VI 



PREFACE. 



After writing this, the Dodtor read the three firft volumes of 

 Experiments, publiflied by M. Duhamel, and gives them the fol- 

 lov/ing charadter *. " They are," fays he, " diftindl, exaft, con- 

 *' clufive fo far as they have gone, and ftand a model for experi- 

 ** ments in Agriculture. What a fhame," adds he, " for Great 

 *' Britain, where Agriculture is fo much cultivated, to leave its 

 " exacSl value to be determined by foreigners !" 



The 4th and 5th volumes of M. Duhamel's work, which con- 

 tain the greateft part of the truly valuable experiments of M. de 

 Chateau-vieux, deferve ftill higher commendation, and may yet 

 more juftly be propofed as models, not only for their accuracy and 

 fuccefs, but alfo on account of the variety of plants which he has 

 cultivated according to the principles of the new hufbandry. 



In thefe experiments, he has given many demonftrations of two 

 fadts of the greateft importance in Agriculture : 11/2;. ill:. The ma- 

 nifefl advantages of frequent and deep plowing, whereby the roots 

 of plants may have a loofe mould to extend themfelves in, to a 

 depth fufficient to fecure them in moifture during the heat and 

 drought of fummer ; and 2dly, That thefe plowings alone, efpe- 

 cially where there is a llrength of foil, are preferable to all ma- 

 nures whatever. 



The late Reverend and worthy Dr. Stephen Hales, whofe name 

 will be a lafling honour to his country, and whofe iludies were con- 

 ftantly directed to the improvement of it, as vreW as to the general 

 benefit of mankind ; was pleafed to give us leave to fay, when the 

 former edition of this book was publiflied (M. Duhamel having 

 previoufly fent him a copy of his vi'ork,) *' that the Engliili reader 

 '* will find here many ufeful inftrudlions and hints for farther im- 

 provements in hufbandry):" and indeed, the reception this treatife has 

 met with from the public, confirms the opinion of that truly patriot 

 philofopher. 



Some inaccuracies which had efcaped the Editor in that former 

 edition are corrected in this. 



As 



* In his Principles of Agriculture and Vegetatioa. 



