2^4 Letter from Lord Somerville, Aug, 



were picked teams. The difference of time in fininiing the work 

 allotted, was, to the bcft of my remembrance, about twelve or 

 fourteen minutes between the average of the horfe and ox teams ; 

 fo tliat, fuppofe them to be an hour and a half longer in their 

 day's work, the difference in the time of reft will be, if any thing, 

 in favour of the oxen; becaufe animals which perfpire by the 

 tongue, need not that dreffmg and care which thofe demand, 

 whofe perfpiration efcapes by the fkin. 



I beg to be confidered as no friend to new fyflems where ef- 

 fential bentfit will not refult ; for we who praclife hufbandry, 

 are too often the chilchen of prejudice, and a change of fyftem 

 is always painful to eficcl. Where an acre of land, or more 

 per day, all defcriptions of work confidered, is ploughed by a 

 pair of horfes, there is no rcafon to complain , the proprietor 

 mijiht benefit fomething by the change ; but, as a qucliion of 

 public fupply, it is moft material to confider, that our labour 

 may be done, and well done, by animals which, having attained 

 their full growth, we eat, rather than by thofe which, after the 

 lame period, become daily of lefs value, and eat us. 



Recurring, therefore, to my firft requeft, that, in labouring 

 to promote the public intereft, we ought to do it by means the 

 moll conciliating, I have to obferve, .that dictatorial opinions, 

 unfupported by reafon and proof, have no right to find their 

 tvay into a work of tins nature ; nor can they long be found 

 there, without injury to the work itfelf. One hundred years 

 after the union of two kingdoms, we have no right to talk of 

 ieparate interefts j but if futh a plea is to be urged, allow me 

 to add, that I have an equal intereft in the landed improvement 

 of botli ; and rely on it. Sir, both the North ancflhe South have 

 fomething to learn from., and fomething to teach, each other. 

 On thefe grounds it is that I beg leave to fay, fliould any expe- 

 rienced farmer have occafion to vifit that part of the South where 

 my bufinefs lies, a letter from the Publiflier of your moft exceir 

 lent Work will be his paffport, and will fecure to him the heft hof- 

 pitality my houfe, fuch as it is, affords, that he may have leifure mir 

 nutely to examine our praclice,and that of the country iu which we 

 are placed : there are no other means by which profeffional quef- 

 tions, and thofe too of great importance, can well be folved. In the 

 mean time, if any of your readers are defirous to know w^hat 

 our rate of labour is, I v/ill, in a few words, ftate it. We break 

 in our oxen to labour at three years old : the firft half year's work, 

 is eafy- We fell them to graziers at fix years old, and in eight 

 mor.ths they come to Smithfield good beef : In the intervening 

 period, my work is done at the rate of about 80 acres of tillage to 

 four oxen ; and my twelve oxen, not including the three years old, 

 will work 30 acres of land per >veek, whea no; employed iii car- 

 riage 



