x INTRODUCTION:

Both theſe opinions are very errone- ous, and the maintaining them would be produdive of very bad conſequen- ces, by: checking the improvement of agriculture: For, although our know- ledge of the nature of plants, and of the manner of promoting their growth, ſhould improve ever ſo much, and the huſbandman ſhould know, that, if his ground were ſo and fſo dreſſed, his crops would be improved, yet, if the imperfedtion of the plough be ſo great, that this dreſſing cannot be given with- out a very great expence, the know- ledge of the huſbandman is rendered almoſt uſeleſs,

The plough is ſo far from being a rude and deſpiſable tool, that it is a machine aof very ingenious contrivance, even in

the

1