2o Ohfervatlcns on the Jaila 



one part of it is employed in raifing hay or winter crops for 

 fupporting the flieep during inclement weather. The rent of 

 Hounam is dated to be 27C0I., which allows it to be divided 

 into 13 or 14 farms, of fuch a fize as can be managed in a 

 ■^ray that will at once prove beneficial to the individuals con- 

 cerned, and to the community. 



In this place, Mr Rutherford objects : — By farms of this 

 fize, you decreafe the population of the country, which would 

 be benefited and increafed confiderabiy by dividing each of 

 them into four. This obj»6lion does not touch upon the inqui- 

 ry, — WJiether thefe 56 farmers will pay as much rent to the 

 proprietor ? — Whether they and their families will live in the 

 like comfortable manner? — and, Whether the national (lock will 

 be equally benefited, or the like quantity of food provided to the 

 public by their labours (which wc look upon as of the firll im- 

 portance) — as will be done by thofe of the other defcription ? 



Thefe points' are pafl'ed over, and the number of inhabi- 

 tants upon the premifes is fuppofed to be the fole criterion 

 by which the management is to be judged. 



Were this admitted as the (landard, every improvement in 

 machinery, for facilitating labour, would be cenfured and con- 

 demned. The thrashing machine, for infbance, which is deferv- 

 edly ranked amongfl our mod ufeful improvements, ought to 

 be deftroyed ; fpinning machines, faw mills, and numbcrlefs 

 other contrivances to diminifh manual labour, would defcrve 

 to be confidered as ruinous and deftruftive, upon the fuppo- 

 fitron of their having a tendency to depopulate the country. 



There is certainly a mlfchievous, as well as a ufeful popula- 

 tion. We call ufeful, v/hat is neceflary for carrying on the 

 trade, labour, m.anufaclures, &c. of the country; but where 

 more inhabitants are to be found than thofe that can live, or, 

 in other words, procure employment, we are certainly war- 

 ranted to clafs them under the other defcription. An increafe 

 of population, without an increafe of refources, muft always 

 be confidered as hurtful. But as Mr R. wilhes to fritter down 

 the farms of his parifh, in order to increafe population, what 

 would he think of dividing the cure? — a meafurc that would, 

 in all probability, add feveral more families to the population. 

 This idea, however ridiculous it may appear, is exa£lly in 

 point with the redu£lion of farms ; but, as we believe he is 

 perfe£lly able to difcharge the duties of his office without 

 any affiftants, we do not think the public good would be pro- 

 moted by fuch an increafe. 



Mr R. feems ignorant of his fubje£l, when he propofes to 

 reduce the fheep farms to the fize of a 50I. rent. Inftead of 

 56 tenants, and 56 (hepherds, all with large families, the pro- 

 bability is, that there would be only 56 men, who would ne- 



geflarily 



