member for the county, Mr. James, of North Lodge, and Mr. Walker, of Potter's Bar.

Chalk.

Though chalk has not yet been difcovered in any confiderable quantities in Middlefex, yet it abounds in the neighbouring counties of Kent and Hertfordshire. It is found on Northaw and Chefhunt commons, on the borders of Middlefex, from whence the neighbouring diftricts of Mims, Barnet, and Enfield, have been fupplied with lime.

Lime is fold at 6d. the bufhel, delivered at fhort distances; or at 5d. if bought at the pit. Chalk is fold at the pit, for 2s. the waggonload. Lime is fold at Bow, at about 5d. the bufhel. It is chiefly brought from the coaft of Kent. Á number of the Eflex carts take it as back-carriage, after delivering their hay in the London market. From Bow it is fent by the lime-merchants to various parts of Middlefex; but it is ufed more for building than agriculture.

London affords an infinite variety of fubftances, which are used in agriculture as manures:

Woollen rags, at 41. 17s. per ton. Sugar-baker's fcum, from 5s. to 7s. 6d. per load.

Night foil, 5s. dit'o.

Coal afhes, from 5s. to 6s. ditto. Soot, 64d. and 7d. per bufhel. In the neighbourhood of Baldock, in Hertfordshire, they bring foot for their wheat, in broad-wheel waggons, from London, to the amount of 300 bufhels a load.

Train-oil and tallow-chandler's graves, the dung of pigeons, rabbits, and poultry, foap-afhes, bones,

and horn-fhavings, are fold at various and uncertain prices.

Timber and Underwood.

The oak and the elm, but chiefly the latter, are the prevailing trees of this difirict. The hedges are frequently formed intirely of the fhoots of the elm. A cuftom too much prevails of mutilating thefe trees, by ftripping them up clofe to the ftem, which muft certainly prove injurious to their growth, if the leaves have any influence in imbibing nourishment from the furrounding atmosphere. It has been obferved, on cutting down elms, where the year of tripping could be afcertained, that the circle of wood which the tree annually produces, was lefs on those years, than on any others.

There are but few oaks in this diftrict of any fize, except what have been faved from the axe, for the ornament of gentlemen's pleafure grounds. Here we fometimes find that truly venerable remnant of antiquity, the pollard oak, of immenfe fize, and rugged ftem; protecting, with its holpitable fhade, the panting flock from the meridian fun. An object the most beautifully picturefque, that nature prefents to the eye.

On the borders of Middlesex, there are woods of oak, which are cut in rotation, at seven years growth. They are generally purchafed for fuel by the London bakers. In the parish of Pinner, within 13 miles of London, on an etate of my own, I have 24 acres of this underwood, which I am gradually training to a timber-grove, by referving at every fall the moft thriving of the young oaks. This,

X 3

I am

I am perfuaded, is the only method of raifing timber, which will anfwer on a large fcale. I once devoted nearly 30 acres to a plantation of every fpecies of fir and forefttree: they were planted at two years old; but I found my plantation fuftained fo much injury, from fheep being put in fecretly in the night time, and from the depredations of other cattle, that I preferred drawing my trees, and letting the land at 12s. per acre. I am apprehenfive, that government will find the method they have taken of planting the New Forest, attended with a very precarious fuccefs. At the fame time, the minifter's intention, I doubt not, was highly patriotic and laudable.

Within these laft twenty years, feveral varieties of the poplar have been introduced into Middlefex, The Lombardy, or Po poplar, is much cultivated, as an ornamental plant, in the neighbourhood of London. As a timber-tree, it is but of inferior value, not being able to bear expofure to the weather. For packing-cafes, however, and other purpofes, where duration of wood is not required, it may prove a cheap and ufeful fubftitute for deal. Its growth far exceeds that of any other timber-trce. It is fuppofed that there are few in England, whofe age exceeds forty years. It flourishes beft on the fides of rivers, and has acquired its name from its long-famed fituation on the banks of the Po.

Of the white and black poplar, the white is moft frequent in Middlefex, but the black yields the beft timber. The wood of the latter, I can pronounce from experience, to be excellent for common floors. It is much used for the purposes of

deal in the midland counties. In Worcestershire they reckon that it pays the owner Is. a year, from the time of its being first planted. When converted into a pollard, the loppings are used for hop-poles. The boards of this poplar are fo flow of taking fire, that the flames of a houfe on fire have been ftopped at that part of the building, where the timber of the poplar had been ufed. They are obferved to fmoke a long time before they burft into a flame.

Ofiers.

There are fome flourishing ofiergrounds near London, on the banks of the Thames. The quick growth of thefe aquatics, allows them to. be cut every year. The cuttings are fold to the bafket-makers, in bundles meafuring 42 inches in circumference, at Is. and Is. 6d. per bundle. The bafket-makers will willingly give 51. an acre rent, for a good ofier-ground, though fituated at the distance of ten or twelve miles from London. the produce of a good bed will frequently amount to 101. per annum. Confidering the fmall expence neceflary for fupporting the ofier-bed, and that neither the plough nor manure are required to produce an an nual crop, there is reason to believe, that land adapted to the growth of aquatics, will enfure a larger profit when planted with ofiers, than in any common mode of cultiva tion.

But

The falix vitellina, or golden willow, and the falix viminalis, or green ofier, are the forts ufed by the basket-makers. The annual growth of thefe will frequently exceed fix feet.

Rivers.

Rivers.

In an agricultural furvey of Middlefex, the rivers, which contribute fo much to the fertility of the land, ought not to be omitted. Being immediately connected with the New River, which takes its courfe for nearly a mile through my own eftate, I fhall minute down a few particulars worthy of notice. The New River rifes in a rich valley, about halfway between Hertford and Ware. The water at the fountain head, which is remarkably clear and pure, collects in a circular bafon; it then takes a courfe through Amwell and Hoddefdon, nearly parallel with the London-road; at Chehunt, Theobalds, and Enfield, it winds through feveral parks and gardens, not only fupplying the inhabitants of thofe diftricts with water, but enriching the country with the fertility and beauty of its ftream; at Enfield, after palling through White Webb's farm, it juft touches on Enfield-chace, and returns immediately through the fame farm, in a direction nearly parallel to its former courfe, and thus enclofes completely a large tract of rich meadow-land, which requires no other fence. The mode of conducting ftreams acrofs vallies was but little underflood when this river was first formed, otherwife, fo circuitous a courfe, to preferve the level, would have been unneceflary. On the Chace, in its turn, it crofles a narrow vale, which after heavy rains is frequently flooded. The water being obftructed in its courfe by the banks of the river, would certainly have overflowed and damaged the river water, with the impurities of a land flood, had not this mitchief been prevented, by an

arch of brick-work, which is thrown across the river, by means of which, the waters collected in the valley, after heavy rains, pafs over the fream without injuring it. In a wet feafon, fo large a fheet of water, rufhing over the New River with great noife and impetuofity, forms a very grand cafcade.

Between Enfield and London, the New River winds in fo fingular a manner, that in the courfe of ten miles, you pafs it as many times.

The weeds at the bottom of the river are repeatedly cut, and the mud cleared away, in order to preferve the channel free and open for the courfe of the water. For the care of the banks, a walkfman is appointed to every two miles. Cn trying the mud of the New River, in the neighbourhood of Enfield, I found it ftrongly calcareous; a confiderable effervefcence enfuing on being mixed with acids. This is owing to the admixture of fhells and fresh water fnails, which, continually fubfiding, give a marly nature to the earth at the bottom of the ftream. If we confider, that it is now one hundred and eighty years fince the river was completed, the quantity of calcareous matter thus accumulated muft be confiderable. The chalk, which abounds in the neighbourhood of Hertford and Ware, where the river rifes, may furnish an additional fupply of the calcareous earth. On ufing this river mud, as a manure on meadow land, I have found the pafture fweetened by the great increafe of the white clover. The ficte fefcue grafs prevails much on the banks of the New River, owing probably to the calcareous mud fcraped up from the bottom, and with which the banks are continually repaired. X 4

This

This grafs has been obferved to abound in meadows, that have been often flooded with water, which has previously pafled over calcareous earth. Land contiguous to rivers ought always to be in grafs, both on account of the advantage of water to cattle, and the conftant benefit that grafs receives from a running ftream. The lofs, therefore, fuftained by common field land adjoining to rivers must be confiderable, as the courfe of crops to which they are fubject neceffarily excludes grafs. In the county of Middlefex there are feveral hundred acres of common field land thus fituated, the rental and produce of which might be doubled by enclofure.

The above obfervations on Middlefex agriculture, I am perfunded, would be of no valve to the board, if there did not exift a backwardnefs, in farmers in general, to fatisfy the inquiries of gentlemen, on the fubject of agriculture. With my best wishes for your fuccefs, in your various and important occupations, I remain,

Your obliged humble servant,
ABRAHAM WILKINSON.

of the out-fide from the tip, down wards, red; horns white, with black tips, very fine, and bent upwards. Some of the bulls have a thin upright mane, about an inch and a half, or two inches long. The weight of the oxen is from 35 to 45 ftone, and the cows from 25 to 35 flone, the four quarters; 14lb. to the ftone. The beef is finely marbled, and of excellent flavour.

From the nature of their pasture, and the frequent agitation they are put into, by the curiofity of ftrangers, it is fearce to be expected they fhould get very fat; yet the fix years old oxen are generally very good beef; from whence it may be fairly fuppofed, that in proper fituations, they would feed well.

At the first appearance of any perfon they fet off in full gallop; and, at the distance of two or three hundred yards, make a wheel round, and come boldly up again, tofling their heads in a menacing manner. On a fudden they make a full stop, at the diftance of forty or fifty yards, looking wildly at the object of their furprize; but the leaft motion being made, they all again turn round, and gallop off again with equal fpeed, but not to the fame difiance: forming a thorter circle,

upon

the fame, vol. xxii.

and more threatening, afpect than Lefore, they approach much nearer, probably within thirty yards, when they make another ftand, and again gallop off. This they do feveral times, fhortening their diftance, and advancing nearer, till they come within a few yards, when moft people think it prudent to leave them, not chufing to provoke them farther, as it is probable, that in a few turns more they would make an attack..

The

The mode of killing them was, perhaps, the modern remains of the grandeur of ancient hunting. On notice being given, that a wild bull would be killed upon a certain day, the inhabitants of the neighbourhood came mounted, and armed with guns, &c. fometimes to the amount of a hundred horfe, and four or five hundred foot, who flood upon walls or got into trees, while the horsemen rode off the bull from the rest of the herd, until he flood at bay; when a markfman difmounted and fhot. At fome of thefe huntings, twenty or thirty fhots have been fired before he was fubdued. On fuch occafions, the bleeding victim grew defperately furious, from the fmar ing of his wounds, and the fhouts of favage joy that were echoing from every fide; but, from the number of accidents that happened, this dangerous mode has been little practiced of late years; the park-keeper alone generally fhooting them with a rifled gun, at one shot. When the cows calve, they hide their calves, for a week or ten days, in fome fequeftered fituation, and go and fuckle them two or three times a day. If any perfon comes near the calves, they clap their heads clofe to the ground, and lie like a hare in form, to hide themselves. This is a proof of their native wildnefs, and is corroborated by the following circumftance, that happened to the writer of this narrative, who found a hidden calf, two days old, very lean, and very weak. On ftroaking its head, it got up, pawed two or three times like an old bull, bellowed very loud, ftepped back a few steps, and bolted at his legs with all its force; it then began to paw again, bellowed,

ftepped back, and bolted as before; but knowing its intention, and ftepping afide, it mifled me, fell, and was fo very weak, that it could not rife, though it made feveral ef forts. But it had done enough, the whole herd were alarmed, and coming to its refcue, obliged me to retire; for the dams will allow no perfon to touch their calves, without attacking them with impetuous ferocity.

When any one happens to be wounded, or grown weak and feeble through age or sickness, the rest of the herd fet upon it, and gore it

to death.

Account of some remarkable caves in the principality of Bayreuth, and of the foffil bones found therein. Extracted from a paper fent, with Specimens of the bones, as a prefent to the Royal Society, by his moft ferene highness the margrave of Anfpach, &c. From the Philofophical Tranfactions.

A

Ridge of primeval mountains runs almoft through Germany, in a direction, nearly from weft to eaft; the Hartz, the mountains of Thuringia, the Fitchtelberg in Franconia, are different parts of it, which in their farther extent conftitute the Riefenberg, and join the Carpathian mountains; the highest parts of this ridge are granite, and are flanked by alluvial and stratified mountains, confifting chiefly of limefione, marl, and fandflone; fuch at leaft is the tract of hills in which the caves to be fpoken of are fituated, and over thefe hills the main read leads from Bayreuth to Erlang, or Nurenberg. Half way to this town lies Streitberg, where there is

a poft,