Gardening is carried to a considerable extent in the neighbourhood of all the large towns : Pottsea island is supposed to produce the finest broccoli in the kingdom. Orchards are not common or productive in the woodland or chalky districts ; but on the marly and clay soils, its the south and south-western parts of the county, they are more common ; even here, however, little or no cyder is made for sale, the farmer contenting himself with making tWo or three hogsheads annually for the use of his family. A considerable portion of Hampshire is occupied by the forest of Alice Holt and the forest of Bare, and the New Forest : the first is divided into two portions by intervening private property, one part containing 15,493 acres, and the other 2.744 This forest is situated on the borders of Surrey and Sussex. The forest of Bare extends northward from the Portsdown hills, including about 16,000 acres. The ancient boundaries of the New Forest includ ed the whole of that part of Hampshire which lies between Southampton water on the east, the British Cf•unel on the south, and the river Avon on the West. By a per ambulation on the 22d of Charles II. it was ascertained that it extended from Godshill on the north-west to the sea,.on the south-east about 20 miles, and from Hardley on the east to Ringwood on the west about 15 miles, containing within those limits 92.365 acres : of these 24.797 belong to individuals ; 901 acres are encroachments ; 1192 are inclos ed land in the possession of the master, keepers, &c.; and the remainder, being about 63,845 acres, constitute the woods and waste lands of the forest. Its officers are, a lord warden, A lieutenant, riding forester, bow bearer, two under woodward, four verderers, high r ter keepers, and u•••1rad) 12 regarders, 9 or mas suo. •, of timber supplied by this Me!' troresters.
naval purposes from 1761 to 1786 was 23,000 loads of oar., I 7003 loads of beech ; and the number of deer killed annu..o,, about 76 brace of bucks, and 17 brace of does. The timber was so very much neglected, that, in the year 1800, an act of parliament was passed for its increase and preservation. The scenery of the New Forest affords as great a variety of beautiful and picturesque landscape, as can be met with in any part of England, of the same extent. The oaks seldom rise into lofty stems, but their branches are adapt ed for knee timber, and are commonly twisted into the most picturesque forms. The Cadenham oak is regarded as one of the curiosities of the forest, the buds appearing every year in the depth of winter. The advantages which this forest derives from its situation, in respect to conveni ency of water carriage, are superior to those of any other forest in England ; in its vicinity are many places for ship ping timber, amongst which are Lymington, Beaulieu, and Redbridge, with the additional advantage of the remotest of those places being little more than 30 miles from the dock-yard of Portsmouth. Hampshire is remarkable for the great quantity and excellent quality of its oak bark, supplied chiefly by the timber in the New Forest.
Hampshire does not possess any peculiar or specific breediof cattle ; the Sussex, Suffolk, Hereford, Glamorgan, and North and South Devon, are chiefly employed for draught, and the Norman for the dairy. Cows kept for the latter purpose are rented out to dairymen at from 71. to 9/. per cow, per annum. In the woodland district of the county, the heath sheep are sometimes met with ; but the most common in other parts are the Old Hampshire, something resembling the Dorsetshire in their size, shape, and qualities, and the New Leicester. The Wiltshire and Dorsetshire are also kept for the purpose of house lamb. On the Downs, the South Down sheep are spreading fast. Hampshire has long been justly celebrated for the excel lency of its bacon. The native hog of the county is a coarse, ill-fattening animal, from which neither much not good bacon would be expected ; but the mart, and other food which the forests produce, and the excellent mode of curing in practice, have contributed, in a far greater de gree, to establish the superiority of Hampshire bacon, than any inherent excellence in its native breed of hogs. These,
however, have been greatly improved in form and quality, by crosses with the Berkshire, Suffolk, and Chinese breed.
In this county, there are three distinct series of canals, two of which terminate in the water of Southampton. The north-western part of the county has also beer bene fited by the Kennet navigation, leading from Newberry to Reading. The Basingstoke canal commences at that town, and falls into the river Wey near the village of Westley ; it is something more than 37 miles in length, with a fall of 195 feet. The Andover and Redbridge canal begins near the former place, and falls into the Southampton water near the latter. Its length is 221 miles ; its fall, 176 feet 9 inches. A collateral branch is navigable to within 2 miles of Salisbury. The Winchester and Southampton canal is one of the most ancient in the kingdom. The act for making it was obtained in the reign of Charles I. There are several fish-ponds in Hampshire, particularly on the wet soils on the borders of Sorry. These ponds are usu ally stocked with carp and tench; and, in favourable cir cumstances, five acres of water will support 1250 brace of these fish, until the stock are fit for market, and have ob tained an average size of 2 lb. per brace, and consequently weigh 2500 lb.; which, at 9d. per lb. the price at which they are usually sold to the London fishmongers, will amount to 931. 15s.,the value of five acres of land so em ployed for three years.
The manufactures of Hampshire are not very considera ble or numerous. At Alton, there are manufactures of serges, and a variety of worsted articles, bombazines, Sm. Worsted yarn is spun in this town and neighbourhood. Nearly the same kind of manufactures exist at Alresforcl. Basingstoke is distinguished for its manufactures of malt and leather. At Overton there is a silk mill of consider able magnitude ; and in this part of the county the young _ r female peasantry are much employed in making straw hats. The paper mills near Overton are famous for being em ployed in making paper for the notes of the Bank of Eng land. There are also paper mills in other parts of Hamp shire. Andover is remarkable for the large quantities, as well as for the excellent quality, of the malt made in it and the vicinity. Its former manufacture of shalloons is on the decay. A considerable quantity of yarn and wor sted is spun in this part for the manufactures at Salisbury. Stockbridge is noted for wheelwrights and carpenters. In Winchester, many people are employed in the manufac ture of light silk goods, and in preparing and winding the silk. The manufactured goods are principally used for umbrellas. Romsey is famous for its beer; the manu facture of shalloons is greatly decayed ; considerable quan tities of sacking are made. At Fordingbridge, there is an extensive and flourishing manufacture of striped bed tick ing; nearly two-thirds of the inhabitants being employ ed in spinning, bleaching, weaving, &c. for this manufac ture. Knit silk stockings, and a watch chain manufactory, particularly distinguish Christchurch. At Lymington there are very extensive and valuable manufactures of culinary and medicinal salts from sea-water. Southampton was form erly famous for its trade in French and port urines; but this is in a great measure gone to decay. At Farnham, there are manufactures of bricks, tiles, chimney pots, and sacking and cordage. There is one fair in Hamp shire which deserves particular notice. This is held at %Vey-hill, in the hundred of Andover. It commences the day before Michaelmas-day, and is one of the largest in the kingdom for hops, sheep, and cheese. Upwards of 140,000 sheep have been sold in one day. The Farn ham hops are almost entirely sold here. The fair gene rally lasts 6 or 7 days.