Among agricultural implements of a peculiar form, the clrill-roller of this county must not pass without no tice. It is a large cast-iron cylinder, with projecting ring, .ound it, at the instance of about ten inches from ea.;11 ether. Being rolled over the ploughed land, this instrument, by means or its rings, leaves ruts behind it, into which the seed, though merely scattered by the hand, naturally gathers itself, at least (luting the suc ceeding operations, and is thus simply and effectually deposited in regular rows. The .unzrard of Norfolk is a temporary waggon, sometimes used in a busy period of harvest. It is formed by placing an additional pair of wheels under the shafts of a common cart, the hody of which is, at the same time, elongated by two ladders or racks being fixed to the sides of it, and a third laid horizontally between them, for completing the bottom. Thrashing machines are universal; sometimes they are driven by steam. Moveable fences, now in general use over the kingdom, are said to have been first employed in this county. They prove serviceable, when it is re quired to consume a field of turnips or pasture, in suc cessive parts.
Grazing is a secondary object, but still considerably attended to. The native sheep is a hardy animal, with horns ancl black feet. Its fleece weighs nearly two pounds ; and the carcass, when fattened, ahout eighteen per quarter. It is considered as well suited to the soil and husbandry of the county, being accustomed to feed close, and endure penning. The veool was formerly classed in the third rank among native breeds; but lately it has been discovered that the neck part is equal to that of thc Spanish sheep. The Norfolk cow, a little animal of a brown colour, with short up-curved horns, is now seldom reared. It has in a great measure given place to the Suffolk breed, a polled dun-coloured species, less calculated for barren pastures and hard weather, but yielding a larger quantity of milk. In some of the fenny districts peculiarly liable to inundation, the ma nagement of these animals constitutes the main busi ness; and large quantities of butter, procured from them, are exported, under the name ol Cambridge but ter. In general, however, the grazier's aim is to pre pare the cattle themselves, not their produce, for the market. At the fair of St. Faith's, (a small village near Norwich.) which is held about Michaelmas, the Nor folk graziers are accustomed to purchase large droves of Highland Oxen, Scotch runts, as they are named, which, when admitted to the. rich pastures in the east of the county, soon lose the rugged meagre appear ance they presented originally, and form a considerable item in the supply of the London market. Above 20,000 bullocks are annually taken to Smithfield, near ly three-fourths of which have come from Scotland, and been fattened in Norfolk ; a few ate Ilish, the rest na tive.
The rivers of Norfolk furnish a copious supply of fish of different kinds. Perches are in such abundance, that 120 barrels are said to have sometimes been caught by means of two nets in a single day. The ruffe is a species ol perch peculiar to the Yam. On the sea-coast, the supply is not less varied or abundant. Shell-fish is taken in several parts ; but the most noted fisheries are of mackerel and herrings. To the latter Yarmouth owes its existence as a town ; and the same cause has con tinued to procure it distinction since the period of the Conquest. In a successful year it has been known to ex port 70,000 barrels. exclusive ol the home consumption, which probably amounted to 15.000 more. The trade is carried on under special regulations ; and above 2000 fishermen from this port arc employed in it. The her
tings are cured by being salted repeatedly, and then smoked in houses contrived for the purpose.
From its geographical position, Norfolk enjoys. a ready communication with several countics in the in terior, and naturally forms the medium for exporting much of their supet nuous home produce, and supplying them with foreign goods. Its harbours provide the in land countiel with coals, wine, timbcr, grcceries ; and receive in return large quantities of cheese, corn, and malt. Yarmouth and Lynn, its chiet ports, particularly the former, which has in later times become a station for the navy, have engaged to a considerable extent in the foreign as well as coasting trade. Their ships take a share in the Greenland fisheries, and viait the Baltic and the south of Europe. Wells, Cromer, Blackney, Burnham, and Clay, though partially concerned in the corn tra.de, may rather be regarded as fishing tosvns. The entrance and the neighbourhood of all these har bours arc beset with danger: and the habit of sur mounting it renders the seamen of this coast among the hardiest and most expert in England.
Norfolk was distinguished as a manufacturing county long before it was known as an agricultural one. It is seven hundred years since Worsted became noted for the woollen stuffs which still bcar its name, though the place itself has now decayed to an inconsiderable ham let, and the trade is removed. The surrounding dis trict has continued to work principally from similar ma terials,—converting its wool, with various intermixtures of silk and mohair, into serges, crapes, shalloons, da masks, bombazines, shawls, and every sort of fancy goods. In this trade, the capital city has long taken the lead; and the introduction of machinery has of late tended still farther to collect the workmen within a closer neighbourhood. The manufactures of Norfolk are now almost synonymous with those of Norwich and its vici nity. A more detailed account of them will naturally fall to be given when the latter is described.
According to the several enumerations made by order of government, the population stood as follows : In 1801, there were 49,140 houses ; and 273,471 inhabitants, of whom 129,842 were males, and 143,529 females ; 61,791 being employed in agriculture ; 38,181 in trade and ma nufactures. In 1811, the resident population had risen to 291,999, or 140 to the square mile ; and in 1821, to 344,368 ; 145,999 being the number employed in agri culture, and 34/. the average net product, or the rent and tithes paid by each family.
As to the poor of this county, it appears from the re ports laid before parliament, that in 1303, the number of persons receiving parish aid was 42,782, or 16 in 100 of the resident population. The expense so incurred was 175,361/. 8s. 3d. including 6031/. 178. 93d. consumed in law suits, removals of paupers, and charges of over seers; including also 1459/. 188. 71d. consumed in pur chasing materials for employing the poor ; and omitting a calculated sum of 403/. 108. given to vagrants and other non-parishioners. The money levied was at the rate of 148. 110. per head on the population ; the money ex pended immediately on account of the poor was at the rate of 12s. 100. per head on the population. Of the whole 42,782 there were 3998 maintained in work houses at an expense of 11/. 58. ld. annually for each ; and 38.786 relieved, not in work-houses, at an expense of 3/. 4s. lid. for each. The number of persons be longing to friendly societies was about 5 in 100 of the inhabitants.
See Beauties of England and Wales, vol. xi.; Kent't View of the 4griculture of Norfolk ; and Young's Fat Tour in the East of England.