PROF. C. U. SHEPHARD'S ADDRESS. 261 



stock consisted of a few half-starved cattle, that wandered over 

 fenceless commons, one of which contained 60,000 acres, the 

 whole is now under cultivation. Where wheat and oats were 

 once unknown as crops, 50 bushels of the former, and 56 of the 

 latter, are now often quoted; and where as prolific a yield of 

 turnips and potatoes is afforded, as in any other county of Scot- 

 land. 



To conclude this citation of facts, I adduce the case of Mr. 

 John Morton, a celebrated writer on soils, and one of the most 

 truly scientific cultivators in England. He rents the farm called 

 Whitfield, situated about 13 miles from Bristol, on the road to 

 Gloucester. It consists of 232 acres. Prior to 1839, it rented 

 for $1000 a year. It then had 68 acres arable, and 164 in pas- 

 ture. The produce barely enabled the tenant to live in a poor 

 way, and to lay up about $140, annually. Under Mr. Morton's 

 system, the profit, over the old management, has been fourfold; 

 and he gives employment to more than three times the number 

 of hands, in performing the work of the farm. He raises 26 

 tons of turnips to the acre, and 45 bushels of wheat. 



Notwithstanding these facts concerning the increased produce 

 and rents in Great Britain, doubts may still exist whether, after 

 all, they grow so directly out of the possession of scientific 

 knowledge on the part of the cultivator : since it is universally 

 admitted, that the farming population of that country is greatly 

 behind that of our own, in general intelligence. Now it is freely 

 admitted, that this is true of the mere laborers on English es- 

 tates ; but it must be borne in mind, that these persons have 

 just as much to do with the planning of crops and the stocking 

 of farms, as the day-laborers on our railroads and canals, have 

 with the department of engineering, on these great works. Nine 

 tenths of the men who perform the agricultural labor in that 

 country, never own, nor rent, a rood of ground. Of late years, 

 a few landlords have, under what is called the allotment system, 

 granted to their most industrious operatives, who, for good con- 

 duct, are also able to procure the recommendation of the clergy- 

 man and two other citizens of the village, the enormous boon of 

 the rent of ^th of an English acre of ground, at ten dollars per 

 annum. From this, it will easily be seen, how far the general 



