g2 Ort (he Husbandry of Ayrshire, FeK 



their hand at the beginning, retard their progress for many 

 years to come. 



Most, if not all of these ooservations, are applicable to eve- 

 ry ccuritv that is in a progressive state of improvement, and in 

 that view 1 mention them as what I think necess:iry for the 

 farjher improvement of the county of Ayr ; and I protest so- 

 le iijtily, that I think them for the mutual advantage of both 

 master and tenant ; Their interests are certainly reciprocal, and 

 ought never to be separated ; a thriving tenant will make a 

 thriving master, but if the tenant goes to wreck, both must 

 suiler. 



There are only two other public regulations that I would 

 mention. The first respects milns. The servitude of thir^ 

 la^^e is in some places abolished, in others ir is modified,' but 

 jn some others it remains in all its rigour, to the extent of the 

 tenth boll to the miller, for grinding the other nine. This 

 ought to be universally abolished, as an intolerable nuisance. 

 Set tenants free from the tlraldom of Uiiilcrs ; let these pay a 

 rent for the use cl" their milns ; and then it will happen,, ac- 

 cording o the vulgar proverb, ' Kc that blows be[.t, will bear 

 * the horn.^ 



It is a great loss to -^e county, that there is no weekly 

 corn^mavket establish v^d in it ; such as in Haddington, Dal- 

 keith, i.:'d other places. It has at different times been pro- 

 poed, but h?.s hitlierto failed. It would be a desirable ob- 

 jec: for promoting the improvement of the county, if it could 

 be accomplished. The great utility and convenience of a re- 

 gular establish'^d corn-market, in a corn coilntry, is self-evi- 

 dent. It affords at all times a ready sale to the farmer, ex- 

 cites emulation in rais'iig grain of the best quslity, and tends 

 to pre -vent undue combinations among corn-dealers, or others, 

 to take advantage of the farmers ignorance or necessity. It is 

 to be hoped th:'.t the gentlemen of the county, who are as e- 

 mincnt for public spirit as any in Scotland, will study to ex^ 

 ert tifcmselves, to accomplish this most neceasary regulation. 

 At my outset in this paper, 1 intended to have gone inta 

 seme further detail, particularly respecting the present modes 

 of aration and cropping, and what alterations in these might- 

 be of advantage, for the further improvement of the county, 

 were I not afraid I have already gone too far ; but, if I find that 

 what I have sent you, is accept?ble, I may probably resume 

 the subject on some future occasion. In the mean time, you 

 will please accept my cordial thanks for the judgment and im- 

 partiality with which you conduct your useful publication. 



Agricola. 



NOTE 



