I Soo. Fieiu of the Agriculture of the Qounty of Perth. 191 



PART II. 



RS.VIEW OF AGRICULTURAL PUBLICAriCKS. 



.Genera! Vieiu of the Agriculture in the County of Perthy 

 ivith Obftrvations on the means of its Improvement. By 

 JAMES Robertson, D. D. ?,iinij}er at Callander^ in 

 the County of Perth. Drawn up for the C.onfideration of 

 the Board of Agriculture and Internal Improvement. 575 

 pages, 2,vo. Printed at Perth, ami fold by IN'Iorrifon and 

 others — 1799. 



Agriculture was lonfi; neglected by the inhabitants 

 of the Northern parts of Scotland ; and it is only of late 

 that this ufeful fcience can be confidered to have been 

 praflifed among them upon any thing like rational 

 principles. It gives us gr^at fatisfa<Slion to learn, that 

 rural knowledge is now extenfively diffeminated over 

 the moll diftant di{lri£ls, and that the northern divi- 

 fion of the ifland promifes, at no very diftant period, 

 to rival our fouthern neighbours in practical hufbandry, 

 which ha$ long been their favourite profefiion. 



Many caufes might be nffigned for the fupinenefs 

 and inactivity of former times. The Feudal Syfteni, 

 which was not abrogated in Scotland till 1748, ener- 

 vated the faculties of the farmer, and kept him in a 

 flate of the moft abjedl dependence ; while a general 

 want of capital retarded every fpecies of improvement 

 whatever. Since the period above mentioned, thefe 

 difficulties have gradually vaniflied ; the condition of 

 the tenantry has been meliorated, and a fpirit of enter- 

 prife excited amongft that body of men, which has con- 

 tributed not only to enlighten their minds, but likewife 

 to throw a degree of cp.pital into their hands necelTary 

 for promoting a flQurifiiin<j[ agriculture. 



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