On Agricultural Improvements m Roxburgh, 163 



nacious clay it turned the furrow too much on its 

 back, and in wet weather it was apt to sour, (stagnate) 

 and on such soil, if the weather was inclined to wet at 

 the time of pkmghing, the furrow was so nicely smooth- 

 ed off, that when it became dry it was like baked earth 

 upon which the harrow could take little or no effect. 

 To remedy this inconvenience, another plough was in- 

 vented by a Mr. Small, for which he obtained a patent. 

 Improvements were from time to time made upon 

 Small's plough, until it was conceived to be brought 

 to such a state of perfection, that no farther improve- 

 ment was wanted : since that time almost every part 

 of the plough has been made of cast iron. 



Ploughing was now learned like a trade, and plough- 

 ing matches were instituted, at which premiums were 

 given to the best performers, and such is the perfec- 

 tion to which they at last arrived, that a good marks- 

 man, in taking an aim along a furrow, could not see any 

 variation in the whole length of a long land. 



While these improvements were going on, it be- 

 came necessary to have the fields fenced in : where 

 stones were in plenty, stone dykes were used, but the 

 most general mode of fencing was with hedge and 

 ditch ; this was greatly facilitated by the extraordina- 

 ry industry of Mr. Archibald Dickson, who from a 

 small beginning, became famous for being the first who 

 raised nurseries of thorn-quicks, upon the great scale ; 

 his sons are well known all over the kingdom. It was 

 common for the landlord to pay out the original ex- 

 pense of fencing in this manner, and charge the tenant 

 five per cent upon the sums so expended ; the latter 

 was bound to k^ep the hedges clean, and trim them as 



