2.52 



Scotch Farming in the Lothians. 



Vol. VIII. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Scotch Farming in the Lothians. 



Mr. Editor, — I have the pleasure to send 

 you a pamphlet on " Scotch Farming in the 

 Lothians, by Robert Hyde Greg," — a practi- 

 cal farmer on a large scale, in Hertford, Eng- 

 land, — which was imported for me, by Mr. 

 John Pennington, bookseller of this city, 

 and is, I suppose, the only copy in tlie 

 United States. I recommend you to insert 

 it entire in your next number of the Cabi- 

 net, that the American farmer may be pos- 

 sessed of its invaluable contents without 

 delay. Numerous suggestions offer them- 

 selves to my mind in reading this pamphlet, 

 but I forbear to state them, as I entertain no 

 doubt they will also occur to the readers of 

 the Cabinet. 



I also send you another pamphlet on "Ag- 

 riculture and the Corn-laws" of England, a 

 prize-essay, which may form a part of the 

 April number of the Cabinet. This pam- 

 phlet will also afford abundant material for 

 reflection with all American readers, and 

 ought to be well considered by them. A 

 powerful opposition, the extent of which is 

 unexampled in Britain, has been formed to 

 the corn-laws, and £00,000 already collect 

 ed, to forward its views. The citizens of 

 the United States, often read in the news- 

 papers about these laws, but few of them 

 " are masters of the whole subject. Mr. 

 Greg's pamphlet will inform them fully on 

 it,^ and enable them to draw a comparison 

 be'tween their happy condition, and that of 

 the labouring and farming classes of her 

 Britannic Majesty's subjects. Mr. Greg 

 demonstrates clearly, that the corn-laws, 

 although made to promote the interests of 

 the farmer, are injurious to them. 



With best wishes, I remain, &c., 



James Mease. 



February 13th, 1844. 



Letter addressed to the Editor of the 

 Manchester Guardian, hij Robert Hyde 

 Greg. 



The following Letter, containing the sub 

 stance of my observations on the system of 

 Farming in the Lothians, was inserted in 

 the " Manchester Guardian," in the hope of 

 awakening attention to the backward state 

 of Agriculture in many parts of England, 

 more especially, in the neighbouring coun 

 ties of Lancashire and Cheshire. . 



It has met with a much wider circulation 

 than I could possibly have anticipated, and 

 has gone the round of a considerable portion 

 of the London and Provincial press. I have, 

 in consequence, been called upon for so many 



explanations, and for a reply to so many in- 

 quiries, that I thought a publication of it, in 

 its present form, might not be unacceptable, 

 accompanied by such notes as might seem 

 to be necessary, or desirable. 



It can hardly, I think, be doubted that the 

 farmers of England are about to enter upon 

 a serious crisis. 



They must prepare themselves for lower 

 prices of agricultural produce than have 

 hitherto ruled in this country, at least, for 

 some years. 



The prohibition of foreign cattle and meat 

 has already been withdrawn, and almost 

 every country is now feeling its way into 

 our markets, with various results, but, on 

 the whole, with succeis. 



A growing conviction prevails, that the 

 Corn Laws, even in their amended shape, 

 cannot, much longer be maintained. If re- 

 pealed, prices will rule low from the in- 

 creased competition of foreign produce. If 

 not repealed, prices may still rule low from 

 inability on the part of the manufacturing 

 and other classes to purchase. 



It appears to me that the embarrassments, 

 arising from permanently reduced prices of 

 agricultural produce, can be averted only, 

 by a union of improved cultivation and more 

 economical management, on the part of the 

 tenant, with the granting longer leases by 

 the landlord, on rents regulated, in part at 

 least, by the current value of the produce 

 of the farm. 



The prosperous condition botli of landlords 

 and tenants, in Scotland, even under the ad- 

 verse circumstances of the years 1633 to 

 1836, bears decisive testimony to the effects 

 of an improved cultivation and of corn rents; 

 and, if the attention of any one lias been 

 awakened to these effects .by perusing my 

 " Letter on Farming in the Lothians," I 

 shall feel amply repaid for the little trouble 

 which has attended its publication. 



Robert Hyde Greg, 



Norcliffe, Sept. 9th, 1842. 



Dear Sir, — Now that parliamentary war- 

 fare is over, and the din of arms and of spe- 

 cial constables* is subsiding, it may, perhaps, 

 not be uninteresting to your readers, more 

 especially the agricultural portion of them, 

 to peruse the notes I have made during my 

 late visit to the Lothians, a visit which I 

 made solely for farming purposes. 



The Lothians comprise, I believe, the 

 counties of Edinburgh, Haddmgton, and 

 Linlithgow, and have latterly become cele- 

 brated for the superior system of cultivation 

 carried on, the flourishing condition of the 



* The disturbances in tlie manufacturing districts. 



