|P FF

E

iE

EE O:

[ar

20 AORICGUE TURAL SURVEY

man-like manner, ſtill the, ſucceſsful iſſue entirely depends on a favourable ſeaſon to vegetate and mature the grain. Mil- dews and blights, under theſe favourable alpes, may yet in- tervene; but ſhould not any inauſpicious appearance happen, and ſhould the reaper be prepared to Vather the produce of the loaded fields, yet how often does tlte howling blaſt ſcatter and diſperſe the hopes of the huſbandman!

Again, the labours of the farmer are toilſome; his gains cannot be great, upon the moſt favourable calculations; namely, that from his grounds he ſhould be enabled to raiſe three rents—one, of courſe, his landlord demands; more than another is requiſite to maintain his family, pay the hire

f ſervants, and ſupport contingencies; the third and laſt, toward paying intereſt of the capital advanced for ſtock, and afford an annual ſurplus to reward his labours.

A ſpirit of ingenuity and improvement amongſt the inha- bitants of this county, has been frequently proved, and is yet, every day, manifeſting itſelf; but this is moſt apparent amongſt the manufacturing claſs; and the reaſon is obvious — reward immediately enſues. The Glaſgow manufaQurers, till of late, have exceeded the Lancaſhire in muſlins. Sti= nulated by emulation, in the neighbourhood of Bolton, they now boaſt that they have at laſt, and but very lately, ſurpaſſed the Glaſgow muſlins and fancy-works. The ſame flame would E fhine amongſt. the farmers as well as amongſt the

_

manufacturers, were the reward equally cer- tain: fill it remains to enguire how a ſpark of this flame may be kindled. The farmer is not ſuch a novice, and ſo totally blind to his own intereſt, as to be incapable of viewing the efes of ſkilful cultivation, however novel; and if on repetition this new pradice be found beneficial, the great incentive to action, ÎNTEREST, will operate equally upon one individual as on another.

But how is the farmer to be convinced? He is told ſuch are the cuítoms which ſucceed in other diſtri&ss but theſe aſler= tions do not convince. Soil, climate, or other cauſes, may operate— he waits an example nearer home. Herein the landlords, the gentlemen of property in the county, ſhould interfere and ſet the example; and ſeveral ſpirited gentlemen have