134 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY

tity, they might certainly, at a very ſmall expence, be made at leaſt of ſix times their preſent value. In the middle and weßern part of Kent, there is a great number of ſmall vales of marſh-land liable to be flooded in the winter; which might be effe@ually drained at little ex- pence, were they under a commiſlion of ſewers, with Proper powers.

In other parts of the county, there are very extenſive tras of marſh- land often entirely under Water for many weeks together, to the great loſs of individuals and the public. This is an evil which certainly can, and ought to be remedied.

Every mechanical contrivance that tends to leſſen the labour of the huſbandman and his eXpence, may be juſtly reckoned an Improvement. Under this head, the new invented thraſhing-mills are of the firſt 1mportance.

There are many ftuations in this county where a ſmall. rill of water runs by a farm-yard, with a ſuffici- ent fall to turn a water wheel, Wherever farms are thus fortunately circumfſtanced, the expence of thraſhing out corn may be reduced full one half; and the labourers, who otherwiſe would be conſtantly in the barn, by this means, may be ſpared for carrying on improvements in manuring, draining, and various operations in huſban- dry: ſo that, although the labourer may be deprived in one inſtance of his employment, he is amply recom- penfed 1n the other: for employment accumulates with Improvement,

Theſe appear to me to be the principal means of im- Provement, and are ſuch as will probably introduce many others. Thus a commutation for tithe, and the cultivation of the waſte lands, would produce turnips, clover, mutton, and wool, where thoſe articles have

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