agg Hints refpeBitig Scots Improvers. Aug. 



10 THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMER's MAGAZINE. 



Hi fits rejpc^ing Scots Improvers 

 Sir, 



I HAVE been a reader of your Magnzine fince its firft publica- 

 tion, and have had reafon, along with, I fuppofe, all your other 

 readers, equally to approve of the utility of the plan, and the ex- 

 cellence of the execution. It mufl give infinite fatisfacfiion to 

 every man, who has the good of his country at heart, or who 

 wiflies well to the bell interell of Scotland, to obferve that the 

 ilate of her agriculture has now been brought to a degree of per- 

 fection, equal, or perhaps in feverai refpects fuperior, to that of 

 any other country whatever. 



As it feems to be univerfally acknowledged that this high de- 

 gree of perfe6lion, in the flare of our Scotifli agriculture, has 

 been wholly brought about in the courfe of the i8th century, (a 

 period, of fuch recent date, that fa6ls and circumllances can be 

 eafily inveftigated), I tliink it M'ould be a very acceptable prefent 

 to the public, and a particular gratification to the lovers of the 

 iirll of all arts, if fliort notices were given from time to time, in 

 your Magazine, of the means by which, and the men by whom, 

 this fortunate revolution has been effcCluated in ^o fliort a pe- 

 riod of time. 



In the leading article of Agricultural Intelligence for laft quar- 

 ter, in deducing the caufes of this rapid progrefs of improve- 

 ment in the courfe of laft century, I fee a few well known and 

 illuftrious names mentioned, as the chief promoters of agricul- 

 ture in the period referred to ; namely, Fletcher of Saltoun, 

 Cockburn of Ormifton, Hope of RankeilLVr, the Eirl of Find- 

 later, and Lord Kaimcs. But although the merits and exertions 

 of thefe diRinguiOied charaders are univerfally acknowledged, 

 yet I apprehend that in the feverai departments of enclofing, 

 draining, planting, road-making, village-building, cottage ar- 

 chitecture, conltruttion of leafes, preparation of manures ; in 

 the dilcovery and combination of the mechanical powers-, and in 

 other branches of rural oeconomy and improvement ; feverai other 

 illuflrious and meritorious names may be included. — Among 

 thefe, I would mention Archibald Duke of Argyle; the great 

 Earl of Stair j the late Alexander Earl of Eglinton ; the late Earl 

 of Strathmore •, the late Earl of Elgin, the conftru6tor of the 

 iime works; Lord Gardenfton ; the late Sir Archibald Grant of 

 Monymulk, the great planter ; Mr Craik of Arbigland ; Mr 

 Barclay of Urie j Mr John Hunter at Hirfel, the noted Ber- 

 wickfhire farmer j the Meflrs. Mcikles, the juaiy celebrated mill- 



wrightg i 



