USEFUL PROJECTS. 
in future to be drawnup. From an 
examination of that report, the pub- 
lic would see to what a pitch of per- 
fection agricultural knowledge was 
likely to be brought, by theaccumu- 
lation of so many valuable materials. 
That, next to collecting informa- 
tion, the board was naturally 
anxious to excite a spirit ofim- 
provement ; a spirit which could 
best be roused by pointing out to 
the legislature those obstacles which 
prevented agricultural industry, and 
by endeavouring to prevail upon 
parliament to remove them. When 
the reports were completed, it 
might be expedient for that purpose 
to draw up an abstract of the whole, 
adhering to the division by coun- 
ties, but restricting the information 
to those points which were of gene- 
ral importance. That report, which 
it would be proper to lay before his 
majesty and both houses of parlia- 
ment, would state such measures as 
seemed to be the most likely to rouse 
a spirit of agricultural exertion, He 
hoped that important work would 
be completed before the ensuing 
session of parliament was brought 
to a conclusjon. 
The third object, that of draw- 
ing up a general report, in which 
each subject connected with agri- 
culture should be distinctly treated, 
had also made considerable pro- 
gress. Scveral of the chapters were 
’ already drawn up ; and the fifteenth 
chapter, on the great subject of 
manures, was prinied and in circu- 
lation. That chapter fully explained 
the nature of the proposed report, 
and the manner in which it was ine 
tended to be executed. 
[*97 
Among the duties of the board of 
agriculture there was none of more 
real importance, than that of bring- 
ing under the Consideration of par 
liament such measuresas were likely 
to promote the interests of every 
description of persons connected 
with husbandry, more especially 
those of the lower orders of society. 
With that view a bill was’ brought 
into parliament, on the recommen- 
dation of ‘the board, ‘which had 
passed into a law, and was likely to 
prove of much consequence to that 
valuable class, the common labour- 
ers, who were entitled to the pecu- 
liar attention of the legislature, and 
to the protection of the board, in 
enabling them to lay out their 
little pittance to the best advan- 
tage, and without the risk of impo- 
sition.* 
That a most important, but at the 
same time a very delicate branch of 
duty, incumbent upon the board, is 
that of submitting to the considera- 
tion of parliament, the claims of 
those wiio merited to be rewarded, 
on account of discoveries advans 
tageous to agriculture. That any 
attempt of that sort, it might easily 
be supposed, was liable to many dif- 
ficulties. ‘Vhat the board had suc- 
ceeded in its first application, in be- 
half of a very deserving individual, 
Mr. Joseph Elkington, who had 
carried the art of draining land toa 
perfection hitherto unknown, and 
which, if spread. over the whole 
kingdom, must necessarily prove 
the source of infinite public benefit. 
That sum, being the first ever granted 
by parliament for any discovery of 
importance to husbandry, rendered 
* This Act,, which was recommended to the attention of the board by Sir 
Christopher Willoughby, one of its members, and was introduced into parliament 
by Mr. Powys, is entitled, An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the Use 
of defective Weights, and of false and unequal Balances,” § 
Vor. XXXVII. 
[*G] it 
