284 General View of the Agriculture July 



of the prefs, that error is to be exploded, and truth dlfcovered, 

 for tJie benefit of mankind \ which, whenever it is attained, is 

 the Ibiirce of much happinefs to a lover of agriculture. 

 Banks of the Tyne^ 2d June 1800. RusTiCO*. 



PART II. 



REVIEW OF AGRICULTURAL PUBLICAriONS. 



General View of the Agriculture of the Coimty of Fife ; with 

 Obfervations ofi the means of its Improvement. Drawn up for 

 the confideration of the Board of Agriculture and Internal Im- 

 provement, by John Thomson D. D. Minijler of Mark- 

 inch. /:^iT^ pageSj'6vo. Crecchy H'lll^ SiC. Edinburgh ; Nicol, 

 Lofidon. 



It is a circumftance extremely creditable to the Eflablifhed 

 Scotifh Clergy, that fuch of their number as were appointed, 

 under the authority of the Agricultural Board, to aflift in the 

 great work of executing a detailed furvey of the kingdom, 

 have performed the refpeftive parts afligned to them with fin- 

 gular ingenuity and judgement ; while, in England, where the 

 profefllon is ten times more numerous, only one folitary indi- 

 vidual, to the bed of our recolledlion, viz. the Reverend Ar- 

 thur Young, was felefted from the clerical order for handling 

 the labouring oar upon this important occafion. The ofliceof 

 a fun^eyor, required that the perfon appointed ihould be inti- 

 mately acquainted with the different branches of rural econo- 

 my and practical hufbandry, together with the pofleffion of a 

 fieady and enlightened mind, capable of difcerning abufes, and 

 defcribing how they might be rectified. Thefe qualifications 

 appear to have fallen to the fhare of the feveral clergymen 

 whofe reports have come in our way, in an eminent degree ; 

 and their labours promife to be equally ufeful, and deferve at> 

 much applaufe, as if they had proceeded from the moft per- 

 fe6x and practical fcientific agriculturift. 



The fituation of a country clergyman, if his mind is de- 

 voted to rural affairs, prefents an excellent opportunity of 

 sccumulating a large ftock of practical knowledge. Poffeffed 

 of a glebe, (fmaller, we confefs, than the general merits of 

 the piafefiion deferve), he has it in his- power to try all the 



different 



