Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-09-18
RICHMOND. SEPTEMBER n
:. no rnE EpiroR OF TIRE ENeuIKnR.

The more improved dis of Scotland sbrvl
tue defects IN the husbandry of the same dis
uicts. within the memory OF MANY persOu
n"w living. L beg the favor or YOU 10 publ,sl
The enclosed extract. from his excellent wo, K
~ Your paper, in the hope, that the poo
pie OF virginia will he encouraged To effect a.
great "a CiiaIi.e and Ia 50 short Il time in on,
system. Sir John Sinclair ascribcs n ureal
agency TO the board OF agriculture and 10 art i
cultural societies. in producing this great aud
happy change. Two such societies have bee,
formed ~, this state, under auspices the mas,
promising. trust il is not TOO much, 10 cx
poet from the patriotism and Intelligence %,
The people OF Virginia HAT they will be made
aS useful here, as similar institutions have been
IN Scotland. a FARMER
EX7RHCY.
Forty years have now elapsed. since one of
tue aDiest writers on agriculture III modern
times, (Lordkames,l pointed ont the inperiec-
Irons OF Scotch husbandry and i, is sine ular,
that, with hardly any exception. these imper
fectlonS have since been removed. Had i, not
come from such high authority, il is hardly
possible 10 credit, that within the memory OF
SO many persons now living. our agricuiiui e
could lave been so miSeraby deficient as il
seems TO hsve been at thai time Theiearned
JUDI represents our Instruments ct hus bandry
As sadly imperfect our draughi horses as mi
Serab'e creatures, without strength OF mettle ::
our oNta scarcely able 10 support their own
NeiSht, ''ih fe" gong in plough, led on by
Two horses The cNecrable husbau,,rv 81 ia.
field ana oniileld genrraIIv established the
ridges high and broad in fact enormous mass
es OF accumulated earth. that would not admit
OF cross rlOuSh,ne. or OF proper cult, alton ::
shallow pioH.liimg uni, rubbing, by which
hall the land was ieft untitled general urac
nee; Summer failow. though common IL, iLIee
OF Iohf conniies, yet only creeping ia
o'heis over The greater part of Scotland. Il
continual Struggle for superiority between
corn ana weeds the roller al,pe>t unkno . n ::
no narrowing before sowing, and The seed
'nrowhinto rongh uneven gtound, where halt
OF IL was barred; Imperfect rotation of crops
htt'e skiil IA haINes sting; no branch OF hus.
bandrS less undcrsi 90 Il than manure potatn..
Ia general propasated in law beds swine bal
lit'e attended 10 ; and very few farms in Scot
iand Justly rropo, toned 10 the skiiland ability
OF The tenant. VI bat contrast Ia the descIip
ton nave Just given of the hushau,lry OF
Scotland at the present period
among Tie circumstances which have occd
stoned so extraordinary, a so rapid n CHANGE
III the hus5andiy OF Scotland, that turn for
feahing, oy which the Scotch farmers are so
peculiarly distinguished, though already peint-
ed out, ought 10 be more fully dwe!t on No.
lung can be more absurd than 10 imagine
thai Tie communication OF information by
printing. which has promoted The advance
meat oi every other art should he of an, use i'm
agriculture. Ii is not recommended thai Il
piaciicai farmer, should take for gospel what
lie reads IN pratt, and should alter has Whole
system accordingly: bat let him reflect on
what lie reads, let him try on a small scale
nseini experiments, and let him extend them
when they are found 10 answer. At any rate
lac may ind In books number OF useful hints
which may be entitled TO further enquiry
Hence the writings of hames and those of
Anderson, Dickson, Home, Wright. &c in
Scotland, aud those OF Arthur Young. Mar
shall, aud others, IN England, gave "a great
spur TO the Improvement of Scottish husban-
dTy, by directipr the attention of the former
TO The principles of tina, AZ, TO which their
lives were devoted.
Tire practice adopted by the Scotch farmers.
OF travelling to England, and in some cases
even tn foreign countries removed - Gland of
preludices, which could ouiy be speedily, and
completely eradicHied, by ocular Inspection
NO circum- tancr however. had a more Row.
ertnl Influence IN pr0notii.. "A split of i'm.
proNe:ncnt IN the northern part OF the king.
dom, thaH The formation of Board of A"ri
culture; ard from That era, in the opinion of
the best informed agriculiuiists in Scotland
may he dated. that wonderful change which
has taken place in Scottish hu>bindry. In
consequence OF that establishment, as remark
ed by an Intelligent farmer" u general desire
seized all ranks TO premoie internal improve
ment. by means of that institutions, great mum.
hers ut new meuwere brought forward 10 pub.
lie notice whose names otherwise would ne
vel have been head Of aud these being chief
ly practical people, i'll other words, persons
professionally concerned in farm manage
ment, agriculture, by their endeavors was ,,s
cned from the hand of theorists. and a revoIn-
ton OF no small extent, accomplished i'm rural
affairs. Before the Board was instituted the
BOND OF connection amongst agricuiIurisis was
slender, aud served few useful purposes each
standing on his own strength and information:
aud unless IN The case OF those who travelled
about TO collect useful information, aud the
number OF those, at that time was nst .,reat
they Knew little more about the practices OF
conterminouS districts, than those of China or
the most distant countries. The establishment
OF the board did away, at once, all these evils
and difficulties; a common fortress, erected
tor the benefit OF all agTicuturisis aud 10
which each might resort for advice aud pro
lection, was Immediately recognised Il IN ,d,.
farmers, who resided i'll the most disiant
quarters of the l<ngdC "A, acquainted with one
another, and caused rapid dissemination of
Knowledge amongst the whole profession. II
did mote-the art Of agriculture was brought
into fashion aud this being ti.e case old prac.
HceS were amended new ones iutrnduccd and
degree OF eXertion manifested which had
never be fore hceu excinpliiied III this island
The numerous ssrvCys Of husbandry executed
under the authority OF the board were of sin.
eular advantage also. because they brought TO
iIght tile practices of every country and
whilst they pointed out the Obstacles inch Law
III the way OF improvement, stated the most
etFectual methods OF removing them. Tie We
ry collision OF argument which such discussions
OccasoHed, was OF advantage, causing agri-
culturists to investigate the principles of the
AIT which they prOfcssed, and inducing them
to search after new channels of improV ement
In word. tie Board, ia a few years, collected
a mass OF agricultural information. hardly TO
be equajIed, and not to be exceeded 10y the
accumulated store of every other nation.
Mr.. John Shirreif likewise attributes the ra.
pid mnprovemcntof coiiand, TO the interesting
information communicated by the board OF
agriculture, at a time, when the minds of me n
were qualified from education aud observation.
to pat proper value OF it, aud whilst their
capitals, arising front that powerful stimnlus
10 Improvement, leases. enabled them to rXe
cute those improvements which this interest.
i'm a,,H par inf
Ina communication from MIR. Charles Alex.
andeT, respectable farmer near Pebbles. il Is
observed. that the publications of that board
aud other recent works or farming, in particu
lar, " tie Farmers Magazine" printed for the
express purpose of promoting Tie views Of the
board we're read with avidity: that a shirt OF