/.yyA'(>/)/'('V7().y. 5 



In close association with these cnliirhtcned societies, manv 

 noblemen, and even thr monarch of Enjjfland, became practical agri- 

 culturists, and everyone knows the great personal interest our King 

 takes in the industry ; indeed, it is safe to say that no model farms in 

 history compare with Windsor, and. that for knowledge oi the national 

 importance of stock-breeding, King Edward \'II. excels all his prede- 

 cessors. Other teachers of agriculture or i>lant improvers of eminence 

 during the past century may be mentioned in the names of Professor 

 Buckman, Dr. Carruthers, James Carter, Archibald Findlav, Dr. Fream, 

 Sir Brandreth Gibbs, Sir Henry Gilbert. Sir John Bennett Lawes. 

 Peter Lawson, Professor MacAlpine. Professor AlcConnell, John 

 Chalmers Morton, Miss Eleanor Ormerod. Professor Percival, (ieorge 

 Sinclair, Dr. Somerville, Martin John Sutton, Professor Wallace, 

 Sir Charles Whitehead, Professor \\'ilson, Professor Patrick Wright, 

 Professor Wrightson — these are a few — together with the many colleges 

 and institutions for learning the science in practice, now establisherl in 

 various parts of the kingdom. 



In biographical notices the most proper circumstances are selection, 

 compass, and arrangement. Much attention is due to the period when 

 the author lived, and a fair allowance should be made, and a just pro- 

 portion observed, of the ease and abundance with which the materials 

 are formed as the times approach nearer our o\\ n. 



I have added at the end an alphabetical list of the authors, so that 

 the publications of any one of them can be readily noted. This list 

 comprehends every British writer of whom any notice can be found 

 from the most careful researches. Necessity, compelled frequent 

 references to former lists, and in this connection I would especially 

 mention the following publications: Weston's " Authors of Husbandry," 

 Johnson's " History of Gardening," Loudon's '' Encvclopaedia of 

 Agriculture," Miss Amherst's " History of Gardening," Miller's " (har- 

 deners' Dictionary," Felton's " Portraits of Authors," Donaldson's 

 " Agricultural Writers," and the " Dictionary of National Biograi)hy." 



My reason for compiling this volume is mainly the fact that these 

 old writers have never been given the justice they deser\e in the 

 story of the progress of Agriculture in Great Britain ; and, as I possess 

 most of their original works, I ha\ c bec-n able to gather my informa- 

 tion largely from their own pages, and produce the result between 

 two covers. Bevond adding that my ancestors have been wedded 

 to the land for nian\- generations in Scotland, and that I also have 

 been interested in both practical and theoretical agriculture and 

 horticulture all my life, I claim no special knowledge on the subject. 



DONALD McDonald. 



Bexlcv Heath, Kent. JiDiiiarv \st. iQoS. 



