Deypetare patty tete ete) Pr eytere bat genet ty LETTERS AND PAPERS AGRICULTURE, PLANTING, &c. BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY, FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. VOLUME VIII. Bee Se eee SS —S== PRICE SIX SHILLINGS, d , cans "") LETTERS AND PAPERS AGRICULTURE, PLANTING, &c. THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE _BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY, FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES, ARTS, AND COMMERCE, VOL. VIII. BATH, PRINTED, BY ORDER OF THE SOCIETY, BY R. CRUTTWELL; AND SOLD BY C. DILLY, POULTRY) LONDON, AND BY THE BOOKSELLERS OF BATH, BRISTOL, SALISBURY, GLOCESTER, EXETER, &c, &c. MDCC XCVI, eneA oe Ak helen Se, y [£2 +S te / a en Pot a "Y 1%, . % + a,% . INDEX to VOL. VII, A. PACE eo Dr. on Wool-bearing Animals — — I his Anfwer to Queries from the Coramittee of the Bath and Weft of England Society 31 to the Secretary, with Samples of Wool and Hair 34, re{pe€ting Canal Locks, Bridges, Peat-Mofs, &c. —= 35 his Remarks on County Surveys —— 3038 Afia, fundry Varieties of Sheep in : _ _ 2 Antigua, Sheep of, without Wool — — 12 Animals, original kinds of, may become loft without care =_ 20, 23 Anglefea, Watte Lands of — —_— — 165,166 America, Emigrations to, mentioned —_ — 201 Apples, Colleétion of, from Mr. Crocker, with Charaéters — 305—307 ——, Collection of, from Mr. Pew, of Shafton, with Characters of the fame, by the Committee sd —— — 359—362 =, a Charatteriftick account of twenty-nine forts of, by Mr. J. Morse, Nurferyman of Newent ee — 362—365 Ath, Plantation, in Warwickfhire, mentioned —_ ge ee o=—, Mode of Planting explained — poms) 9235.9 9A —, Profit of, vindicated — cee) a eee B. Baltick, Hairy-fleeces from Wa Banks Sir Josern, refpecting Hairy and Wooly Animals 11, 18, 34 Bucharian race of Sheep — Ty 12 Bullocks, the moft valuable domeftick Animals Buffaloe, the Hair of, like Clothing-Wool Burron M. erroncous Ideas of, about changes in Animals — SE Breed, mixture of, but not climate, altering the nature of Animals — + 2 Baxewe ct Mr. his fuccefs in Improving the Breed of Animals — 25 Breeds of Animals, generally propagate their propenfity to fatten — 26,27 Bee, account of the Difcontinuance of — 39 Birtincsiey Mr. quoted, on the Curl in Potatoes — 46 Briftol, Merchants of, propofed as the Patron of Mr. Soutn’s invention 55 Banfted-Down, Wool of _- _— — 6, Broken-up Ground, Wool from ee -_— 70 Berkthire, Wool of —— _—_ _—_- :~—S7d —, Wartte Lands of ood —— _ 99—103 » Remarks on Tithes there —s —— 187, 188 Black Wool, Objeétions to —— — — 78 Bairey Mr. Joun, relative to Wafte. Lands of Northumberland — 114 Brown Mr. relative to Wafte Lands in the Weft Riding of York — 127 Boy Mr. Joun, relative to Wafte Lands in Kent — 135 Bedfordfhire, Wafte Lands of —_— 136—138 Buckinghamfhire, Wafte Lands of — 1338—142 » Remarks on Tithes there ————- 207—209 Brown Mr. Tuomas, relative to Wafte Lands of Derbythire — 152 Burnham, Lands in, and Value — — 260 Brent Eaft, Lands in, and Value were ———= i hale » PAGE Brent South, Lands in, and Value a a) Butter, Experiment on, after the Lancafhire method —- 295—297 Barter Rev. W.B. his various Anfwers to Mr. Woop — 322—326 BartTriey Mr. N. his Letter to Lord SHEFFIELD on Potatoe Culture — 343 Bread, Potatoe, mentioned by Mr. B. in faid Letter Barciay Daven, efy; his account of the prefenc general mode of Dibbling Wheat in Norfolk — 356 Barton Rev. J. his Paper on a new method of propagating Potatoes, with Reflections —s -_ — 366 BAKEWELL Mr. his Allufions to his Breeding, by Mr. Parsons 385, &c. BaovcnTon Rev. Tuomas, his Experimental Memoir on Potatoe Culture i c. Chittigong Cow of Hindoftan, Hairy-Wool of —_ 119 Canals, Machines for Boats on, and Aqueduct-Bridges, mentioned by Dr. ANDERSON —_— _ 36, 37> 38 CampeEN, on the Orchefton Meadow Grafs _ — 4! Corn Cargoes, Mr. Souru’s Treatife on the Prefervation of — 53 Coxtins Mr. J. on different kinds and properties of Wool —— b9—93 Common Heath, Wool of —— — — 69 Compals Timber, how to produce it — a ae Cardiganthire, Wate Lands of — — — 99 Carmarthenthire, Watte Lands of — — 103—107 ——, Remarks on Tithes there ed — 138,189 Chefter, County of, Wate Lands in — — 107,108 , Remarks on Tithes there — 18g, 190 Crutcurey Mr. Joun, relative to Watte Lands of Rutlandhhire — 119 Cumberland, Wafte Lands of — — 131-133 » Remarks on Tithes there ed 203) 204 Curzy Mr. Grores, relative to Wafte Lands in Cumberland — 38 Cambridgefhire, Wafte Lands of — — = 42—144 Carnarvonthire, Walte Lands of — — 166 ——, Remarks on Tithes there —_— — 234 Correfpondent, an old—Mifcellaneous Remarks by —— 289 Church, the eftablifhed, wants reform in Tithes — 291 Compounding for Tithes, example for the neceffity of — 293 Crocker Mr. his Colleétion of Apples — 305 County Surveys, remarks on &c. —— — 308—310 Coppices, Planting of, queries concerning — — 318 Crose Rev. Mr. his former Experiment on Drilling mentioned 373, &ce Cattle, various thoughts on the Improvement of, by J. W. Parson s,efq; 380, &c. D. Dozs, different forts of, bearing Wool and Hair —__—-_— 13 Downs of Hants, Wool of —_ — 70 Dorfet, Wool of — — — ib. Downs of Dorfet, Wool of — — — ib, Degeneracy of Wool aaa oe — 73 Davis Mr. Ricuarp, relative to Watte Lands in Oxfordthire — 14 Driver Meflis. A. and W. relative to Wafte Lands in Hants — 144 Durham, Watte Lands of — _ —— 149-15! Derbythire, Wafte Lands of — on) | BATS , Remarks on Tithes there — =— 212-214 PAGE Dumfries, Wafte Lands of sd —— 154—156 Denbighthire, Watte Lands of — — 170,178 —, Remarks on Tithes there — — 235,236 Drayton, the Poet, on Lands, &c. in Somerfetthire, quoted — 279 Doubling, periodical, of the Value of Pafture Lands — 28072385 ———--—--— Davis Mr. his brief obfervations on Spanifh mixture of Wool — 29 Scere , his Statement of Experiments on fix forts of Sheep — 371 Draining Lands, queries refpecting ss — 318 —___— Dorchefter, Plan and Defcription of the Goal of —— 331—348 E, Error, eafily propagated as Truth refpeCting Hairy-Wool — 35 Effex, Wafte Lands of ——— 134,135 ——~, Remarks on Tithes there — 204 Edymead Farm, in Burnham, increafe in value of 232 Exxincton Mr. his method of Draining not original —— 310— 313 ——-—___—— — EcremonT Earl of, quotation of a Letter to him 335 F. Fox, Siberian, bearing woolly Fur — —-_ 73 Food, nature and degree of, how affeCting Wool SENOS Flints, found under the Orchefton Meadow-Grafs — — 42 —, opinion of their effeét on faid Grafs — — 44545 Foreft New, Wool of a — ——= |. 70 ——— of Dorfet, Wool of — wet TN B Foor Mr. P. relating to Wafte Lands in Middlefex — 130 Fox Mr. Jorn, relating to Wafte Lands in Monmouthfhire —— 163 Flintfhire, Wafte Lands of — 163—165 Farthing per acre, the Value of Somerfetfhire Marfh-Lands at the Conqueft 260 Foruercitt Dr. Letter to him on Potatoe Culture —=— 366 ; G. Goats, Wool-bearing — 13,14 ” Grain, a precarious Cargo for Inportation — — .54 —, reafoning on the Importance of fecuring Cargoes of — 54.55 Gloucefterfhire, Wool of, South part and: North part 79 ——— Remarks on Tithes there — —— 215—217 ~ Goggles, introduced by Mixture — — 72 Gyptum, detail of Experiments on _- — 89—9% as a Manure for Sainfoin — — 89-95 for Cow-Grafs _ — 95,96 for Dutch- Clover — —— 96—98 Gaicc Mefits. relative to Wafte Lands in Effex —— 134 Geancer Mr. J. relative to Wafte Lands in Durham — 149 Great-Britain, near one-fourth Wafte — ——-_ 290 Gunpowder mixed with Lime, for rending Rocks, &c. — 326—328 Grirritu H.D. efq; Inventor of the above method — 326 Gaping KinGsTon, efg; Lands of his alluded to — 334 H, Hair found in Wool of Sheep Hair-bearing Sheep --—- Hair, loofens, differently from Wool Hair grows uniformly tapering seen Hair, fine foft Wool under [ i? PAGE Hogs, various kinds of, bearing a fort of Wool _ — 15 Heat or Cold, how affe€ting Animals — —— 27; 22 Horfes, Perfian-and Arabian, only changed in Europe by mixture — 24 Hogs, Chinefe, unchanging, fave by mixture — ——s_23 High rank, perfons of, often impofed on in choice of Animals, &c. — 32, 33 Hotrins Mr, his opinions about the Curl in Potatoes controverted by Mr. / Pryce _ — — — —=" 49;~50 Hants, Wool of — _ —_—_ - — 70, 71 Herefordfhire, Wool of; Ryeland, Inclofure, Foreft, or Common — st Hassart Mr. Cuarces, on Wafte Lands of Carmarthenshire 103 ———_—— ditto in Pembrokefhire — ao LIE Hort Mr. Jorn, on Watte Lands in Lancabhhire ns ts «428 Hamphhire, Wafte Lands of —— 144—149 , Remarks on Tithes there —— — 209—212 Hertfordfhire, Wafte Lands of oe — s171—182 —————— Remarks on Tithes there oe — 218—230 Huntfpill, Lands of, and Value —- panies” 206 Henry the Eighth, Tithes in his time — 2091 Hanway Mr. Jonas, his Plan for raifing Seamen mentioned — 294 Hareer Mr. H. his experiment on Lancafhire Butter — 295 Hirr R. efq; his method of planting Potatoe-fhoots — 229 Hogs, the Folding of —_- — 302-305 Hunter Dr. his principles of Vegetation, oppofed on Experiment by Major VELLEY — 376—380 w———— his Receipt for experimental Vegetation — 376 i. Improvement of Sheep, a vague term — — 73,79 Inclofure Bill, a general, eafily framed pele — 29% Improvement of Land, great Difcouragement of —— 292,293 Incenuovz Dr. his Experiments alluded to on Vegetation — 379 Jounston Mr. Bryce, relative to Wafte Lands of Dumfries — 154 K. Kemps, a kind of Hair in Wool — — 3 Knees, of Oak, how to produce them —. eT Kent NATHANIEL, efq; relating to Wafte Lands in Norfolk — 108 Kent, County, Wate Lands of — — 135,136 - , Remarks on Tithes there — — 204—206 Kay Mr. GeorGe, relative to Wafte Lands in Flinthire 163 relative to Wafte Lands in Anglefea 165 —_———_—_—_—— relative to Wafte Lands in Montgomery hire 167 pa relative to Waite Lands in Carnarvonfhire — 166 cate —_—_— relative to Wafte Lands in Merioniththire 169 ———— relative to Waite Lands in Denbighthire — 170 L. Lincolnfhire Wool, nature of ee — 0 LisLe Mr. relative to Wool , —_— — 3 Leather, Tanning without Oak-Bark — — 83, 84 Lroyp Txomas, efq; Remarks of, on Watte Lands — 99 Lancafhire, Wafte Lands of — — 128, 129 ————— , Remarks on Tithes there mo — 202 Leicetterfhire, Waite Lands of —— — 129 —-———, Remarks on Tithes there — — 202 ; . PAGE Lincolnthire, Wafte Lands of — —— 129, 130 Locke Ricuarp, efq; his hiftorical account of Marth Lands in Somerfet 259 Land-Tafters, remarks on —— 276, &c. Leafe, or Agreement for Tithes, effential to good hufbandry — 293 Lime, mixed with Gunpowder, for rending ftones — 326328 LanspowNe Henry, his method of preparing flexible Tubes _ 342 M. ; Madagafcar, hairy Sheep from — — > — 10 Mann, Ife of, remarks on Tithes there _ — 202; 203 Mixture, of breeding Animals, progrefiively improving the qualities for which they are feleéted od — so 24 Monmouthhhire, Wool of, Fore/t or Common, and Inclofed — 70 Matcorm Mefiis. relative to Wafte Lands in Surry — — 121 — relative to Waite Lands in Bucks —_ — 138 Monk Mr. Joun, relative to Wafte Lands in Leicefterthire —_ 129 Middlefex, Waftc Lands of —— —_—= wn T9305 13 Monmouthfhire, Wafte Lands of _- — 162, 163 —_—_——_,, remarks on Tithes there — 233, 234 Montgomery thire, Wafte Lands of —— —_— 167—169 Merionithfhire, Wafte Lands of — — 169,170 Marth Lands of Somerfetthire, hiftorical account of —— 259—284 progreffive Value of, from the Conqueft 260—263 Mark, Lands in, and Value of — 260 Mangel-Wurzel recommended — — 3 eee ea Sa Ma Mofs, Enquiry concerning the deftroying of a — 318 Anfwer thereto — ———s — 323 MatTTHews W™. Secretary, his Anfwers to ceconomical Queries 349—356 * his Introdu@tion to this Volume —_ — pix Morse Mr. J. of Newent, his charatteriftick account of 29 forts of Apples, : prefented by him —_ SS fe 359-365 j Mauwnsect Dr. his method of raifing Potatoes mentioned _ 368 Micpmay Sir Henry, Lands of his mentioned _ — 384 N. Norfolk, Wafte Lands of aos — — 108—_114. Northumberland, Wafte Lands of —— — —. «1% oe remarks on Tithes there oe — 190 Northamptonfhire, Wafte Lands of a ae 182—186 remarks on Tithes there —_— _ 236—238 National Improvements, remarks on -_ —_—_ 289—295 oO. Ox, Mufky, of Hudfon’s Bay, fine Hair and Wool of. — 19, 20 Orchefton Meadow Grafs — —_— eeeaees 40 various Herbage mixed with it — 425 43 ———e— conjectural Caufes of its pecufiar Growth 43-45 Oak Timber, rapid Growth of — —— - 86—88 Oxfordthize, Wafte Lands of ov _ — 144—116 remarks on Tithes there — ae — 193 ~ P, - Patras Dr. indebted to him for Difcoveries in Sheep, &c. S&C, nme 2 fundry Information of —- a — omit wn his Treatife on Sheep mentioned —_—— — 38 3 Bae PAGE Peat Mofs, Dr. ANDERSoN’s Opinion on — errs 385 39 Pryce Mr. his effay on the Orchefton Meadow Grafs —— 40 on the Curl in Potatoes —— — ——= 46 Potatoes, Curl in, involved in great myfery — — 46 — fuppofed not to proceed from defective feed — 47 —— but from injury between the fet and the furface of the ground by infects es we woe 1s ——— various reafoning on that hypothefis — 48-53 . Sets, planting of — — 385, 86 Pierce Joun Harvey, efq; on ditto ed — ib Pearce Mr. Witi1am, his remarks on Wafte Lands, &c. — 99—103 Pembrokethire, Watte Lands of . oa — 116—119 a remarks on Tithes there — 193-195 Pitt Mr. W. relative to Wafte Lands in Staffardhhire — i156 Pomeroy Mr. W. relative to Wafte Lands in Worcefterthire — 163 Peterborough, great Fen of, in Northamptonhhire — 133 Pafture Lands, clafies of, in Somerfetthire defcribed —— 2638 —274 general rules for draining of , — 275 Polyolbion, of Drayton, quoted " — — 279 Praétical improvements, brief remarks on — 287, 288 Pigs, leaft profitable of animals 288 Potatoe fhoots, experiments in planting _ — 229—301 Pitt Witi1am Morton, efq; his plan for making a return of the inha- bitants of a parifh mentioned, &c. — 329 Potatoe Culture, Mr. BAnTLEey’s letter to Lord SzFFIELD on 343-346 Potatoes, new method of propagating — — 366—369 Parsons Joun WHITE, efg; his mode of improving pafture lands, and his Thoughts on Cattle — — 330—390 Pafture Lands, improvement of, by faid gentleman — 380—385 Queries, by an economical Committee, anfwered —— 346—356 R. ' Rowety, or young under Wool — _ 8 Radnorthire, wool of, foreft or common — — 71 Rake, for earthing over potatoe-fets — — — 85 Rutland, Wafte Lands of — — i 119 Rennie Mr. relative to Watte Lands of the Weft Riding of York — 127 Rent, rapid increafe of in fundry Farms = — 282 Rack Mr. his account of ath poles quoted —— 321 S. Shcep, not exclufively a wool-bearing animal ——- 1 Stitchel, a kind of hair in wool — a — 3 Shetland Sheep, peculiarity in the wool of _ _- 7 Scotland Sheep of, fimilar peculiarity of ditto ib. Sheep, carrying hair not refembling wool at all _ — 10 Spain, Sheep of, fmall care in procuring the beft —_ — 17 » experiments by the Scotch Wool Society — 31,32 Sarlue, or grunting Ox, of Tartary, woolly’ ae — 19 Shape, of animals, not a pofitive criterion of fatting — 25—28 Secretary, of the Bath and Weft of England Society to Dr, ANDERSON, relative to Opinions in his Effay oe —— 4° [ vi ] PAGE .Steprnens Mr. and others, correfpondence with Dr. ANDERSON mentioned, refpe€ting machine for raifing Boats in Canals — — +6 SriivinGFvee7, his opinion on the Orchefton meadow-grafs —— <4F Swayne Rev. Mr. his opinion on ditto —- ——-._ i. Sout Mr. his invention of a Wentilator for preferving Corn Cargoes — 53 Surry, Woo! of — _ 69—71 Sand-Heath, Wool of -_— —_ — 69 Suffex, Wool of —_— —_— — 69—71 South-Down, Wool of — 69 Somerfet, Wool of, inclofed, and north part -— 79° Shropfhire, Wool of, foreft or common —_— ee 7 Sheep, diforders in, p. 76. Cafualties, &c. &c. — 77 Suffolk, Wafte Lands of — —— I19—120 Surry, Waite Lands of — —_ —— 121 =——, remarks on Tithes there —— 195 Suffex, Wafte Lands of — I2I—124 Srone Mr. Tuomas, relative to Wafte Lands in Lincolnthire — 129 — » relative to Wafte Lands in Bedfordfhire —— 136 Staffordfhire, Wate Lands of —_— — 156—162 — remarks on Wafte Lands of — — 240—232 Somerfethire, annual rent of, increafed aed —— 232,283 SronEnouse Rey. Sir GeorGE, purchafe of his —- 233 Scotland, maintenance of Preachers, and fuperior improvements of landin 292 Slugs, method of killing by coal-tar a — 293 Snanxk Capt. author of ditto — — ib. Surveys, County, remarks on by Dr. ANDERSON — 3 308—310 Sincrair Sir Jonn, bart. letter to, from Dr. A. — 9 310—313 Seed Corn, preparation of, by Mr. WaGsTAFFE —- 314-318 Slime or Ooze, left by the Tide, query concerning . 320 __— ditro, anfwer to —_- — 323 SHEFFIELD Lord, letter to him on Potatoe Culture — 343 SoutH Tuomas, efq; his Apology for delaying his publication on Fruit Trees — 369 — Liberty for ftrangers to fee his Trees — 370 Te Tuxe Mr. WILLIAM, jun. relative to Wafte Lands in the North Riding of York —_—_—_— —_ _ cas. .A5t Tithes, various remarks on —- — 187-238 -——, giving an equitable Compenfation for —— 239-258 -——— in Kind, a hinderance to Improvement — 279 Tucxer Dean, advice to colonize at home — 237—294 Trerry Mr. Rocer, his method of preventing Smut approved —= 316, 317 Tubes, flexible, Mr. Lanspown’s method of preparing them — i 342 U. Underhill, Sheep and Wool of —- — 9 Vv. Ventilators of foul Air, from Corn Cargoes, defcribed — i 56—6o —_— ——, the power of calculated — 61—63 _—————, the moderate expence of — —— 64 - » Objeétions to, anfwered and over-ruled 64—68 Vancouver Mr, Cuarzss, relative to Wafte Lands of Cambridgethire 142 [ vii ] + > ie PAGE Vertry Major, his account of an important Corn Experiment on popular chemical principles — — > 376—380 Ww. Wheat, accurate mode of buying and felling by weight —— 285,286 Woops J. gent. author of the above — — 285 Wool-bearing Sheep, perfeétly fo called — — 2 ——, like the body-hair of other animals, annual —— 4 ——, no determinate proportional thicknefs in the pile — fine, for clothing, not conneéted with thinnefs, length, or fhortnefs of pile — — —— 29, 30 ——-, different kinds and properties of — — . ——, divifions, weighings, and comparative prices of — 74—76 ——., brief obfervations on the Spanifh mixture — 2098, 299 Wett-Indies, Wool not degenerating in —— - 33 Weald, or falling Wool — : — 69 Wilts, wool of, Down and Inclofure — sees 7o ——, remarks on Tithes in Wilts —_— —— «217,218 Wight, Ifle of, Wool of —_ 72 Whims, Mr. Coriins’s ftriftures on, touching Sheep — 72573 Wahhing and fcouring, Wool, importance of to buyers — 80 Wuire Mr. Wittram, tanning Leather with oak-leaves — 8 Wes Francis, efq; his account of the growth of Oak Timber — %&%&6 Wafte Lands and Inclofures, extraéts on — — 99—186 Wepce Mr. TuomAs, relative to Wafte Lands in Chehire —- 107 Mr. Joun, relative to Wafte Lands in Warwickthire — 124 Warwickthire, Wafte Lands of — — 124—127 ——, remarks on Tithes there — 195, 196 Worcefterfhire, Waite Lands of aa — 163 —— remarks on Tithes there —_ * men 232, 233 Wedmore, lands of and value — _— * 260 » comparative ftate and value of —— 283,284 Wafte Lands, their quantity regretted 290 Wheat, a crop of, managed in a particular way —— 301, 302 Wacstarre Mr. his preparation of Seed-Corn againft fmut 314 Water, washing the feed in, the principal art of ditto — 314 ——, wholefome, not putrid, moft promotive of vegetation — 316 Woop Colonel, his queries on fundry fubjeéts _ —— 318—322 Wheat, method of Dibbling, by WU. Barcray, efq; — 356—359 Wimrey Josern, efy; his laft remarks on the Drill Hufbandry, &c. 373-375 Y. 2 Yoke, or Yolk, in the Fleece — _ — 79 Younc Mr. ArTuur, relative to Wafte Lands in Suffolk ~~ —— «Tg Rev. ArTHoR, relative to Wafte Lands in Suflex —— 121 Yorkthire, Weft Riding, Wafte Lands of — — 127 - remarks on Tithes there — 196—201 » North Riding, Wafte Lands of — 151,152 , remarks on Tithes there —_ — 212 Lis Zebu. Bull, account of — =_ os a8 INTRODUCTION. CONTAINING An account of various Topics of Experiment and Obfervation, which have engaged the attention of this Society fince the Publication of the laft Volume. [By the SEcRETARY.] N conformity with the biennial cuftom of this Society, another volume makes its appearance. Its contents, like thofe of the preceding, are a mifcellaneous arrange- ment of fuch articles as, from time to time, were deemed by the Committee of “ Correfpondence and Enquiry” moft worthy of publick notice. In all collections by a variety - of hands, there mutt of neceffity be a confiderable difference in point of merit: but it is prefumed that every article of the following pages will be found,in fome degree worthy of attention, as conducing to the diffemination of ufeful opi- nions and knowledge, and thereby to the improvement of the country. In the concerns of foreign commerce, ad the diverfified : policy of far diftant connections, it was never the defign of this local eftablifhment to take a very active part: and in- deed'the fcite of its activity, if fuch had been its views, mutt have precluded it from any fanguine hopes of fuccefs. The department of Agriculture was known to be fo im- VOL. VIII. a portant x INTRODUCTION. portant in itfelf, and fo productive of difcovery, that the publick-fpirited gentlemen who firft affociated under the title of the Bath Agricultural Society, could not have formed to themfelves the expectation of living to fee their efforts in that line carried even to the borders of maturity.. Some of them, however, have lived to find themfelves congratulated by their countrymen at home, and by the lovers of improve- ment abroad, with confiderable fuccefs in the objects of their purfuit. Thus animated with increafing hopes of ufe- fulnefs, they continue their fupport. And though morta- lity has removed many members, and choice and other cir- cumftances have removed others, during a lapfe of near twenty years—the furvivors have the fatisfaction to fee themfelves gradually joined by a greater number, and thofe from the moft intelligent and opulent ranks. The corre- fpondence of the Society having conftantly increafed, the expences of publication, experiment, patronage, and re- ward, have augmented in proportion. And though the annual income (never large) has increafed confiderably, the funds have not yet accumulated fo far as to enable this So- ciety to do, by pecuniary exertions, what has been more happily in the power of the larger Societies of London, and of Dublin. In the origin of the inftitution, it was reafonably fuppofed that a Society like this would be remembered in the final bequefts of fome gentlemen of opulence, who might wifh to extend their encouragement to favourite objects beyond the period of their lives—and the hint has been continued in the Premium-Books, annually printed, But it happened that about nineteen years pafled over before an inftance of fuch a bequeft occurred. At the end of that period the Society received a letter from the executors of one of its members, INTRODUCTION. xi members, the late excellent WiLL1AM BENSON Earl, efq; -of Sarum, that he had left the Society one hundred guineas. This ower donation has been directed to be comme- morated in edld letters, on a tablet placed in the Society’s principal room—and it is not fo placed without hope that it may excite in other gentlemen fimilar inftances of publick generofity. It may poffibly be pleafing to fome of the readers of this volume who are not members, and to members who from their diftance are unable to attend the meetings and bufinefs of their brethren, to know what are the topics which of late have principally engaged their attentiod. They have feen, in common with numerous well-wifhers to their coun- try, the laudable endeavours ufed by the Board of Agri- culture, to afcertain the real ftate of the lands of England, Scotland, and Wales; and have not been wanting to lend their affiftance, by encouraging their moft capable members to be aiding and affifting in that moft ufeful undertaking. And having long had in contemplation, the great advan- tages which they conceived muft refult from a more general inclofure of open, and efpecially of neglected open lands, through the kingdom, it was with peculiar fatisfaCtion that they found the views of the Board extended to fo grand an object. Actuated by fuch fentiments, this Society was early and earneft in a petition to Parliament, to favour the bringing in of propofitions for a general Inclofure Bill: and although that bufinefs has not yet been matured into the pafling of an act; and fome fpeculative differences of opi- nion may poflibly have operated, may continue to operate, and may occafion fome delay; it is hoped that every mem- ber of the Legiflature will give it fo full a confideration as to be able to judge fatisfactorily of the meafure;—and it a2 is Xi INTRODUCTION. is prefumed the confequence will then be, a fufficient convie- tion, in the majority of Parliament, to infure ultimate fuccefs! It will not be difbelieved by the candid reader, that there is in this Society a very refpectable number of Gentlemen, whofe talents and praétical purfuits had qualified them to form a found opinion: and that the almoft unanimous vote of the large annual meeting of 1795, in favour of the peti- tion, was in itfelf a {trong proof of the propriety of the ftep they took. Fortified by fuch immediate authority, it will not be deemed prefumptuous in the writer of this intro- duction, if he ufes the fanction he poffeffes, and indulges a little of the ardour of his own mind, in here difcufling a fubject, which he has much at heart, and about which his thoughts have been neceffarily employed. It is certain that though in the late alarming dearnefs of provifions, and of bread-corn efpecially, a large majority of our country- men feemed decided in opinion, that a general inclofure would infure the greateft improvement of wa(te and neg- leéted lands; fome few perfons of good fenfe, and much philanthropy, are continuing to doubt the wifdom of the meafure in queftion. When we confider that fuch is the imperfection of hu- man reafon, that a diverfity of opinion has prevailed on almoft every fubject which has engaged general notice, how- ever clear and obvious it may have been to the common fenfe of mankind; it will not appear marvellous that this” attempt fhould not have furnifhed an exception. But we owe to the caufe even of abftract truth, many occafional endeavours to fet it in a clear light; and to a fubject fo much connected with practical advantage and comfort, we certainly owe our endeavours to diveft it as much as we can of uncertainty, and thofe errors in which inattention or prejudice eS Sn a. INTRODUCTION, xiii prejudice have involved it. This reafon I cannot but feel on the preferit occafion; and fo feeling, havea lively motive to plead. for, what appears to this Society, an effential article in the caufe of national happinefs ! I have been affailed, in common with other advocates for inclofure, with feveral objections ; as, 1. “ That a general inclofure of common and watte “ Jands, on which many poor country people have been long “accuftomed to maintain their families, (by raifing geefe “and fowls, keeping’a few cows for milk, breeding calves ~ for fale, breeding and keeping fmall horfes, mules, and “affes, for various purpofes, and rearing pigs for fale and “ for their families) would entirely deftroy this fpecies of “ maintenance, and involve multitudes of fuch perfons in * new difficulties and wretchednefs, almoft to extirpation.” Some are ready warmly to contend, alfo, “ That this ““ mode of decupying a part of the lands of the kingdom “was the principal remaining check we had againit the “inconvenience of monopolizing, and increafing the fize of . ** farms.” Thefe objections are thus fully ftated, becaufe it is proper they fhould be fully confidered. If, indeed, it were as probable, as the contrary feems evi- dent, that the comfort and rational happinefs of the clafs of perfons alluded to, were dependent upon their fo living, and fo ufing the common and wafte lands around them; {till an important queftion would arife, Whether the land was fo occupied as to be compatible with the intere/ts of the far greater number of poor perfons, who are obliged to live other- _ wife? And if the anfwer mutt be in the negative, it would follow, on the principles both of ftri@ juftice and philan- thropy, that fuch a fyftem fhould be changed. Now this is xiv INTRODUCTION, is clearly the fact; for it is demonftrable by argument, and abundantly confirmed by experience, that fuch lands, when inclofed and improved, (and great improvement is the con- fequence of inclofure) will yield abundantly more produce per acre in grafs, and abundantly more value in corn, and other intervening crops, than they ever did, or could do, in their open and neglected ftate. This is a fact too evident to be denied. And ifa greater quantity of food be pro- duced, is it produced to be eaten or deftroyed? To be eaten moft certainly; and that chiefly for the fubfiftence of man, immediately or remotely: that is, partly for imme- diate confumption as human food; and partly for the fub- fiftence of a greater number of cows, to produce milk, butter, and cheefe; and for feeding a greater number of horned cattle, fheep, and fwine, for the general confumption of the country. The greater the number raifed and fed, the greater muft be the number brought to market—and in proportion to fuch a fupply at market, will be the general reduction of prices for all the different articles: juft as the plenty of manufactured goods, brought to market, or brought into the general ftock, will tend to keep down the prices refpectively, be the manufacture what it will. The manufactures of Manchefter and other great towns may | ferve as a proof of this, notwithftanding the prodigious ex- portation of thofe commodities. ‘This argument from fact will appear the more conclufive to our purpofe, when it is confidered, that the different articles of corn are pofitively prohibited from exportation, till the price falls to a certain ftandard, which is generally confidered as fufficiently low, Whenever the price rifes again above the ftandard, expor- tation ceafes by the act of Parliament. The language of complaint, indeed, is not uncommon, in dear times, that, notwithftanding INTRODUCTION. KV notwithftanding this act, exportation proceeds, and the coun- try is deprived of its food, by the bafenefs of individuals, and the fupinenefs of government. ‘This is a complaint in which the multitude is always ready to join, on fuppofed or no evidence; and fometimes, as lately,* againft the great- eft probability. It is not always certain that the wife pro- vifions of the act can with. the moft rigid ftrictnefs be in- forced, and their object fecured, in a maritime country like this, and in a time of general fcarcity, arifing from the failure of crops, and the confufion of warfare: it is not in human wifdom and vigilance wholly to prevent illicit con- du&. But in the matter before us, let thofe who would poffefs the beft feelings of man, ever remember and inculcate, that when corn will pay for clandeftine exportation at high prices, and at the rifk of forfeiture, it is a proof that want has invaded the dwellings of fome human beings, who muft either be fed or perifh! ‘his thought may be extraneous, but it lies in a little room, and will not be deemed improper by the beft friends of humanity. If, however, the voice of complaint has been frequently heard again‘t clandeftine ex- ports, under circumftances of /maller produce, we have from thence alfo a powerful argument for adopting fuch a fyftem of managing our land, as will moft fpeedily and effectually fecure a /arger. Were it true, that by the cafual and irregular efforts of. poor perfons, inhabiting the borders of commons and waites, a greater number of young cattle, fheep, and pigs, are brought into exiftence, than would be by regular farmers cultivating fuch lands in a ftate of inclofure, (which idea cannot be granted) there would ftill be thefe further im = — — ee * In the fearcity of 1794 and 3795. _. portant XVI _ INTRODUCTION. portant queftions: Can they be likely to be fo good in their kinds? Have fuch perfons equal advantages of giving their Stock the neceffary fupply of regular food and nourifhment, even in fummer, for duly pufhing their growth betore winter; and efpecially in winter to preferve them from ftunting, and the various maladies to which young ftock, in barren and fwampy fituations, without fodder, without litter, and without covering, are continually expofed?. It is obvious, that, from fuch want of adyantages, the hopes of thofe poor perfons are often difappointed, to their own immediate diftrefs, and the ultimate lofs to the community at large. Even in rare inftances more favourable to their views, and where from local advantages and comparatively greater {kill and care they happen to have been more fuccefsful in the fummer feafon, they mu/? in general bring their {tock to market be- fore or in the feverity of winter; and being obliged to fell, mutt fell at fuch prices as their more opulent ‘neighbours will give them: If at high prices, it is a proof of general dearnefs, to which a too-confined cultivation has doubtlefs contributed; if at low or middling prices, they feldom are gainers by their purfuits—for having been obliged to fub- fift partly on credit till the feafon of felling, they are rarely able to do more than pay their debts at laft. The be- ginning of the year found them poor—the end commonly leaves them fo, And unlefs they happen to be under a ftronger moral ‘reftraint, than their ftation and habits in life are favourable to, they are tempted to affift them- felves through the winter, by poaching, purloining, and creeping again into debt: for in general they have no regular habits-of labour for themfelves, their wives, or their children. Thus they too frequently degenerate from bad to worfe, and fet a loofe and baneful example in ; the INTRODUCTION: XVil the diftriéts in which they live. Such perfons are too often found to be horfe or fheep-ttealers, and nocturnal ravagers of field crops, gardens, and hen-roofts: And hence, by ex- citing juft fears among regular farmers and_ village houfe- keepers, of having their property plundered, thefe perfons are difcouraged from raifing for market thofe {mall articles of provifion, which otherwife their difpofition would induce them to raife, in greater abundance! All claffes, it is certain, afford fome inftances of fuperior management, and fuperior rectitude; otherwife fociety would more rapidly degenerate into wickednefs and barbarifm, not- withftanding the neceffary controul of laws; and charity would induce us to hope that individuals may be found, in the clafs alluded to, to whom thefe ftrictures will not apply. But if we compare the generality of thofe remote and ‘¢ zz- “ dependent cottagers,”’ fo frequently pleaded for, with fuch as are regularly employed in country labour, or with the active labourers in trades and manufactures, we fhall cer- tainly find, on the whole, that the former are greatly lofers by the comparifon, in morals, in reputation, and in domeftic comfort. Neither does the mifchief end with them, but is extended into zational difadvantage, of a ferious and malignant nature! ; - Another objection which feveral well-meaning gentlemen have urged, in the converfations with which I have been favoured, on the topic in queftion, is this: 2dly. “ {hat the commonable lands, in many uninclofed §* parts, now bearing abundance of grain, would be thrown *€ too much into the power of the occupiers; for that they, * in order to leflen the burden of tithes, would be induced ** to convert arable into pafture, becaufe by fuch converfion ff they could make more of /uch lands, which would mate- « rially xvii INTRODUCTION. « rially leffen the growth of corn, to the very great injury of “the community; and that late experience of the high * price of grain proves, that the country cannot ‘pare any *¢ part of its arable.” On the ftreneth or fuppofed ftrength of this objefion, fevera! gentlemen actually refufed figning the petition to Parliament from this Society, for a general Inclofure Pill. Narrow and inconclufive reafoning! Let us appeal to the common fenfe of mankind in general, and to the recollec- tion of the ‘aforefaid sae in particular, Why at any time has the farmer changed his arable into permanent paflure? “ Becaufe,” fay they themfelves, “he can make more of it, « tithes being leffened,—and the demand for the produce of <€ pafture is fuppofed to be increafed.”” For the prefent, we will wave the confideration of tithes, that we may mention them more diflinctly by and by, and combat here the ge- neral reafoning, “* becaufe he can make more of his land in « paflure?? And is not this very reafon a clear proof that the country qwants fuch additional pafture? Had there been ma fuch want, no fuch fuperior demand, for that kind of produce; the land would not yield the fuperior profit. “The demand at market proves the want, and juftifies the change— and a progreffive change too, till the profits become more equal. And it is moft certain that fuch a change-will be con- tinued, fo long as the ftimulus of greater profit lafts. High as the price of corn has been, our argument fuppofes, and it is notorious, that the produce of pafture lands, in milk, butter, cheefe, and meat, has been high alfo,— has advanced to a ferious and alarming height,—calling aloud for an addition to that fort of land, in order to increafe the quantity of its produce. ‘The prices of thofe articles now, on a comparifon with thofe of corn, might fupply the place of all argument on INTRODUCTION. XIX on this fubjec&t. The prices of corn are again very confider- ably reduced—far more fo, in proportion, than the prices of pafture produce, How has this fuddenly happened ?—plainly ~ becaufe, high as pafture produce was, the cali for corn had become more loud and alarming, and the good fenfe of the farmer prompted him émiedzately to give an acdlitional quan- tity of his land and labour to the increafe of corn. He fuppofed, with reafon, that fuch a change would, in its turn, pay him better. Much, undoubtedly, is due to the laudable exertions of government, in offering liberal bounties for the importation of corn and rice, which produced by anticipa- tion a confiderable check in the prices, and afterwards a moft feafonable fupply; the enterprifing fpirit of our mer- chants, quickened by the alarm in the nation, io far feconded the exertions of government, as to effect importations from countries where grain and rice were high—for indeed they were no where cheap,—and inftead of gain, much partial Jofs muft have fallen on many importers. Thus the general reafoning of farmers, and the {peculation of mer- chants, concurred to the fame end. Whether a general fcarcity in moft other countries, (where the popular complaint of large farms, and over- grown farmers, cannot be affumed as the caufe) has arifen from the wafte of warfare in Europe, from unékilful farming, from the too fmall quantity of land in tillage, or from a combination of moft of thofe caufes, the con- fideration is full ferious, and demands all poffible attention. But let it be remembered, as a maxim moft found and general, that fcarcity of grain has not been, cannot have been, occafioned by a culpable neglect of individuals to cultivate the growth of grain, in preference to paflure. Such could not poflibly have been the fact, unlefs ideas of compenjation can xX INTRODUCTION, can be fuppofed to have become inverted, and that there exifted a combination, or an abfurdity of policy, through different countries, to realize a /e/er emolument, in pre- ference to a creater. General and praife-vorthy as the prefent tafte for agri- cultural improvements is, among perfons of property and Jeifure, it is but too probable that the quantity of land in cultivation through Europe, and in. this country efpecially, is too fmall. ‘Vhis probable evil was, moft benevolently and Jaudably, propofed to be obviated at home, by the provifions of a general inclofure bill. And by fuch provifions for fpeedy and eafy inclofure, and confequently for additional cultivation, the moft confiderate perfons are firmly of opi- -nion, that the grand object of the common with, a full fupply of grain, is to be accomplifhed, In the view of common fenfe, this feems to be a radical and fure method (under Providence) of accomplifhing the object of the general defire. For, let it be fuppofed for a moment, however unreafonably, that the cafual difficulties, and fcarcity of this country, in the article of grain, have been occalioned by too great an appropriation of land to pafture; and that the effect of inclofing commonable lands would be, the fliill greater converfion to pafture of fuch arable diftricts: let it be fuppofed, that fo large a quantity as two millions of acres would, under fuch an act, be even permanently fo converted; and that fuch a fcale of conver- fion to pafture would anfwer the ends of emolument to the perfons fo changing it; that emolument could arife from no other fource than the aggregate choice and demand of the publick. The cherce of food is the natural, and even the moral right, of individuals ina community. Excefs, glut- tony, and waite, in the articles of fubfiftence, are the main evils, oa INTRODUCTION. Xxi evils, under this topic, of which we could have a reafonable _ right to complain; or to which any warrantable reftraining policy could be direted. But we do not make this hypo- thetical conceffion in favour of fo converting two millions of acres, at any rifk of lefiening the arable produce of this country:—moft certainly not! To twice the amount of this quantity of additional pafture, we are warranted in contend- ing that the country may go; that it may be looked on in the light of a moft valuable acquifition; and till only as a part of a much greater, within our reach!—The watte and uncultivated lands in England, Scotland, and Wales, are fet down in the County Surveys, which do fo much credit to the Board of Agriculture, at more than twenty millions of acres! Let us fuppofe that nly one half of this quantity is capable of being inclofed, and brought into new cultivation! On this hypothefis we can not only replace to arable culture the two millions of acres, which a timorous reafoner may fuppofe to have been mifapplied; but, after giving (if wanted) another two millions to-pafture, we thal have fix millions in ftore for the operation of the plough, and to give additional labour for additional hundreds of thoufands of peafantry, now fuppofed to be fcantily employed, or who, may hereafter be born into exiftence. To this con- fideration may be added another, of no trivial importance, viz. That by the inclofure and cultivation of one ten mil- lions of acres, the other ten millions will become of double, _ and perhaps treble the confequence, from the local ufes to which they may be gradually applied. Here let the philanthropift employ his mind, and antici- pate new encouragements to the virtue and endearments of conjugal union,—now, alas! but too lamentably obftruéted, to the gradual declenfion of national ftrength, and of mo- raity, Xxil INTRODUCTION. rality, in the lower ranks of fociety! For with all the boafted glory of Britifh arms, and Britifh commerce, unnumbered thoufands of fellow-beings, who might flourifh in our fields, feem now to be only born to the miferable alternative of un- natural folitude, or vicious and barbarous intercourfe! Here let the manufacturer and the merchant, who are emulous of the moft honourable purfuits, in their refpective ftations, anticipate the means of employment, on the moft folid and liberal foundations. Here let the owner of lands, inftead of fearing (if it were morally allowable to fear) a depreciation of his property, anticipate a ftable and fubftantial value to his fields, his mountains, and his vallies !—Here let the go- vernment of thefe countries, wifely defirous of cultivating peace, of augmenting fecurity, internal ftrength, and national greatnefs, lay the only fure and permanent foundation, on which to rife from the calamity of warfare, into the proper dignity of our peculiar fituation—Here let the advocates for chriftian morality, who take into their account the ufe- fulnefs of fteady, honeft, and laborious induftry, ground the moft aufpicious arguments, for the renewal of thofe moral bonds and virtues, which they have fo long and ineffectually been heard to deplore the want of!—lIt is a general com- plaint, not only among the moft ferious profeffors of reli- gion, but among reflecting perfons of various defcriptions, that amid the fplendor of arts and feiences, of foreign commerce, and the luxury confequent on national wealth ; internal poverty and wretchednefs, among the inferior claffes, are too little alleviated, till by accident they become fubjeés of hofpitals and infirmaries; thefe indeed are frequent and noble edifices—and their endowments and fupport do credit to the fympathy of the Englifh people. But it has been lamented, with fome colour of reafon, that a calm, delibe- rate, ENTRODUCTION. XXiil rate, and provident benevolence of mind, is lefs charaSte- -riftick of Englith feeling, than the occafional and extraor- dinary. This remark, if well founded, is yet far from dif- couraging; it admits a noble capacity and a noble difpofition, for extraordinary exertion; and from which we may hope for noble, generous, and comprehenfive improvements. ‘The frequent ignorance, and diffolutenefs of manners, confequent on a precarious income in country villages; and a neceflary refort of multitudes of young perfons to cities and towns, have been too little the objects of publick attention. The want of agricultural employments, and other comfort- able inducements to a country life, will always, without a radical improvement in our domeftic policy, continue to pro- duce and augment this national infelicity. The dirt and indigence in which numbers of our country cottagers live, forming a mortifying contraft to the allurements of towns and cities, occafion a too common difcontent and difeuft in young perfons :—hence their too frequent migration from the diftriéts of their nativity—their inticements to depre- dation, proftitution, and the numerous evils of a crowded life. “To remedy thefe evils, it is to be lamented that coun- try gentlemen, and other confiderable Jand-owners, are fo little attentive to rural policy in the improvement of cot- tages, and the annexation of {mall pieces of land, for or- chards and gardens, thereby to allure and fix the moft active and ufeful of the peafantry:—An increafe of whofe number, even in the prefent ftate of our agriculture, would often be found of great importance to the feafonable management of our fields—for expeditious fowing, weeding, hoeing, and getting in of all forts of crops. To the general want of hands, for thofe various purpofes, may be attributed much ~of the flovenly fyftem which prevails in many diftridts, and : '_ the XXIV INTRODUCTION. the delay, damage, and fearcity, which have been conftantly complained of. An increafe of the number of well-inftructed labourers, is confeffedly much wanted; and nothing can bid fairer for a general alteration in this important matter, than a new oc- cafion for building cottages, and fetting examples of neat- nefs, and comfortable accommodation. Such new occafions mutt naturally arife among the effects of a general inclofure of wafte and negleSted lands... When we confider modern improvements, in the elegant fimplicity of building, which has taken place of Jate years, and the emulation in ufeful arrangement and tafte, which a general opportunity would occafion, we may venture to predict the moft pleafing and happy effects from fuch an occurrence. “The new and ex- tenfive example would naturally becomea marked excellence in the country. As the occafional improvement of a few houfes in an old and incommodious town, leads gradually to more general neatnefs, (when repairs become wanted) fo the old country cottages and miferable huts, in which in- dolence, dejection, difeafe, and indelicacy, have been long propagated, will gradually become improved and re-built; and the allotment of land for ufeful garden purpofes will become increafed, to the improvement of the inhabitants in the effential articles of induftry, health, decency, order, and contentment! The country would thus by degrees, and perhaps not by flow ones neither, acquire a new face of ¢7- vilization, refpetability, and ornament. And here let me fpeak with confidence on one very im- portant advantage to the poor, and to the nation, which -I am well affured would refult from the intended powers and provifions of a general inclofure bill,—the dire oppofite of what fome fufpicious minds would perfuade us is intended! They INTRODUCTION. XXV They would predi&t a ftill greater proportional increafe of large farms, and thereby a ferious injury inftead of a fervice to the country.—No fuch divifion is defigned; no fuch di- vifion could naturally follow: for, befide the general con- viction of the propriety of increafing the number of fmall and middle-fized farms, the numerous unequal interefts to be provided for in the divifion of lands, would neceffarily occafion a very frequent allotment of fmall parcels, in fuch fituations as to require the erection of fmall farm-houfes, offices, and cottages, to render them ufeful. But in addition to this natural refult of a publick meafure, it is to be con- fidered that one prominent feature of that meafure is in- tended to be—a_/frong recommendation, that a large addition to the fmall-and middling farms of the country. fhall be carefully made, It is not in the power of human forefight to determine the precife proportion of fuch additional {mall farms to the large ones: and the fubject muft, from its nature, be left in a confiderable degree to the prefumed good fenfe and publick fpirit of the perfons to be invefted with the authority; but from that good fenfe and publick {pirit, accompanied by a conftant recollection of the general with, it cannot be reafonably doubted but that the proportions will be greatly altered. Without trying the effects of this publick plan, it is certain that no new and falutary amelio- ration can be expected :—under it, the chances of permanent benefit may be relied on with confidence. But fuppofing the worft poflible: fuppofing the /eaf beneficial policy, in the article of divifion, to obtain, contrary to all probability, viz. that additional /argée farms were to be generally adopt- ed—ftill this would not be a reafon why the meafure of a general inclofure bill fhould not be preferred to the prefent flow and cafual progrefs of improvements. A great addition VOL, VIII. b of HX. INTRODUCTION. of large farms through the country might not give due feope to a defirable increafe of fober, induftrious, hardy, and va- luable heads of families, in {tations which may be frequently attainable by an induftrious labourer, and of courfe be con- fidered as the publick reward of .active, unaffuming ufeful- nefs; but fuch an addition, as being abundantly more prot ductive, and as calling for a more numerous peafantry, would be infinitely better than the prefent ftate of things. It would ” be, at any rate, a grand addition to our means of increafing the quantity of farming produce—and the immenfe addi- tional ftore muft inevitably tend to the counteraction of monopoly: for beyond certain moderate limits, fuch mo- nopoly could not go, but at the hazard, not only of lofs, but of ruin to the parties concerned. This principle is clear, and its effect certain, as any mathematical demon- {tration ! Taking it for granted, that for reafons affigned, and from the reflections of the intelligent reader, an alteration in the general face of this country will appear defirable, and indeed neceffary; I may, perhaps, be indulged in enlarging a little further on my favourite part of the fcheme—a part on which too much has never been faid, or can be faid, till experiment fhall have fuperfeded the ufe of argument: I mean the improvement of cottage-building, and the building of convenient houfes and offices for {mall farmers. ‘Thele have been ttopicks of the Society’s continued notice, and indeed of its folicitude. | The plans already given in for cottages and gar- dens—and the premiums offered for plans of fmall as well as large farm-houfes and offices, fpeak this. And itis with pleafure I can remark, that in my intercourfes with the pub- ‘ick I have found thofe objects generally applauded, however _aconfiderable the further effects have been. Coftly INTRODUCTION. XXVil Coftly and fuperb buildings in cities, and magnificent manfions in the country, are objects of general admiration. They are confidered as the nobleft external ornaments of polifhed life. “They excite the commendation of foreigners, who often bring a bias from the manfions of monkith fu- perftition, and the fplendid diftinctions of a feudal ariftocra- cy. Elegant edifices, thickly reared, are the conftant theme of exultation among ourfelves: the degree of that exul- tation too often borders on a mifchievous vanity, and ex- Cites an injurious emulation. Emulation of magnificence, in the ftile of accommodation, is generally unfavourable to morals, and (by the fureft. of all confequences) to human happinefs. A fuperb and coftly edifice is a cumberfome article of property in itfelf, and is often gradually augmented, to a fize and to a ftyle of fplendour, incompatible with the general interefts of the owner and his family, rendering doubly difadvantageous the principle of primogeniture, which (however defenfible on the feore of family confequence) is in itfelf fufficiently embarraffing to numerous families. The tax laid on pofterity for the fupport of folitary gran- deur, is often found irkfome; and to fupport, with a fup- pofed confiftency, the dignity of family poffeffions, leads into numerous expences, unfavourable to the prefent com- fort, and future fecurity of the occupier. Hence the in- cumbrance of eftates, where they cannot be fold—and fuc- ceffive fales, where they can, till the manfion is no longer fupportable. ‘The ftately building goes to decay, and ei- ther becomes an unappropriate and dilapidated farm-houfe, or is totally abandoned and pulled down on account of the weight of its repairs. To build another farm-houfe on a fuitable fcale, is incompatible with the finances of the owner— and at once to get rid of the inconvenience, the land is let b 2 in XXVUi INTRODUCTION. in connection with an adjoining farm! And hence, per- haps, more than from many other fingle caufes, we may date the accumulating evil, fo’ much complained of, the prefent difproportion of immoderately large farms! This occurrence, although too obvious to have efcaped the notice of others, feemed alfo too obvious a part.of our fubject to be paffed over without remark... And although it be of a nature for which a general remedy cannot be expected, if politically to be wifhed, yet the confideration of it, by the way, may at leaft have a ufeful tendency. An extreme reverfe of this fuppofed evil may be equally unfavourable to the common interefts of the country. The golden mean has been de- fervedly celebrated in theory, and will never be found un- falutary in practice. We may fafely conclude this part of our remarks, by obferving, that, among men of moderate landed poffeffions, where one has lived to lament his caution in the expences of unneceflary building, many have had caufe to blame their profufion! Among the objeéts of ufeful ornament in an agricultural diftri&t, one of the moft confpicuous and ftriking is a well- defigned, well-proportioned, fnug, and fimple manfion, with fuitable offices, adapted to the confequence of a fubftantial land-owner, or wealthy yeoman, without neceffarily imprefs- ing on the mind the idea of expenfive fplendour and luxury. The next in order, more ufeful, becaufe required to be more frequent, and fcarcely adapted to give lefs pleafure, is the plain, neat, convenient, and well-proportioned farm- houfe, and homefted. ‘Thefe are buildings which, generally fpeaking, can never be out of ufe—can never be either an incumbrance on the land or on the country. The ex- pence of their prefervation is eafy; and in general the pre- fervation of farm-houfes, and offices, by the tenant, may be made one teft of his worthinefs to have his leafe renewed. ele ‘oe INTRODUCTION. XXIM In cafes where lands are to be inclofed, new farms to be formed, and new buildings to be erected, a judicious choice ~ of fituation, with regard to that of the lands, and alfo re- fpecting water, healthinefs, and warmth for cattle, is a firft object, and of great and lafting importance. Under this idea, {maller objects, as nearnefs to a ftone quarry, toan old orchard, or to a few cafual walls or buildings, fhould be made to give way—for it is often evident that farm-houfes are fo inconveniently placed, perhaps originally to fave a firft expence of 5ol. as to make a farm of moderate fize full sol. per annum lefs valuable to a good farmer. The community in fuch cafes always ultimately fuffers. A complete pre- vious plan and eftimate of the whole, are indifpenfable to the builder’s fecurity and fatisfaction. By fuch prudent pro- cedure, it is reafonably concluded, that the adaptation of the buildings to the land, may in general be fo complete as almoft to infure their tranfmiffion together from one genera- tion to another—and that with the fatisfaction that their connection is compatible with the greateft ufefulnefs in the diftri€t, and to the community. Thefe conveniencies and benefits have often engaged the confideration, and indeed the folicitude of this Society, perhaps never more oppor- tunely than at the prefent period. And though opinions and precepts on this topick muft, for obvious reafons, be more theoretick than practical; the fanCtioning theories of experienced and practical men will not be deemed impro- perly introduced in a book of this fort; nor will a well- meaning Secretary be confidered as impertinently employed in purfuing fuch fentiments. Under this affurance, I am emboldened to continue my remarks on buildings—yet a little further. Few XXX INTRODUCTION. \ Few opulent country gentlemen are fo furrounded by grandeur, but that within their neighbourhoods, and fome- times on their own eftates, they have to pafs the abodes of poverty, rendered pitiable by incommodious and wretched buildings—the fight of which is at once difguftful to the eye, and difcreditable to their owners, in proportion as they have the power of improvement. I ufe no ftronger word than difcreditable, becaufe I cannot fuppofe that in general the defect arifes fo much from wilful want of kindnefs, or of good policy, as of habitual attention to the fuvject. So frequent are the inftances of gentlemen fuffering themfelves to be drawn eafily into unneceflary expences, on trivial oc- cafions, or for trivial objects—fo common their indifference to opportunities of emolument, far beyond the expence of — a new cottage,—that their neglect of fuch improvements, muft be attributed to other caufes than covetou/ne/s ;—nor will pride and difdain account for it. It feems to have been confidered as a thing of courfe, (fo far as it has been con- fidered at all) that poverty of circumftances, and incommo- dious habitation, are in neceflary connection, But a little refle‘tion may convince an ingenuous mind that, though to a certain degree, poverty of circumftances be neceffary in the laborious claffes, and is no moral or political evil, yet decency at leaft is defirable in all our fellow-creatures—and that in proportion to the general decency of fervants and dependents, is their general ufefulnefs in their feveral fta- tions, No reafoning man expects in an equal degree thofe ufeful qualities, and that comfort, from taking as in- mates into his houfe, fervants who have been in habits of dirty living, or who have not attained practical notions of cleanlinefs and decorum; as from fervants of different habits INTRODUCTION. XXXi habits and acquirements. This idea, extended to out-door labourers, will hold equally true—and in order to have them the moft actively ufeful in their ftations—to acquit them- felves with judgment and dexterity—and indeed with that ufeful ta/fe, which every field employment requires or ad- mits, they muft have acquired ftrong habits of decency and of order. This gives men of every ftation a bias to exact- nefs and propriety, in every part of their labour ;—and the more they have been fo practically accuftomed at home, the more habitually will they afpire to excellence abroad. Whe- ther the bufinefs to be done be the cleanfing of a ftable, a pen, or a fold for cattle; of a farm-yard, a pond in the field, _ the making or mending of a ditch, the planting or plathing of a hedge, the grubbing up of weeds or brambles, the mending of a road, or whatever elfe in thefe common offices of the labourer; any orall of them will be done the better, by how much the labourer has been accuftomed to value conyeniencies, and the appearances of neatnefs in and about his own dwelling. If he be accompanied in his labour by one or. more of his own children, they will naturally emulate the tafte of their father—ahd they will in general not fail to carry thofe ideas of ufeful exacinefs, alternately, from their cottage to the field, and from the field to their cottage. But if the cottage be fo fmall, or ill-contrived, fo fhattered and miferable in its lights and covering, and ill- accommodated with garden ground, that it cannot be made healthful, pleafant, or profitable, they have not a reafonable Motive to delight in it, or to exercife ingenuity and induftry about it, in their morning and evening hours. Indeed, ge- nerally fpeaking, fuch miferable cribs have feldom any quan- tity of ground to exercife ingenuity and induliry upon ~§ A piece of potatoe ground is, perhaps, got at a diitance :—this is XXXii INTRODUCTION, is inconvenient, by occafioning a wafte of time—it detaches too much the eye of the father from his family—if he de- lights in his garden, it is in the wrong place—order and harmony at his home are the lefs preferved—his hut is the leaft object of his liking—it receives no regular fhare of his fhort attentions—he returns to it in the dark, merely as to _aden, in which he may lie down—and from which he may depart again as foon as he can open his eyes. But, give toa young man, about to fettle in a life of ufe- ful country labour, the requifites for domeftick fixture and enjoyment; give him, at a reafonable rent, fuch as may pay the builder four per cent. for his money judicioufly laid out, acottage, fimply but neatly and conveniently built, with two or three fleeping-rooms, in one of which his wife may lie-in with detached decency—give him a well of water—or place him by the fide of a running ftream—give him at leaft half an acre of adjoining ground—and give him an affurance of continuance, and of conftant employ, on condition of his induftry and general good conduct; and you will moft likely lay the foundation of much happinefs, and much re- {peCtability—fix for life a faithful and grateful fervant—and add to the ftrength of the country by the moft healthy po- pulation. A fum, perhaps not exceeding §ol. or 6ol. thus laid out, at moderate intereft, may do all this!—For the fum of 500]. or 6001. laid out tagether, (which to many gentlemen would be no inconvenience) or at different times, (which to others might be more agreeable) may be pro- duced a little colony of labourers, living in neatnefs and comfort ; a picture which, in the mind of a benevolent ob- ferver, would be a more lively and pleafing ornament than all the fuperfluous horfes, and all the dog-kennels, in the univerfe. The annual expence of this human, and hu- mane INTRODUCTION. _ XXxili mane eftablifhment, reckoning the moft ftriftly, would be only the difference between four per cent. for a fmall fum of money, and what it might be fuppofed to pro- duce by other common means, out of trade! Suppofe one per cent. on the average were loft: this, in figures, ‘makes a finking on ten cottages, of 5]. per annum !—Sup- pofe, in the extreme, that two per cent. can be loft; this would not amount to half the expence of one unneceflary horfe—or one foot-boy in livery! But when we confider the advantages of poffefling fuch a fet of tenants, as labour- ers, and the fuperior pleafure of beholding their happinefs, the fcale will abundantly turn in favour of our object. - Examples of publick fpirit, and of found benevolent po- licy, not only excite notice but imitation. And if one gen- tleman of fortune in a neighbourhood were to fet, or begin fuch an example as this, we need not defpair of feeing that example foon followed, or indeed of its becoming generally imitated. Such philanthropy and found policy would have their moft happy effects: and become the means of gra- dually exalting a ufeful country life into that fimple and pro- per dignity which really belongs to it. It would not be laying a foundation for indolence, pride, or arrogance: thofe inconveniences to fociety are not to be expected from ren- dering laborious men comparatively eafy and happy. Con- ftant labour is annexed to this diffufive plan of comfort; and it is too neceffarily a main part of the fyftem, and a re- gulator of the whole, to admit the ufurpations of eafe and independence. The benevolence of many gentlemen may induce them to accede to this general reafoning; but fome will object to the rifque of entailing the expence of a number of poor on their manors by fettling them on their own eftates. So far as this objection is founded, even in local circumftances, it r mutt ’ XXXIV INTRODUCTION. * muft be admitted to operate as of fome weight ;—for, however generally and fairly the {cheme would promife an-exemption from incumbrance, by the greateft probability that fuch tenants would maintain themfelves, and live fuperior to the idea of taking parifh-pay,—yet from fevere ficknefs—the death of parents—and the fmallnefs of orphan children, fome inftances of expence may poffibly occur: and we mutt not expeét, under fuch poffibilities, that gentlemen will ftifle the objection. But in numerous inftances fimilar improve- ments may be made within the bourds of common parifhes— ftill on their own Jands—and that fufficiently near for gen- tlemen to enjoy the pleafure and partake the benefit of fuch ufeful works in fociety. But this objection is alfo to be ob- viated in another, and in'a more generous manner. Ona fuppofition that a gentleman fhould chufe to build ten or a dozen cottages, as aforefaid, on the borders of his own eftate, the parifh being wholly his own—and that in compliance with antient cuftom, he fhould be a&tuated by caution againft the expence of paupers: He might fecure himfelf from fuch contingent expences, and at the fame time improve the con- dition of thofe families, by erecting them alfo into a club or ‘friendly fociety—that beft of all provifions for the eafualties of life—that beft of all means for exciting and continuing the.ideas of ceconomy, fobriety, and happinefs. “Thefe ten or twelve men, by a contribution of one halfpenny per day each, out of their labour—or perhaps two-pence per week, would foon eftablifh, under their landlord’s fuperintendance, fuch a fund as would amply fecure him againft any fuch - ~ contingent expence, either by ficknefs or death; and be an additional fource of rational delight, to minds capable of de- lighting in the happinefs of the ranks below them. The trouble of this mode of provifion would be the moft tri- fline—fome one of the cottagers themfelves, as head and father INTRODUCTION. XXXV father of the colony, by his gge, capacity, and fuperior vir- tue, would be pleafed with the office of collecting the money, and keeping the fimple account—or it might be retained, with the weekly rent, out of the weekly pay, by the perfons paying them their wages. ‘This plan may not only be con- fidered as a rational mode of preventing cottagers from be- coming burdenfome to the manor or diftrict in which they refide, but it would be fetting a practical example of that mode of altering the general condition and profpects of the pocr—which are now truly alarming—and which the enor- mous burden and increafe of the poor’s rate proclaim aloud muft be altered, or the growing confequences will be infup- portable to the middling clafies. It has been contended, with the ftrongeft appearance of truth, by feveral ingenious writers,—it has been proved by the writings and practice of others,—and particularly by that able writer and moft be- nevolent man, Mr. Pew, of Shaftefbury, that the plan of fuch contribution, aided by the friendly care and affiftance of a few perfons of fteady difcretion, in the different diftricts through the nation, would totally change the face of the country, and redeem the whole mafs of poor from that wretchednefs in which they too generally live, and to which the prefent fyftem of fupport naturally tends ! The late dear feafons, to which we have already alluded, fuggelted the neceffity, as moft of our readers will remember, of finding temporary fubftitutes for wheat-flour in making bread. Under thofe circumftances, fo much the fubject of alarm through the country, it was to be expected that this Society fhould give its attention to fuch topicks of ceconomy. The mixture of equal parts of good barley and wheat, of good wheat, barley, and rye, and even in fome cafes with a {mall mixture of bean-flour, it has been long known, would XXXVI INTRODUCTION. would make a hearty nutritious bread; fuch bread as would not only fuffice to carry the bulk of a country, with caufe of thankfulnefs, through a feafon of fcarcity, but fome of thofe mixtures might be deemed even p/ea/ant for com- mon ufe. To thofe mixtures, it is well known, a large num- ber of perfons in country places had fuccefsful and feafon- able recourfe. I fay /2a/onable, becaufe, however popular opinion might vary, as it certainly did, about the real or fuppofed fcarcity of wheat in the laft two years, it was a fact undoubted by many diligent and candid enquirers, that the fearcity of wheat was rea/; and but for the refort to /ub/i- tutes, and bounties for importation, muft have been more feverely felt. But there was one article of farming produce, which within the laft twenty years has become abundant beyond what our forefathers had any expectation of, and which is now defervedly recommended as of prodigious na- tional importance, i. e. the article of potatoes: to the ufe of this article in bread it was to be expected much regard fhould be paid—and the fa&t was fo. ‘This Society was not want- ing to promote experiments which feveral of its moft active members were afliduous in making, to afcertain the degree of utility refulting from the beft proportions of fuch a mix- ture, and the degree of advantage. It was found to be a fact, that with no inconvenient trouble, the proportion of one-third potatoes to two-thirds of wheat-flour, or one- third wheat and one-third barley-flour, (but efpecially the former) would make a wholefome nutritious bread:—It was found alfo that to take mealy potatoes, frefh boiled and peeled, and break them up warm in the fponge, was an advantageous mode of ufing them. ‘The refult of dif- ferent experiments, as to the proportional weight of bread arifing from the ufe of potatoes, was various—perhaps de- pending INTRODUCTION. XXKVU pending on the different degrees of farinaceous fubftance, in different forts of potatoes, and other fmall caufes not eafily afcertainable. But, on the whole, the experiments went to the general eftablifhment of an opinion, which it is _not expected will be fuperfeded, that the moft advantageous mode of ufing potatoes in poor families, is that common one of eating them, fimply boiled, either as a complete fubftitute for bread, or of bread and other articles of confumption often eaten together. In this common ftate of preparation, it is well known the poor of this country have generally ufed them; and but for the abundant fupply of the article in quettion, fo ufed, it is hard to fay how innumerable families of poor perfons would have fubfifted at all, under the cir- cumftances to which the nation was reduced. The fevere period of trial, and the comfortable effects felt from a large cultivation of this root, have tended to confirm the hereto- fore fuppofed fact, that whatever fhall be the fuccefs of po- pular endeavours to bring more land into cultivation, the extended culture of potatoes is an object of high import- - ance—and that when their various ufes are confidered, in the immediate fuftenance of human life, and for the fuf- taining and fattening ftock, the quantity to be raifed in this country cannot eafily be too large. ‘That cultivation, there- fore, by the various improved modes of carrying it on in the field, and by fhoots which would otherwife be thrown away, and breaking off and tranfplanting the young tops as cabbage plants, where garden beds may be conveniently had for receiving them, is earneftly recommended. It can- not be either expected or defired that this culture fhould materially fuperfede that of corn,—the value and fir/ con- fequence of which are not impaired by the various difco- veries of the /econdary value of potatoe crops; but as po- tatoes XXXVill INTRODUCTION. tatoes may be raifed in large quantities, by a careful manages ment of odd pieces of land, head-lands, the borders of fields, the banks of ditches, the foil of orchards, and for bringing forward all rough grounds, for corn culture, &c. it is the ftrong recommendation of this Society that thofe objects fhould be efpecially kept in view. Another object of national attention, and confequently of this Society’s notice, of late, has been, that of corn-mills. However well or ill founded the proverbial ftigma, liberally caft on the generality of millers, has been, it was to be ex- pected that ina period like the late one, (of which we have treated) the ftigma fhould be increafed; and that a ufeful fet of men in the community fhould be doomed to fevere animadyerfion. But common prejudice is often over-pro- portioned to the delinquency of @ cla/s of men—for the known inftances of wrong conduét in a few individuals are too generally transferred at random to the bulk of a pro- feffion. This illiberality is often encouraged by perfons who too eafily credit a running report, without doing them- felves the juftice of confulting their own better underftand- ings, or means of information and reafoning. This is a ' propenfity cleaving to human nature, rather than a criminal defign. But there is one point of view, in which the ge- neral topick of fuppofed illicit conduct in millers may be properly confidered—I mean of /mai/ millers, who grind for hire, (for by far the greater number of the largeft millers are not in habits of fuch grinding, and are feldom requefted to do it) which is, that difhoneity in the article of toll does not affect the nation by leffening the national ftock of grain: It affects the private pockets of thofe individuals who em- ploy fuch millers; and if they happen to be poor perfons, the hardfhip (if as real as fuppofed) muft be feverely felt, where INTRODUCTION. XXxIX where fuch ‘poor are in the practice of buying corn, and ma- king bread from their own flour; but this mode is much lefs prevalent than formerly, and perhaps the poor were never gainers, and never can be, by grinding fmall parcels of corn. Such a hardfhip, in whatever degree it exifts, fhould undoubtedly be counteracted; but it fhould be done by other means than by encouraging a {trong and dangerous, becaufe malignant, antipathy againft the miller; who, on a fmall feale of bufinefs, with all the opprobrium of mankind on his head, is more commonly a poor man than an opu- lent one. After having given much attention to the com- plaints I have heard, and made as clofe enquiry as I could, I am of opinion (which i fear not to fubmit to the candour of the publick) that the felling of {mall quantities of wheat to poor perfons, is only putting them into a fituation of fuf- picion and complaint, without rendering them the means of advantage. ‘The poor in every parifh or diftri@ fhould, from motives of ceconomy and kindnefs, be the objects of an original kind of care among the opulent—who, if the poor cannot maintain themfelves, muft maintain them. In the article of bread-corn, which is of firft neceffity, it would be well to guard them againft the poffibility of the impofi- tions they complain of. This may be done by a few refpect- able perfons taking. on themfelves the office of purchafing, from time to time, either wheat to turn into flour, for fale to the poor at coft price;—or, (which would be lefs trouble and lefs rifque) flour by the fack, ready made, for fuch fale. The time of the poor, in going about to markets and mills, would hereby be fpared; and they would be fure to be well. fupplied, on the firft terms, without being liable to feel half the effects of market fluctuations, which they muft feel by purchafing {mall quantities of wheat for themfelves, and running xl INTRODUCTION. running the rifque of the miller’s plunder, which they are fo prone to complain of, and from which they feldom or never believe themfelves fafe. “Two or three perfons of pru- dence and care would eafily manage the purchafes at market; and by knowing the weight of the wheat they bought, and requiring from the miller a return of weights, both of flour and offal, would eafily know with exactnefs whether they had caufe of fatisfaction. A little attention would foon qua- lify thofe perfons to judge very accurately of fuch bufinefs. The miller would find fuch grinding and dreffing an obje& worth his attention, as he would be regularly and duly paid ; and be better pleafed with efcaping, by having to do with competent judges, the ufual complaints of various em- ployers. But that the purchafe of ready-made flour, by the fack, would be ftill better, I have not the leaft doubt, for thefe'reafons: i/?. The trouble would be lefs, and the con- cern more eafily managed. 2d/y. There would be no coarfe flour and offal, to be ufed or difpofed of, which, on the grind- ing plan, would occafion confiderable difficulty, or perhaps jealoufy and diffatisfaction. 3d/y. It would be eafy to afcer- tain the average price of wheat at the neighbouring mar- kets; and, knowing the relative proportions between a fack of wheat of a certain weight and a fack of flour, it would never be difficult to purchafe the latter on the beft terms. And fuch a committee always paying ready money, and having a conftant regular demand, for a popular purpofe, would always be fure of finding meal-men emulous to ferve them onthe moft moderate terms, and for a very trifling profit. To this fact another confideration may be added— For wheat, the full market-price muft always be paid, (as - fuch a committee would find it improper to fpeculate in large quantities of grain) and the fupply of flour might, from < INTRODUCTION. xli from interruption of the mill, and other caufes, be often too young for confumption. But, befides having, on the plan of buying flour, the advantage of a regular fupply, feveral chances are in favour of frequently buying fuch flour cheaper in proportion than the market-price of wheat. And as to the quality of it, I fhould recommend that it be never coarfer than that dreffed through the fecond cloth, having in it all the fine. ‘This ftandard quality is more ea- fily known, by attention, than fufpicious perfons are aware of; and it would commonly happen that fome one or more perfons concerned in the vending would be competent judges of quality. Good judges have no doubt that a preference of the beft feconds, i. e. flour dreffed from the meal through afecond cloth, and confequently containing all the fine, fhould be given to any inferior fort ; both becaufe it would give the confumers more fatisfaction, and becaufe the ge- neral reafoning of the poor, in this matter, is right, “ that - “ the beft bread is cheapeft in the end for a poor family.” — There are ufes fufficient for all the offal. Such remarks on Bread and Flour, though not ftri@ly agricultural, will be excufed; and, however differently gen- tlemen may happen to think on fome points, they will at leaft allow that thefe are fubjets, about which an officer of a popular fociety cannot be improperly folicitous. Another object, of no trivial concern, has occupied the attention of the Society of late, and that is, the improve- ment of Cattle and Sheep for general flock. Of cattle and theep, it is difficult to fay which have been moft the fub- jects of experiment in different parts of the nation, for for many years paft. Individuals, as was» naturally to be expected, have been fometimes prematurely fanguine in fa- vour of particular races of animals which had attracted their VOL. VII. € . notices xlii INTRODUCTION. notice; and in favour of mixtures-of different forts, by the breeding of which they propofed to obviate fome errors in fize, and fuppofed imperfections of fhape, which they con- cluded had been too little attended to by practical farmers ; not forgetting the great object of moft afliduous and f{pecu- lative men, the deriving to themfelves as much fame and— emolument as they could, to compenfate for their labour and expence. Of this defcription of men, the late fagacious and perfevering BAKEWELL has been eminently diftin- guiflied: And perhaps never did an individual, in any age or country, do more towards excitihg general notice, or raifing a fpirit of greater emulation, in the department which he chofe. To his memory much refpect and gratitude are due, and will not fail to be paid; while thofe who are following -his maxims of choice and improvement, either in whole or in part, and who are endeavouring to confirm his opinions, or to fhew, by example, wherein they think them imperfect, will continue to render fervice to their country. Such men are confidered with particular regard by this Society. From the different reports, written and verbal, which in various ways have come under the Society’s notice, the main quef-- tion feems yet undetermined, Whether the Dithley race of nott fheep (long and coarfe-wooled, fhort in the legs, fhort and full in the body, finall in the bone, faid to be adapted to fatten fooneft and moft profitably, on the moft valuable parts, and being lighteft in the parts of leaft value) are, or are not, on the whole, that defcription of fheep moft to be recommended for ail fituations? Or, rather, though it be generally allowed that they have advantages, which re- commend them as valuable in many fituations,—yet, for fone diftricts, and with a view to the produce of various kinds of fine wool, for particular manufaXures, it be not probable INTRODUCTION. xiii probable that no one fort, or ‘mixture of forts, can be- come generally and exclufively recommended? The main points, however, characteriftick of the Dithley produce, are undoubtedly confidered, and increafingly fo, as thofe _ points which fhould be more generally regarded than they have been: and it is now held that no race or mixture of _ fheep (whatever the value of their wool) which have not the chief of thofe points, can be recommended as worthy of choice. “The South-Down—as one of the moft diftinét of the races, and as being nimble on the foot, yet gen- tle in pafture, hardy in feeding, of middle fize, adapted to fatten expeditioufly in almoft any fituation, producing mutton of firm texture and fine flavour, and carrying a valuable wool for the clothing manufacture,—are grow- ing in repute; while thofe, of whatever name, which are of large fize, heavy in horn, bone, and offal, however noble in appearance when fat, or however abounding with tallow on the kidney, are defervedly confidered as lefs worthy of pro- pagation,—even in folding diftricts, or in the richeft paftures, where they were once the pride of their owners. Calcula- tions of profit on fheep feem of late years to have been made more accurately by the acre; or on the whole year’s Stock, than by the fingle head. ‘The latter feems to have been heretofore no uncommon mode of calculating the fheep pro- fits on a farm; but obvioufly liable to great deception. It feems to be now generally allowed, that a given quantity of food, confumed by fmall fheep, pays much more than by large ones: that a fucceffion of fufficiently fat mutton is more eafily and regularly produced from fuch fmall fheep ; that the confumer is better pleafed; and that on the whole, the quantity of wo/s moft in demand is increafed. It may be agreeable to many gentlemen to hear, that from experi- ments xliv INTRODUCTION. ments repeatedly made, by means of the Spanifh rams lately — _prefented to this Society by the King, the wool of thofe horned races, with which the Spanith is moft adapted te mix, has been materially improved by the mixture, without any appearance of declenfion in the quality, by feveral years re- petition of breeding; and that no complaint of injury in the carcafe has yet been made to the Society :—but on the con- trary feveral breeders have given their opinion that the fhape is improved. “Such are the Society’s information, and pre- fent fentiments on the fubject of jeep. Of Horned Cattle, the beft for general ftock, the Society has heard much; has been gratified with exhibitions of fe- veral lots; and has feen caufe to diftinguifh fome by pecu- niary approbation. ‘But the beft for general ftock, in all fi- tuations, it is not yet prepared to name with full confidence. It feems, however, not probable that a defideratum in this matter will fo long remain as on the fubje&t of fheep. One material confideration under this head is obvious, i.e. that _ the covering of the animal is far lefs an object of attention than in the fheep. Thus, the moft common characteriftick _ diftinction is by the born: accordingly long-horned, fhort- horned, and no-horned, are the terms we hear moft commonly ufed to denote, of late, the different kinds of neat cattle. And the moft common queftion of preference is, whether the long-horned, or the fhort-horned, be the beft race? In- determinate enough are thefe defcriptions—but moft farmers - are very well acquainted with others, which convey more diftin@t ideas—as the Lincolnfhire, the Holderneffe, the He- reford(hire, the Glamorganfhire, the Pembrokefhire, the Devonfhire, the Alderney, &c. &c. All thefe, and feveral other defcriptions of Welfh, and Northern animals, have their refpective advocates for a fuppofed fuperior value in the et production INTRODUCTION, Ixv _ produ&ion of milk, for excellence of fatting, and for labour in draught. It will be readily fuppofed difficult for any local Society to draw an abfolute conclufion from the vari- ous accounts received, and opinions given, under this head; and confequently to recommend any particular defcription of beafts as pofitively preferable to all others for general /fock, The famous BAKEWELL’s feleStion, or mixed breed, under the general name of Jong-horned, the publick are pretty well acquainted with; and the difciples of that ingenious man are not wanting to follow him in their decided preference of that kind of ftock to all others. The queftion which this Society has been moft accuftomed to hear agitated, is, re- fpecting the comparative merits of that famous produce, and the genuine unmixed race from the North of Devon- fhire; the latter not, indeed, remarkable for fhortnefs of horn, (for it is rather of a middle-fize) but clean and delicate, cor- refponding with the general defcription of the animal itfelf. This laft-mentioned race of neat-cattle, fmall but denfe in the bone, flender in the head and neck, having a fleek fkin, and a gloffy red colour, and generally imprefling the com- mon obferver with the idea of a beautiful fymmetry, is now confidered as growing in eftimation. In many parts of England they have been long known, and partially prized, both in a fat ftate, and for. fatting ftock; but particularly valued in the Weftern counties. Samples of them, both male and female, fat and Jean, have been repeatedly exhibited to this Society, and have obtained a high degree of its ap- probation, The enormous prices which the celebrated Difhley ftock has obtained, having of late brought forward the Devon- fhire advocates for their produce, they feem to have pleaded, with fuccefs, the valuable properties and general ufefulnefs of Ixvi INTRODUCTION. of their favourite ftock. And difclaiming (as fucha Society as this fhould ever do) all partial prejudices, it feems pro- bable at prefent, to the majority of the moft fkilful members, that they fhall continue to fee fuch caufe of preference, as to recommend a more general attention of the publick to the native excellence of the North-Devon cattle. Ata time when the fcarcity of grain, and confequently the unneceflary confumption of corn by horfes, have been much the fubjec& of remark, the more general introduction of oxen into the labour of hufbandry is confidered as very particularly de- firable. And from the fulleft proof of the value of Devon- fhire oxen, in hard labour, particularly at the plough, this Society has no hefitation in urging the ufe of them. They have great ftrength in proportion to their fize, poflefling much denfity of bone and mufcle ;—their ftep is quick, and their durability remarkable.* They will live better on hard fare than moft other forts; and when they have worked hard for feveral years, will fatten in a fhorter time than moft of the known breeds; produce the fineft-grained beef, and meet a ready fale from the butcher at the firft, or at a fupe- rior price. No fubject has continued more to occupy the. atten- tion of the publick, under the head of agricultural improve- ments, than an alteration in the fiate of Tithes. None feems to be more the caufe of diflatisfaction among the active improvers of land, country gentlemen, yeomen, and * Several of the moft confiderable gentlemen farmers in this Society have been long in the habit of ufing thefe oxen with the double-coul- tered plough. Inavery ftiff foil fix of them are ufed, two a-breaft; but in lighter foils, and in after,ploughings, four will eafily plough two acres in a day, with that kind of plough. farmers, INTRODUCTION. Ixvii farmers, who frequent the rooms of this Society; and with whom, of courfe, the Secretary and the Members of its Committees have frequent intercourfe. All agree in la- menting that, becaufe the legiflature originally thought pro- per to fanction that particular mode of fubfiftence, for the minifters of a national church; the confequence fhould not only be a continued check on improvements, but a rankling animofity in the minds of farmers again{t the claimants, to the injury of a national worfhip: That the original plan, ha- ving become long fince altered, by the gradual fale, gift, and lay-poffeffion of the greater part of the tithes of the king- dom, the burden fhould not be fuffered to remain from age to age, where every plea of clerical fupport is out of the queftion ;—and where the whole fruit is evil, by the perfonal intereft of one lay-man being oppofed againft that of ano- ther; while the nation, inftead of the poffibility of profiting | at all by the conteft, muft be doomed to fuffer, till the em- barraffment fhal] be removed. Under thefe common views of the fubje&, many are of opinion that an alteration in the mode of tithing, fo far as concerns the clergy, might take place, on the principles of feveral writers in thefe volumes, or, in other words, by acorn rent. Others have preferred, on account of greater fimpli- city, a pound rate on the rent of the land; the legiflature to prefcribe a proper teft of truth, as to the reality of the rents, to which teft the claimants in all cafes of fufpicion may have recourfe. Others have propofed that agricultural focieties, and other bodies, fhould apply to parliament for obtaining an act to compel the fale and purchafe of all, the tithes in the kingdom, on a fair valuation by a jury; and out of the produce of the appropriate tithes, the eftablifhment of a “fund, under the guarantee of government, for the more equal and Ixviii INTRODUCTION. and comfortable fubfiftence of the clergy,—or (if fuch fecu- rity be more defirable) for the purchafing of lands, the in- come of which to become the property of the church for . -ever. But the greater number feem decidedly of opinion, that, at any rate, an act for procuring the total valuation and fale of the unappropriated tithes (by far the greateft in amount, and fuppofed to be the moft rigidly claimed) fhould be ear- neftly applied for, as a meafure of relief to the country, and of publick juftice, carrying its own evidence of expedience, both from general facts, and the recent alarm of national fcarcity. ‘T’o thefe calls for the adoption of fo provident a meafure, has been added the political one, of giving feope to population by an increafe of the neceflaries of life, and con- fequently adding ftrength to an infulated country, whofe na- tural advantages have been the frequent objects of foreign envy and hoftility. The practicability of doing this, with convenience to all parties, has been, and continues to be, confidently main- tained. The lay-proprietor receiving in money the fair value of his tithe eftate, to be fettled by a competent jury, impar+ tially chofen and folemnly impannelled, cannot be faid to be injured. The principle of compelling the owner of property to part with it, by fuch equitable valuation, for the good of the whole, ftands fanctioned by numerous acts of parlia- ment, and is proceeded on every day, in the bufinefs of in- clofures, roads, canals, publick buildings, &c. &c. And an oppofition to the principle, in thofe matters, would be deemed a preference of perfonal convenience, at the pofitive expence of the publick good. : With regard to the owners of titheable lands, if it fhould be objected, that fome of them might find it inconvenient to'pay down the price of the tithes in fee,—zhat, it has been faid, INTRODUCTION. ~ Ixix faid, muft be granted: But the great increafe in the value of Jands exempted from tithes, arifing both from the exemption and from the probable improvements to be made, will gene- rally furnith the means of borrowing the money, where it is wanted ;—and few men would think it an evil to be obliged to borrow money, even as high as at*legal intereft, to get rid of the incumbrance of tithes. But, at all events, fay the advocates for this meafure, an act fhould be granted to empower all owners of lands paying tithes to lay-impropriators, to call a jury, and fettle the value, and the fale, whenever fuch land-owners fhall be defirous fo to do._—A reafonable prior notice of fuch intention, in any land-owner, would of courfe be prefcribed by law.— Such open and deliberate tranfactions would preclude the idea of difficulty on either fide; and it may be readily con- ceived, that the progrefs of fuch voluntary adjuftments through the country, and all the confequent benefits of them, would be no tardy work.—But for a more copious colleGtion of opinions on the fubject of tithes, the reader is referred to the extracts, which it has been thoucht proper to infert in this volume, from the numerous County Surveys which have been made under the direction of the Board of Agriculture. Such, among ether, perhaps equally ufeful, though of lefs popular defcription, are the objects which have enga- ged the attention of this Society fince its laft publications And it is hoped that fuch labours, and the following fruits of the Society’s corréfpondence, will be accepted and ap- proved by the publick, for whofe welfare the original plan of this inftitution thus continues to be purfued. Finally ; if INTRODUCTION. Finally ; for the further promotion of ufeful knowledge, the correfpondence of ingenious practical Farmers, and publick-{pirited Gentlemen, and the fubfcriptions of the Affluent, wherever fituated, who with well to the domeftick interefts of their country, are refpectfully folicited. Wan. MATTHEWS, Secretary. Bath, Nov. 1, 1796. EE —— EEE DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER, Page The Plate of Apparatus for preferving Corn on Ship-board, at 56 [Erratum. p. 57, line 15, for the reference i. ¢. read e.¢.] Table for buying and felling Wheat by Weight —- — 285 —- 298 Table of the Refult of Sheep Experiment a Plates of Plans of Dorfet County Gaol _ — 340 Plan of Books of Accounts of ditto —— — 341 io a As every information, founded on accurate experiments, on. the cultivation of Potatoes, 1s particularly valuable to the publick; the following, which was fent in after the luft Sheet of the volume was finifhed, is here inferted, for the early benefit of Potatoe Planters. Experiment on the Culture of Potatoes. [In a Letter to the Secretary. ] Sir, I Send you an account of an experiment, which I have made this year with a view to afcertain, as nearly as one experiment well can do, the object of the Society’s Premium on the planting of potatoes. A piece of ground being prepared, rather more than an acre, nearly of an uniform quality, and all unmanured; it was divided into four equal parts: of which, one was ap- propriated to fetts or cuttings, in the ufual way; one to eyes fcooped with an inftrument made for the purpofe; one to whole potatoes of a moderate fize, rather {mall than other- wife; and one to /hoots. An equal quantity 6f potatoes was deftined to each plot; and I endeavoured to apportion the diftances in fuch a man- ner as to crop the whole plot with the feed deftined for it. In the firft three plots a few potatoes only were wanted to finifh each plot, rather the moft in that of the cuttings or fetts. For the fourth plot the given quantity was depofited to produce fhoots, but they were by no means fufficient, as I fhall explain hereafter. The diftances of the rows as follow: Cuttings or Setts—about 2 feet diftant; in rows about 12 inches. Eyes Bh csa about 18 in. diftant; in rows about 6 in. Whole Potatoes — about 2 ! feet diftant; in rows about 18 in. Shoots - about 18 in. diflant; in rows about g in. All were hoed and treated in all refpeéts alike. In the plots of whole potatoes, and cuttings, fomewhat more than there ptt 7] three cwt. of feed was confumed in each. in that of the eyes, about 75 lbs. In that of the fhoots no feed was con- fumed, though perhaps rendered of lefs value. The produce was as follows: : Bafkets Sacks Bafkets Sacks Whole potatoes 47 or 152 | Cuttings or fetts 33 or 11 Shoots \‘- - 37% 12} Scooped eyes. ~ ag 9 The foil was a thin, fandy, freeftone gritt, ftoney, and without manure; the previous crop turnip cabbages, alfo without manure. I muft here ftate the method in which I procured the fhoots for this experiment. I had tried the method fo warmly recommended by the Dublin Society, and the Rev. Mr. MaunsEt1, but without fuccefs. ‘The fhoots taken from the potatoe pits, and cut in proper lengths, either died entirely, or came up very weakly, and produced only very {mall bulbs: nor have I met with one perfon, of the many who have tried this me- thod within my knowledge, that has fucceeded. This in- duced me to try the effect of fhoots tlfat had become green and ftrong by getting above ground. Accordingly, laft year I laid a quantity of potatoes in a trench dug for the pur- pofe, putting a little litter in the bottom, placing the pota- toes thinly, and covering them with litter and mould upon that to the thicknefs of three or four inches. As foon as the fhoots got three or four inches above the furface of the — ground, I had them tran{planted into ground ready prepared to receive them. ‘The plantation was extremely Juxuriant the whole fummer, and the produce good; but the bulbs much larger than thofe planted in the ufual way. This method of procuring fhoots I adopted this year; and a judge- ment may be formed of its fuccels, by comparing the pro- duce of that plot with that of the others; and attending to athe remaarks | {hall prefently make upon it. Remarks { ti } Remarks on the Experiment above ftated. The plot with /etts or cuttings laboured under fome dif- advantage. Being the uppermoft piece in the field, and ha- ving a high hedge of my neighbour’s to the fouth-eaft, the land was vifibly poorer, and the potatoes of an inferior fize for fome yards below the hedge, to what they were at a greater diftance from it. Add to which, the drills being all ftruck with a plough for planting, the two corners which the plough could not touch, and which were intended to have been planted with a fpade, were unfortunately overlooked and left uncropped. I calculate the deficiency from thefe caufes at about four or five bafkets. The plot with /hoors laboured under ftill greater difadvan- tages. “The time of planting being of courfe later than that of the other forts, the feafon being very dry, and the ground very hard and ftoney, the workmen had a difficult matter to put in the fhoots; which, however, they did in part with fpades, and in my abfence from home. On my return I ordered a plough into the field, and placing the fhoots in every other furrow at about nine inches diftance, with their green tops above vround, the plantation was finifhed in an eafy and expeditious manner. ~ Another difadvantage to this plot was, that I was not well aware of the quantity of potatoes neceffary to be laid in the ground for my purpofe. The firft crop was only fufficient for about half the plot: of courfe we were obliged to wait the growth of a fecond crop; which delayed the planting fo long, that they were expofed to the drought be- fore they had taken good root, and hence ripened late: the other fhoots ripened in good feafon. Befides, the two head- lands being obliged to be put in with a f{pade, as well as a fpot which, on account of an adjoining crop, we could not come at with a plough, and all planted with fhoots of a third growth, the fecond not producing fufficient to finifh the whole, produced, from the very late and dry feafon in which flv J which they were planted, fcarcely any potatoes at all. Had thefe fpots been as productive as the reft of the plot, the produce would have equalled at leaft in guantity, and far ex- celled in quality and value, that of the whale potatoes; as is evident from the following ftatement : No.1. Whole potatoes—fize unequal—at leaft one-fourth unmarketable. No. 2. Shoots—fize nearly uniform, moftly large—not one-thirtieth part unmarketable. No. 3. Setts or cuttings—fize lefs uniform—about one- tenth unmarketable. No. 4. Scooped eyes—few large—nearly one-third un- marketable. ee a © No. 1. Twelve facks at 5s. and four at 2s.is 3 80 2. Twelve facks at 5s. and one-half atis. 3 1 0 3. Ten facks at 5s. and one at 2s. - - - 2120 4. Six facks at §s. and three at 2s. - - - 4 160 The refult of this experiment was nearly fuch as I fhould have been led to expect. I think it may be fafely laid down that, of the fhoots produced by a potatoe, fome will be large and ftrong, others weak and finall, the latter mtch exceeding the former; and that the {trong fhoots have a tendency to produce large bulbs, the weak ones fall bulbs. Alfo, that when the fhoot is got above ground, and is furnifhed with Jateral fibres, the parent ftock from whence it fprung is no longer neceffary to it; but previous to that ftate, that it is abfolutely neceffary to its vigorous growth. Alfo, that thofe bulbs only will grow to their full natural fize, which can have an opportunity of drawing from furrounding foil as much nutriment as is neceffary to perfect their growth. Apply thefe principles to the different modes of planting. 1/7, Whole potatoes produce a great many fhoots, fome ftrong, fome weak; but altogether appearing very vigorous having the full benefit of the parent ftock in their infancy; each produce their refpective bulbs, but neither can come to full perfection, becaufe, being very numerous, they cannot get N } 4 Ae ae wet fufficient nutriment from the foil to bring them to that ftate. Hence a confiderable crop in number, luxuriant in appearance, but very unequal in fize and quality, 2dly, Cuttings or fetts produce only three or four fhoots, part ftrong, part weak; not fo luxuriant upon the whole as jn the former cafe, having lefs benefit of the parent ftock whilft young, but not interfering fo much with each other ; and the quantity of furrounding nutriment being more nearly proportioned to their wants, each fort comes nearer to perfection than in the cafe of whole potatoes, though the produce is not fo numerous. Hence a crop inferior to the whole potatoes in quantity and luxuriance of appearance, but of better quality. 3dly. Scooped eyes produce only one ftem each: the weak eyes, weak ftems; the ftrong, ftrong ones; having but little alfifance from the parent fieck in their infancy, they appear very weak and dwindling at fir/?, but afterwards improve much in luxuriancy. The weak eyes ufually exceeding the ftrong ones in number, a few only come up moderately /ronz, many very weak, and fome not at all. Hence a crop inferior to the two former, in luxuriancy, quantity, and quality. 4thly, ‘The ftrongeft /hoots ufually arifing fir from the potatoe, the plantation of fhoots will chiefly confift of frong ones, thofe being firft ready to take off: and having all the benefit of the parent ftock, as long as it is neceflary to it, and as a fingle ftem having no other to interfere with it, its bulbs come to the greateft perfeCtion. Hence a crop, lux- uriant in appearance, confiderable in quantity, and compleat in quality. If this reafoning be juft, (and it is certainly confirmed by the refult of the experiment above ftated) the method of planting by fhoots, procured as I have defcribed above, ‘and well managed, may prove a moft valuable one. At all events, ‘Icannot but recommend it to the Society to promote fur- ther trials, with a view to afcertain a point of fuch import- ance. Plantations of potatoes, made in this way, appear to poffefs Es. lvi J poffefs all the advantages they are capable of, (thofe of foil, manure, and culture, which are common to all methods, excepted.) None but the ftronger fhoots are employed; they have the benefit of the parent ftock as long as it is ne- ceffary; when planted they are unincumbered by neigh- bouring fhoots, and their bulbs have an opportunity of coming to their full natural fize and perfection. The reafoning I have here adopted feems likewife to receive fome confirmation from an obfervation I had very lately an opportunity of reading in an effay prefented to this Society, viz. The productivenefs of potatoes does not appear to arife fo much from the quantity or quality of the feed planted, ‘as from each plant having juft as many vigorous growths (or fhoots) as the furrounding foil is capable-of bringing to perfection. I am, Sir, your humble fervant, Twerton, Nov. 3, 1796. Tuo. BRoucHTON. To thofe who may be difpofed to try the method of plant- ing by fhoots, the following procefs is recommended: — ~ As early in March as the feafon will permit, let a trench or trenches - be dug in a dry and fheltered fpot; let a little litter be laid thinly in the bottom, and the potatoes placed upon it, clofe to each other, but only one in thicknefs ;—the proportion will probably be from_ro to 12 facks per acre. Let fome litter be laid thinly over them, and a little earth upon that. As foon as the potatoe fhoots are two or three inches above ground, let a perfon raife them out of the trench with a three-pronged fork, and another take off, clofe to the potatoes, fuch fhoots as are ftrong, and about fix inches in length. Thefe may be either planted out with a fetting pin, or placed in the furrows after a plough; care being taken in both cafes that an inch or two of the Shoot be above ground. If planted in a field, the latter isthe prefer- able method; and they fhould then be placed in every other furrow, and about nine inches diftant in the rows. Should there be reafon to expeét that more fhoots may be wanted than are fit to take off the firft time, the Potatoes may be returned _ into the trench, and they will produce an abundant crop of fhoots for a fecond planting. LETTERS q Pe rre RS TO THE BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND AGRICULTURE SOCIETY. ARTICLE I. Difquifitions concerning the different varieties of Wooz- BEARING AnIMALs, and other particulars connected with that Jubjedt. [By James ANDERSON, L.L. D. F.R.S.] it has been hitherto in general believed, that the Sheep is univerfally a wool-bearing animal, and that there is no other creature upon the globe that carries wool, in the ftrift and proper fenfe of the word, but fheep alone. But there is now reafon to doubt if either of thefe propofitions be ftriétly true. Among other good effects that will refult from the refearches of the fociety inftituted for the improve- _ «ee ment of Britifh wool, we have already become ac-/ - quainted with the nature and diftinguifhing peculia- rities of a great diverfity of varieties of fheep, and other animals that were not before known in Europe. It is to that fource we owe an account of the dif- ferent varieties or breeds of fheep, that have been » VOL. VIE. B difcovered. fay ae difcovered in the Ruflian dominions, by the learned Dr. Pallas, fo well known in the republick of letters, by his many ingenious works in natural hiftory, and other branches of fcience; a tranflation of which, into Englifh, was lately publifhed in London. By the fame means we have become now perfeétly well acquainted with the Spanifh fheep, and its diftinguifh- able peculiarities; as well as with a great many other varieties of the fheep from various parts of Afia, differing from each other in a much greater degree than ever we fufpected before in Europe was poflible. It would take up too much of the time of the Society, were I to enumerate, in detail, the indivi- dual varieties that might be fpecified. I fhall here only briefly ftate, that all of them may be reduced to one or other of the three following claffes, or the mongrel breeds refulting from an intermixture with each other, viz. CLASS FIRST. WoOoL-BEARING SHEEP, properly fo called. Tuts clafs comprehends a great many of the va- rieties of fheep found in Britain, and throughout the greateft part of Europe. Sheep referable to this ~ clafs are alfo found in Afiatic Ruffia, in Africa, at the Cape of Good-Hope, and in various parts of India. _ Among moft of the varieties of this clafs, unlefs where it has been purified by a careful fele&tion con- tinued 8 ¢d tinued for many years, there is found intermixed with the wool, in different proportions, a kind of fhort, opaque, brittle, unelaftick hair, ufually of a dead white or chalky colour, which is well known to manufaéturers, and is eafily diftinguifhable from other hair. It is known by the name of /titchel hair in fome places. In other places, it is called kimps; and probably it has many other local names with which Iam unacquainted. This kind of hair does not loofen from the {kin at the fame time with the wool, and may thus be, in fome meafure, fepa- rated from it among fome of the purer wool-bear- ing breeds. I have reafon to believe, though I am not abfolutely certain of the fact, that this kind of hair is peculiar to the fheep of this clafs, and is not to be found in either of the other two, unlefs where _ they participate with this one in a mongrel breed. CLASS SECOND. Harr-BEARING SHEEP, Whofe pile is long in the ftaple, and of a quality that ad- mits of being employed in many manufaétures, nearly for the fame purpofes as wool. Sueep referable to this clafs have been ufually confounded with the former, infomuch that they have almoft entirely efcaped the notice of natu- ralifts and others. The pure breeds of this fort are fcarcely any where to be found among manufac- turing nations; but they are reared, in preference to B 2 _ the C43 the wool-bearing fort, among the Ruffians and other northern nations, where the {kins of fheep, with the . fleece on, are ufed for clothing, as they are found to be much more durable. There are, however, a great many varieties among the breeds of fheep in this country, which are mongrels between this clafs and the former. Here, however, as in moft cafes where accurate diftinftions are wanted, although it feems eafy at firft fight to diftinguifh wool from hair by the crifpinefs of the former, in confequence of which, it fhrinks in length fo as to require to be ftretched out before it can be accurately meafured, which is not the cafe with hair in general, yet this is found to afford a rule too vague for accurate difcri- -mination. The following charaéterifticks may, I think, be fufficiently accurate to be relied on. 17. Wool, like the body hair of moft animals, is an annual produétion, fpringing from the fkin of an animal. - It confifts of a great number of diftin& filaments that grow more or lefs clofe to one another _ in. different breeds, but which fpring out of the {kin about the fame time, like corn from a cultivated field; advance nearly with an equal rapidity, till they have attained their full perfection of growth, when they loofen from the fkin nearly at the fame period, (when a new crop fprings up below) and fall off in large parcels all at once, fo as to leave the body, at one period, nearly bare, or covered only with a fhort coat of wool. Hairs, on the other : hand, cos 7 hand, loofen from the fkin feparately, and at remote periods from each other, and, unlefs where they are accidentally matted together, fo as to entangle the loofe hairs among thofe that are faft; they fall off individually one by one, and are fucceeded by other individual hairs to fupply their place. And as this procefs goes on through the greateft part of the year, the length of the coat of Aair-bearing animals, if left to themfelves, is not nearly fo different, at different feafons of the year, as that of aeons animals. 2dly. A filament of wool has no determinate pro- portional thicknefs in its different parts, but is variable in all poflible proportions. Sometimes the root end _. is thicker than the points; fometimes, and indeed for the moft part, in this climate, the points are thicker than the roots; fometimes, the middle is thicker than either end; fometimes, it is quite the reverfe; at fometimes, the variation of thicknefs is great, and extremely perceptible; at other times, the filament is of an equal thicknefs throughout all its parts. Thefe variations, in regard to the thicknefs of the different parts of a filament of wool, have been proved, by experiment, to depend upon the degree of heat or cold that has aéted upon the animal at the time the filament was in its ftate of growth; that part of it which grew during the influence of a continuation of warm weather, being always thicker than that part of it which grew during cold weather; the fue 3 the difference of fize varying with the difference of temperature in all proportions, the fize of the fila- ment continuing the fame only where the animal has been kept in an equal temperature of heat during the whole period of its growth. Hairs, on the contrary, feem to have always a determinate fhape and relative proportions, under whatever circumftances they fhall have been pro- duced—one fpecies of hairs being of one fhape and proportion, and another kind of another fhape. In general, (and with no exception that I know of) the body-hairs of animals are thickeft at the root, and taper fenfibly towards the point, which is dire&ly the reverfe with all wool of grown fheep in this country. By thefe two criteria, wool may be, in general, diftinguifhed from hair, where they are entirely un- compounded, without difficulty. But as all the dif- ferent varieties of fheep breed readily with each other, and produce a mongrel race, in which the difcriminative qualities of the parents are blended together, it neceflarily follows, that where the mon- grel breed is produced between a wool and a hair- bearing race, it will afford a fleece that can neither be diftin@ly charaéterifed as hair nor as wool, but will participate of the qualities of both. If this mongrel fhall mix again with a wool-bearing race, the fleece of the defcendant will approach nearer to wool; if with a hair-bearing race, nearer to hair; " and i 7 3 and fo on they may be blended in infinitum; by which means, in time, the diftin&tive chara¢terifticks of hair and wool may be entirely loft, and fleeces be produced that are neither the one nor the other. This feems to be precifely the cafe with moft of the breeds of fheep in Britain at this day; and we muft _go, in fome meafure, out of the Ifland to recover the genuine breeds; but which, if attended to, will en- able us to account for various phenomena that have puzzled many intelligent men. The moft uncontaminated breed of wool-bearing fheep I have as yet met with, is ‘the Shetland breed, and there the wool rifes fo entirely from the fkin, about the beginning of June, as to render the fhear- ing of their fheep unneceflary. It may be plucked off at that time without occafioning to the animal the fmalleft uneafinefs, as it will fall. off of itfelf if not taken away; the young fleece {pringing up be- neath it like a young fhorn fleece. The fame phe- nomenon is obfervable in all the breeds of fheep in the northern parts of Scotland, where the proper time for fhearing is always indicated by nature, and muft be attended to. For although thefe fheep have got fuch an intermixture with the hair-bearing race as not to allow it to loofen quite fo entirely as that of the Shetland breed; yet it is loofened to fuch a degree, that if the fheep are fhorn too foon, and before the wool is properly rifen, as the phrafe there is, it is difficult to pafs the fheers through it, and the ba a the fkin is left very bare, the young wool not being yet grown. On the other hand, if that fhear- ing be too long delayed, the young wool has grown to fuch a length as to entangle the fheers in it, fo as to cut off a part of it, which is both troublefome and ufelefs. But when the wool is rifen to its pro- per ftate, the fheers flide over the young fleece, and cut off the few remaining hairs of the old fleece with the utmoft eafe, fo that the fheep difcovers no marks of being fhorn, and looks like a lamb in that refpect. It would feem that there is a much greater pro- portion of the hair-bearing race among the breeds of fheeps in the Southern parts of the Ifland; for I obferve that Mr, Liste, who lived in Hampfhire, and was an attentive obferver, though he had heard of this young wool under the name of rowety-wool, had never feen it. It is well known in Scotland, that this phenomenon does not depend on the leannefs of wool-bearing fheep, but takes place among thofe that are in the beft condition fooneft.* * I find that moft people have an idea that the phenomenon of young wool, rifing at the bottom of the fleece of fheep before fhearing, and all the peculiarities here mentioned, are entirely occafioned by a check the fheep have received from a want of food in the winter: to this opinion I cannot accede, for the reafon after mentioned, though Y know well that when a fheep has fuftained a great ftrefs of weather during winter, it does happen that the old fleece fometimes feparates prematurely from the ikin; but in that cafe the fleece becomes mat- ted, and affumes an appearance extremely different from the natural and £6 a The pureft of the hair-bearing fheep I have feen, were fome fleeces that were fent to me from the Baltic, which were as evidently hair as the fleece of a goat, though finer and fofter. The Ruffians pre- fer this breed of theep, becaufe the fleece, when at its full length, adheres fo much more firmly to the fkin than wool does, that it lafts much longer when made into clothing than'the other; for which rea- fon, a wool-bearing fheep among them is a great rarity. Among the fheep referable to this clafs, there are fome breeds which afford a {mall quantity of a very fine and foft wool underneath the hair, of which the Argali of PaLuas is a noted example; byt the greateft part of the varieties we know have none of this. 1 have never heard of an unadulte- rated breed of this kind that had ftitchel hair among the fleece, though it is often found among the mon- grel breeds between this and the former. Neither have I ever heard of a finer kind of wool being found at the bottom of the fleece of any of the wool-bear- ing breeds. A The very long wool of Lincolnfhire, which I have examined with care, appears to be from a mongrel and healthy rifing above alluded to. In this laft cafe, the wool does not feparate in the early part of the fpring as where it is matted; but it adheres to it till the month of June at leaft, and even then in a gradual manner, as the young fleece begins to rife, and always fooneft _ upon the theep in the beft condition, which, on that acgount, are often fhorn ten days or a fortnight fooner than the others. race, [ 10 J race, very nearly allied,to this clafs, with a {mall blend of wool in it, and is of a harder feel than fome of the pure hairy breeds, fome of which are tolerably fine and foft, and very tough and durable in work, and’ have a fine gofly filky-like appearance. I have had wool, of the genuine wool-bearing breed of fheep, that meafured 17+ inches in length, which was ex- tremely fine and foft, and nothing refembling that hufky kind of hair-wool in Lincolnfhire, . CLASS THIRD, SHEEP that carry SHORT THICK HAIR, which in ng refpect refembles wool of any fort. Or this variety of the fheep f{pecies we have no breeds in Britain; but that fuch fheep do exift, ye have the cleareft proofs. So little are they known indeed in this country, and fo little is it fufpe&ed here that fuch an animal exifts, that I was not a little furprifed when I firft faw one of this kind, and there- fore examined it with a good deal of attention. This creature was on board a Danifh Eaft-India fhip that put into Leith roads laft feafon, and was bought, with feveral others of the fame fort, as they aflured me, in the ifland of Madagafcar. It wasa ram of a good fize, and was covered all over with a thick coat of fhort thick {tiff hairs, like that of a horfe, but rather ftronger in the pile and fhorter. The colour was a fine brown, the hair lay clofe ta the fkin, and was very fmooth and glofly, like the coat of a well-drefled i horfe i ie horfe in fine order. They affured me that it had never had any other covering on it but what I faw, and that all its companions were of the fame fort. This fac threw the fubje& of fheep into a new point of view that I had never adverted to before, and enabled me to account for fome phenomena re- fpeéting fheep that had puzzled mea good deal. In the account that Dr. Patias had given of the famous Boucharian lamb-fkin furs, fome of the peculiarities he mentioned appeared to me to be incompatible with the nature of wool, and much more nearly allied to that of hair. But as I had no idea that any fheep of this kind exifted, I was per- plexed about it, and could come to no decided opi- nion refpecting it. Since then, I have had an op- portunity of feeing a night-gown, lined with Bou- charian Jamb-fkin fur, which, I find, confifts of no- thing elfe but /air, without the fmalleft intermixture of wool. It is fomewhat longer than the Madagafcar fheep’s hair, fofter, and gently waved by means of a little curl upon it, which gives to it the beautiful foliage-like appearance, for which thefe furs have been fo much valued; fo that this forms a fecond variety of this clafs of fheep. While I am juft writing, I have received a letter from Sir JosrPH Banks, bart. on this fubjeét; who fays, “1 once imported three fheep from Spain, ** which were as fleek and fmooth as a horfe, and “ never, at any feafon, fhewed the leaft fign of wool or , Cia 4 * or down in the moft minute quantity.” The fact then is inconteftibly eftablifhed, that fheep, which produce as little wool as horfes, do exift; and per- haps they are much more common than we at pre- fent fufpe&. The Boucharian breed of fheep is kept in immenfe flocks over the extenfive plains of Great Tartary. Since the above was written I have been affured that they have a breed of this kind of fheep in the ifland of Antigua. A natural inference from thefe faéts is, that fince we find one clafs of animals, fome breeds of which produce wool, and other breeds produce nothing but fhort hair in no refpeéts refembling wool, may not a fimilar diverfity take place in regard to other claffes of animals? And although it fhould happen that the inhabitants of one country fhould be pof- feffed only of the hair-bearing breed of créatures of that fort, like the Madagafcarefe fheep, and know nothing of any other fort; yet there is no reafon, from that circumftance, to conclude that no other breed of that kind of creature exifts. This twain of reafoning being fuggefted, it roufed the mind to. at. tend to faéts; and I had foon occafion ‘to obferve, . that fo far from having reafon to be furprifed at find- ing breeds of fheep fo much diverfified, as above fet forth, there were innumerable well-known faés, which, if adverted to, would have led to the fame conelufion. For es, Od For example: there is no man in Britain, who has not had occafion to obferve as great a diverfity in regard to the coat of dogs as of fheep. 1ft.. The fmooth-haired dog; examples of which are the Italian greyhound, and Spanifh pointer. 2dly. The long-haired, foft, wavy-fleeced dog; as in the Englifh fpaniel, and Newfoundland dog. 3dly. ‘The wool-bearing dog, or, at leaft, the dog that carries a coat, which, for clofenefs, length, and foftnefs, may be compared to wool, is very common. Some of them carrying an immenfe quantity of hair of a long lank quality, and others carrying it of a ‘ clofe curled texture, very like the fleece of many kinds of fheep. The fleece of thefe creatures muft be fhorn at the beginning of fummer, to let them be . comfortably cool; and I have feen it fpun and worked into ftockings, which could not be diftinguifhed from wool. f N. B. There is a kind of fox-fkin, in Siberia, that carries a fur exactly like woo/, as I have been affured by a gentleman who lived long there. The Ruffian name of it, being literally tranflated, is, the little dog’s fur. The fame diverfity is obfervable in regard to goats: as, 1ft. The fmooth fhort-haired goat, very common. 2dly. ‘The long-haired fhaggy goat, very common alfo. The hair of this kind of goat is ufually very coarfe; but underneath it, as in the long-haired breeds ei eae | breeds of fheep, there is a quantity of wool, of an exceeding fine quality, which may be feparated from it about the month of June, by combing. rom this circumftance, it would feem that this wool, like the wool of the fheep, rifes from the fkin, and be- comes loofened from it, while the hair ftill adheres firmly to it. Of the finenefs and quality of this kind of wool, you may fatisfy yourfelf, by examin- ing the fmall fhred of a little web that will accompany this, of that kind of wool, which was manufa@ured under my eye here laft fummer. There was as much of it as made three full-fized fhawls and a waiftcoat- piece, from whence the pattern fent was cut. The chain ts filk, as there was too little materials to make it of wool. Thefe fhawls were compared with the fineft India fhawls that could be found in this place, and were deemed fofter than any of them. The fhawl wool in India is precifely of the fame nature, and is obtained from the Thibet goat. I have exa- mined fome Thibet goats in this country, and find their hair rather longer and coarfer than the common European goat, from which it differs little. If it was a fair fpecimen I faw, the wool was rather lefs abun- dant on thefe than on the common goat. 3dly. The wool-bearing goat, for fo I think the Angora goat may be called, whofe hair is as fine, as foft, and as fit for work, as almoft any wool; but whether it rifes like wool, or is in this refpe& like hair, I have had no opportunity of obferving. A fpecimen 55a fpecimen of Angora goats-hair, produced in Britain, will accompany this. Whether there will ever be difcovered the fame diverfity of hogs, I cannot tell; but we already are acquainted in Europe with fomething. analogous to the two firft-mentioned breeds of fheep, viz. aft. The fmooth fhort-haired Chinefe breed. The Jamaica breed of hogs belongs alfo to this clafs. 2dly. ‘The long-haired breed, having wool under its long /briftles; of this kind is the fmall breed of hogs found in Orkney and the Shetland Ifles. Its briftles are very long and fhagged, and under them is found a very abundant quantity of wool, which is foft; but its peculiar qualities have not been as yet fufficiently inveftigated. I have, as yet, heard of no breed of hogs that carries wool only. Hence it appears, that the diverfity of animals that carry wool is much greater than has hitherto been in general fufpected; nor can we at prefent fay, ‘with any degree of certainty, that there may not ftill exift, in fome corner of the globe, one or more of every fpecies of domeftick animals that do not carry wool] with us, that we are now in the cuftom of rearing, which may alfo carry wool, as well as fome varieties of the fheep. And fince it is well known, that the inhabitants of Europe have derived great advantages from feleéting the wodl-bearing _ breeds of fheep, and rearing them in place of the _fmooth-haired fort; it is equally certain, that, could i we * eS ee we difcover any varieties of the other domeitick animals of the fmooth-haired kinds that we have been accuftomed to rear, which fhould afford wool as the fheep does, the benefit we might derive from fubftituting thefe wool-bearing breeds, inftead of thofe hairy forts we now propagate, would be very great, if their qualities in other refpeéts be nearly the fame. Of all the varieties bE domeftick animals we have been accuftomed to rear in Europe, next to the fheep, the bullock is the moft valuable. We, it is true, like'the inhabitants of Madagafcar with re- gard to fheep, have been hitherto in the cuftom of rearing the fmooth-haired bullock only; and though, perhaps, like the inhabitants of Madagafcar, we may have accidentally heard that there are fome varieties of this clafs of animals that carry fomething like wool in other parts of,the world; yet, as thefe have never come to our door, and prefented themfelves to us, we either doubt if fuch animals do exift,-or conclude they would not thrive with us, and there- fore fit {till contented with what we have, without ma- king any efforts to better ourfelves. Is it not a well- known faé&, that we have continued for more than a hundred years paft to import wool from Spain in great quantities every year, without ever once attempting to rear the breed of fheep that produced -it, though they were in a manner at our door? And is it not alfo known, that inftead of making a fair experiment Es 3 experiment to afcertain with certainty whether that wool could be produced here or not. ‘Writers have been fquabbling with each other about the poffibility of a thing which could never be proved pro or con by reafoning, but by fair experiment only. And is it not alfo a faét, that, although it be now proved to demonftration, by repeated experiment, that the wool of theep brought from Spain, does not dege- nerate in Britain, there has been till this hour no attempt made to obtain a fingle individual of the jineft breed of fheep from Spain. And is it not alfoa fact, that becaufe thofe fheep that have been brought over from Spain at random, have not been fo fine in the carcafe as fome of the fele&ted and improved breeds of fheep in Britain, that different perfons are {till difputing about the poffibility of having fheep ~ with a good carcafe from Spain, as if a fa& of this fort could be afcertained without accurate trial and experiment? Thus do we fit in our elbow-chairs, and argue, without data, till we reafon ourfelvés into a habit of indolence and inattention, that makes us remain contented with the dregs only of what might eafily be within our reach. To men in thefe circums {tances the words of the poet may be applied, O leaden-hearted men, to be in loye with death! It is moft certain, that the perfon who ventures to roufe the attention of men to the inveftigation of faés which they have not been accuftomed to VOL, Vit. c take abe Sages take notice of, mutt inevitably expofe himfelf to the fneer of ignorance; but that is of little confequence, if it fhall chance to throw a fingle ray of light uport a fubje& that has been hitherto volved in darknefs. That there are nearly'an equal diverfity of breeds of cattle as of fheep, fcarcely admits of a doubt, of which the following faéts are proofs. if. The fhort fmooth-haired breeds. Of thefe, the fhorteft I have feen, is a bull of the Zedu kind, that was lately exhibited in Edinburgh as a fhow. His hair did not exceed half an inch in length, and was very clofe, firm, and elaftick. There are many breeds of cattle in Britain, the Holderneffe in parti- cular, the hair of which is fhort and very {mooth. adly, The long foft wavy-haired breeds. Of thefe, the Lancafhire cattle are a good example; and many of the Highland breeds, fome of which have manes like horfes. 3dly. The long foft wool-like bearing breed, of which the buffaloe, or rather bifon, of Louifiana is the chief. The hair of this animal is faid to refem- ble clothing wool, in length, in thicknefs, and in clofenefs; a,fmall fpecimen of this. wool is inclofed, which I)received from Sir Jofeph Banks, bart. But as the creature has never yet been domefticated, or fubje&ed to particular obfervation, by men whofe judgment could be relied upon, our notions of it are but very imperfect. Ido not hear that there are any fong hairs upon this breed of cattle. Athly. The. C 1 J 4thly. The long-haired wool-bearing breeds. Be- longing to this clafs there are three varieties ob- fcurely known, viz. if. The Sarlue, by fome naturalifts called the grunting ox, an animal of the Southern Tartary, which is not yet fufficiently known. The fleece of this creature is faid to be thick and long, falling down below its knees, and of a very fine quality. adly. The Chittigong cow, of the higher Hindof- tan, which is defcribed nearly in the fame terms.— Its hair, or wool, is much ‘efteemed by the natives, and is applied by them to various purpofes. 3dly. The Mufk ox, of Hudfon’s-Bay. This ani- mal is much better known to me than the former, as I had the defcription from a gentleman in Edin- burgh who lived many years in Hudfon’s-Bay, dnd — who has feen thoufands ‘of them, dead and alive. The whole body of this creature, which is as large as a middle-fized ox with us, is covered over with 4 very clofe fleece of long, foft, flexible hair, of a fine quality, which might be employed in manufa&ures for many of the fame purpofes as wool; beneath that hair, and towards its roots, lies another coat of exceeding fine wool, which could: be applied im fa bricks of the fineft quality. It-has been fpun and worked into gloves and ftockings, which dre faid to be foft as filk. The buffaloe wool inclofed, I thewed to the gentleman, who faid it was nothing like fo fine as that of the mufk-ox, C2 The [ 20 ] The flefh of this kind of ox is very fine, unlefs at the rutting feafon, when it acquiresa mufky flavour, from whence its name. Herds of many thoufands of them are to be found up the country among the Efquimaux, but none of them have ever yet been domefticated. They do not feem to be either fo wild or fo ferocious as the wild breed of European cattle that are ftill kept in Whittingham’s-park, Nor- thumberland. To fhew what praétical ufes may be derived from thefe faéts, I fhall beg leave to fubjoin a few farther obfervations on fubjects connected with this, that have refulted, in fome meafure, from the enquiries which have been fet on foct by the wool fociety. 1. It is now afcertained, that all the varieties of fheep yet known do readily intercopulate with each other, and that the progeny is a prolifick animal ca- pable of continuing the fpecies; but that in refped& to its characteriftick qualities, it is a mongrel. race, participating nearly alike of the qualities of both its parents. And as thefe mongrel breeds may be in- termixed with other varieties in infinitum, it may in many cafes happen that new mongrels may. be_pro- duced, in which the diftinguifhing peculiarities of the original breeds may be blended in all: poffible proportions, and loft. In like manner the varieties of dogs may be blended and loft, if no care be taken to preferve them: and fo of cattle; at leaft we know for certain,. that the different [ 21 J different European breeds may be fo; and we have reafon to believe, that the buffaloe, the zebu, and the other varieties that have not yet been tried in Europe, may be blended together. adly. The effets of climate and food, in altering the qualities of the reed, are found to be nothing; though the effect of thefe things upon the individual creature that is fubjected to their influence, may in fome cafes be very perceptible. For example: It has been fhewn above, that the wool of wool- bearing fheep is affected by heat or cold; but this is nearly in the fame manner as heat or cold affect the mercury in the thermometer. It is a momentary impulfe, which ceafes to operate the moment its ‘in- fluence is withdrawn; and the animal, which may have been made to undergo great variations of heat, returns to its former ftate as foon as its original tem perature is reftored.. But even this variation feems to be felt only by the wool-bearing breeds; and is, befides, of much lefs powerful influence than has been ufually fuppofed. Nor is there a fingle fat, that ever has been difcovered, that gives the fmalleft countenance to the generally received opinion, that heat tends either to make the fleece thinner in pile, or to encourage the growth of hairs among it; far lefs that it operates, as M. Burron and his followers aflert, in producing permanent changes on the de- {cendants of the animals, Heat [ 22 ] Heat likewife tends to accelerate the fattening of fome animals to whom it is congenial; as the hog, to an aftonifhing degree. Richnefs of pafture alfo tends to produce tempo- rary changes. On the wool: there is reafon to be- lieve it tends to augment its length in fome degree, though but a little; it adds to its foftnefs and tough- nefs; but in regard to coarfenefs or finenefs, no faé& has as yet been found to afcertain that it has any fen- fible effect, though I am aware that opinions are here as decifively adopted as if the faéts had been fully af- certained. On the carcafe: abundance of food is -well known to augment the fize of all animals to a certain degree, when compared with fcanty feeding. A {carcity of food, approaching to the ftate of ftarva- tion, is alfo well known to render the wool, which grows at that period of ftarvation, brittle and un- elaftick. 3dly. The influence of breed, in propagating the qualities of the parent {tock, or in altering the qua- ities of it at pleafure, by blending it with others, may be faid to be all-powerful. There is not a fin- gle fa&, that I have ever been able to meet with, properly afcertained, that tends to fhew that the dif- tinguifhing peculiarities of any breed of animals can. be fenfibly, changed: in its. effential chara¢terifticks, by, any. change of climate or any other circumftance, except an intermixture of breed: alone; but innume- rable faéts may be found that afcertain the contrary. The Eas A The Perfian and Arabian breeds of horfes brought into Europe, are only changed by intercopulating with other breeds. The Chinefe hogs may be con- tinued for ages unchanged, if no crofs be permitted. Thefe faéts are notorious, and every other fa& upon this fubje&t tends to eftablifh the fame conclufion, 4thly. Although the fame bregd of animals appears not to be liable to be changed by climate or other extraneous caufes, yet it is found by experience, that individuals may be found among every breed of ani- mals, which, from circumftances that have hitherw eluded our obfervation, and which it therefore ex- ceeds our power either to acceleraté or retard, may be met with, which are, in fome leffer circumftances, different from others, though they ftill poffefs the general charaéterifticks of the parent breed. And fo ftrong is the propenfity of nature in all cafes to pro- duce its own kind, that if the individuals poffeffing thefe qualities, thus, as we would fay, accidentally pro- duced, whether beneficial or hurtful, be feleéted and put to breed with others that poffefs qualities fome- what of the fame fort, it is found that the defcendants of thefe fele&ted animals will, in general, be poffeffed of the diftinguifhing peculiarity for which they were feleé&ted in an eminent degree; though among thefe alfo fome individuals will be found to have lefs of it than others. And if thefe leaft approved indivi- duals be banifhed from the fele€ted ftock; and thofe, both males and females, which poffefs the wifhed-for quality piga 4 quality in the moft eminent degree, be put to breed together, the defcendants of thefe will be ftill more improved; and by continuing this mode of felection for a great length of time, the improvement, as to this particular quality, may be carried to an indefi- nite height. In this way may be produced an im- proved breed; which, though agreeing in the gene- ral chara¢terifticks with the parent {tock from which it was feleéted, may poflefs fome peculiar qualities in a much higher degree than it does. It is of much importance to the practical farmer to advert to this peculiarity in the ceconomy of na- ture, becaufe it puts it very much within his power to benefit himfelf by attention and care, in regard to circumftances that would otherwife feem to be entirely beyond his reach. For, were he to be per- fuaded that certain peculiarities he withes to obtain, are neceflarily dependant upon a temperature of cli- mate he never can enjoy, or that certain bad quali- ties in the animals he breeds are infeparably depen- dant upon the nature of his pafture, which it exceeds his power to change, he -muft of neceflity fir down contented with what he has, without a hope of im- provement; but if, upon examining the faéts above {tated with attention, he fhall find that the influence of breed is fo powerful as is there ftated, he will be at pains, in the firft place, to look around him to fee if he can difcover any breed, poffefling qualities, ppon the whole, more valuable than his own, which AS ee ae is found to fubfift on paftures of a quality not better than his own; and when he has once found them, continue with uninterrupted attention to fele@ the beft in all refpeéts, particularly thofe that thrive beft among them, to breed from. This has been done by Mr. BakEwELL, and thofe who have adopted his fyftem, with fuch fuccefs, as not only to eftablith the principle for which I contend beyond a doubt, but alfo to give room for encouraging others to adopt a fimilar plan for improvements in other re- fpects, than thofe that feem, hitherto, to have come within the compafs of his plan, 5thly. There feems tq be no reafon for believing that any one peculiarity we may be in queft of, is neceflarily connected with, or dependant upon, any other peculiarity in the animal creation, For ex- ample: The improvers of live {tock in the prefent age hold it out ta view, as a general principle, that a facility in fattening is invariably conneéted with certain peculiarities in fhape; and of courfe. they conclude, that, wherever thefe peculiarities of fhape are to be found, the talent of fattening will be found alfo, and the reverfe. This, I contend, is a falfe principle, and I venture to fay, that when the faéts fhall come to be thoroughly inveftigated, their con-, clufion will be found to be erroneous; indeed it is in fome degree departed from in praéfice already, though in theory the principle is ftill adopted with- out limitation. A few years ago, fhortnefs of leg was [ 26 J was deemed a point indifpenfibly neceffary in a feeding beaft, and it went the length of almof being deemed—the fhorter the better: this is now no longer contended for. Many of the charac- terifticks of the prefent day will, in like manner, gradually fall into difufe, as people come to open their eyes on this fubje€t. The fact is, I have feen animals that had a powerful tendency to fatten, which were almoft, in every refpeét, the reverfe of the fhape moft highly efteemed at prefent, and the contrary. And by referring every perfon who has had opportunities of obferving many breeds of the fame kind of animals, to his own experience, I have no doubt, but he will ea- fily recolleét inftances of the fame kind, or at leaft, if his mid be unprejudiced, that he will foon have occafion to obferve it. To that expe- rience then, whether paft or to come, I refer on this o¢cafion. One circumftance, however, it is neceffary here to advert to, viz. that as the breeds of animals, from which the feleétion was begun, were ori- ginally of very good kinds, and chanced at the fame time to potlefs thofe fhapes that are now deemed fo effentially requifite; and as the im- proved breeds that have been fele&ted from thefe are all found to poffefs thefe fhapes; it is. by no means aii unnatural conclufion to infer, that thefe fhapes are in fome’ degree infeparably connetted with ft 27 J with the propenfity to fatten eafily. Had it chanced that equal pains had been beftowed upon feleGting from another good breed that was differently fhaped, the prejudice would have been equally ftrong in favour of that fhape. But as the breeds that have been hitherto the obje& of fe- le&tion, have got the ftart of all others in point of improvement, it is probable the prejudice in fa- your of their fhape may long continue to prevail; nor do J wifh it to be underftood that I have any prejudice againft the fhapes recommended. Far from it, for I think them very beautiful—I only with to fay, that that circumftance is not efentially connected with the other; for as every error, when admitted as a truth, leads to unforefeen, and often pernicious confequences, though the opi- nion objeéted to may not be of much confe- quence in the particular inftance now under con- fideration, its influence may be very unfavourable in regard to others. Allow me to add one further illuftration on this head, before I put an end to this long paper. If it be admitted, that a faculty of fattening eafily be neceffarily conneéted with certain pecu- liarities of fhape, merely becaufe it chances acci- dentally, as I will fay, that thefe two peculiarities happen to be united in that breed of animals which has been brought forward to: notice; we ought, by the fame mode of reafoning, to infer, that C 28 J that that quality of fattening eafily, is as neceffarily conneCted with coarfenefs of wool, or lightnefs of fleece, or any other ufelefs or hurtful peculia- rity, if it fhould fo happen that the favourite breed chanced to have coarfe wool, or a thin fleece, &c. The confequence of this conclufion would be, that every man who withed to improve the car- cafe of his fheep, would turn away from every breed of fheep that carried fine wool or a clofe fleece, as he now does from thofe breeds that have long legs, or what is deemed in other-re- fpetts, improper fhapes; and fine-wooled fheep, carrying clofe fleeces, would come to be entirely neglected. But if, inftead of this prevention, he fhould be convinced that it might be very pofhible . to find a fheep that would have a tendency ta fat- ten kindly among thofe breeds. that carry very fine wool and clofe fleeces ; he would be as anxi- ous to felect from thefe breeds, as from others, and probably as fuccefsful too, if he had fet out at the fame time with the man who began to felect from the coarfe breed. I am, myfelf, per- feéthy fatisfied, from a variety of facts that have fallen under my own obfervation,- which would fill a volume nearly to enumerate, that fine wool, | for example, is neither neceffarily connefted with thinnefs of pile, (the Spanith fheep carry the clofett pile of fleece yet Known in this country); with thortneis of ftaple, (I once hada fleece of wool that L 29 J] ihat meafured 17 inches and half, which was finer than the beit Spanifh weol I could buy ii London, and extremely foft) with tendernefs of conftitution, with a tendency to fatten flowly, or with any one quality that can be named, though it may be accidentally conneCted with thefe. And I have net a doubt, but when the eyes of man- kind in general fhall be opened, fo as to admit of their examining the facts that fall under their notice without prejudice, they will be able, in time, to fele€t breeds that fhall be diftinguifhed not only fer ove valuable peculiarity to the exclu- fion of all others, but even to obtain that valuable peculiarity conjoined with moft, if not all the other peculiarities that can be defired; that pe- riod is, I fear, ftill at a great diftance. But if thefe remarks fhall tend in any degree to call the publick attention to this fubje&t, whe- ther with a defire to refute or to confirm thefe remarks, it will equally anfwer the end in view, which is to remove hurtful prejudices, and to dif- cover the truth. He who does fo is on my fide, alike if he refutes by juft reafoning, from -well- eftablifhed faéts, as if he confirms thefe remarks. The f-Wge J The Secretary of the Bath and Weft of England Society to Dr. ANDERSON. Bia Secretary of the Bath and Weft of Eng- land Society begs leave, in the moft refpeét- ful manner, to convey to Dr. ANDERson fome few remarks, and queries, which arofe in the Committee, refpecting his excellent paper on wool-bearing animals. In general, as might be fairly expe€ted, this paper was much approved; but doubts arifing on two or three fentences, they will be fet down in order, and the Doétor will greatly oblige by giving them a reconfidera- tion and reply, as early as fhall be convenient to him. if. “ And is it not alfo a faét, that though it “be now froved to demonffration, by repeated ex- ** periments, that the wool of fheep brought from * Spain does not degenerate in Britain,* there has “been ’till this hour xo attempt made to obtain a “ fingle individual of the fine breed of fheep§ from “© Shain?” * Query from the Committee. Ox what experi- ment or experiments is this fat, if it be one, founded ? § From the fame. Has not the attempt been made by the King, and fucceeded ? Or, at any rate, are not the Rams fele&ted and fent to him by the Marchionefs Del Campo, to be confidered as the bef ? 2dly.- Nor Cagr 2dly. “ Nor is there a fingle fa@, that ever has * been difcovered, which gives the fmalleft coun- “ tenance to the generally received opinions, that *‘ heat tends either to make the fleece thinner in “ pile, or to encourage the growth of hairs among “it. Far lefs that it operates, as Mr. Burron « and his followers affert, in producing permanent ** changes on the defcendants of animals.” + + Query from the Committee. Js this a clear cafe? Do not our fheep jent to and kept at the Weft-Indies, rather prove the contrary? To James Anverson, Efq; L.L.D. F.R.S. Answer ta the SECRETARY « Dear Sir, . Saturday, Feb. 25th, 1795. | rae you for your very kind letter of the 13th inftant, which only came to hand on Thurfday laft; I embrace the firft poft for acknow- ledging that favour, and of giving anfwers to.the queries your Committee have done me the honour to propofe. if. A variety of experiments have been made with the Spanifh breed of fheep for three years paft, by many of the members of the Society of Britifh Wool, I haye feen many fpecimens of the wool C 32 ] wool of both parents, and of the progeny, whic have been compared together, by the members of the Committee and others; and in no inftance thas it ever been obferved, that the wool of the progeny, where the breed was pure, was coarfer than the average of the parents. Of the effeéts of croffing, and other peculiarities affe€ting the wool in particular cafes, | have not time to fpeak ; I fhall only obferve, that, in general, the Spanifh fheep that have come to Scotland have not been found to thrive, being liable to many difeafes, efpecially the foot-rot. You are aware that bad health affeéts the qua/ity of the wool, in a very re- markable degree, in fome cafes. 2dly. The King has certainly got fheep from Spain, as has the Society for Britifh wool. But do the gentlemen of the committee believe that Mr. BAKEWELL, or any other eminent breeder, would have thought he could have obtained the very beft kinds of Britifh beafts, by getting the Duchefs of * * * * *, or any other Duchefs of Duke in the kingdom, to order her or his fteward to buy the beft, and fend them to him? Such aré not the fteps required to make improvements of this kind. Do we not all know, that every per- fon of high rank is liable to be impofed upon by their fervants and dependants in almoft every thing? And what would have been the confe- quence, if the fteward had wifhed to fruftrate the liberal Ee liberal intentions of his miftrefs? No precautions have been adopted to guard againft-this. We know that the fief? wooled Spanith fheep have not been fent, becaufe finer Spanifh wool can be bought than any of them carried. And I have very great reafon to believe, from the information of perfons who have feen the flocks in Spain, that there are fine wooled fheep in Spain much fupe- rior in carca/e to any we have got. . 3dly. If any of the gentlemen of the committee knows of any well-authenticated faét, which proves that the fleece degenerates «as fpecified in the Weft-Indies, I fhall be glad to be informed of it. Iknow of none, though I know it has _ been afferted ten thoufand times, by perfons who never had adverted to the faét; before I did ad- vert to it, I myfelf believed it firmly; fince I in- veftigated the cafe with attention, I have been obliged to abandon that opinion. When the gentlemen of the committee advert to the num- _ berlefs opinions that are readily admitted, without proof, as faéts refpecting wool and fheep in Bri- tain, they will not be furprifed at this opinion refpecting fheep in. the Weft-Indies being ad- mitted. | have been in the cuftom, for many years paft, of admitting no affertion, on fubje€s of this fort, without proofs; and in fearching for proofs on this head, I have found a great number of facts that have obliged me to abandon my VOL, VIII. D former fi 340 J former opinion. No opinion is more univerfal in the Weft-Indies, than that the fheep which aré deemed the native breed of the ifland of Jamaica, carry 0 wool at all, but hair only. I had an op- portunity, I think, of fending to you a fpecimen of the natural fleece of one of thofe fheep which con- fifts for the greateft part of wool, perhaps fimer (undoubtedly fofter) than the beft Spanifh wool. Pleafe to accept of thefe hafty notices in good part, and believe me to be, with great fincerity, Dear Sir, your obliged humble fervant, JAMES ANDERSON. Mr. Wm. Matthews. DEAR SIR, Write thefe few lines merely as a fupplement to my paper on wool-bearing animals. The fmall fpecimen inclofed is the half of a tuft of wool which Sir J. Banks fent me, that was plucked from the back of one of the Jamaica breed of fheep juft come into England. The owner of it, when Sir J. B. wifhed to fee the wool of it, told him at once that it carried no wool, but air. When he pulled the tuft and examined it, he was aftonifhed to find fo much very fine wool among a very particular kind of kimps, as you well fee when you examine it. : Only Sk De a Only take notice how eafily error may be propa- gated as truth. Had this fheep been allowed to re- main untouched till the fhearing feafon, it would have been found that it afforded woo/, inftead of the hair it was thought to have carried in Jamaica. Thus does inaccurate obfervations, in a.thoufand in- ftances, pervert our reafoning, and make us embrace error inftead of truth. Adieu! in hafte, Your’s fincerely, JAMES ANDERSON. Mr. Wm. Matthews. N.B. This fample is preferved for infpe@ion, by the Secretary. It contains about an equal quantity of hair, as coarfe as that of almoft any dog, and of wool as foft as filk. TT — [The following letter to the Secretary was intro- duétory to the foregoing Effay, &c. and is inferted here, not as effential to the main produétion, but on account of its ailufion to other fubjeéts. | ARTICLE HE. On Canal-Locks, Bridges, Peat Mofs, &ec. [By Dr. ANDERSON. | I Have been a long while paft a very unprofitable member of the Bath Agriculture Society ; but, I truft, the avocations I have otherwife had will D2 plead f ~g6y. plead my excufe. In order to make up, in fome mea- fure, for that delay, I fend along with this a few re- marks on a fubjeét, which, although it has obtained fome attention for a fhort while paft, ftill ftands in need of much farther elucidation. If it fhail have the tendency to provoke an anfwer, | fhall not be at all diffatisfied; for though I have no intention to engage in a warfare with any one, yet as thofe who are to anfwer muft at leaft reflect a little upon the fubje&, it has a chance of engaging them and others to attend to faéts, which might otherwife be fuftered to pafs without notice. I make no doubt, but you will be poffefled of all the Agricultural Surveys yet publifhed; I have feen moft of them, but not that of the county of Somer- fet. The furvey of Aberdeenfhire was written and printed in great hafte, as you will obferve by the _ typographical errors, I had fome correfpondence with Mr. SrepHENs, of Camerton-houfe, near your place, refpeéting the machine for raifing boats in canals, flightly mentioned in the appendix to that publication. Since that time, I have alfo corre- fponded with the managers for the Rochdale canal in Lancafhire, on the fame fubjeét; and I have the fatisfa&tion to find that all the engineers, and men of underftanding in that line to whom it has been fhewn, approve of it in the fulleft manner, and with to have it adopted; but how to fatisfy the numerous fubfcri- bers, who are no judges of things of that nature, without sty 7 a without having it a@tually put in prattice at large, they know not. When I ftated to the engineers at Manchefter the objeétion as to the ftrength, that had been hinted at Edinburgh, and explained fully the manner of its con{truétion, they made very light of it, and faid, upon that principle they might lift a town if it fhould be required—a ftrong enough hy- perbole! but very expreflive of their opinion. Thefe gentlemen conceive, that by adopting this contri- vance in place of locks, the expence of a canal may, in many fituations, be diminifhed more than one half, not only by faving in the mafonry, &c. but alfo by the faving of water, which will render unneceffary large _ refervoirs, which add prodigioufly to the expence in almoft every fituation, and in fome render canals to- tally impracticable. None of them, however, have hitherto adverted to another circumftance fufficiently, which I confider as of even greater importance than thefe, which is, the unlimited freedom of intercourfe it will admit of, and the benefits it will procure in regard to agricultural improvements efpecially, which is an object that has fcarcely been hitherto adverted to in making canals; but it would require long elu- * cidations to explain this. Nothing now is wanted, I think, to render canals praéticable every where, but a cheap method of conftruéting aquedué bridges, where they become abfolutely neceffary, about which Iam juft now engaged; and though I have not my drawings yet finifhed, I fhall be very foon able to fhew Ere 3 fhew that a bridge from 2 to 300 feet {pan may be conftruéted at lefs than half the expence that the price of driving the materials -only for an ordinary bridge in moft cafes would coft. The power of lengthening the fpan, fo as to avoid the neceflity of central piers, is in fome fituations, efpecially where rapid torrents occur, or great heights are to be le- velled, of prodigious importance. In the beginning of laft fummer I wablilaed a {mall Treatife on Peat-Mofs, a copy of which I have defired my bookfeller in London to deliver to your order, together with a Treatife on Sheep by Dr. Pauuas, in which you will find fome obfervations of a fimilar nature to thofe in the paper fent, with fuller illuftra- tions on fome heads ; though -it is placed in a very different point of view in fome refpects. In the Treatife on Mofs, to adopt a fafhionable phrafe, you will find that I have /ported a new opi- nion refpecting the theory of its formation, which I find proves very hard of digeftion to the naturalifts of the prefent day. After having fhewn, by faés that cannot be controverted, that mofs could not ‘have been produced in the manner that has been commonly received as inconteftibly certain till juft now; I put it as a query, whether peat-mofs is not a /iving plant, and not a congeries of decayed plants in a particular {tate of prefervation, and give reafons for fufpecting that it may be fo. Ihave not found as [ 49 J as yet one perfon who could bring any thing like a valid objection againft this, but I have found very few who are difpofed to adopt it; moft perfons indeed fhew an invincible reluétance to admit it, though they can find no reafon why they fhould not; this is, to me, an object of no importance, and I am amufed at the perplexity it occafions. I had lately a letter from Sir JosepH Banxs on the fubjeét, who went farther than moft others have done, and propofed one objection, which, when examined, chances to turn out to be one of the ftrongeft arguments that could be produced in proof of it. Such fpeculative opinions may afford a little amufement, but I con- fider them as of no importance; it is the praéfical part of that treatife alone, which fhews how mofs can be converted into a produétive foil at {mall ex- pence, that I confider as of any value.* © You may perhaps have heard by fome accident that I difcontinued the publication of the Bee at the end of the laft year 1793, owing to tardy payments. The man * ****, at *****, T find has been little better than a fwindler,‘as he ordered about sol. worth of them, which he has fold, and not paid me one farthing, and I learn it is in vain to look for it. I fhall in future keep myfelf free from every mercan- —————————e—e———ee———eeeaEeECee"*am=[anaaa==_—_—_— * This knowledge is undoubtedly cf much value, and the treatife alluded to, coming from fuch a hand, will of courfe be deemed worthy of proportionate attention. Epiror. tile [ 4° J tile concern, as J am very ill calculated for er cae bufinefs of that kind.+ _ Wifhing you good health, and every other earthly comfort, I remain, with great efteem, dear Sir, your very humble fervant, JAMES ANDERSON. + It is much to be regretted that our ingenious and worthy autho, fhould be difappointed in fuch a publication, which had certainly great merit; and it is to be wifhed that the remaining copies may find the fale they fo well deferve. Epiror. Kehoe Ill, On the Orchefton Meadow-Gra/s. [By Benj. Pryce, efq.] To the Prefident, Vice-Prefidents, and Members of the Bath and Weft of England Society. GENTLEMEN, he beaut after the Society was firft eftablifhed, the attention of its members was particularly di- rected to the very extraordinary produce of a meadow at Orchefton St. Mary, about nine miles from Salif- bury.* ‘This meadow has engaged the attention of ® See vol, i. art. XXi. p. 93- f \ - evera Beene Uh feveral eminent- authors, and botanifts. CAMDEN, in his Britannia, {peaks of its producing grafs twenty- four feet long, which he calls, “* Gramen Caninum fupinum Jongiffimum nondum defcriptum.” StTiL- LINGFLEET, in his Traéts, concludes that this grafs is the Flote Fefcue, (fe/tuca fluitans.) Mr. Curtis, author of the Flora Londinenfis, is, I believe, the firft who informed the publick that the fertility of the meadow is not owing to any new grafs. The Rev. Mr. Swayne, in his Gramina Pafcua, concurs with him in opinion; but, from information, pro- nounces that the meadow foxtail (alopecurus pra- ten/is) is the famous long-grafs. Convinced that the true caufe of the fertility had not been difcovered, on the 3d of November 1790, I enquired at the neighbouring villages for an intel- ligent labourer, who had been ufed to work in the meadow, and was recommended to WILLIAM Forp, ' of Tilfhead, who had from time to time worked there for 36 years. I defired him to procure a fpade and mattock, and when on the fpot afked him whe- ther there was any part of the meadow more fertile than the reft? He affured me there was, and pointed it out. I then enquired whether there was any part - lefs fertile than the average of the meadow? He an- fwered that there was a fpot, containing about twenty perches, not near fo fertile as the reft, and which pro- ‘duced little, if any, more grafs than the adjoining meadows. ‘This part he fhewed me, as he alfo did thofe [ae J thofe parts of the meadow where the produce was of a middle quantity, between the two extremes. We then went to work, and on ftriking into the moft fertile fpot, found, at the depth of between three and four inches, a bed of loofe flints, unmixed with foil, and into which no roots penetrated. A like bed of flints was found about a foot below the furface, where the product was of a middle quantity; and in the moft barren part, we dug to a confiderable depth, and could find no flints at all. The foil was alike in each place, a light hazle loam, fimilar to that of the adjoining meadows. I was informed that the feveral {pots I examined, had equal benefit of the water, in which there feems to be no- thing peculiar, or different from other {mall ftreams, which run through villages between the Wilthire hills. * It was my intention to communicate this difcovery to the Society, with fuch obfervations as occurred to me, together with a particular account of the herbage, long ago. The proper feafon for exami-- ning the herbage is whilft it is in bloom; this is of fhort duration. Some engagements at thofe feafons, and a long excurfion on the Continent, have inter- vened and prevented. I have remarked that the meadow is much addi&ed to the growth of comfrey, (/ymphitum officinale) and alfo to that of the creeping crowfoot, (ranun- culus repens.) 1 faw a meadow-foxtail (alopecurus pratenfis) ee as | pratenfis) left by the mowers, which had thot up between the thorns, by the hedge-fide, ‘to the height ‘of near fix feet; and have fince found that the marfh-bent (agro/tis paluftris) occupies a confidera- ble part of the ground, and that the Poa-trivialis (or rough-ftalked meadow-grafs) alfo flourifhes much in this meadow. The habits and appearance of the agroftis paluftris, or marfh-bent, and of the /toloni- fera, or couchy-bent, are in this fituation fo much alike, that it is difficult to diftinguifh the one from the other. They both bend at the joints, or knots; fall down, take frefh root there, and run along the ground. It is one or both thefe grafles, which I conceive have grown to thofe uncommon lengths, for which the meadow has been fo much celebrated. However this may be, I have no doubt that the great fertility arifes from the underftratum, and a. plentiful fupply of water. In accounting for this fertility, it has been faid, that graffes take better root in fuch bottoms. If my obfervations are correét, they do not root at all there; nor do I conceive that the fibrous roots of grafs would derive fupport, or imbibe nourifhment, from a bed of flints or ftones. The /ong-gra/fs, fo ° ‘much celebrated in this meadow, which is nourifhed by a fucceflion of roots, fcarcely penetrates an inch below the furface; and that, fo flightly, that by ta- king hold of the panicle, or top of the culm, a long length of it may be fevered from the ground. The og? era The under-{tratum feems rather to aét by pfevent- ing the roots of fome graffes from penetrating too deep, and by enabling them to colleé& near the fur- face, and retain whatever the elements afford for their fupport; and probably alfo, by abforbing the water which has done its office. There are fome remarkable truths to be attended — to :-~1/?. The meadow is moft produétive when co- vered with water great part of the winter. This would greatly injure common water-meadows; the fertility of which depends, in great meafure, on the water lying on them but,a fhort time together, and then being laid dry. 2d/y. It is moft produétive where there is but little depth of foil, and the flints are neareft the furface. Thefe circumftances, which differ from common cafes, feem to. point to fome powerful agent in vegetation, colleéted by the water, the progrefs of which is ftopped by the flints, and not fuffered to penetrate deep into the ground. It is well known, that rain water, efpecially that of thunder fhowers, or water expofed to the influ- ence of the atmofphere, where the elementary fire or eleétrical matter abounds, is much more fertili- zing than that which is drawn from a well. _ It is alfo _ known, that water attracts, and is a great conductor of eleérical matter; and I conceive that flints, like glafs, are non-conduétors, or bodies which will in great meafure ftop its progrefs. It Weag 3 It will not then be difficult to underftand that the electrical matter, conveyed in the water, inftead of penetrating deep into the ground, is obftruéed by the flints,* and collected about the roots of the graffes, where it enters, and becomes a moft active and pow- erful agent in vegetation. ‘This opinion is however advanced with diffidence. The faéts which gave rife to it are ftriking, and the difcoyery may be ufeful; it may aflift the philofo- pher, in explaining or accounting for fome of the principles of vegetation, and may encourage the hufbandman to form water-meadows on fimilar prin- ciples, wherever circumftances will admit of it. Tam, Gentlemen, your obedient fervant, ‘ BENJAMIN PRYCE., Park-fireet, Bath. _ * The learned and celebrated Dr. INGENHOUZ, of Vienna, has in- formed the writer that he has made experiments on flints, which prove them to be non-conductors, or bodies which ftop the progrefs of elec- trical matter. He thinks that the intelligence conveyed. in this paper is very important; and concurs with the writer in accounting for the fertility of the meadow. Bap ts) ARTICLE IV. On the Curt in Porarozs. [By Benj. Pryce, efq. | GENTLEMEN, S Potatoes are fo general and valuable an article of food, an enquiry into the caufe of the dif- eafe called the Curl, which fo much impedes their growth, and injures their quality, feems perfeétly confonant with the views of the Society. For fe- veral years I have examined a great number of crops, made experiments, and collected every well-authen- ticated faé in my power; from all which] have been ready to think, with our able Vice-Prefident Mr. BILLINGSLEY, (and many other attentive obfervers) that the fubjeé&t feemed to be ‘ involved in impene- “ trable myftery.”’ Like him, I have found that po- tatoes of the fame fort, kept in the fame manner, planted at the fame time, in the fame foil, and in every refpect alike circumftanced, have produced part of the crop curled, and part not curled;—and like him I have found two fhoots from the fame fet, of which the one was curled, and the other healthy.* After much diligent obfervation and enquiry, I had reafon to believe that the diforder did not arife * See Mr. BILLInGSLEy’s Obfervations on the Curl, vol. vi. of the Society’s Papers, p. 344. | from f 47 J from degenerated or defeftive feed; and as it is cer. tain that the plant is difeafed when it firft appears above the ground, | concluded that the germe or fhoot muft receive an accidental injury, between the old fet and the furface of the ground. Strongly im- prefled with the truth of this opinion, I ‘dug up feyeral curled roots, and compared them with healthy ones. The firft difference that occurred to me was in colour. The lower part of the healthy roots was - whitifh, without fear or blemifh, and of a reddifh purple colour, near the furface of the ground. The © difeafed roots, near the furface of the ground, were whitifh, and the lower part had more or lefs the ap- pearance of canker. Ona further infpe&ion, they were found to have been nibbled by fome infe&. This was not equally apparent in every fhoot. “Some were found, where the firft fhoot was eaten off en- tirely, about an inch, more or lefs, from the fet; and from the part which remained a new fhoot vegetated. Others were eaten about half through, and in length from an inch or two to a mere point: and in fome plants the wound feemed quite healed, and the only appearance was that of a {mall fcar, or fpot,-of the colour of an iron-mould. I have found more curled plants arifing from the butt, than from the crown end of the potatoe, and from fmall potatoes than from large ones, The fhoots which grow with leaft vigour, are longeft expofed to accidental injuries, and probably are more mild or palatable to infeéts. From Peas] From many obfervations made on fets planted at different depths, Iam convinced that deep planting is an erroneous practice. Thofe planted near the fur- face generally vegetated the moft luxuriantly; the ‘influence of the fun and atmofphere were fooner received, which, hardening the fibres of the young fhoot, quickly rendered it lefs liable to the difeafe. The theory of this diforder feems very confiftent with what we obferve in other vegetables. It is not upon the potatoe alone that fuch depredations are made. A wormis frequently found in the roots of cabbage plants, fufficient to check the luxuriancy of their growth; but thefe being nourifhed by broader leaves and more ftrong and hardy fibres than the po- tatoe, receive lefs injury. To young onions, which are more tender, and depend chiefly on the root for fuftenance, the worm is more fatal than to the pota- toe: foon after the attack thefe die away. We may remark fimilar effe&ts above ground, where we fee the infeéts that commit the injury. Ants and ear- wigs, upon wall trees, a fmall black infeét which is found on the top of beans, all prey upon the tender fucculent parts; and the injury received in thefe, as in potatoes, caufes the leaves to curl. : In northern afpeéts, or on cold damp land, the curl is lefs frequent than on warm or fandy land, where infe&ts are-more numerous; and it is pretty generally acknowledged that feed potatoes, procurea from damp moraffy lands, or thofe from more cold © E40 4 or northerly climates, or fituations, will not curl the firft year after planting. This feems not difficult to account for. All animals have a choice in their food. Cattle will not eat grafs which has imbibed ftagnant juices, or that which farmers generally call four. The palate of infeéts, it may be inferred, is {till more nice; thefe we fee feed on the moft deli- cious fruit, which is expofed to the fun, whilft that in the fhade remains untouched. The potatoe, it is faid, was introduced into this Ifland near two hundred years before the curl made its appearance. That this vegetable fhould, after fuch a period, fuddenly degenerate, and that the foundet {eed fhould now degenerate in two or three years, feems not very confiftent with found philo- fophy.* SS * The writer of this paper finds equal difficulty in affenting to the theory of Mr. Hotutns, altho’ repeatedly honoured with the appro« bation and rewards of a great and refpectable Society. Mr. HoLLins tells us, that the curl is owing either to the potatoe fets being expofed too long before they are planted, from their vegetable power being dried up in an ebb foil, or from being too much forced by manure or cultivation; on which laft reafon the greateft ftrefs feems to be laid. But all the cultivators of potatoes which I have eonverfed with, wha remember when the curl firft appeared, concur in teftimony that their management in thefe refpects before the curl was known, at the time when it was moft injurious, and fince it has abated, has been precifely the fame. Indeed, we can fcarcely fuppofe that the curl was produced _ by any pernicious alteration in the mode of culture, which fuddenly took place througheut the kingdom:—Nor is it reafonable to’ conclude that the quantity of manure, generally allowed to potatoe crops, is fufficient to produce fuch uncommon effects. If manured crops are VOL.VII, E now Cees) Natural hiftorians remark, that in the produétion of noble animals, nature aéts with akind of dignified ceconomy, but that meaner births are lavifhed in profufion; and that, of all produétions in nature, in- feé&s are the moft numerous. It may be remembered that about fifteen years ago, when the curl was moft fatal, there was a general alarm for the confequences that might arife from infe&s. Almoft every bufh teemed with their nefts. Printed papers were fent from London, and difperfed in the country, recom- eee now moft liable to this difeafe, it is, probably, becaufe infeéts frequent dunghills, and are from thence carried into the ground. Mr.Hotiins informs us, that potatoes planted on land which has been pared and burnt will not.curl. Yet, paring and burning is allowed fo be a very great forcer of vegetation. May not the action of the fire, or the effluvia arifing from burnt vegetables, prevent infects from hara bouring in land fo prepared? “Some gentlemen of great abilities, but who, probably, have not had opportunities of judging from their own obfervatiens, or from facts, feem to have become converts to Mr. HOLLINS’s argument, by ana- logy, of florifts having, by forcing produced double flowers, which are barren. It may well be doubted, whether the tuberous root of the potatoe would fuffer, were this actually the cafe. Like other roots it is formed, and arrives at a confiderable degree of perfection, before the feed is generated; which, in this vegetable, we find, is not necef= fary to propagate the fpecies. I have never feen a fingle inftance of a double flower in a potatoe; where, fo far from the ftamens being forced into petals, we find the five anthers invariable clofed together; which is a diftinguifhing mark of the Genus Solanum, of Linnzus, to which the potatoe belongs. Curled plants have all the appearance of weaknefs and poverty, in- ftead of luxuriancy; fome of them fo much fo, as fcarcely to put forth any corol, or flower at all. mending Eat 4 mending for the fprigs which fupported their nefts to be cut off and burnt. About the fame time a black worm did a great deal of damage amongft the turnips. Soon after which a brown, or amber-co- loured worm attacked the roots of faintfoin; and in Wiltfhire and Hampfhire totally deftroyed the crop in many fields. If, from any caufe, infects were become too nu= merous to fubfift on the food which their fpecies had been accuftomed to, hunger may force them to take to other vegetables. The depredations coms mitted by fquirrels, in fir-plantations, which has en- gaged the attention of the Society, had its coms mencement not many years ago. The accidental appearance of the curl may be accounted for in another way. The fame infeét, which, in a grub or caterpillar ftate, deftroys the roots of vegetables under ground, afterwards takes wing, and flies away. It is well known that infeés migrate, occafionally, but not regularly. The in- fe& which firft attacked the potatoe, may poflibly have come froma diftant country. ‘‘ The Lord, by ‘an eaft wind, brought locufts into the land of _ Egypt;—and, by a mighty {trong weft wind, took ** them away.” Whether the injury done to the potatoe be occa- fioned by any effluvia, or matter ejected by the in- fe&, which gets into the circulation, and taints the juices, or whether it arife (as I rather think) front E@ the tye the infeé&t depriving the plant of part of its mucilage, deranging its organization, and thereby preveating the juices from being properly fecreted, will perhaps remain doubtful, and is of little confequence. When the vital principle is once become weakened, or vitiated, the diforder may in fome potatoes be continued longer, and in others be cured in a fhorter time, according to the degree of the difeafe, the ftreneth of the ftamina, the foil into which they may be tranfplanted, or the favourable or unfavourable feafon for vegetation, which may immediately follow. Thus, difeafed feed has fometimes been known to produce a healthy crop, and fometimes a curled crop, and that, perhaps, without receiving any frefh injury from the bite of infe&ts. From this caufe, however, IT have little doubt that the feed was firft vitiated; and I truft that the knowledge of this circumftance may be one ftep towards the prevention or cure. It is now about feventeen years fince I laid before the Society my opinion on the caufe of the rot in fheep, which is publifhed in the firft volume of the Society’s papers. That fubje& was then involved in myftery, and my opinion was doubted and contro- verted. The fociety is fince fo well convinced of the truth of it, as to have offered a premium for a more perfe& knowledge of the genus and fpecies of the infec&t which occafions the difeafe, with the plant which it inhabits, and the beft method of extirpating that infe&, or preventing its deftructive effedts in the animal. | L463 33 animal ceconomy;—and no longer fince than the laft anniverfary, yoted a bounty to Mr. Jeanes, for having found out a remedy for the diforder. If thefe hints on the canfe of the curl in potatoes fhould lead to a difcovery of the means of prevention or cure, the writer will think that his time has been well employed. I am, Gentlemen, your obedient humble fervant, BENJAMIN PRYCE. Park-ftreet, Bath. —————_—aG{aeN"xaaueeu0a"""——=—=>_" ARTICLE V. Defcription of a cheap and efficacious Venrizaror for preferving Corn on Ship-board. By Tuomas Sout, Efq; [Illuftrated with an Engraved Plan, ] Sir, T this time, when Government, through the apprehenfion of fearcity, offers large bounties for the importation of Corn, it becomes neceffary to feck the means of preferving the cargoes fweet, both for the merchant’s and the nation’s profit. The [ 54-3] The importation of grain is a precarious traffick. The produce of diftant countries, or even of thofe near home, when long in colleéting, or long detained on fhip-board, is fubje&t to heat, foon becomes fetid, and is often fo far fpoiled and depreciated in its va- lue, as to fell for lefs than the original coft. Hence! the merchant overwhelmed with lofles, regrets his patriotifm, grows fhy of importation, and, unlefs in- vited by a certainty of gain, drops the trade, even whilft the nation ftands in need of fupplies. Miniftry, aware of this, have judicioufly provided for his fecurity by an ample bounty; if we could further add an affurance* of the good condition of the corn on its arrival, the abundant profit would enlarge the field of enquiry; grain would flow in from every fertile province of the globe; and Britons, inftead of dreading the approach of famine, would become the ftore-keepers of plenty. The prefent feafon demands the immediate exer- tion of every nerve to prevent the diftrefs which threatens us. Each fhip-load of corn, brought home in a ftate of perfection, makes a happy addi- tion to the national ftock; and will help to keep down the exorbitant price exaéted by jobbers and overgrown farmers, under whofe influence the mar- kets rife, Should the importation become extenfive, and the means of preferving the grain wholfome be ren- dered eafy, certain, and grow into ufe, plenty would be Pat ae 2 Sar Cpe be the confequence, and the markets fink, to the difappointment of all thofe who are fuppofed unwar- rantably to withhold their ftore to raife its price. It behoves every individual to oppofe iniquity like this, and to contribute what in him lies, to remedy the prefent evil. Impreffed with this idea, I prefent my mite at the fhrine of the publick, wifhing it may prove an acceptable gift, and be put to immediate trial. - It is a fimple, cheap, and, I truft, efficacious me- thod of ventilating grain whilft confined on fhip- board; fufficient, I prefume, to keep it fweet and marketable, after fuftaining a tedious voyage. May I folicit the Bath Society, to whom I have the honour to belong, and to whom I ftand indebted for paft favours, to take the plan under their confi- deration; it’s fimplicity, to mem of their fenfe and knowledge, will recommend rather than difcredit it. It’s powers indeed may be doubted; but when in- formed from me, that air-pumps of a like nature, in a more complicated machine, have performed their office to expectation, I truft.the Society will credit my affertion. If, on attention to its parts, delineated and de- fcribed in the inclofed fheets, it fhould be their opi- nion that an engine thus conf{truéted is applicable to the purpofe defigned, their patriotick feelings will be gratified, when I requeft them to communicate the plan to the Guild of Merchants at Briftol, among whom Bir gee whom (as the expence can be no object to men of ‘their fortune) many members may be found, ready to try it in their firft freight of corn. Should it fortunately obtain the approbation of the fociety, its author will be exceedingly gratified ; if found imperfeé&, they are welcome to lay it open for ingenuity to improve on. I have fufficient me- — chanical knowledge myfelf to increafe its power many, many tons in a minute; but the complication of machinery can be no recommendation in engines conftructed for naval purpofes. Defiring you, together with this paper, to prefent my beft refpects to the meeting; T remain, Sir, your humble fervant, To Mr. Matthews. THOMAS SOUTH. The Plan of the Ventilator defcribed, with References to the Plate. Fig. my be a cylindrical air-veffel or forcing pump of lead, tin, or other cheap metal, its internal diameter being ten inches, and its length three feet, having a crutch-handled pifton to work with, and an iron nofle, viz. a hollow-inverted cone, two feet long, to condenfe the air, and increafe its power in its paflage downwards. ~ This * ~ ee Cy an | This cylinder fhould be riveted or fcrewed by means of an iron collar or {traps to the deck it paffes thro’, both above and below as at a a; and be farther fe- cured by fome hold-faft near 4, to keep it fteady in working. ; Fig. 2. Is a bottom of wood 4+ inches thick, with a projecting rim at its bafe for the metal cy- linder to reft on, when cemented and fcrewed to the wood. The centre of this bottom is,excavated for the re ception of the crown of the nofle. In the fame figure, the nofle is reprefented with its crown like a bowl-difh, to condenfe the air gra- dually, without refiftance, in its advance to the more contraéted bafe of the inverted cone, i. e. the top or entrance of the nofle. About two-thirds down thi¢ nofle may be fixed a male fcrew, as c. c. for the purpofe hereafter mentioned. N.B. The forcing pump fhould be cafed in wood, to protect it from outward bruifes, which would pre- vent the working of the pifton, and ruin its effeéts. The leather round the embolus fhould be greafed when ufed. Fig. 3. 1s a crutch-handle faftened to the embolus A. by its iron legs B. B. A. is a cylinder of wood, cafed with leather fo as to fit well, but glide fmoothly in the metal cylinder; having an opening as large as its {trength will permit, for the free accefs of atmofpherick air. C. is pigs C. is a valve well leathered on its top, and yield- ing downwards to the preffure of the air when the pifton is raifed up. D. is a crofs bar of iron to confine the valve, fo that it may clofe inftantly on the return of the pifton downwards. Fig. 4. Is a tin pipe or tube of lefs than four in- ches diameter, and of fuch length as when fixed to the bafe of cylinder fig. 1, fhall admit the nofle d. fig. 2, to within half an inch of the valve E. at the bottom of the wooden cylinder F. in fig. 4, which valve E. will then yield to the preffure of air con- denfed in its paflage through the nofle, and deliver it into the pipes below, This valve muft be well leathered on its upper furface, and faftened with an hinge of leather to the cylinder it is meant to clofe; affixed to its bottom is the fpindle G. pafling through a fpiral fpring H. which being compreffed on the defcent of the valve will, by its elafticity, caufe it to rife again, clofe the aperture above, and retain the air delivered be- neath it. On connecting this cylinder with the upper end of the nofle at e.e. we muft carefully prevent any lapfe of air that way, by a bandage of oakum fmeared with wax, on which to fcrew the cylinder like the . joints of a flute, air-tight. . I. is a bar of iron, having a rifing in its centre, wide enough for the fpindle to play through, but at the £59 4 the fame time fufficiently contracted to prevent the paflage of the fpiral fpring. Fig. 5. Is an aflemblage of tin pipes of any lengths, fhaped fuitably and conveniently to their fituation in the fhip; to the form of which, when fhut into one another, they muft be adapted; obferving only that the neck be ftraight for a length fufficient to admit the lower end of the cylinder fig. 4, as high as the letter F. or higher. Fig. 6. To the middle pipe which runs along the bottomefhould be fixed a perpendicular one, fully perforated, to convey the air more readily into the centre of the heap, and this‘may have a conical top, as reprefented in the plate, perforated with a {maller punch to prevent the air from efcaping too hatftily, In large cargoes, two or three of thefe perpendiculars may be neceffary, and each fhould be well fecured by an iron bar g. fcrewed down to prevent their be- ing injured by the fhifting of the. cargo in ftormy weather ora rolling fea. The top of the conical cap of thefe pipes may reach two-thirds up the cargo. Fig. 7. Is a valve of the fame conftru&ion as that reprefented in fig. 4, but inclofed in a tube of brafs, having a female fcrew at f f, adapted to the male fcrew ¢c. on the nofle fig. 2, and may then be inferted into the head of the pipe fig. 5. This will add t6 the expence, but in a large apparatus is to be preferred as a more certain fecurity from lapfe of Coe of air than the junétion of the tube fig. 4, to the neck ¢ ¢, in fig. 2. N.B. e¢ is aneck of wood ae a part of © the bottom fig. 2, whereon to fecure the tube fig. 4, when applied to the nofle. The joints of the pipes, when put together for ufe, fhould be made air-tight by means of bees-wax or fome ftronger cement, till they reach the bottom of the veffel, when there is no farther need of this pre- caution. The horizontal pipes fhould run by the fide of the kelfon the whole length of the hold, the tin plates of which K. is made, fhould be punched in holes like the rofe of a watering-pot, in two or three lines only at moft, and then formed into a tube with the rough fide outwards. L. may have four or five lines of the like perforations. M. and the reft fhould gradually increafe in their number as they advance towards the middle of the hold, and continue fully perforated to the laft pipe, which fhould be clofed at its end to prevent the ingrefs of the corn. It is the centre of the cargo which moft requires ventilating, yet air fhould pervade the whole. Like the trade-winds, it will dire&t its courfe to the part moft heated, and having effeed its falutary purpofe there, will difperfe itfelf to refrefh the mafs, Where the hatches are clofe corked to prevent the influx of water, vent-holes may be bored in con+ venient [ 6 J venient parts of the deck, to be bunged up or open- ed-occafionally, from whence the ftate of the corn: ‘may be known, from the effluvia which afcend when the ventilator is working. The power of the ventilator is determined by the fquare of its diameter, multiplied into the length of the ftroke, and that again by the number of ftrokes in any given time. To find the area of a circle and the folidity of a cylinder raifed on that circle, ARCHIMEDES gives the following proportion : As 1 is to.785398 decimal parts, fo is the fquare of the diameter to the area of the circle. And as 1 is to .785398, fo is the fquare of the diameter multiplied by the height to the folidity of the cylinder. The cubical contents both of cylinders and tubes are found in the fame manner, their difference con- fifting not in fhape but folidity, the latter being hollow. Then to find the contents of a cylindrical veffel, whofe internal diameter is ten inches, multiply that into itfelf, and the fquare thus obtained by .78 5 4, will give the contents of the circle in cubit inches, which multiplied again by 24 inches or lengths of the ftroke, being the proportion of the barrel filled with air, gives in cubical inches the amount of each - difcharge on the defcent of the pifton. As thus: Internal [ 62 ] Inches. Internal diameter of the pump or tube 10 10 = 1000r fquare of the diameter; Which multiplied by. .7354 to bring the contents of the fquare — to the contents of the circle. Which multiplied by the length of ) 78.5400 Contents of the area of the circle the firoke = = = = <= 24 inches, produces 1884 cubic inchese 3141600 1570800 Which divided by 231)1884.9600(8.1600 gallons, which is + z6 ths more viz. the number of cubic inches —— than 8 gallons ata ftroke, in a wine gallon, quotes 8 galls. 369 allow thefe decimals for a watte of air in each ftroke, 1336 and 60 ftrokes to be made — in a minute. Then - - - - = 8 gallons difharged at a ftroke Multiplied by 60 the number of ftrokes Amounts to 48@ gallons per minute ; Which multiplied by 60 the minutes in an hour, produces 28800 gallons [in that time. And that divided by 252)28800(114.3 tons. (the number of — gallons in a + 360 ton, both wine and fhip mea- 1080 fure) quotes 114 _ tons in an hour. * «700 Then fuppofe the area of the hold of a fhip to be=120 tons, and when freighted the interftices between the grains, together with the area between the furface of the corn and the underfide of the deck==5 tons=to the quantity of mephitick air con- fined; fuch being the lighteft fluid, the major part of it would, foon after the commencement of the operation, be forced by the atmofpherick air to vent itfelf at the holes provided for that purpofe; and the remainder I L263" 4] remainder of the hour being employed in the like ventilation, five tons of frefh air would pafs above twenty times repeatedly amidft the grains to cool, refrefh, and fweeten the cargo. A purification thus adminiftered once in eight-and-forty hours, would, 1 conceive, be amply fufficient to preferve the corn from taint or injury be the voyage ever fo tedious, and unlefs it fhould by negleé have over-heated and grown together or fettled too clofe, the labour would be that of a boy only, for the dairy-girl at her churn works harder than he otherwife need to do at this. My air-veflel is, for the fake of cheapnefs, con- fined to the narrow diameter of 10 inches; but as the contents of circles are proportionate to the {quare of their diameters, by enlarging that you - increafe their power accordingly. Wherefore, by extending their diameter to 14 inches, the contents will be nearly doubled, and by adding to inches more to the length of the ftroke, you almoft treble the difcharge of No. 1, and obtain a power capable of ventilating a cargo of 400 tons within the hour. But the air-veflel muft be lengthened, the pipes at the fame time enlarged, the metal of which the whole is conftruéted be in fubftance proportionable, and the labour that of a man, or perhaps two upon oc- cafion. A ventilator on the plan and dimenfions here pro- pofed, would come within the compafs, I fhould ‘think, a7 Sinead | think, of five or fix guineas; one on the larger fcale, caufed by the increafed fubftance of the metal and the extra fize and length of the pipes, might amount to twenty, which in either is under four-pence per quarter on the firft cargo; and as they will laft many years if well painted, and when not in ufe taken to pieces and put carefully by, I flatter myfelf it is an experiment well worth trial; particularly, if a pre- mium be offered to the fhip-owner, who by means of fuch machine imports his corn pure and untainted from a diftant land. Onyzcrrons made to the fuppofed Effed of the Venti- lator, over-riled, it is hoped, by the confiderations which follow them. I Undies ert nore pierced in the tin tubes which are to Jie under the corn, feem capable of if- fuing (efpecially if an effort be made upon them) a much larger quantity of air, than the forcing-pump will fupply in a given time. Confequently a given quantity of thefe holes, under a given preffure, will be capable of iffuing the whole fupply of air with- out any afliftance from the remainder. adly. If thefe pofitions are juft, it muft happen, . that if a cargo of corn be unequally circumftanced in re in relation to its permeability, the whole of the air difcharged by the pump will iffue through the more permeable parts of it, without affecting, in any de- gree, the /e/ permeable ones. 3dly. In cargoes heated in any degree, and in thofe infeé&ted by that worm which faftens grains to- gether by a web, the parts moft affected become much more clofe and denfely packed together than the reft, either by the fwelling of the heated grains, or the web and dung of the worms which occupy the intervals between the grains. If fo, the parts of a cargo which require the moft ventilation will receive the leaft; but in all cafes it feems likely that the air difcharged will not regu- larly permeate the whole of the cargo, but will pafs through the parts where the grain lies lighteft, and leave untouched thofe parts where it is moft clofely packed together. a ANSWER To the preceding Objections. ‘THAT though the holes appear numerous, they muft be fmall, left the corn gain admiffion; and many (efpecially of the uppermoft) will be nearly, if not totally ftopped, by the preffure of the grains upon them. That the pipes which convey the air towards VOL. VIII. r the [ 66 j the centre are not meant to be fo fully perforated as thofe at and beyond it; and may all be ftill lefs fo, if in practice found neceflary. But as the quan- tity of air delivered by the forcing-pump, within five feconds of time, is equal to the contents of fixty* feet of four-inch pipe; within the firft minute, the air (notwithftanding the manifold perforations, ob- ftruéted as it is in meandring through a mafs fo nearly ———————— eee * Thus calculated: Inches. 60 feet 4 XX 12 inches x 4 Produces 720 inches 16 the fquare of the diameter of the pipe. as a multiplier. YX » 7854 = 12,5664 or area of the circle. 720 length of the pipe in inches. Which divided by 231)9047,8080( 39,1679 gallons and decimal parts, the whole [capacity of 60 feet of pipe. 2117 oe 388 1570 1348 221, &Ce Then a fingle difcharge of the forcing pump bing 8 gallons, five fuch difcharges amount to 40 gallons, which is more than equal to the contents of 60 feet of four-inch pipe. And as on the larger fcale of ventilators the pipes need not exceed the fame diameter, the power of air injected when its egrefs is ftopt will increafe fufficiently to force its way through webs, matts, and other obftructions, though impervious to Recs atmofpherick fluid, unaffifted by fuch mechanick aid. [ 67. J nearly compacted: as the bottom of the cargo muft ne- cefflarily be, by the preffure of the heap above) will tindoubtedly reach to the end of the pipes, and con- fequently affeét the cargo even there. Be it farther obferved, that the flux of air com- preffed into an half-inch ftream in its paflage through the nofle, to enable it to overcome the refiftance of the fpiral fpring H, no fooner paffes the valve E than it expands itfelf to the compafs of the pipe; by which expanfion, and extenfion (at the fame time) forwards, its power becomes fo weakened that {mall egrefs only will be made till the pipes are filled with a fluid more denfe than atmofpherick air, which will then, as is juftly noticed, iffue where it finds the leaft obftruétion, unlefs attracted to the fpot moft heated. - Many circumftances may caufe one part of the cargo to be lefs permeable than the reft; fhould it prove fo, the means readily offer for airing and pu- rifying even this. _Suppofe the hatches to be caulked down, and the hold made impervious to water; in fuch cafe the Japfe of air under the obftruétions met with in its paffage, could by no means keep pace with the influx from the forcing pump; confequently, if the holes in the deck defigned for its exit, be kept clofe ftopt till the pumper feels refiftance; all the intervals of the cargo, be they ever fo minute or irregular, muft be occupied by frefh air, which, when permitted to efcape, will carry off impurities with it. And thus, F 2 by [ 68 ] by ftopping and opening fuch vents repeatedly, no. part of the cargo’could mifs ‘of purification, and this perhaps may be the beft mode of adminiftering it. Prevention is better than a cure! In a veffel equipped with the apparatus defcribed, the inattention muft be great, if the corn be fuffered to fuftain any imjury at all. By an early ufe of it, perfpiration and damps will:prefently be dried away; heating of courfe will be prevented; and even the produétion of the pernicious grub alluded to: for be the nidus of its eggs ever fo protective, their em- brios will not vivify without moifture to fuftain them. Wherefore, it fhould feem that the corn-merchant in future will have little to fear, fave the influx of fea-water, and even this (if in {mall quantities) will, by the frequent ufe of the ventilator, gradually dry away. ARTICLE [ 69 ] ARTICLE VI. On the different Kinds and Properties of Woot. By Mr. J. CoLuins. [The following remarks, coming from a correfpondent of undoubted probity and good intentions, are inferted in his own ftile and arrangement;—and as the knowledge of every writer, in his own particular department, is of much greater value in a work of this kind than the polifh of periods, it is hoped that the information to be gathered from thefe remarks will conduce to the main end of the publication. ] SuRRY. ANSTED-Downs ; thort, thick, clofe; only faw it on the fheep’s back. Common-Heath; longer, yet foft, coarfer, much i@lth or hoare. Sand-Heath; fine, filky, full of white and black fand. SussEX. Down: South-Down; fhort, thick, a sted inclined to - harfhnefs. Underhill; the old fheep kept one winter off the downs, and fhorn in the fummer, fofter but not fo fine. Weald; falling wool, moftly from the Underhill wool, deep combing, &c. . HAnTs. Cyr Hants. Foreft; {mall, fine, filthy, fandy. Down; larger, harfher. ; Broken up; \arger and harfher ftill, does not recover in a man’s age. Dorset. Down; coarfe and deep. Fore/t or Common; fine, filthy, fandy. WILTs. Down; fine, foft, clean, white, before the breaking up fo much down and the introduction of the large breed; now, clean, white, coarfe, not foft. Inclofure; moftly fatting, or to be put on fatting. SOMERSET. Inclofed; a deepifh thin wool, yellowith, foft, and filky. North part; thicker, fhorter, not fo fine, but good. GLOCESTERSHIRE. South Part; large, deep combing, ftrong, whitith, rather coarfe. , North part; more on the fatting. MonMOUTHSHIRE. Foreft or Common; {mall, yellowifh, fine healthy, and mofly. Inclofed; {mall, but larger, yellowith, fine, clean, .. thick matted, or trinded. -HERE- By ae HEREFORDSHIRE. Rye-Land; thin, hungry, harfh, out of proof, worfe and worfe, in the working (or fand) ground apt to be filled with the beards of the rye. Inclofure; thick, yellowith, the fineft wool in general in the kingdom, but much worfe by mixture. Foreft or Common; {mall, foft, filky, and filthy. SHROPSHIRE. Foreft or Common; {mall, yellowith, foft, filky, filthy, moft times thick-haired, (or cat’s hair) yellowith. RADNORSHIRE. Foreft or Common; {mall, whitifh, thicker, harder, filthy, and fome fandy. BERKSHIRE, Deep, ftrong combing wool (they wind it outfide outward. ) In Surry, Suffex, Hants and Berks, many fhop- keepers gather {mall parcels, and fell in larger quan- tities to the clothiers and woolttaplers, (moftly to London.) On the Downs and inclofed Farms; fell near the Winchefter fairs for the benefit of carriage. Monmouthfhire, Herefordfhire, Shropfhire, Rad- norfhire; colleétors of {mall parcels, who bring them to the different fairs in thofe counties, (moftly loofe wool) though the finer forts are hindered by aé& of parliament. tm J In the Ile of Wight, the Down wool is rather finer than the Wilts; but they have a very bad cuf- tom of making vety long, fmall, hard bands, going round the fleece three or four times; the wool in thofe bands (if old) can never be properly forted. Inclofures and large farms have gradually intro- duced a larger fort of fheep, and econfequently coarfer and deeper in the ftaple, and in the fame or greater proportion leffened the quantity of fhort or clothing wool, whether to the emolument of the community at large or not, is a queftion; my decifion is on rhe negative fide. . The whim of the day, the introduéion of Mr. BAKEWELL’s breed, has anfwered many people’s ends, whofe intereft it was that this whim fhould take place and be continued; but of a woeful ex- periment to many who purfued this whim; the in- troduction of the goggles, a difeafe not known to our unwife forefathers, but fpread far and wide by their wifer children; befides thwarting the univerfal Difpofer of all creatures, who hath placed the fmaller cattle, vegetables, &c. on the hills, and the larger in plains and low lands; and the folly of putting fuch large rams to fuch fmall ewes is double folly, fome having loft the greater part of ‘their flock thereby. The goggles have nearly overthrown the whim of large fheep, introduced at firft by fome noblemen, or men who had large eftates in their hands, and vied with each other who fhould produce the largeft, and to oe fatteft cattle; which has been an aftonifhing injury to the community, viz. a {mall or middling family could difpenfe with a leg of mutton slbs. or 6lbs. but cannot on any account buy one of 14 or 15lbs. befides the ftrong, naufeous, cadaverous tafte of the latter, compared with the fine flavour of the former, Now, another whim is fet on foot of crofling the breed of fheep far and wide. To what purpofe? Anfwer, none at all. Reafon: the exercife of a little of that fcarce commodity, common fenfe, would effec the bufinefs without all this parade, buftle, expence; none knowing why or wherefore, only that they would not be the laft in the fafhion. Speaking with a South-Down Farmer at the Wool-feaft, 1794, my advice to him was “ to encourage the whim, and «« make the moft of it, for you may depend on it *¢ that it will not laft; for common fenfe had no “< hand in it; befides, you cannot but laugh in your “ fleeves at them, as you yourfelves have tried the ** experiment on almoft every farm: on the South- ** Down, when the fon has thought himfelf wifer “* than his father, and moft of you have repented ** and gone back again to the plain common fenfe “* of your anceftors.”’ The pamphlets which have been publifhed on this fubjeét, and have fallen into my hands, are not worth noticing: The hiftory of the woollen trade is treated -of in a compendious view, and well worth perufal, by Mr. Dyer, in his poem called the Fleece; but this is not the bufinefs in hand, Terms C 74 J Terms of art, if not well defined, will leave the reader, ftudent, or hiftorian, in the dark, or at leaft liable to err. . Woo.u. A uniform hair, protruded through the fkin of an animal from a root, and which does not fall off without fome violence or difeafe in the ani- mal: the hair of the head of a human creature: the mane and tail of horfes and black cattle, and it feems to me of fome fpecies of dogs: moft commonly applied to fheep of various countries. Fur, is an hair of a capillary nature, and ufually fuch creatures have two coats, a fummer and a win- ter; and therefore they are fulleft of fur in the winter, and as the fpring advances it drops off by little and little, not to leave the animal quite bare; as in horfes, cows, pigs, dogs, and it feems to me moft creatures which are termed wild. } Sometimes thefe are mixed, which is an inconceiv- able damage to the medley cloths, and feems to call for a remedy if poflible. Fierce. The wool fhorn off one fheep, and wound up together by a band twifted out of fome parts of it. Tor. In the fairs at Hereford, &c. the fame thing, though fometimes through avarice the fleece is broke into feveral parts, and every one wound up , is called atop, and the feller can fuit himfelf as to the fum of the fcale: in trinded wool, which is wound up as clofe as poflible in the form of ‘fkittle- pins, each is called a top, and what is bound up in rind 4 : Es 3 rind of the tree, is called a ftone or 124¢1bs. by which it is weighed, that being the draft. Various drafts for wool. One pack in the coun- try 244lbs. when fit for ufe in London, 242Ibs. In Romney-Marfh and Effex, fome part of Surry, Suflex, and Hants, the wool cloth is filled, and then weighed, deduéting 4lbs. in every 12 fcore, as cuftomary al- lowance to the buyer. In Suffex, the todd 32=lbs. in Hants 31lbs. upright, or 30;/bs-turning. Read- ing fair, 2glbs. The ftandard weight for clean wool fic for ufe, 30%]bs.: the ftandard todd, 28lbs.: the weight in Wilts, 21+Ibs. The ftone at Hereford, &c. 122¢1bs. much altercation between the buyer and feller about the half pound; the woolftapler allows it on wool fit for fale, and therefore it feems but rea~ fonable to have the fame advantage when he buys, though that is far fhort of an equivalent in the common Foreft wool. SrapLe. If a fheep witha good coat on him walks, the wool parts in many places; if one of the partitions were to be plucked or cut off, that would be a ftaple, and there are a variety of terms of art ufed on this occafion; as long, fhort, thick, thin, hovery or frothy, hard, harfhy, foft, {mooth, clear, ftrong, rotten, weak, colted, felted, matted, hitched, in the middle, or in the ground; in proof, or out of proof. N. B. If combing wool is matted in the middle of the ftaple, it will not open in the fuds, and in comb- ing [+76 -] ing will run almoft to pinnels; if at the ground, it will open, and is but of little harm. Sorts. Combing we made only matching, and body (information fays fifteen or fixteen different forts) where the combing is tried, forted, or ufed, regarding the finenefs of the hair, and the length of the ftaple; there is a refufe after combing left in the combs called pinnels, ufed for /infeys. Short wool: we made eight forts of it, and thofe ufed for various purpofes. SELLING PRICES ABOUT 1780. Matching 113d. to 12d. Body 81d. to od. HEREFORD. SHROPSHIRE. SOUTH-DOWN. WILTS. Choice locks 2s 6d. |— 2s, od. {— 1s. gd. |— 15, 6d. Overlookings 1s 4d, | ~ 1s. gd. | — 1s. 14d.| — 1s. od, Middle fine 1s. od. |— Is. - od. | — Os. 11d.]— os. 101, Running fine 103d. /— os, 10$d! — os. 10d.] — os. gid. Second, no diftin&tion, gd. Abb 8d. Warp 61d. Lift 5d, BUYING PRICES. Herefordfhire, ftone from 18d. to 2s. Shropfhire, Rad- norfhire, r2d.to 14d. South-Down, 253. per todd, to g2s. Wilts, gid, to 10d. per lb, Hants, 22s. per todd, Diforders in foeep. The rot or confumption, the pelt-rot, or falling of the hair, on fome the foot-rot, called the gout; the hunger-rot or ftarving; the goggles; the red-water, or dropfy; the ftone; the fly or maggot; giddinefs; dog or pigs mouth; bro- ken mouthed; the worm in the tail; the fhab, itch, or fcab; lice, dog-worried, bit, or torn; the fmall and large tick; the ftaggers; the chill, if LE v7 ] If a cow is out of order, a farmer will go or fend many miles to a cow-leech for remedies; this cow is worth perhaps gl. or 1ol.; but if a fheep is dif ordered, the fhepherd cuts off his ears and his tail, fo that the blood may come; gives the ears and the tail a knock or two with the handle of his knife, and fo turns him going; if the fheep lives, he lives; if he dies, the {kin is ftripped off, and the fhepherd’s dog eats the carcafe: this is the common courfe of things.. Is this agreeable to common fenfe? The flock, of fuppofe 500, worth 15s. each, comes to 3751. if wethers or barreners; but if couples, fuppofe at one guinea each couple, that is 525].; then the care of a flock of fheep to a cow fhould be in the fame proportion as 375]. to gl. or as 525].to rol. That cannot be any good excufe to fay that the value of a fingle fheep to a fingle cow is only to be confidered in this cafe. Anfwer; Noman within my knowledge keeps 500 cows; but many perfons keep 500, 1000, yea, fome I have known between 2 and 3000 fheep; and therefore the judgment fhould be the worth or value of a:cow or cows, compared with the worth or value of a flock of fheep, as part of the farmer’s ftock, and fo his care fhould be in proportion to the value. The wool of the fheep does in a great meafure dif- cover the difeafed ftate of the animal. In Smithfield market, the fort, make, and wool, of different fheep might be obferved and compared with advantage, The bo98 3 The wool of thofe Spanifh fheep which I have ex- amined, is degenerated below the quality of the true South-Down wool. It is my opinion that moft of the Suffex theep, in- ~ troduced into Hants and Wilts, are already confider- ably degenerated, as to the wool, in fhortnefs, fine- nefs and quantity. The whim of black-faced or white-faced, black legs or white legs, has been continued in fome places time immemorial, and the fame as to horned or not- fheep; alfo as to bare or woolly faces. But none that I have met with, have given any fatisfactory reafon, either for or againft the one or the other. ‘There is a very remarkable quality in black wool, which is, that moth gets into it much fooner than into white; and even if made into cloth, the moth cannot be eafily kept out of it; but if the wool be dyed, that quality is deftroyed. If what is written meets with approbation, it may be enlarged by fome.obfervations on the diforders and the probable means of preventing them, if not euring thofe which are difeafed. Mention has been often made of *¢ improvement in the breed of fheep:” to me it appears a very vague phrafe, without any de- terminate meaning. If the farmer, or grazier, or but- cher, gets more money by dealing in any particular defcription of fheep, they judge it an improvement, whether the quantity of wool, fize of the fheep, it’s fatnefs, or it’s tallow and pelt, be the moft re- markable. The . Lp. Jj The woolftaplers and clothiers efteem it an im- provement if the wool be thicker, fhorter, finer, lefs breach, fewer ftitch hairs, no black wool, and a {mall belly lock. ' The ftuff manufaéturer praifes the wool that is long, clear, ftrong, fine ftaple, and in good proof, becaufe then he will have more worfted ina dozen, and fewer pinnels. The noblemen and gentlemen farmers form ideas in their own minds, and when their fchemes accord with thofe ideas they are called “* improvements,” whether in reality or not, as many inftances might be given in proof. Yoke in wool feems to be the infpiffated perfpiration of the animal, but not fweat, for that is watery and faltifh, which would corrode the fkin of the animal, as we experience in the water running from the eyes or nofe, excoriating where- ever itruns; but the yoke feems to be of an oily nature, eafily mifcible with water, and will fcour al- moft as well as foap. The quantity, at a medium, of Hereford, Shropfhire, Suffex; Wilts, is about half the weight of a yolky fleece; weighs 3Ibs.; the yoke in that fleece will be near 121b. which is the cuftomary allowance to the wool-buyer; if any fheep has efcaped wafhing, and is fhorn in the yoke, the farmer fometimes orders fuch fleece to be hard-wafh- ed, which does much harm, as it mixes the fine and the coarfe together, fo that they are with great dif. ficulty afterwards feparated from each other; and fome [ 8 ] fome out of covetoufnefs, near fheering time, fheer the dead fkin, and wafh that wool, which is.worfe ftill if it be ufed together, as it is a caufe of extraordinary fhrinking: but if in either of thefe cafes they would ufe it for blankets, mops, &c, for their own ufe, well and good. When wool is to be fcoured for the clothiers ufe, it lofes of its weight from 2+]b. up to sib. in the {core, and the fandy wool rather more, which greatly enhances the value of what is left; as, if one fcore Hereford, fold at 2s. 6d. per lb. comes to 2]. 10s. this, if it waftes in wafhing 34b. per fcore, leaves but 162lb. for the 2]. 10s. one fhilling for fcouring 2]. 11s. which is rather better than 3s. 1d. per lb. and therefore clean-wafhed wool is of vaft concern to the manufacturer ; and by all means poflible they fhould avoid buying or ufing wool not fully and truly wafhed. In fome parts of Berkfhire, it is faid, the farmers wives or houfekeepers claim the privilege of a fleece, fo that it do not exceed a todd weight, 2glbs. and is ufually called “ the woman’s confcience;’’ and where it hath been meafured, the fleece and band amounted to 39 yards; this isnot vouched by me for truth, but only as hearfay, and fo you will take it. Thefe are fome loofe, defultory remarks, as they re- curred to my memory, having been out of the bufinefs 14 or 15 years; yet I thought it proper to fet down the prices, as they are comparative ftandards, and by adding mae adding to or fubtra¢ting from, as the cafe may re- guire, every perfon may thereby be able to pafs a better judgment of the matter in hand. Vague terms, which afcertain nothing, only tend to miflead: the Hamphhire, the Berks, the Surry, the Ifle of Wight, Suffex, Radnor, Shropfhire, Herefordfhire, Cheviot, Shetland, Portugal, Barbary, Spanifh, Vigonia, are all faid to be, by their refpective owners, very fine wool, as good as any-body’s, the beft in the neigh- bourhood. Why fhould it not? It fells always for the beft price, and fo on ad infinitum. Here is no goal, no road, no map, no guide, but only a mift- maze from beginning to end, and therefore it oc- curred to me to note the buying and felling prices as near as poflible, at the time I allude to. In fhort, by this means you are pofleffed of every datum you want as to the above wool counties; and if compared with all the others in England, Wales, Scotland, Shetland, Portugal, Barbary, Spain, nay, the whole world of wool, you may then with fafety pronounce this or that county, farm, flock, ‘or fleece, is good, fine, fhort, or long, as it may be, and thus fhew your judgment, without fear of being confronted to your fhame by the moft knowing. To the beft of my knowledge, what is written, unlefs otherwife expreffed, is according to my own obfervation and experience. Not being willing to delay the information expeéted from me, I have pe- rufed the foregoing, hoping, fo far as it goes, it will VOL. VIL, c be Bute 4 be fatisfactory; but if you or any other perfon will note down their objections, remarks, queftions, or defire of further information on the above, my en- deavour will be, fo far as my ability will go, to give them all the light therein poffible. \ J. COLLINS. Devizes, 24th Nov. 1795. N. B. Itis my refolution not to enter into any controverfy with any perfon whatfoever; if they do not like what I have written, (it is truth) they may reject it. What care 1? I value the content and eafe of my own mind above all earthly enjoyments whatever ; for life and time are too precious and va- luable to be fpent in quarrels or fquabbles about who thall fay amen, or the laft word. If, on the other hand, it meets with a favourable reception with any to examine, try, or put it in prac- tice, I hope they will have no occafion to fay they are deceived; for it was the fartheft from my inten- tion, having always been ready to communicate any knowledge I have for the benefit of others. ee 4) ARTICLE VII. A Method of Tanning Leather without Oak-Bark, difcovered and proved by Wizz1am Wurre, Tanner, of Afbburton, Devon. 7 I Have tanned feveral hides and calves fkins (thefe three years paft) with oak-leaves only, and have found that the leather is tanned quicker, weighs as well, and anfwers for wear in all refpeéts as well as if tanned with oak-bark, as hath been proved by feveral perfons who are judges. The leaves which I ufed were gathered when the coppice was felled, which was about the latter end of May; the expence of which did not amount to the ripping of the oak: the leaves were dried juft in the fame manner as hay; » for if they are put together before they are properly dry, they will heat and fpoil. As the oak was felled, there was no damage done in gathering the leaves, as they were thought ufelefs. The leaves are in greater perfection for tanning about O&ober; and I do fuppofe that the gathering of them from the oak at that time would not occafion any damage, as they otherwife will foon fall off. If the weather fhould prove wet, they may be thrown into a large room, about two or three feet deep, and turned or tumbled about once a day until dry and fit for ufe. I have found by experience that 3o0lbs. weight of leaves are equal to 1 cwt. of good bark in tanning leather; and do fuppofe that half the bark that is G2 ufed L 84 j. ufed by tanners may be faved by ufing the leaves. There is no difficulty in ufing them, as they are ufed in all refpeéts as the bark. Bark” being now fo very dear, the above difcovery muft be of fome be- nefit to tanners. The expence of drying the bark by fire, and pounding and fifting it, is confiderable ; whereas that expence is faved by ufing the leaves. The felling of coppices fo young as fourteen years growth, hath for feveral years paft reduced the qua- lity and quantity of oak-bark very much; therefore I fuppofe the above difcovery will be of public utility. We, whofe names are underwritten, being tan- ners, and dreflers of leather, have feen pieces of leather which Wm. Wuire fays were tanned with oaken leaves only, that appear to us to be equal to any tanned with oak-bark, and we think it will be of confiderable advantage to tanners throughout the kingdom; as witnefs our hands. WILLIAM HERR Epwarp LANGMAN JoHn Winpeatt RicHarp Maye Grorce Ley WILLIAM BickForp THo. BicKForD WILLIAM BaTTen. Nov. 5th, 1795. N.B. Although the foregoing article may neither be fo ftri€tly original, nor fraught with fuch prattical advantage, as Mr. WHITE and his friends feem to apprehend ; yet, as it may be of fome ufe to be generally known that leather may be tanned with oak-leaves inftead of bark, we infert the paper, with full approbation of the publick-fpirited motive which induced the communication. ARTICLE peres Mt ArT. VIII. On Pranrinc Porarok SErs. Extra&ted from a Letter to the SECRETARY. [By Joun Harvey Prerce, efq.] S potatoes are now become fuch an important object of culture, almoft every improvement, though apparently trifling, may be thought to de- ferve attention; I will not therefore let flip this op- portunity of communicating to you a mode of cover- ing with dung my Potatoe Sets, left I fhould forget it the enfuing fpring. If you think they may be ufeful, make what ufe of it you pleafe. The potatoe fets (with two eyes each) are cut about a fortnight be- fore planting. As I never had one curled, I think the cutting fo long before prevents the evil. A few days before I plant, the dung is fpread over the ground, then with a double-board plough a furrow is made, and the fets put in about ten inches afunder by children; women and men follow with an implement made with a piece of board 3qrs. of an inch thick, 4 inches deep, and 15 long; a handle is fixed to the board in the fame manner as to a common hay-rake; with this implement the dung is pufhed into the furrow, on the fets; fo that all the dung for about 22 inches parallel with the furrow is applied, The plough then goes back and covers the dung; afterwards two other furrows are made; thus, planting at every third furrow’ [re furrow. At firft I fixed a fmall ftick or rod, floping upwards, to ferve as a gage for the diftance of the dung to be pufhed into the planted furrow; but a little practice renders the gage ufelefs, efpecially as a {mall error is of no confequence. As I write in hafte, perhaps the defcription may not be very clear; if fo, and you defire it, I will at any time be more particular. JOHN HARVEY PIERCE, New-Park, Axminfter, 1795. -ArTICLE IX. On the rapid Growth of Oax Trmser. (By Francis Wess, efq.] Clofe of Sarum, 20th Dec. 1795. - Sir, OR the information of thofe who are fond of promoting the growth of naval timber and of planting, and to fhew the rapid growth of Oak Timber in foils and fituations that are proper for that moft ufeful article, I truft you will excufe me for troubling you with the following ftatement and remarks. “ Meafurement a ee | Meafurement of Three Oaks at Dibden near Southampton. if As toa young oak faid to have fprung up about the year 1755. Circumference. Meafure. Value. Inches. feet. Bee 15th Augult 1776 g22 4 4 0 18th April 1783 425 8 10 oO 25th March 1794 562 16 24 0 The above oak ftands fingle, is a thrifty tree, but does not appear to. grow fo rapidly as feveral others which have not been meafured. 2dly. As to an oak now about feventy or eighty years growth. Circumference. Meafure. Value. Inches. feet. fe Sede 28th March 1762 Ge ae 18 1) BROS rgth April 1780 wae. 35 Be ANS 25th March 1794 812 wer 415 6 The laft-mentioned oak is now a kindly growing tree, but it is obfervable that after its value exceeded about three pounds it has not paid quite fo much as three per cent. compound intereft. 3dly. As to a ripe oak, though ftill growing, hie out the leaft appearance of decay. Circumference. Meafure. _— Value. Inches. Sect. Lents: de 28th March 1762 ~=— 105 WZ tee GO 19th April 1780 118% 150) 22°19 9 25th March 1794 = 125} PAO 271 | OY N.B. The roe N.B. The above tree has only the ftem and one limb meafured, and the other limbs now contain about 47 feet. Though this tree ftill improves by ftanding, it is to be obferved, that it does not pay one and a half per cent. This fhews that there is great temptation to the growers of timber to fell it before it be grown fufficiently large to be ufeful in the dock-yards, for feveral purpofes where large timbers are abfolutely neceflary. Itis therefore to be wifhed, that a greater price may be fet by government on all trees above so feet, and particularly on compafs timber and large knees. | The growth of knees may be promoted by cutting off the {pire of fuch young trees as throw out a good {trong limb, about three or four feet above fuch limb; and by layering, or plafhing of faplins, to fix the {tem along the ground, from which young fhoots will arife nearly perpendicularly, and make the {trongeft knees, and much fooner than from the limbs of trecs, The growth of compafs timber may be promoted by bending young trees, and tying the tops of them together for feveral years until the ftems get fixed, I am, Sir, your obedient humble fervant, FRANCIS WEBB, To Mr. Matthews. ARTICLE [ 89 J Art. X. A Detail of feveral Experiments, with Ob- 2 of Parts, as a Manure for Sainfoin, Cow-gra/s, _ Jervations on the Effects of Grpsum, or PLasrer Dutch Clover, 8c. Grofs weight } Net weight,] Value there- feed de- ducted. Cwt. gr. lb\£. 29 0 23/2 47 2 2 1e) ° 12) —~ Nn Ww b Oo [e) Weight | Meafure per | Value thereof | Total grofs value of per acre at25lb, at gos. per | the acreable produce perch. | per bufhel. quarter. in feed and ftraw. Wb. oz.|gr. bus. gal.| £. 5. pA Oe Se Sela PA es ones pa eee is 9) ee, Se 391243 15 4 to} 8 13 Se g-6 | 23050 Sta OF OF 7 Ia 0 Togs Fo OS4g 2 SOP 4-12 4 fost) “Axe. 9- +0) 4.35.9 25 11 6 6 /3 43 9] 6 101! FASE OO tas OL isha 7 o: 6210 4. 44023. OL cEeee. 9 140) too 0. 12-0) .olmgerO 3 Eiingo