T92 Of the Agriculture of the County of Peyth. April 



The intelligent work now before us, affords the moft 

 fatisfaclory proof that the circumflances which long ob- 

 ftruified improvement are now generally removed, and 

 that every branch of rural fclence is making a rapid pro- 

 grefs in the centre of North Britain, where hitherto it 

 •was imperfe£lly underflood. From the indefatigable 

 and judicious exertions of the Reverend Gentleman, 

 M'ho, under the authority of the Board of Agriculture, 

 has drawn up this work, the ftate of hufbandry in Perth- 

 iTiire is clearly elucidated, and the moft interefting in- 

 formation communicated. 



In reviewing fuch a meritorious publication, wherein 

 we find little to blame, and a great deal to praife, want 

 of room prevents us from anaiyfing its various parts 

 with that minute attention which their value deferves. 

 We will therefore try to feize upon fome of its moft 

 prominent parts, and endeavour to convey to our read- 

 ers a flight idea of the mafterly manner in which the 

 hufbandry of this extenfive and complicated diftri<Sl is 

 detailed. 



PafFmg over the introdut'^ion and preliminary obfer- 

 vations, wherein much good fenfe and knowledge of 

 mankind are difplayed, we notice, in the jfirft chapter, 

 that the county of Perth contains 5000 fquare miles, 

 or 3,200,000 Scots ftatute acres •, in which there is cer- 

 tainly fome miftake, as that number of miles ought on- 

 ly to return 2,500,000 acres. The natural divifions are 

 faid to be Highland and Lowland ; eighteen parifbes 

 being utuated in the firft, and fifty-nine parifhes in the 

 fecond divillon. The climate, notwithftanding its nu- 

 rnerous varieties, cannot, upon the whole, be conlider- 

 ed as unfavourable to the general purpofes of huf- 

 bandry ; and as for the foil, fo much information is 

 communicated refpecting what has been called ** the 

 capital ftock of the country, " that the feclion well de- 

 ferves the attentive perufal of thofe interefted in its 

 profperity. 



Limejlop.e appears to be plentiful in the Highland dlf- 

 trift, though, from the want of coal, the inhabitants can- 

 not partake of the full advantages accompanying the ap- 

 plication of this beneficial article. This fuggefled to the 

 fertile genius of Lord Kames, a fcheme for having the 

 ftone reduced to powder, to con)penfate for the want 

 cf materials for accomplifhing calcination ; but unfortu- 

 nately the machine-erected by the Commifhoners of the 

 ^" Forfeited 



