^' 



\] 



Adurefs to the Society. ^^ 



true, thefe prejudices are wearing ofF, yet there are few pei-fons 

 who do not even now confider the foil and climate of Britain 

 as fuperior to that of this State, when the fa£l is directly the 

 reverfe. The proportion of land unfit for cultivation in the 

 ifland of Great Britain, is much greater in comparifon to the 

 whole quantity, than it is in this State — The foil is lef3 

 productive, except where great labours are bellowed in 

 cultivation ; and the climate in many refpefts lefs friendly to 

 agriculture. I alfert this from a careful examination of the 

 bell Englifli writers on the fubjed, and particularly from 

 Yoking and Marflial, who are much better authority than the 

 aifertions of emigrants, that for the mofl part have -given little 

 attention to the fubjed:, or judge of the whole kingdom from 

 a fertile or highly cultivated fpot in their neighbourhood. 



Let us now defcend to particulars, and candidly weigh its 

 advantages and difadvantages — The fir ft advantage England 

 pofTefTes, confifts in her early fpring ; this enables the farmer to 

 commence his workfooner thanhe can in this country: tothiscaufe 

 it is owing that fuch crops as require early fowing on a well 

 prepared fallow, fucceed better In Britain than here. Barley, 

 for inftance, requires at leall four good fpring ploughings, 

 and yet fhould be put in by the firft of May : this cannot be 

 done here except upon very light lands, our clays being hardly 

 fit to plough before May ; but light land will not produce 

 jgood barley without manure. In England It may be railed 



