The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-03 00:00:00

GIRV AN

THE PRESENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF
BRITISH AGRICULTURE.

What has British agriculture done ? What is it
doing ? What does it expect to do ?—are the three
important questions proposed for consideration in an in-
teresting article under the above head in the current
number of the Edinburgh Review. As a reply to the
first question, the writer appeals to the fact that British
agriculture has expanded in productiveness with our
rapidly increasing population, our average corn imports
up to:last year being about the same as they were twenty
years ago. He also appeals to the experience of full
grown men as to the greater breadth of land in culture,
and its vastly more productive modes since that period.
This last proof seems more conclusive than the
other, as there is no doubt,. though the people of
Britain contrived to subsist chiefly on our home
produce for the last twenty years,They did so by being
put on " short commons" through the operation of the
restrictive corn laws. had such hige duties not existed
in foreign importations, there is not a doubt but that
greatly more corn would have been consumed and im-
ported. The people were by no means indulged with
such a fulness of bread, as is desirable, nor their corn-
consuming powers put to full proof. Both the appetite
and the means were by these laws unnaturally restricted.
Bad trade, currency derangements, &c.—then surely fol-
lowed the years of dearth and high prices.
To the second question the writer furnishes an
answer, by a rapid and interesting survey or tour
of the island. He starts from the remote Caithness,
whence arose the most energetic agriculturist of his
day, Sir John Sinclair, and who stirred up practical
men to new exertions. In this country the improve-
ment has been rapid and striking ; rentals increased
from six to eight times within living memory ; and
worthless moorland pasture converted into rich fieds of
oats, wheat, clover, &c.-50 bushels wheat, 56 oats, and
300 or 400 stones hay, being the occasional return per
Scotch acre, Of Sutherland, with its famous clearings
and large sheep walks, the writer admits the great im-
provement in roads, buildings, stock, &c. ; but gene-
rously questions whether the clearing has not been
carried too far, and whether it would not have more
largely increased the sum of human happiness, added
more to the strength of the state, and to the rent roll of
the proprietor, to have encouraged and educated the na-
tive population, and kept them on the land.
Passing into Ross-shire there is much fine farm-
ing, and great activity in Easter Ross-5 quarters
of wheat and 7 of oats per imperial acre being the
produce of some parts of it. Improvement has
even penetrated the straths that run across the
country: and in strath glens the writer met a.cart laden
with guano. and in a way-side schcol heard the boys
taught agricultural chemistry. Inverness is equally for-
ward; and though the cost of the transport of wheat or
oats to the Edinburgh market averages 20s. an acre, land
at the head of the Beauty Loch lets at 40s. an imperial
acre. The steam-ships from Inverness have been of im-
mense benefit for the conveyance of fat cattle, &c., &c.
Travelling southwards along Loch Ness, wheat is grown
and ripened at a height of 800 feet, while in Strathern a
beautiful crop of turnips have been raised at a height of
1,200 feet above the level of the sea—only surpassed by an
instance in Wicklow, where a pupil of the Glassniven
school raised a fine crop at 1,600 feet. Nairn and Moray
claiming the title of the " granary of Scotland," have
done much and may do more. Before the drain, the
ague and mildew, once prevalent, have disappeared,
while these with liming have tripled many rentals.
Driving rapidly over Aberdeenshire, improved breeds of
stock, liming, fencing, training, and reclaiming, are
everywhere visible. Descending through Perth, Forfar,
and Dundee, to the Carse of awrie, which once grew
clover three feet high, deep ploughing, and a ready out-
fall for deeper drains, arc the most serious questions, and
their practical solution the likeliest mode of restoring
something like the traditional fersility. - Crossing to
Fife, tile-works and lime-kilns, and subsoil ploughs
frequently visible, show the ancient kingdom in
each of its " neuks " to be all alive. Now the
Lothians are reached, where, though capital and
skill have done their best, he deprecates the farmers
resting on their oars, and points out much to be done.
Reaching Ayr and Wigton, the greater produce of grain
and turnips, the abundant tile draining, and waste land
rechmations are approvingly unnoticed. " Public gra
titudeis due to those who reclaim the bleak moss and

the wild moor, and who plant' their feet firmly on the
Quaking bog," such as in the south-eastern parts of Ayr-
shire, particularly alony the first six ir.iles. from Barkill to
Newton-Stewart, or the Wason country, where, at a great
expense, the enterprising proprietor, Rigby Wason, Esq.,
has formed a new road across the moor to Cree—drained
and limed, and recalled to fertility a wide extent of once
barren moor.

Crossing to Arran and Carnpbelton, the change within
the last fifteen years is equalling surprising and agree-
able ; then there was scarcely a saddle-horse in the
country, and, the cattle, the poor small black High-
landers. Now, fifty of sixty tenants come to market in
their own gigs, while Ayrshire stock and a lowland im-
proving tenantry have been introduced. Hastening over
other portions of the country, and noticing the border
improvements, where one farm out of lease last year
rose in rent from 751. to 9201. per annum, or 1200 per
cent—and how the land carries triple the stock, and
yields triple crops by thorough-draining. England
entered, and Northumberland is deservedly praised
for its activity and forwardness. Too much time
has been spent in Scotland, with which, indeed, the
writer seems most conversant, and the northern counties
of England is rapidly sketched off. A stop is made at
Lincoln, where, with much naturally rich land, constant
and high manuring is required to- keep the " warrens"
from returning to a state of barrenness, and where the
knowledge unfolded by chemistry as to manure, &c., is
of vital importance.

On a review of the whole tour, the writer is satisfied
that great activity is being put forth ; and, "in spite of
corn-law repeal, the energy of the agriculturists as a
body is not depressed, their wits not stagnant, nor their
hands void of cunning."
To the third question as to future progress, he thinks
the produce may be doubled by the general adoption of
the improved practice now known, while greater disco-
veries and improvements give hopes of a much larger
increase. Another hasty review is made to show how
much waste- land yet remains to be reclaimed, and in
how many places the present best practice is to be in-
troduced. Pipe tiles, cheapening land drainage, bone
mills, railways bringing lime, fuel, and manures to
remote places, artificial manures, resident landlords,
education, tenant rights, subsoil ploughs, &c., are
desiderated to become general, and such they are
every day hastening to become. The much good
which our absurd entails hinders is also well noticed,
and their modification re repeal very much wished.
Absenteeism and the quality of land under trustees
(which might be sold to new improving proprietors but
for the entail) are also great hindrances. For England
also the abolition of reserved rights, such as timber,
game, Scc., and a better machinery, are very much
wanted. In the article of thrashing mills, not at all
common in England, 1,200,000 quarters would be saved
by their general introduction. Agricultural colleges
would also do a great good. Of these there is one at
Cirencester, and one at York.

The article is wound up by the 'cheerful statement
that there is every reasonable prospect for abundant
food and employment for au increasing people, and that
the change in the corn-laws need act not as a depressing
but as a stimulating influence upon agriculturists.
Whatever art can extract of enlarged crops from foreign
soils may be reaped in Britain; Our capital and mecha-
nical skill, aided by science, should place our farmers
beyond the reach of any protracted competition in the
home market. The loss of the potato crop is with equal
philosophy turned to good account. Affliction of this
kind may lead to good by rousing to new' exertions, and
opening up new resources.

RELIEF FOR TIIE HIGHLANDS. PORTSMOUTH,
DEC. I.—The lEolus, store-ship, Mr. Thompson, master,
on her way to the Isle of Skye, has arrived here from
the river. She has been brought into the harbour to
take in a large supply of biscuit and other provisions
from the Clarence Victualling Yard, to be distributed
in the districts in Scotland which are suffering from
scarcity, and when loaded will proceed immediately to
join the Belvidera, store-ship. Captain Layton, R.N., is
in that ship, and is appointed to superintend the issue of
the various stores. The Belvidera is destined for the Isle
of Mull.

On Tuesday Rowland Hill, Esq., entered upon his
new appointment at the General Post-office, St. Martin's-
_._

le-Grand, and was congratulated on the occasion by the
Marquis of Clanricarde, the Postmaster-General, and
Colonel Maherly, the secretary of this establishment;
also by T. S. Duncombe, Esq., the Member for Finsbury,
who paid a special visit on the occasion.
DEATH OP CAPTAIN MANBY, R.N.—This gentle-
man, so well known in the scientific world by his inven-
tions, more particularly his life-rope for saving ship-
wrecked mariners, died on Thursday week last, after a
severe illness, at Cheltenham, in the seventy-sixth year
of his age.
HOSPITAL FOR• CONSUMPTION AND DISEASES OF
THE CHEST.-011 Tuesday evening the first general quar-
terly meeting of the governors and directors of the Hos-
pital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest (since
the opening of the new institution -at Brompton) was
held at the board-room, the Hon. Edward Speer in the
chair. The routine business having been disposed of,
it was stated that at the present time the hospital con-
tained forty in-patients, with twenty more on the books
for immediate admission. An additional assistant phy-
sician was appointed, together with two visiting apothe
caries, and two clinical clerks. Among the governors
present were the llon. J. W. Percy, Philip Rose, Esq.,
R. G. C. Gardiner, Esq., MD., J. Forbes, Esq., M.D.,
F.R.S., F.G.S., &c.; the Rev. Robert Munro, M.A.,
Robert Viner, Esq., Henry Vaughan, Esq., &c. Thanks
having been accorded to the chairman, the meeting,
which was very fully attended, broke up at a late hours
RAILWAY DEPOSITS.—The railway deposits in the
session of 1845 in England amounted to 3,444,3061. 55.;
in Ireland to 373,8141. 10s., and in Scotland tq,,
180,7631. 15s. For the session of 1846 the deposits ip4r
the Court of Chancery in Enr.,,land on account oflrr
in Irelar ways amounted to 11,396,7831. 9s. 101;

866,3671.; and in Scotland to 2,323,371/. The deport's.'
for the ensuing session must be made in the course of
next month—before Jan. 16.

- -
POST- OFFICE NOTICE.-011 Tuesday the following
was affixed at St. Martin's-le-Grand:—Mails will be
made up for the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius,
and Sydney, to be forwarded by her Majesty's ship
Rattlesnake. All letters intended to be so forwarded
must be addressed, ‘, By H.M.S. Rattlesnake," and will
be liable to a packet rate of postage of one shilling, not
exceeding half an ounce," &c. The Rattlesnake is ex-
pected to sail from Devonport to-morrow: Letters in
time this evening and to-morrow morning.
ANOTHER CON VERT TO ROME. Mr. Henry
Pownall, son of H. Pownall, Esq., of Spring-grove,
Hounslow, has just given in his allegiance to the Church
of Rome.—fisruld.