apS View of the Agriculture of Yorkshire. Ju'y 



immediately known in its moft diftant parts. For want of thefe 

 means of communication at prefent, the ^reat body of farmers 

 are almoft as ignorant of what their brethren in other counties 

 are doing, as if they lived in a foreign Lind. 



' In conftituting Agricultural Societies, we are far from re- 

 commending an intermixture of proprietors and farmers together. 

 It is abfolutely necefTary, for many obvious reafons, they {hould 

 be feparate. Without dwelling upon thefe, it may only be faid, 

 that, in prefence of a landlord, fome farmers are ready to be 

 diffident, and will not propofe their opinions in that free and 

 unreftrained manner they would do in the company of their 

 brethren and equals. We heard of the Sheffield fociety, where 

 gentlemen, clergy, and farmers, met promifcuoully ; the confe» 

 quence of which was, that the latter were in a manner prohibit- 

 ed from mentioning improvements, in cafe they (hould be a 

 watch-word for the one to increafe the rent, and the other to 

 raife the rate of tithes.' 



In regard to the troublefome and long complained of dlver- 

 fuy of Weights and Menfures in this country, the obfervations 

 here made are judicious, and well deftrving the attention of 

 thofe "who might apply a remedy. It is the decided opinion 

 of the furveyors, that corn ought uniformly to be fold by 

 weight: a number of objedlions have been made, which are 

 eafily repelled. 



In chap. 17. Obftacles to Improwment are brought forward -, 

 very important objects for confideration. In the firft place, 

 the furveyors fay, " We account it as demonftrable as any 

 propofition in Euclid, that no real improvement can take 

 place in regard to the wafte lands of this diftridl, without a 

 previous division ; and it is nearly as certain, that, without a 

 general law being pafled at once, for the whole kingdom, 

 their divifion, according to the prefent fyfttm, will never 

 be accomplifticd." Here foHows the humble petitirn, at 

 length, of the freeholders, to the lord of a m- nor in the 

 Welt Riding, which offers a plain (latement of the prefent, 

 almoft infuperable, difficulties attending the inclolure of 

 waftes, &c- fo imperioufly demanded by the ** txijlirg 

 eircumjiances" of this country. Archdeacon Paley is quoted 

 at fome length, in corroboration cf the remarks of the 

 furveyors. The Titles are here alfo briefly mentioned as ob- 

 ftacles to improvements of alm.oft every kind ; the difficulties 

 of' fettling which, in inciofures, form the ilronged barrier 



again 11 



