1803. Obliuary. 375 



fart, that for many years his male foals were kept and fold as ftalliona 

 for the Improvement of the breed in other quarters of the country. 



In the Agricultural Survey of Tweeddale, notice is taken of Sir 

 James's attempts to cultivate mofs foils. Where the plough was ufed, 

 and the mofs of a moderate depth, fo as to allow the fubfoil to be turn- 

 ed up and mixed with it, the ilfuc was generally fuccefsful, even to the 

 efl'ctt of raifing paiture of fufficicnt luxuriance for rearing the largeft 

 fized ox ever bred in Tweeddale. Where the fpadc was ufed, as in 

 deep flow-mofs, after much the fame mode as adopted at Swineridge- 

 mulr, in Ayrfhire, the efFerts were by no means fo fucccfsful, probably 

 owing to the difference of climate, or quality of the mofs. 



Sir James's improvements upon the eftate of Killern, in Stirlingftn'rc, 

 were reported by Mr Wight, who furveyed that county in 1777, as 

 furnilhing intlances of the moft perfert hnfbandry. We would have ex- 

 traded the whole paffage alluded to, but the length of this article calls 

 upon us to bring it to a coiiclufion. 



In the dedication of the Agricultural Survey of Tweeddale, infcribed 

 to him by the author, his own parifli niiniiler, and evidently expreffive 

 of real heartfelt elteem, Sir James is reprefented as a man of mod ami- 

 able difpofitions ; ' whofe long continued attention to the management 

 of the public concerns of Tweeddale ; whofe readinefs to a/Tid, with fa- 

 lutary advice and counfel, every individual of her fons ; together with 

 his conciliatory urbanity of inanners, originating in humanity, not in 

 artiftcial politenefs, had fince llamped him with the character, as they 

 had gained him the appellation, of the Father of the County. ' 



On the 17th of June, died, at Haddington, Mr Robert Sommerv 

 viLLE, furgeon there. — Mr Sommerville poflefled a large Itock of natural 

 abihties, which he cultivated affiduoufly, and, on various occafions, dif- 

 played confiderable information concerning the rural and political economy 

 of Great Britain. He affilled in condi;6ling the three firft volumes of 

 this Work ; and was much employed by Sir John Sinclair Baronet, during 

 the period he prefidcd at the Board of Agriculture. A number of his 

 communications are to be found in tlie Traniadtions of that Beard, and 

 alfo in thofe of the Highland Society ; from whom he fuccelfively received 

 prize medals, and other marks of approliation. 



Died lately, at Crawhill, Mr Thomas Lee, an eminent Eafl-Lothian 

 farmer. — Mr Lee came from Berwickftiire to Eall-Lothian, at Whitfun- 

 day 1771 ; at which time he entered to Thornton Loch, a fann belonging 

 to Mr Niil^et of Dirleton. Being well acquainted with the turnip 

 hnfbandry, he and his two brothers, who had alfo taken farms from Mr 

 Nifbet, were among the fu-il who introduced the culture of that valuable 

 root, on a large fcale, into that county, over w'hich it loon fpread with 

 great rapidity. Owing to the plt-ntifulnef. of fea-weed, it was then cuf- 

 tomary to keep the coail llde lands conftantly under grain crops ; and 

 when Mr Lee iirfl left the fields unfown with grain, that were intended 

 for turnip, his fapient neighbours fagely concluded that he was unable to 

 purchafc feed corn, ajid, uf courfe; prognoilicatcd his immediate down- 



