularly, having been turned out of their comfortable situations, are become so poor, that for want of decent clothes they are kept away, or forced by their necessities to make a working or market day of the sabbath. Besides the envy, ill will, anger, and other bad dispositions which arise against those whom they consider as the cause of their distress and misery, and which will naturally be increasing until the cause is removed. Engrossing of the small farms," says the writer of an Essay, published in the London Magazine in 1765, "produces a sort of open war between far"mers and the working hand, so that when two ser"vants have a mind to marry, (which seldom is "the case till compelled by a justice's warrant) they "have no other chance for bread than mere day la. "bour: this makes them desperate, and they set out "on no other plan than spending what they earn from 66 day to day, and when sickness, or a family happens, "their open declaration from the first is, the parish "must, and shall maintain them." If this was the case nearly 40 years ago, how much more must it be the case now?

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Thirdly, This system is the bane of industry.

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When small farms abounded, servants were diligent, careful, and saving; looking forward with a pleasing hope that they should, at no very distant period, get a little farm of their own, which was the top of their ambition, and actuated them in all their proceedings, to the great advantage, no doubt, of their master and mistress, as well as of themselves. Then, if they chanced to have a large family, and were depressed by misfortunes, they had an independent mind, and a decent pride, which bore them up under their troubles, so that they must be driven very hard indeed before they could stoop to ask relief of a parish. But now it is so rare a thing to be able to get a little farm, that few care about saving any thing, considering that 30, 40, or 501. which formerly would go a great way towards buying a stock for such a little place as might then be had, is now of no use in that point of view; they therefore often conclude, that they may as well enjoy themselves, as they call it, that is, spend their money as fast as they get it, and consequently contract a habit of idleness, and become worse than useless members of society.

Fourthly, These engrossing schemes have amazingly increased the poor's taxes; having brought on us the before-mentioned evils, each of which separately considered, tends mightily to increase the burden, and all combined, have a most impoverishing effect. Under the two last heads, I have more particularly confined my views to the country; but this bears dreadfully heavy on almost the whole population of the kingdom, a few very poor persons, and a few places in the