Besides the,numerous canals in the fenny district, principally fax the purposes of draining the land, there, are the Cambridgeshire Canal, which com mences in the.Ouse at Harrimere, and terminates at Cambridge. A cut of 3 miles extends to Reche, and another of miles to Burwell ; and the Wisbeach canal, which joins the Wisbeach river at the old sluice in the town, opening a communication with Norfolk, Suffolk, and other places.
The climate of Cambridgeshire differs considera bly in different parts. In the south-east it is cold and bleak; in the fenny district damp and unhealthy, though much less so than formerly ; in the south and south-western districts, the climate is the eat, most agreeable, and healthy.
Estates vary much in size. There are many large ones, especially those of the Earl of Hardwicke and the Dukes of Bedford and Rutland. College tenures are numerous. There are some large farms, of 1000 acres or more, but the general size is from 100 to 500 acres.
Cambridgeshire is not celebrated as anagricultural county. It may be considered.. as chiefly arable. Wheat is grown principally in some parts of the fen ny district, and in the south and south-western parts of the county. Barley is cultivated in these parts, and in some of the more fertile portions of the south east district. Immense crepe of oats, of good qua lity, are grown in the fenny district, and also in most other parts of the county. It is supposed, that about one-fourth of the fen-lands are cropped with cote, which is principally sown to be eaten green with sheep, very little being. now cultivated for the seed. The cultivation of hemp and flax is carried on to a considerable extent, in that part of the county which borders on Norfolk, particularly in the parishes of Upwell and Wolney. Saffron has been very little, if at all cultivated, for upwards of 40 years. In some parts mustard is a favourite and valuable crop. Sedge is cultivated near Chippenham ; but the cul tivsuon of the reed is rapidly decreasing, in cons.. queues of the improvement of the Cens. White seed, or fen•hay, is grown abundantly in several places.. It increases the milk of cows. Osiers are grown in. the Wash, as well as in many parts of the fen they are a profitable crop in these districts. So great is the valet of turf, that the land producing it has been sold at from L. 50 to L. I10 per acre. At Ely, &s ham, Wisbeach, &e. are many large gardens, pro ducing so abundantly of vegetables and common kinds of fruit, as to supply not only the neighbour ing towns, and counties, but even London. Great
quantities of strawberries are grown in the vicinity of Ely, which are chiefly conveyed in bargee to Lynn, and carried thence to Newcastle and other places in the north of England. There are nume rous and large orchards in the same districts as the chief produce is apples and eherries. remarkable fbr the latter. That district of the county which, by old authors, is termed the Dairies, comprehends the parishes of Shengay, Weegy, Whaddon, &c. ; but the dairy „forme in this district are, at present, much less con siderable than these in the parishes of Chattria, Me pal, Sutton, Cottesham, /khans, Ely, and Streatham. The whole number of cows kept in this district is supposed to be between g000 and 10,000; in the parish of Cottenhans about 1500 are kept ; in Willingham, about 1000. . These two parishes make the cheese, so much esteemed, which goes by the name of Cettenhans cheese ; the pelah of $oham is also esteemed for good cheese. Little cheese is made in other parts of the county ; rearing of calves and making of butter being the chief dairy management. The butter is sold, rolled up in pieces of a yard long, and about two inches in :oIreuunfbrene I this is done for the convenience of the colleges, whore it is cut into pieces called peels, and so sent to table; its quality is excellent. Ilse cows kept on the dairy Arms are mostly the breed of the county most of the eaves that are suckled, are sent to the London market. Immense numbers of sheep are pastured on the heaths and (Nimmons, with which the south and south-western districts of this county are intersected. The downs in the vicinity of the Gogmwg Hills, are also c used sheep walks. The principal breeds kept as here, are the Norfolk and west country ; in the fens the most prevalent sort is a cross between the Leicester and Lincoln. The Cambridgeshire W enn think themselves unrivalled in cart-boasee ; they Are of the large black breed; in the fens they are a source ofgrftt profit. In Cambridgeshire there is also a peculiar breed of hogs, some of which are se large as to &teen to forty stone, fourteen lbs. to the stone, at two years old. • From the nature of the northern division of the county, great attention has necessarily been, paid to draining ; and, in some places, advantage has been ta ken of the numerous rivers to irrigate and warp land.