071 the Agriculture of England^ Manures^ ^c. 85 



are possessed of abilities, clearly and properly to ex- 

 plain this invaluable practice. 



How far my observations on the forests and the re- 

 cent settlements, which have either been attempted or 

 established in them, have been anticipated, is entirely 

 unknown to me. Except what has been published by 

 the president of your society, which I cheerfully ac- 

 knowledge, has been of great advantage to me, in my 

 researches into the revolutions of nature, and the events 

 that take place among timber, I have seen nothing on 

 the subject. 



I am, dear sir, your friend, 



and humble servant, 



John Lorain. 

 Dr. James Mease. 



Philipsburg^ June 10, 1812. 

 Dear Sir, 



Scanty harvests will sometimes occur in every coun- 

 try, and when they take place in Great Britain, to any 

 considerable degree, they excite alarming apprehen- 

 sions, and seriously affect the tranquillity of the inha- 

 bitants, until plenty has been introduced by importa- 

 tion, and a return of more plentiful crops : and as the 

 evil appears to originate in the prevailing partiality for 

 old pastures, and the methods pursued in laying them 

 down, some observations on that subject may be inter- 

 esting. 



The immense advantages which the agriculture of 

 Great Britain derives from an abundance of grass, has 

 been too generally attributed to the superior manage- 

 ment of their grass grounds; when in fact the produce 



