l804- On the Impolicy of Impofi tig Sit vices upon the Tenantry. 147 



While it is painful to ftnle that this property was renounced 

 by a family, who for centuries had deferved fo well of their 

 country, it is fomc comfort to refle^l, that the purchafer was alfo 

 of a branch to whom the agriculture of Scotland has been, and 

 continues to be, under great obligations, as might be inflanccd 

 by the cafe of the barony of Byres, where improving leafcs v/cre 

 granted many years ago. But we muft (lop, as the article already 

 exceeds our common bounds. In a word, the name of Johm 

 CocKBURN will not foon be forgotten in Eall Lothian. His nu- 

 merous fucccfsful attempts to promote the profperity of the coun- 

 try are rivctted in the hearts of its inhabitants, and will be handed 

 down from father to fon for many fuccclhve generations. When 

 the whole of his life is confidered, we are warranted to pronounce 

 him the father of Scotilli hufbandry, an ornament to his country, 

 and an honour to the county of Eafl Lothian which gave him 

 birth. N. 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMER S MAGAZINE. 



On the Impolicy of Impofing Perfonal and Predial Ser'uices upon the 



Tenantry of Scotland, 

 Sir, 



The attention paid to fome defultory hints which I lately tranf- 

 mltted, has encouraged me to fend you a few more. Engaged 

 at prefent in purfuits very different from thofe that form the chief 

 obje(Sl:s of difcuflion In your Magazine, all 1 can do is, occa- 

 fionally to offer a few fuggefticns on general fubje^ls. 



I have been led to the fubje6l of the prefent communication, 

 by the correfpondence of your valuable and refpe^labie friend 

 Mr Dempfter, in the 14th Number of the Magazine, w^here ha 

 defcribes the fervices that are performed by tenants to their land- 

 lords in his neighbourhood. Mr Dempiler fays, although he has 

 difcontinued the practice himfelf, and recommended the difcon- 

 tinuance to his neighbours, for a long period of time, that he 

 has neverthelefs been a very unfuccefsful apoftle ; as the tenants 

 around him are Itill obliged to cut down their landlord's crops, 

 while tiielr own is perhaps fliaking out of the cars with ripeneis. 



Now, as I have always underilocd that the county of Forfar, 

 in which Mr Dempfter lives, was as well cultivated as any in 

 Scotland j as I myfelf remem.ber to h,ive feen moft fuccefsful, and 

 lipparently excellent fpecimcns of highly improved agriculture in 

 tliat county above twenty years ago ; as it was tliere ihzt Mr 

 Scott of Duninauld gave one of the firft examples of good farm- 



K a ing 



