122 The Rural Inqiiirci. April 



Before we enter upon this Iketch, a few words rela- 

 tive to the ancient ftate of Scotifli hufbandry may be ne- 

 ceflary. 



At a very early period, the Lowlands of Scotland were 

 •partially brought into a high Itate of cultivation, and all 

 the ordinary grains now in ufe were fucccfsfully raifed 

 upon that portion of the ground then called in-field. 

 The in-ficld originally comprifed a fmall fpace of land 

 immediately contiguous to the farm-fteading, or mains ; 

 and was afterwards gradually extended, as population 

 and luxury increafed, or as the means of improvement 

 lay within the reach of the poflefTors. Hence, all the 

 dry coaftfide land, and the fields adjoining to great towns 

 and villages, were earlieft improved ; while thofe at a 

 diftance from manure, were generally allowed to remain 

 in their natural uncultivated ftate. 



It may readily be fuppofed, that cultivation, in the 

 firfl inftance, would be folely confined to fuch fields as 

 were apparently of the richeft quality •, which would be 

 eafily difcuvered. by the deepnefs of foil, and its aptitude 

 to produce the greateil quantity of grafs, or other plants 

 with which the furface might be covered. The in-field 

 would therefore, in every cafe, be compofed of the beft: 

 land which the refpeflive difiiricts contained •, and, as 

 the whole m.anure raifed upon the premlfes, was applied 

 to the fele6l fpots which came under this defcrlption, 

 it is not furprifing, that, in the courfe of feveral centu- 

 riesj their fertility fhould have increafed to a very great 

 height. 



Under the management mentioned, it is obvious that 

 the great body of land continued in a wade and unpro- 

 du6live ftate, being only ploughed for a {^f^ years, or 

 as long as it would carry crops of oats, and then left 

 to recruit itfelf under natural grafies and weeds. The 

 firft ftep to improvement was, the abolilliing of out-field^ 

 and thereby bringing the whole land of each farm under 

 a regular courfe of hufbandry, agreeable to the quality 

 of the refpe^ive foils, and the nature of the climate, 

 where the farm was fituated. The greateft improve- 

 ments made in Scotland have been upon thefe fecondary 

 lands J which, in former times, \ji'ithcut manure, fallow, 

 and artificial grafies, were only capable of paying a very 



trifling 



