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ſeveral places; but the labour and loſs of time in preparing them, render them to be leſs uſed now than they were for- merly.

Ereeſtone.--The county poſſefles plenty of that uſeful foſſil, both for aſhler and rubble work. Several quarries have been opened, from which an abundant ſupply, both for building houſes and dikes, may be obtained upon eaſy terms.

Improvements.--“Although improvements in agriculture have not in general been carried on here to ſuch an ex- tent as in ſome other places, yet a ſpirit for improvement and making experiments in huſbandry has happily com- menced, and is making conſiderable progreſs.“ Feuers, in es general, are in that happy mediocrity of ſtation in which, « perhaps, the greateſt contentment is to be enjoyed, and « poſſeſs all the neceſlaries, and many of the comforts of life: « each, till of late, continued to purſue the courſe followed < by their fathers and grandfathers 3 but now, that a different “« mode of living univerſally prevails, a ſpirit of induſtry, and <« a taſte for improvement are rouſed, and every one is e1n= <“« deavouring to make his farm turn to the beſt account 5 <“« and, in order to excite emulation among the ſervantss << ploughing matches are held in the county, where prizes «“ are adjudged to thoſe who excel, according to their me- s rit?(Statiſtical Hiſtory of Scotland, Vol. VI. p- 172.)

In exciting and ſupporting this laudable diſpoſition of mind, and theſe valuable exertions, the community is much 'ndebted to Dr. Coventry, the learned Profeſſor of Agricul« ture in the Univerſity of Edinburgh. That worthy gentle- man, who is ambitious to promote the theory and pradice of agriculture, poſſefles an eſtate in this county, where he ſets an example of knowledge, induſtry, and good manage- ment to all his neighbours-

G Mills.