AWices respecting New BGoks. 455 



atteiidiiig the practice of an improvetl System of HusUandry have, 

 in a considerable degree, Ijeen removed, and its principles have 

 become so much simplin'?d, and so well understood, that the time 

 has at last arrived, when it is possible to undertake the arduous 

 task of drawing up "^ Code of Jgrkulture." 



Till the present period had arrived, this qouid not have been. 

 attempted with any well-founded hopes of success ; for so many 

 .ible and well-informed individuals had never, in any former era, 

 (Mrected their attention to agricultural pursuits ;— so inui-h ca- 

 ))ilal had never previously been employed in the cultivation ax 

 the soil;— so many practical farmers had never before j)ublislied 

 the result of their experience., and observations on agricuitur;d 

 subjects ; nor had those minute operations, on live due execution 

 of which the success of the farmer must in a great measure de- 

 pond, been ever formerly so distinctly pointed out. — Hence the 

 superiority of the present era for sucli an undertaking. 



And if such a work were to be attempted at this time^ there 

 is perhaps no individual on whom it was so incumbent to en- 

 deavour to prove that it might be executed, as the person who 

 now ventures to offer the result of his labours to the public. On 

 this suggestion, the Government of Great Britain established a 

 }3oard of Agriculture, and Internal Improvement ; under whose 

 auspices the greatest exertions were made to collect useful In- 

 formation, as a foundation for such a v;ork as the one now pro- 

 posed, the publication of which, from the commencement of the 

 new Institution, was in his contemplation. A great body of 

 valuable materials having been thus amassed*, what could be more 

 desirable than to reduce the substance of the whole, into so mo- 

 derate a compass, that it would require neither much expense 

 lo purchase, nor much time to peruse ? How far it is practicable 

 to carry such an idea into effect, the reader will soon have an 

 opportunity of judging. 



But to enable any person to undertake such a task as the pre- 

 sent, it was not alone sufficient that he had access to books, 

 Tiowever numerous, or however valuable the information they 

 might contain. It was necessary for him to converse with farm- 

 ers, to discuss the various subjects connected with agriculture, 

 with practical men; to survey their farms ; to examine their va- 

 rious practices on the spot j to compare the systems of different 



♦ For that purpose, the agricultural circumstances of every district in 

 thp kiiiKdom were iniiiutelv examined, and Reports published, of the state 

 of the several Counties of En{;lanii, in 47 volumes octavo : and ot Scotland, 

 in SO volumes more. Seven volumes of Cominuni.ations, inqunrto, and 

 several other works on specific subjects, have also been published by the 

 Board ; and this national undertaking was completed iti an expense ot 

 ntAj ly two hundred thousand pounds. - 



F f 4 oeuntries— • 



