414 



tivation. The ingenious mechanic will perpetually fupply the farmer with 

 new inflruments, and utenfils of agriculture, or improve the conftru£lion of 

 thofe already in ufe. It will abridge the labours of the hufbandraan ; and, 

 by enabling him to perform the fame tallc, with a reduced number of men, 

 and beafls, will render the procefs of agriculture cheaper, and thus contri- 

 bute to leffen the price of provlfions. 



The methods I have mentioned, may ferve, among others, to encreafe 

 the produce of a given portion of land. There are other methods, which 

 might be advantageoufly employed to augment the quantity of produftive 

 land in the country. The firfl; is, by colonizing the waftes, and mountains ; 

 by which I mean, granting thofe unprofitable trafts, rent free, or fubjeft 

 only, to a fmall acknowledgment yearly, for a competent time, to induf- 

 trious tenants. This ftiould be connected with a barren land bill, exempt- 

 ing grounds, of this defcription, from the payment of all tithes, for a pro- 

 portionable number of years. By fuch meafures, great trafts of land, 

 might, I am confident, be reclaimed, and rendered ferviceable, to the pub- 

 lic. The details of fuch an arrangement deferve to be confidcred attentively, 

 and treated at length. It is fufficient for me to allude to them, in this 

 place. 



Another meafure, fomething analogous, at leaft, proceeding in the fame 

 fpirit, has been attended with the mod beneficial effeds, in Etigla?id, both 

 as to the encouragement of induflry, and the encreafe of the quantity of pro- 

 duftive land, I mean, the divifion, and enclofure of common lands. — 

 This has a beneficial operation, to reclaim both men, and lands, from 

 an inert, and unproduftive Hate. — The neighbourhoods of all commons, 

 are ufually feminaries of idlers, and freebooters. The verge of a com- 

 mon is colonized by a fet of vagabonds, and refugees from the ad- 

 joining country. The encloCng each common becomes the means of 

 breaking up a nefl of lawlefs depredators, and petty pilferers. When 

 the common comes to be enclofed, and divided ; it is then turned to 

 account in the agriculture, and improved, to the beft advantage. 



Thcfe 



