34 Letters fro*)! a Scots Fanner^ Jail« 



and round the villa<];e of Ayton, under the influence of a be- 

 nign landlord, improvements arc very far advanced. The 

 gentlemen of Berwicklhire, to do them juftice, are a(£^ive and 

 cnterprifinp; ; and their endeavours, I am informed, have been 

 well feconded by a rcfpectable and intelligent tenantry. 



Leaving Berwick, where there is a confidcrable filhing and 

 corn trade, our road through theextenfive county of NorthiuK' 

 herland prefentcd few objects capable of affording enjoyment 

 to an agriculturift. The ibil in general, contiguous to the great 

 road, is below mediocrity ; and tlie ftate of cultivation difplays 

 iirong proofs that improvements are but yet in their infancy. 

 This is exemplified by the circumdance of almofl; every ridge 

 remaining in its original crooked (late. The iiraighting of 

 ridges, though a ha:^ardous and expenfive procefs, is almoil 

 abfolutelynecelTaryto the carrying on of improvements. With- 

 out it, a field can hardly be either properly ploughed, harrowed, 

 fown, or even reaped \ and where crooked ridges prevail, it is a 

 fure fign that cultivation is defective. No doubt an alteration 

 ought to be attempted with the greatefl; caution, and never but 

 when the field is under Summer fallow. By repeated crofs- 

 ploughings, gathering up all the hollow places, and frequent 

 harrowings, the field may be completely levelled ; and if a 

 fufficient quantity of hot lime is throw;i in with a dofe of ma- 

 nure, the new foil will at once be brought into a6lion, and 

 no lofo fuftained. 



Many parts of Northumberland are well cultivated, and the 

 di{lri6c of Glendale Ward, perhaps to an equal extent with any 

 part of the kingdom. The coafl fide, or what is called Bam- 

 boroughfhire, has long been in a ftate of aration, and probably 

 ■was the firft cultivated part of the country. About Alnwick, 

 Felton-bridge, &c. and upon Tyne-fide, there is likewife a 

 confiderable portion of good land, though large tracls ftill re- 

 main in an unproduftive and unprofiiable ftate. 



I was much furprifed to learn that one of the largeft eftates 

 in the county was poflefted without leafes, and that the cot- 

 tages thereon were all taken out of the farmers hands. The 

 firft practice is fo cuftomary amcng our fouthern neighbours, 

 that fome excufe may be allowed for it, though I am convinced 

 it nsuft militate greatly againft the proprietor's intereft j but 

 the other is fo novel, that I am at a lofs to imagine what rea- 

 fons influenced the noble proprietor to adopt it. Does not the 

 greateft part, if not the whole of thefe cottagers, receive their 

 employment from the farmer, confequently ought to be at- 

 tached to him by every tie .'' Whereas, by feparating the houfes 

 from the pofleffion of the ground, a different intereft is reared 

 up, which may prove prejudicial to the mafter, without add- 

 ing to the comfort or advantage of the fervant. 



