The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-12-02 00:00:00

by one simultaneous effent, turn over the soil ; they then
idiaft along, and in this way minima,' their labour till it is
completed. Though men and women drag the small liar-
TIOW after them, their hoes resemble a bill for digging up
the roots of trees. A small plough, with the aid Of their
strong little shelties, would execute this task of tillage far
better, and with much greater expedition ; but, instead of
bring thus usefully employed, they arc suffered to run al-
most wild on the bills, being used only to ride upon to
church in the summer, or to carry a little sea-wear in pan-
niers ; they are capable, however, of enduring a great deal
of fatigue ; they are strong, docile, and sun-fuouwl ; and,
though a man of ordinary strength can lift a sticky from
the ground, yet this little creature is able to carry double.
Srveral of the proprietors have cumnieneed making some
slight improvements in agriculture round their dwellings;
they have sown a few turnips, about as much in quantity
.
as will serve • mile),cow or two during, the winter. Amy
person would have supposed that the Ministers of the se-
vere! parishes, whet have been educated, us they have been,
hi tie. different College:: in sentient', and seen the benefits
Arising from agriculture, would have set an example to the
lower clas,; instead of which, with the exception-of one
or two, when you visit the parsonage you generally sec the
garden of the Mule:aril, a good crop of pest being the only
article that they MCI to desirous of raising. The 11ev. Mr. J.
Tut nhull, Minister of Tingwall, is the only M iniater that has
furnished an example to Ina pariah of industrious cultivation
and of improved agricultural management in the rotation
crops: both hie method and his implements of husbandry
are superior: but the tenantry are very poor, and unable
to proeure either such iinpkments, or such weds as would
suit their soil ; such articles as ploughs and ens are
wholly beyond their means of purchase. Turnips, carrots,
onions, and the different kinds of cabbage, pease, cede-
sett, &e.; all these are vegetables which, from the
moisture of the climate, thrive most luxuriantly. I dis-
tributed a considerable quantity of melts among several of
the people., but they were at a loss what todo with them,
having never seen tl e.n before. They are anxious enough
to better both their own condition and the condition of the
soil ; but their ignorance keeps them poor, and their po-
verty, in its turn, keeps then, ignorant. lt would, indeed,
be a most patriotic and praiseworthy undertaking to raise a
subscription to purchase seeds and instruments of hus-
bandry, which being placer) under the charge and care of
the Presbytery, to be distributed by the Minister of the
pariah to such industrious and skilful persons as had a
man for agricultural improvement, the result would, in a
few years, change the face of the country, and add Meal-
eilably to the comforts of the inhabitants. 'file commons
should likewise bediviikel, and what belongs to the Crown
should be either sold, or let on long leases. Commissioners
should be appointed to look into this.
The horses, cattle, and sheep, which they nllow to ram-
ble, and breed promiscuously, are degenerating every day.
A well made Highland or Danish horse, and a well bred
Highland bull, woule,improve the breed very considerably.
Mr. AN liens osi, at Collivire, has an improved breed of
Adder' on the island of Lien A, (ruin the cross of the
Norwegian horse; they are very handsome anal strong;
the sheep are a species of the Spanish breed which were
left on tine Wand at the wreck of the Spanish Armada.
In Shetland the sheep are very line wooled, but from an
utter want of attention to cross-breeding their hair is
getting lank and wiry. You may still, however, final here
and there a very fine wooled sheep. A litt!^ attention to
the introduction of s good stock would bring them to great
perfection. The Shetland hills are uncommonly well
adapted for rein deer, the rein alter mom growing in great
abundance ; these would Adel to their stock of useful ani-
mals, and u the snow seldom lies beyond a day or two,
and is of no depth, they would find a constant supply of
good food. The rattle and sheep cannot eat die muss, but
during the winter descend to the sea shore, and feed upon
the sea weed at low water. It is curious to remark how
instinctively for this purpose they attend to the ebbing and
flowing of the tide ; with this fold they get :ineffably
lean ; it requires the more nourishing subsistence which
they procure in summer, to keep them alive during
the winter. liy November or Hallowinass they are in
piety good condition, especially the four-year-old oxen.
This, euereover, is the time of the year when the lower
orders marry, it being their feasting season, and Curate
who hides his bow and arrows all tl-e rest of du: year, now
les els them at all hearts.

During six months of the year beef and mutton is not to
be bought. If the hand cattle were fed on die pasture of
England they would he mast delicious, being very tine in
the grain and beautifully marbled. Several of die pro-
prietors 11:1TC a frsv Cheviot sheep, which thrive tolerably
well, but they want turnips in winter. linmons lON,
El., of Bones', and Mr. Roes, of West Sandwick, have
commenced the turnip husbandry in the island of [lnst.
which will, or •'outt, be gristly advantageous ; but, until
the intercourse of the country is facilitated by yowl reeds.
improvement, of whatever kind. will proceed but slowly :
there is great want of a Government mail through the
centre of the islands, from the south to the north(' eeeee mat
isloid of Fog ; this most desirable communication might
be easily accomplOied, as there arc plenty of materials ;
the Proprietors could then branch tett cross-roads, as it
mitts' their means and convenience. The communication
by post is very inconvenient, owing to the Mail bring
withdrawn fioni Shetland : the resident pre victors have
substituted a mode of conveyance in its place, but it is ca-
pable of great improvement.
There ane a gnat many rabbits on the bdands, anal a
vast quantity ut gr .y plovers and snipes, but no ham,
partridges or moor-game. swans, geese, and duels,
crept, nt the lochs and friths in great numbers during
winter, which arm' very good amusement. Shetland
abounds in copper and iron ore ; its springs being strongly
impregnateil with these minerals, strangets oft( n experience
great danger front them.— Eilmonston, Emp of lioness, has
a large quantity of them. In the island of Pillar, near a
lake, there is found very tine v itgin item, washed down
from the mountains by the winter rains; it adheres
strongly to the magnet, and is like the finest granulated
powder ; it lies in strata on the lanai, and is got by draw-
ing a magnet in the sand, aad which, if looked after, I
mske DO doubt would DUD to viral account.

There arc ft w al chitectural'ruitis; the one in the best
state is the Castle of .lounl•as, I list, built by a near re-
lation of King Robert Bruce, who had killed 011 e of the
Lords of the l Burt, and was ()blip d to fly to Norway, and
from thence to Dentnatk ; and havina there pr.:urea a
grant of a litrge tract of land in Shetland, he built this
castle. I was inforanetl that there i 5 iilll lining an old lady,
about eighty years of age, the only remains of the family,
lint the e.tstle and property belong to --- Nfuwat, Esq.
I;arth.

it is a carious fact. that although Orkney and Shetland
arc cons:ch red as one coonty, and of cause return a Mem-
ber, yet owing to sonic error at the last valuation, only one
of the freehold proprietors of Shetland has a vote ; where-
as there is niarly many freeholders in l'hctland as in
):I:tarv. 5.% :Jai of the Shetland proprieters, :iowever,
determined to hare a new valuation, and their right of
vetimze,:tatiFsbed ; and should .he freeholders succeed iii
rettiog themselves properly represented in Parliament, and
tuber be able etn.ctively to din ct the attention of
to the leading objects connected with its pros-
p rity. there is ito doubt that Shetland tni;;lit he made es-
s aui.dly available to the best interests of tin at Britain, and
be enabled to take the tirst rank anitimlst the islands in the
tivrtli of Scotland.
hfeshire. H. 11.

Yestenla♦ a Court of Directors was held at the East
India Mum.. vL,•u the following raptaillii Were SWOTII into
the vottintatitl tli.ir Rspretive ships, tr>..:—Catttain
Crui, rtiptharmon, St. Ile Itainbay,
tool ; C.ilitai.l .1,4 m Dine, Atlas, Alaska,. aiul
; and Cut.ttaitt clay, (lurks Grant, l'hina
direct.

'l'ln• caa' of Duncan r. Thwait.N.- wlu•9 was drridtrl
ill Nfootby, will h• earned by the
acc,o,latit to the Iloti.t. of Poi N.

A Nit-re litter from Jamaica contains the following
1•s••a;••• on the probable rerlmtion of the duty on cedli•c
Ites;ayting eoili•e. I re, ntly seen a very able me-
morial I'l-.30 the ICeNt India Ci 111111 l ittee of Liverpool,
which has been prr:a•uted to the Chancellor of the Exche-
iwr ; and long below Parliament meets, 1 have every
re vent to car.ct that a strenuous effort will elan be made
bile to obtain u reduction o!' the duty on that artic!e, to the
rate :o which Mr. Percival reduct-d it, viz. dd. per lb."