Influence of General Prosperity. 29 



of Barrochan, Mr. M'Culloch of Auchness, and 

 Mr, George Hope, in Scotland ; Lord Lucan, 

 Mr. St. John Jefifryes, and Mr. Boyd, of Castle- 

 wellan, in Ireland, and many others, then carried 

 out the business of farming in a manner that 

 would bear favourable comparison with the 

 prize-farms of the present year. And, as to 

 breeds of cattle and sheep, the brothers CoUing's 

 and Messrs. Booth's and Mr. Bates's Shorthorns ; 

 George Turner's and the Messrs, Quartley's 

 Devons ; Mr, Bakewell's Leicesters ; Jonas Webb's 

 Southdowns — are not surpassed by the best of 

 the present day. The change has been not in 

 any considerable progress beyond what was 

 then the best, but in a general upheaval of the 

 middling and the worst towards the higher 

 platform then occupied by the few. 



Towards this end, but beyond all efforts influence 



upon agri- 



of the agriculturists themselves, or of the engi- culture of 



the general 



neers and chemists who have done so much prosperity 



of the 

 to aid them in developing the capabilities of country in 



the rise of 



the land, has been the influence of the general ^"^ P^'i^e 



of meat, 



prosperity and growing trade and wealth of the ^"^ ^^^ 



^ ' ^ ° consequent 



country. Thirty years ago, probably not more ^^^^''^^^e m 



