LCTANiv 



T H E 



FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



MONDAY, JANUARY 6. 1800. 

 (No. I.) 



INTRODUCTION. 



AGRICULTURE is of fuch antiquity, as to be coeval 

 with the firft formation of Society. Accordingly, in 

 the remoteft ages, and amongfl every people of whom we 

 have any authentic hiftory, we find the cultivation of the 

 earth forming the principal employment of the inhabitants, 

 and by all of them held in fuch veneration, as to have its 

 origin afcribed to feme deity or other. The Egyptians a- 

 fcribe it to Oftrisy the Phoenicians to Dagofiy the Greeks to 

 Bacchus, and the Chinefe to Fo-hi. 



Though we are deftitute of authentic materials, to enable 

 us to fpeak, with any degree of certainty, as to the wants of 

 men in the rudeft ages, or the means of fupplying them, we 

 have good reafon to believe that their fullenance was derived 

 chiefly from the foreft, the ocean, and the milk and flefli of 

 the few domeftic animals of which they were then in poflef- 

 fion : accordingly, we find, that the diftritls abounding with 

 fiih, game, and pafture, were peopled, and became the abodes 

 of men, long before any other. It is impoffible even to form 

 a conje£lure how long men continued in this fituation; pro- 

 bably it lafted many ages ; indeed there are many nations, 

 who, at the prefent time, have no better refources. 



It is obvious, that, even in the moft fortunate of thejfe 

 fituations, many circumftances would concur to dlminifli, 

 or even entirely to cut off, the ufual fupply. The fiiher, 

 for inftance, whofe fole dependence, for his own and his 

 frimily's fubfiltence, refled upon hi.'; fuccefb in filhing, and 



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