6 



wall state, that is to say, in miserable pasturage occa- 

 sionally broken up. 



In the improved districts of Scotland, this is a point 

 as much attended to as the circumstances of the case will 

 admit of, more especially when any new buildings are 

 constructed *. How different from that state of feudal 

 barbarism, (which may still be found in some districts in 

 England), where all the farm-houses of a parish were col- 

 lected into a village, for the sake of mutual protection and 

 defence, and where all the neighbouring fields were culti- 

 vated in common. 



There can only be one reason for having the farm- 

 house and offices not in a central position, and that is, 

 where a threshing-mill is to be driven by water f, and, 

 in some cases, where wind cannot be commanded near the 

 centre. That however is only an exception to the ge- 

 neral rule ; for it may be laid down as an axiom in agri- 

 culture, " "That the farm-house and offices, ought always to 

 " be placed, as nearly as possible, in tbt centre of a farm.' 1 



Where the circumstances of the case will admit of it, 

 the farm-house and offices should front the south, and 

 should also be placed on an elevated situation- It is not 

 only healthier for the farmer, his family, and his servants, 

 but carts will bring home the corn in harvest time, with 

 least waste, when going up hill, and when empty, it can 



* It is remarked by an intelligent gentleman in England, 

 that the farm buildings in Scotland are in general much more 

 convenient than those in England. In a large farm there is 

 th difference of at least the labour of one man throughout 

 the year, between a convenient and inconvenient set of offices. 



f The only objections to water threshing-mills are, that 

 they are useless in time of frost, tind in some places are liable 

 to be overrun by water rats. The subject of water threshing- 

 mills will be after more fully discussed. 



