First Improvers. 25 



25 commoners belonged to Aberdeenshire. This 

 society, which assumed the character of a national 

 institution, published its transactions occasionally 

 for the information of its members. Only seven 

 years later a local society was established, which 

 embraced in its membership a good many names 

 of note, such as those of Alexander Lord Pitsligo, 

 the Hon. Alexander Fraser of Strichen, one of 

 the senators of the College of Justice ; Sir James 

 Elphinstone of Logic ; James Ferguson of Pitfour ; 

 Alexander Garden of Troup ; James Gordon of Ellon ; 

 Ernest Lesley of Balquhain ; George Skene of Skene ; 

 and William Urquhart of Meldrum. The title they 

 appear to have assumed was that of " A small Society 

 of Farmers in Buchan," and an Essay published by 

 them in 1735, which presents in good set terms their 

 notions concerning the main points of practical husban- 

 dry, is somewhat of a curiosity in its way, were it only 

 for the graphic picture it gives of the difficulties the 

 farmer had to struggle with in keeping down weeds 

 when he had not the advantage of green crops to clean 

 the land, but grew cereals year after year. The 

 Essay extends to ten separate Articles, treating of the 

 different crops, and the appropriate cultivation; and 

 varieties of soil, each article being subdivided into 

 several Rules. In their modest preface the authors 

 say that the essay " contains nothing purely specula- 

 tive, but a plain and genuine relation of our practice, 

 as we have learned from tradition, and our own 

 repeated experience, put into method to ease our 

 memories, and for the instruction of beginners." 



These worthy men were thus content scrupulously 

 to adhere to the modes of farming they had learnt by 

 " tradition" ; and in place of hunting after novelty 

 or change in the way of alleged improvement, they only 

 sought to stereotype established practice, and put on 

 record well-proved methods for their own convenience 

 and the behoof of posterity. The land, they go on to 



