rewards to persons bringing a stipulated quantity of the best sorts of fish into the market, it would ensure a more regular supply.

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1 Statement of the Treasurer's Account of the Market.

On the 16th of August, 1826, the States agreed to purchase thirtyfive houses in Fountain-street, in order to build others, and to make a new Fish-market, near the new Meat-market.

CHAPTER V.

Ye generous Normans, venerate the plough.

Thomson.

Happy the man whose wish and care,
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,
In his own ground.

Pope.

BEFORE the subject of Agriculture is entered upon, it may be necessary to apprize the stranger, that the mode of occupying estates in this island is materially different from that in England. The custom of Normandy, with some particular local customs, forms the law, which always has been and is still used and observed in the island. These customs will be more particularly detailed when speaking of the civil government, laws, and customs. In this place it is only necessary to allude to the common tenure of houses and lands adopted here, called giving to rent. By referring to that article, the reader will see sufficiently explained why the estates in Guernsey are so small. The enclosed fields also partake of this character, for very few exceed half-a-dozen English acres. The occupiers of these estates, "The country's guard, the nation's pride," are all frugal owners; but many of the estates are too much encumbered with corn rents. They are, generally speaking, a hard-working and a hard-faring race of husbandmen, forming the defence of the island; most of them belonging to the militia, and serving without pay. To think that such a

race of farmers should enter freely into the expenses of the most approved systems of husbandry, is, perhaps, more than a rational mind can expect; but the island having been much benefited by the Agricultural Society, established by the late Lieut.-Governor Gen. Bailey, in 1817, great improvements have certainly been made in their breed of cattle; and, by degrees, the farmers will doubtless be led to adopt improvements in the culture of their land: the increasing demand for produce will also encourage a better mode of cultivation.

The soil of the island, with few exceptions, is of a loamy nature. In the vale parish, and St. Sampson's, adjoining, it partakes more of the sand and sandy mixture: in parts near the town, it is a tolerably good brick earth; but, towards the west and south, it has more stiffness of soil. Perhaps it may be said that this island is naturally better adapted for grass than for corn; and although the land may not be cultivated to the highest point of perfection, yet the islanders have long been famous for their cultivation of the parsnip, and the application of this root to the feeding and fattening of their cattle and hogs; and also for the application of sea-weed, or vraic, for manure. The fields are fenced in by banks of earth, about three or four feet thick, and the same in height, either turfed or walled; with dry stone withoutside, the banks of which are commonly sown with furze; but in the neighbourhood of the town, or of villas, the outside,is walled with mortar and stones, and the top of the bank planted with white-thorn and trees. In the country, and at a short distance from the town, the stranger may observe that, in the place of gates, the space is filled up with large smooth stones, each weighing 15 or 20 pounds, brought from the shore; these are piled up on each other, in a row, and removed as occasion requires. Lands under the plough are never suffered to lie fallow. In five seasons, two of wheat, one of barley or oats, one of clover, and one of parsnips, is the general practice; but to describe the mode of culture in these fields,

would, perhaps, be a difficult task, as many of them contain three or four different sorts of crops: corn or clover, cabbages or parsnips, potatoes or turnips, beet and brocoli, are indiscriminately mixed; some of which the farmers' wives regularly bring to market. Beans or peas are scarcely ever to be met with, except in single rows dividing other crops, or thinly dibbled among the parsnips.

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Turnips seem to be more in fashion within these few years, but only to be carried off for their cattle, or to supply the market. Lucern is not here the favourite, as in Alderney, and only partially sown. Quayle tells us, "the cultivation of this plant commenced in this island about the year 1750, the seed being procured from Cette, in Languedoc." Sainfoin seems to be but scarcely known. Quayle says, sainfoin, burnet, and chicory have not been introduced; but I have seen one patch of chicory in a field of Sir Thomas Saumarez, the only one perhaps to be found in Guernsey; this chicory had lucern mixed with it. Carrots are not an article of field culture, except for the supply of the market. Potatoes are largely planted, and are a grand article of export, 74,685 bushels, including those from Sark and Herm, were sold for exportation in the year 1824; each bushel of 60lbs. weight; and in 1827, 45,111 bushels were exported. The farmers, both in Alderney and Sark, told me, that the Guernsey potatoes are not so good as the potatoes in those islands: if it be so, it may be attributed to laying on sea-weed, which improves the produce, but not the quality of the root; I, however, who being an Englishman may be deemed an impartial judge, have eaten as good and as fine potatoes in Guernsey, as I have done in either of the other islands; and these the produce of the Guernsey soil. There is indeed a very great difference between the same sorts, grown on different soils; and perhaps if they were to make use of sea-sand, in

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stead of the sea-weed, upon their strong land, there would be no complaint.

There are no regular foot-paths through the fields in Guernsey; this is some advantage to the farmer, although it may be cause of regret to the pedestrian, for he cannot enjoy a walk in the fields, and gather an ear of corn, as in England, without trespassing on the farmer's grounds.

The climate of Guernsey has been compared by Dr. Macculloch, in his very valuable paper communicated to the Caledonian Horticultural Society, to the mild climate of the coast of Cornwall; but I venture to observe, that it is a much better one, inasmuch as there does not fall so much rain as in that district. Quayle says, that the quantity of rain that falls here is thought to exceed that in Jersey, but this has not been ascertained by experiment: 2 he also says, "the autumnal dews are very heavy here certainly, for the dew drops are not quite exhaled on the grass, on the north side of the hedge, during the day:" and he adds, "that at ten o'clock at night, the streets wear the appearance of having received a hasty shower. From this moisture the after-grass receives great benefit, and its growth is thought to continue to a later period in the year than at Jersey: the advance of winter may be here later, but that of spring is not observed to be more early." Indeed, it is this moisture that makes the land more favourable for grass than for corn; and though naturally more forward than the situation of England, yet, in general, the wheat harvest in the forward counties of England commences a few days before it does here: perhaps this may be attributed, in some measure, to the farmers in this

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2 The writer, during his stay at Plymouth, once asked a sailor whether plenty of rain did not fall there as well as in Cornwall ? His answer was, 66 more or less of it falls eleven months out of the twelve." Though his answer was in hyperbole, it is sufficient to shew that the climate there is a very moist one.