113 Rcvieiv of Ftchles Survey. May 



ryftcm of farming adopted in the county. And the fecrion 

 on iheep (the chief objetl: of farmers in Peebles -Ihire) gives us 

 more fatisfaftory and explicit information, than has been con*, 

 municated through the medium of cotemporary writers. 



In the introduction I\Ir Findlater Hates, that agriculture can 

 hardly be confidercd as a fcience, becaufe it is not eftablilhed up- 

 on fixed and determined principles, f^e lays, * In regard to the 

 food of plants, a principle which we ought to be able to fet out 

 ^vith, as the foundation of the whole praelice, had agriculture at- 

 tained to the rank of a Icience, no certain conclufion feems as yet 

 to liave been eftablilhed.' Perhaps this is refining too much ; 

 for, if agriculture is not to rank as a fcience till the caufe of ve- 

 getable life is afcertained, we may lafely conclude, that the firft 

 of arts mull remain in a degraded ftate. Without inquiring 

 ■whether fire, or water, or air, or earth, conftitute the food and 

 nourilhment of vegetables, or of noticing the numberlel's theories 

 that have been prefented to public notice on that abltrufefubjecl, 

 we may remark, that the dulled farmer knows, that if he cleans 

 and dungs his land iulTiciently, it will yield him a plentiful crop, 

 provided phyfical obftru6tions do not intervene. Allowing that 

 we were able to afcertain which of the above elements confti- 

 tuted the food of plants, yet, as we have not the command either 

 of fire, air, or water, and cannot order the fun to difplay his 

 beams, the air to blow genial gales, or the clouds to drop re- 

 frelhing fliowers, it feems that little benefit would be gained*, 

 were the curtain of nature drawn up, and our eyes allowed to 

 rove at large in what has hitherto been confideied as a facred 

 field. We have fruitful feafons, and know not the caufe ; and the 

 moft acute philofopher cannot account for the germination of a 

 fmgle grain, no more than he can explain the mylferious manner 

 in which he enjoys rational exiftence. 



Under the force of thefe imprefTions, we ?,re led to think that 

 inquiries concerning the agents of vegetation, will not lead to 

 ufeful improvements, thougli they may gratify the minds of fuch 

 as are bent upon ingenious difquifition. It is certain they cannot 

 benefit the operative farmer, tjiough they may lead him aft ray 

 from the path of aclion fan£lioned by experience, as has been 

 exemplified in the condud of Mr TuU and others. We are dif- 

 pofed to think, that a degree of certainty is already attained in 

 every point connected with rational improvement. If the earth 

 is enriched with generous manures, or ftimulated by powerful 

 cordials, as circumftances may require ; if fupcrBuous w^ater is 

 removed ; if iioxious weeds arc dcftroyed, and llielter afforded in 

 naked counties by inclofures ; then all that man is capable of 

 executing is performed. In the knowledge of thefe things, the 

 art, it not the fcience, of agriculture may be faid to confift j and 



the 



