From what we have said of the division of proper ty, it may well be supposed, that the number of free= holders in this county is very considerable, and it is regularly increasing. Estates are frequently pur chased on speculation, and sold out again in lots ; and so general has been the violation of entails, that few estates are now occupied by the lineal descen dants of those to whom they belonged'two centuries ago. The present value of freehold estates cannot easily be ascertained with accuracy. Some estates may be sold at 26 years purchase, and others as high as 35 ; but the average value may be stated, perhaps pretty fairly, at 28 years purchase, nett rent. It is highly favourable to the agriculture of this that the superintendence of few of the estates is de volved upon agents ; and that many gentlemen of• considerable landed property are most zealous pro moters, and skilful judges, of agricultural improve ment. By far the greatest portion of the land in• Berkshire is freehold, though, in different 'parts of• the county, there are copyhold lands, held by diffe rent tenures, according to the customs of their re-' spective manors. The lords of the manor are, in some places, dispdsed to enfranchise their tenants, on• equitable terms ; and the advantage of this practice, both to lord and tenant, will probably soon make it general. Leases on lives, and leases renewable every' seven years, under deans and chapters, and other cor porate bodies, are pretty frequent in Berkshire. But the benefit of these leases is almost wholly destroyed by the magnitude of the sum demanded at their re newal.. A few estates are held by leases of 1000. years ; and others are leased on one or three lives, by • individual proprietors ; but this practice is rare, and' renewals are generally refused. The lands of. Berk shire are parcelled out into farms of all sizes ; a cir cumstance extremely conducive to the welfare of a country, as men of different capitals are thus induced to apply themselves to agriculture, and to emulate each other in their schemes of improvement, and in their efforts to obtain an independent, or a comfort able livelihood. The rent is generally paid in except when lands are held under colleges and.chap..
tcrs ; in these, the usual reservations of corn-rents, and sometimes of malt, arc still retained. Stipula tions are seldom made by the proprietors for any ser vices, beyond what arc connected with the repairs of buildings on the respective farms ; • and an allowance is generally made to the tenant of from three to six months rent hand. There is nothing peculiar in the tythings of this county, except in the parish of Cumner, where the parishioners who pay tythes have a claim to be entertained at the vicarage on the after noon of Christmas, with four bushels of malt brewed into ale and beer, two bushels of wheat made into bread, and one-half hundred weight of cheese. Mo ney is now given in lieu of this singular entertain ment. The poor rates in 1803 amounted to 4s. Ild. in the pound, amounting in all to 96,860. It must be observed, however, that they are seldom assessed on the real rent, but, in several instances, are raised according to an old valuation, founded on unknown data. • As the soil of Berkshire is peculiarly adapted to wheat, great quantities of that grain are reared in every part of the county. Next to wheat, barley is raised in the greatest abundance, and is chiefly sent to London, after being made into malt. There are many large dairy farms in some parts of the county, particularly in the White Horse Vale. The cattle are large and valuable, but there are here, no native and breeds. Snowswick, a farm in the pa rish of Buscot, is famous for cheeses in the shape of pine apples. They are peculiarly rich and delicate
m flavour, and sell considerably higher than cheeses. in the common form. About two tons of them are made in good years on this single farm, which indeed is the only place, as far as we have learned, where they arc manufactured. Berkshire has a peculiar, breed of sheep, the distinguishing qualities of which are their great size, their height on the legs, and.• weight when fatted : they have black faces, Roman noses, black or mottled legs, and long tails. They are particularly adapted to the low and cold lands ; and when fatted, vary as much in weight as from 14 to 40 pounds a quarter. The native hogs of this country are inferior to none in the world for com pactness, easiness in feeding, and the size to which they can be brought. They are usually crossed once in six or seven generations with Chinese or Ton quin race, which prevents them from degenerating ; and one gentleman has used a• half wild boar to im prove his breed with the greatest success. The number of turnpike roads in Berkshire affords the farmer every facility in carrying the produce of his ; but though several of the roads are good, and follow the most judicious lines, they are frequently very inferior to what the abundance of valuable materials in every part of the county, and the ample revenues, would entitle the traveller to expect. Few inland counties possess such advanta ges in point of navigation as Berkshire. In its west ern 'division, no part of, the triangle formed by the Thames on the north-east, the Kennet on the south, and the Wilts and Berks canal on the west, is distant more than .twelve miles from carriage ; and in the east,and south eastern parts, the distance is no where,greater•either from the.Basingstoke canal, the Thames, or the Kennet. The Kennet and Avon ca nal, too, now executing under the powers of several successive acts of parliament, commences at Newbu ry ; and that part of it within the limits of this county has been navigable ever since the year 1798.
Few manufactures are carried on in Berkshire. From the returns made to parliament in 1801, it ap pears that out of a population of 109,215, only 16,921 were engaged in trades, manufactures, or handicraft. Besides local manufactures for internal consumption, the only one of any importance is that of copper at the Temple mills. These mills are said to be the most powerful and complete in the king dom. During war the copper is manufactured chiefly into bolts and sheathing for ships, in the service of government. In time of peace various kinds of sheets are formed for domestic purposes, and for fo reign trade. The quantity of copper manufactured here is from ,600 to 1000 tons. About fifty men and boys are employed in this establishment, which consists of a hammer-mill, a bolt-mill, and a flat rob. ling-mill, all worked by water.
We cannot dismiss this article without taking no tice of the celebrated White Horse, which most tiquaries refer to Saxon origin, though Mr Lyson is of opinion that it is more likely to have been a work of the Britons than, as is usually supposed, a memo• rial for Alfred's•victory over the Danes. It is form ed by paring off the turf from the brow of a steep chalky hill above Uffington, And from some points of vieW may be seen at the distance of twelve miles. It is now nearly obliterated by the grass growing on its surface. There arc some other monuments of antiquity in Berkshire, but they are not of such importance as to merit particular notice in this place. See Mayor's Agricultural Report of Berkshire; and Lyson's iilaryna Britannica, vol. i. (f4)