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frost to ameliorate it for the spring sowings, it may perhaps turn out to be a losing traffick. Oil dust from the‘mills is also brought from London to this place, and sown on the land at the expence of three pounds per acre, exclusive of the carriage home:.it surely cannot pay the expence. A party of small children, with a little waggon and a small basket, at work on the turnpike road, picking up the horse dung, which they drag home and sell to the farmers at two-pence per bushel: earn three to five-pence per day. Hertfordshire farmers are thus at a great expence to get manure; but I am sorry to observe, that it is as much to produce weeds as corn.
Here is a Friendly Society of about eighty labourers, who meet once a month, spend four pence, and pay a shilling to the club; which goes to a fund for the support of sick members, or their families. Price of labour only sixteen pence'per day. From Chipping to Royston, the latter part of the road through an open country, in common field. System, two crops and a fallow. Soil, chalky; similar to the Isle of Thanet; and very improveable. Some early sown slips of corn very good; but late sown, bad. From Royston to Bygrave, some open down land; fine close turf; a chalky soil, and charming situation for South Down sheep;


