Agriculture, and former State of Cultivation in Scotland. 439 
ture, which, although comparatively of very recent application 
by the present race, has certainly been of the highest utility, 
and in many districts, under intelligent management, has pro- 
duced most wonderful effects. These beneficial effects, however, 
have been chiefly confined to the earlier districts and infield 
lands. The great and incalculable results to be derived from a 
liberal application of this invaluable mineral, I am of opinion, 
have in a great measure been lost to the outfield and upland di- 
stricts, by its being far too sparingly bestowed, not excepting di- 
visions of the country where it is abundant and cheap. The 
matured improvement of these lands can only be retarded from 
the proprietors or cultivators not being sufficiently conversant 
with the great chemical changes effected by the free use of this 
corrective stimulant. To late, cold, stubborn soils, it is almost 
impossible to estimate its value or appreciate its worth, or to 
overdo such ground with quantity, provided it be duly wrought 
into and intermixed with the soil. Upon the contrary, an abun- 
dant and repeated application, with intelligent and attentive 
workings, will have the effect of creating an artificial climate, 
which never can be otherwise attained, and never will fail in ren- 
dering the spot on which it has been copiously applied, a marked 
degree earlier in all time coming than all the surrounding coun- 
try of the same stratum. Its plentiful and superabundant appli- 
cation has the effect of changing the original colour of the soil, 
from whatever may have been its primitive aspect, through all 
the various gradations of hue to the deep absorbing black, add- 
ing additional climate in every darkening shade, by communi- 
cating an increased capacity to absorb, retain and digest the 
nutrific life-disclosing rays of light, and, in due proportion as 
adding to this attractive and conducive power, deducting from 
the local altitude or latitude of the field. Hence the absurdity 
of starving the land in cold, late countries, whitening the can- 
kered steril surface with the same sparing, niggardly parsimony, 
that an old gutless miser would dust the antiquated curls of his 
great-grandfather’s musty wig, from the scanty portion of flour 
just measured out to prepare a saltless dumpling, or tasteless 
pudding, the fashionless shove-over for a stingy meal. Disap- 
pointed in what the spiriitless parsimony of the occupant con- 
siders or expected as an adequate return for the money and labour 
bestowed in this over-rated exertion, the free use of lime has 
in many instances been neglected, blaming the non-effect instead 
of the non-application of the raineral on certain soils ; whereas 
nothing was wanting but spirit and enterprise to bestow an ever- 
lasting blessing on himself and posterity by a liberal /avishmené 
on the hitherto unproductive fields, to have secured a ten-fold 
compensation in proportion to the amplitude of the donation, by 
Ee4 the 
