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Article VI. 



On the Application of Chemijlry to Agriculture, and 

 Rural QLconomy. 



[By A. FoTHERGiLL, M. D. F. R. S. Bath.] 



Hx tibi erunt artes. Virg. itneid, lib. vi. 



Vere fcire eft per caufas fcire. V e r u i a m . 



AGRICULTURE is undoubtedly the moft 

 ancient and honourable of all the arts, lince 

 it dates its origin from the highefl: antiquity, and 

 appears to have been coeval with the firft parents 

 of the human race. Though it has received all 

 the improvements of a long fuccefllon of ages 

 down to the prefent time, whence is it that its 

 progrefs towards perfedlion has been much flower 

 than that of many others of a far more modern 

 date? — The chief caufes which have retarded its 

 advancement, feem to be the three following: — 



Tirjiy The extreme difficulty of the ftudy of 

 Agriculture. 



Secondly y The want of proper Matters to unfold 

 its principles, as in other branches of Experimen- 

 tal Philofophy. And, 



Tbirdlj/y The great reludtance of Farmers to quit 

 the beaten track. 



So 



