The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-29 00:00:00

The following is a copy of a private Communication ;
addressed by the Earl of Elgin to 1)r. Chalincro
Broomhall, 18th Aug. 11f25.
v 1)r Az Stn,—ln consideration of the pawing embarrass-
ments of the manufacturing population lb my own neiglibourtioa I,
as well as in other places, I have thought this a fit opportuotty tor
antempting a partial introduction of some general improvements
in agriculture (sanctioned by the successful experience of some
highly.caltivated caesaria), which will furnish beneficial employ-
ment fot a greater number of persons in farming than art usually
occupied in it in Great lleimin, and which, in this way, see IP -
plicabie in mitigation of the linguae before us, while, at the sane
time, they would open up the prospect ot advantages of the highest
national importance. I have accordingly circulated the suggesa
dons, of which I enclose a copy.
The purpose more immediately before me was to nod occupation
for the manufacturers thrown out of employment. and that of ,
nature free from the objections to their habits and feeling', to whicin
direct charity necessarily is liable; to avoid any overstocking ot
the manufactory,, the market in which is already glutted; antt.to
render the contributions productive in themselves, which public
works, however valuable as such, do not data; and I can-
not but hope that trenching. to Which every man, capable ot
any work, may be supposed competes, will be tOuna
atf farmerrast:
he Xt
have these reesitinnendadoen dm other hand, r.a
suldireilmtnheeitof:or:::lrti:fue.itat2:l,oUtadwojetiefor thef operation, and in
eiePeniluttoitseP°Neswreoqtat uWitnkr giriedu :ha a.
mrronchwilWireetivt "raid.
Di
the surplus trom the charitable fund, and at the same time all the
advantages which tell' accrue to him from that labour, such as
raising fresh earth, deepening the soil he has to work apon, &c.
Nor can there be any doubt that this Labour would be the most
desirable of all occupations for the unemployed manufactuteri.
inasmuch as Its effect is to improve and augment the produce of
the land.
I tun happy to say, that though these suggestions are yet little
known, from having been but three days in ci
rculation, they :nave
already obtained the hearty assent tit "event most respectable
tenants in this neighbourhood. The impression mans to be, that
the work to dere trewciring, without as all taking tow Dement the
permanent advantages, which expeviertee shoos to be very consi-
derable, may fairly be worth to the farmer three-fourths of the
actual expense incurred ; making a sawing to the charitable fund et
that portion of the provision which the necessitous would receive.
But though this proposal it brought forward and fronted with
special reference to the immediate pressure of the moment, I ma-
nes but look in it towards the permanent object of giving an
intimate to the spirit of ngricultural improvement, Stan n 4 may at.
once encourage the energies and obviate the peculiar difficulties
which now obstruct it. For, in reward to agneulture. I do non
knew that the contrast has been duly felt which exists between the
interests of agriculture and those et manafsanees, in respect to
their adeeneement. in manufactures, capital. and skill, and science,
may expatiate without constraint or limitation. The public softn-
no positive injury from failure or from delay, or experiments or
changes in bringing a manufacture to perfection. I'his may be
effected by an individual, whose efforts, if successful. suffice t
establish it universally, and open to it an unbounded range co
market.
The eau iv wholly different in agriculture. The land it inva-
riably, in all parts of the cottony. let out in small extents, for •i
length of time, to tenants, who, during that period, are nearside
actuated lay the immediate pressure of their emu and personat
wants. They cannot suspend their operations even fora sensor .
nor interrupt their attendance on their terms-to seek the advantage
of distant markets ; and they are frequently not persons of capital,
and are wedded to the practices with which they harpers to be
Indeed, any interruption to the ordinary bovines of
their farms would be a public ca.ity.
Now when one considers how extremely simple and unquestioo
able the principles of agriculture era; that,speaking generally, the
results invariably correspond with the quantity of labour bestowed
upon the land, the care employed in thoroughly cleaning it, liedi-
, cMus draining. &c. &c.; that agricultarc is an inferior state of' pre-
gross of the came science as heniculturea took productive in those.
gree in which it approximates to it; one cannot but tea great asto-
nishment that, while there is no object among the elements of our
national prosperity that ranks higher in substantial importance,
than the providing beneticia) employment 'nor an increased agekul-
, tural population, still there is no that has hitherto been so hate
fostered by Government, or which the intelligence aad public
spirit of the couctry have been less peg/hayed tenteene from the
character of a partial and dOtaehed fllterest, and to eleram or the
station of a great national concern, favourable, instesd.of losing in
opposition, to all other branches of public industry tin, were tt
successfully established, could theribe any doubt that there would
arise from it a valuable accession of hardy, healthy, and moral peo-
ple; that the independence of the country would be promoted in
the ratio in which the soil is rendered sudfuient to supply our home
consumption ?
And in regard to the manufacturing interests. In proportion as Ile
population of the country came to be less dependent on nienufac-
tures than at present, would there be given a more unrestricted im-
pulse to the extension of machinery, wherever it could facilitate or
reduce :he expense of manufacture. /he chances of the recur-
rence of such distress as the operatives now suffer would diminni,
and the inamveniencies and burdens on masters, from wee:ion:a
depression in trade, would decrease; while, on the ostler band,
there would be an augmentation of the home market, that moat
valuable of all markets, for our manufactures.
And where so large a share of the capital of the country is an-
painated to mortgages cn land, (and how mach ore not the exe--
Lions in all branches of industry dependent on loans so secured ?)
what might not be the benefit from an increase in the productive-
ness and consequent value of landed property ?
Believe me ever, my dim oir,
1 oars, &c. &e. &c.
Dunfermline, lath Aug. 111.26.
SCOGISTIONS TO EARMEILS.
On the benefit to them of employing more hands on their farms chum
is now their practice, and availing themselves tit' the command ot
labour at easy ratea which the present want of ocenpardies among
the manufactusers presents.
1. Let any man look at a cottage-garden placed in any field et
his farm, and see how much greater and more valuable produce 14
raised from it, than from the rest of the field.
2. The practice which has so greatly improved the agricukare at
Scotland, of ploughing with only two nosacia. is liable to this incur.-
venience—that the depth of the sell brought into euhiration may
very generally, and even with good farina'. be found to bo lase
than could he beneficially obtained: and amareilly it is easy mac.,
so, in a great many omen. treat neenigenee and weak Mosses.
3. In Flatulent, which in point of climate is much like our own,
the leading principles of farming, such as cleaning the ground. ma-
nuring, Oic. are most thoroughly anti-ably amended tot so that.
besides great and early crops, they are veiny ilsweeellf
have second crops in the same amain; but a sal reaufff - from a
prac-
tice of ploughing, whoever the nature of the soil weal admit ot .t.
tpiennliarerioeitysiynsitedo.rpinaineocnamonisaithtrenete singiunlarg,
ibneaniedfitofthiheye deuce
ordinary
It is conducted on the following plan:—
this shall have arrived at nearly two feet of mellow surface, a little
The depth of die operation varies with that of the soil, but tot
more depth is added to it, at each trenching, by bringing to the top
a certain proportion of the undernaratum„ which., being exposed to
the action of the atmosphere, and minutely mixed with a soil
already fertilised, gradualiy augments the staple till the sought-
for
for any further deepening, still the repetition of the
for depth be required. NV hereyer there seems to be little ne-
cessitypractice itself is as periodical as the recommencement of Mete
rotation. It is perthemed with a spade, the iron of which .s
fifteen inches, and the handle two feet in length. The labourer
standing in the last formed trench, with his left hand at the bottout
of the handle, and his right near the top, by the weight of hit body.
and without the assistance of the foot, sinks the sparks about eighteen
inches, and standing sideways, throws oil the soil with a peculiar
sleight aad turn a the wrist, so as to lodge it in an oblique position
in the trench, and against the preceding line of work, retiring as he
casts it from the spade, and thereby effecting some little mixture of
the two strata, though the upper surface is at the same nine Mimed
below the other.
The object of this practice is, not only to let the suttace rest.
that has been for seven or eight years employed in the production ot
various crops, but to bring another into action, which has not mere-
ly had the advantage of repose. but the eirrichtneett of a considera-
ble parboil of manure, which, in a soil rendered porous, cannot
have failed to tind its way to the lower stratum. To the enliven.
Wily of the habit in some parts of Flanders, for ages. much of the
fertility of the country is to be attributed. It is partieniarlynoln
servabk, that in every district where trenching takes place. the
quantum of manure is diminished, and the number of ploughings
are less ; so that, eventually, it is not so expensive a emcees as at
first view it may appear.
The soil which has once undergone this opermius is easily worked,
and the trenching seems to go forward expeditiously ; indeed in any
of the light and deep soils, the labour is not severe. notne have
sought to economize, by the use of two Mamba. the second working
to a considerable depth ; hut the objection made to this by skiltut
farmers in this country was, that sunk:eat depth wnot thereby
attained, not were the two costa by this
blended ; for though by the spade they are m opead ranoo sufficient!
e to change places,
yet by the oblique manner in which the mould is place
d in the
trench, a certain degree of adanetare of the upper and under owl
effected, which is cousideral of unpoetance.
4, Intelligent farmers have; very remarkable encouragement to
redouble their energies. now that the easy and popular form dot
which science is disseminated adbrds them theofanitty of aftertsun.
ing distinctly the chemical owning& of every pent af their seil,n.
well as of different mauures; so that they can now ptepare Mae
land, with knowledge and accuracy, for the used thee may sail it