he weighs with attention every hint that is fuggefted by the judicious mafter, and marks the result of every trial of his own; fo as in time to be capable of perceiving the effects of many nice peculiarities of practice that could never have occurred to the most acute speculative obferver. In this manner, the farmer reaps a full inftead of a scanty crop -and is faved from an enormous expence to carpenters and smiths; which, as the judicious Mr Lifle juftly observes, too often prove the ruin of young and fanguine improvers. The advice that is offered above, is fo contrary to the ufual practice of gentlemen improvers, and fo inconfiftent with the ideas that naturally prefent themselves to fpeculative farmers, that I am well aware of the bad reception it will meet with from many of these. I perceive the innumerable arguments that present themselves to their ima gination against what is here faid :-I forefee the merriment that it will excite,—the rail raillery that it will produce, and the many witty things that will be faid against the man who dares to advance fuch an abfurd opinion, as that a worse practice fhould, in any cafe, be preferred to one that is acknowledged to be better. But, without detaining the fenfible reader with answers to thefe obvious objections, I fhall content myself with simply defiring the young improver to look around him, and remark the success of those improvers who have adopted the one or the other of these modes of practice, and leave himfelf to draw the inference that this will fuggeft. And, if this has the effect to make him remark circumstances with attention, he will not be long of difcovering reasons abundantly cogent for confirming him in the opinion that he must adopt. Let it not, however, be understood, as if I meant to diffuade the improving farmer from adopting any other implements of husbandry or modes of culture, than those that have been been usually practised in that part of the country where his farm may be situated; for, if these are imperfect, he does well to introduce others of a better fort that may be well fitted to the nature of his foil, and the fituation of his fields. But, before he attempts this, let him weigh all matters with a cautious circumfpection; and what he has once adopted with judgment, let him adhere to with unremitting perfeverance; and fuccefs will in the end crown his endeavours, Or if, in process of time, he so far meliorate his foil, as to render his whole farm capable of a more perfect degree of culture than it could formerly admit of, let him, when all circumstances are ready for the change, boldly lay afide his former implements and mode of culture, and at once adopt another that he knows to be better adapted to the circumftances of his farm.-Or, if his farm is extenfive, and will admit of two distinct fet of labourers, he may make each of these follow follow a different mode of culture adapted to the state of the fields they are to manage : But, in no case ought he to allow the fame labourers to work with different implements, if it can poffibly be avoided.-Almost the utmost latitude that prudence can admit of in this respect, is a greater or leffer degree of weight and strength in different implements, of the fame conftruction, adapted to the different degrees of ruggedness in the different fields;-and where there is any confiderable difference in the tilth of different fields, this ought always to be practifed. ESSAY |