INTRODUtTlO:N(. I5 



in all cafes having an example ready at hand to lUuftrate our 

 precept. 



It is well knowai, that, upon fubjecls purely fpeculative, 

 where no experiments can be made, and of courfe no ab- 

 folute certainty obtained, much diverfity of opinion is met 

 with, wliich, from their nature, might be expe£ted, and will 

 for ever be the cafe. The perfcn who reafons bed upon 

 fuch fubjedts, will, in the opinion of men of fenfe, be thought 

 to come nearefl the truth, and his doftrine confidercd the 

 ftandard, till fome competitor appear, whofe reafoning is 

 more perfuafive. This has been the fate of all fpeculative 

 opinions fince the earliefl ages, and will continue to be fo, 

 upon every fubje£l that affords no certain data to dire£l the 

 refearch of inquirers. Converts, amongft enlightened farm- 

 ers, are not to be gained by theories and opinions : Before 

 we lay claim to their belief, the principles upon which our 

 own is founded, ought to be explained in a fatisfa<Slory man- 

 ner, and tliat, not by reafoning alone, but the evidence of 

 fadts. Upon the prefent fubjedt, this is in a great meafure 

 in our power, as moll of the important points conne£led 

 with Agriculture admit of being illuftrated by experiments. 

 One fa£l:, fo eflabliflied, is fuperior to a thoufand arguments ; 

 and, inftead of being liable to change, as all opinions unfup- 

 ported by fa6ls mull be, it ferves as an unerring guide •, and, 

 inflead of an opinion, afiumes the name and importance of 

 a principle. Were this lyflem uniformly purfued ; were mea 

 only to relate fa6ls, and communicate their difcoveries in the 

 language of truth and plain fenfe ; to place them in the com- 

 mon flock, and allov/ time and experience to form a whole 

 from thefe parts : agricultural fcience would foon afTume a 

 raore perfe£l form •, authors would have no ill-founded opi- 

 nions to retracl or defend ; pride and error would be no 

 longer oppofed to truth, and the progrefs towards perfec- 

 tion would be certain and uniform. 



With this maxim before them, the promoters of the pre- 

 fent undertaking beg leave to affure the Public, that it lliall 

 be their (ludy to encourage and promote, as far as poihble, a 

 fpirit of inquii-y and experiment aji;ongil agricultural mtn, 



and 



