1803. Hints refpeSltng Scots Improvers. 289 



^^rlghts ; and the MefTrs. DIckfons, at HaiTendeanburn, the fa- 

 mous nurfcrymen. 



Detached, and, in fome inftances, very particularly detailed 

 accounts of the operations of ench of thefe noblemen and gentle- 

 men, are to be found in Wight's Survey of ScotiOi Hudiandry, 

 in the Statiftical Account of Scotland, in fome of the numerous 

 tours through Scotland that have been lately publiilicd, or in 

 other publications ; but as thefe are bulky and voluminous works, 

 and not accefhble to every reader, I am of opinion that fhort and 

 condenfed notices of their exertions and pradice mij^ht, with 

 much advantage, be occafionally infcrted in your Magazine. 

 The reprefentation of their labours and fuccefs, would not only 

 be highly ufeful and inftrudive, and exciting to the prefent im- 

 prover ; but thefe notices might be looked upon as fo many mo- 

 numents, ere6led by grateful poflerity, to the memory of men. 

 who fo much benefited their country, and contributed fo much 

 to the good of fociety. 



And were iliort memoirs of the operations and exertions of 

 thefe, and fome other fpirited and patriotic noblemen and gentle- 

 men, given occafionally, they would form a mafs and body of in- 

 formation, from whence a complete and connected hiftorv of 

 Scotifh agriculture might be deduced, which M'ould not only be 

 entertaining, but highly inftrudive* We would there fee the 

 former wafle and forlorn ftate of the country, and the impove- 

 rifhed and miferable fituation of the people: We would fee the 

 obftacles which thefe fpirited and fagacious improvers had to en- 

 counter with, from the ignorance, lloth, and poverty of the te- 

 nantry ; from the want of markets and fcarcity of money -, from 

 the badnefs of the roads, and dilHculty of intercommunication 

 between one part of the country and another ; from the great 

 fcarcity of artificial manures, and the difficulty of preparing 

 them •, from the total want of experience and precedent j and, 

 linally, from the want or improper conftruclion of the imple- 

 ments of agriculture, and the ignorance, obltinacy, and want of 

 fkill in fervants : and we would fee in what way thefe oblbicles 

 were gradually furmounted, and how the knowledge and prac- 

 tice of agriculture have been brought to their prefent ilate of 

 perfection. 



If the hiitory and operations of the eminent ftatefman, the II- 

 luftrious military captain, or the celebrated writer, are interell- 

 ing, and perufed with avidity ; in the fame way (hould the hif- 

 tory and operations of the fpirited and patriotic improver of his 

 country become interefling, and be fought after with afTiduity, 

 as being generally of more importance to fociety than thofe of 

 the former characters. The hiftory and reprefentation of fuc- 



£ e e 3 cefsfuH 



