92 THE RURAL SOCRATES. 



hers sgain its hopes were equally gratified by the iiffue, 

 A man was difcovercd who could prepare wood fop 

 |)loughs, which united duvability with iightnefs, and 

 permitted the plougliing of heavy lands with light ma- 

 chinery. TheSociety had alfo the opportunity of inform- 

 ing the peafantry^ when they fhould cultivate with the 

 plough, when with the fpade, the pick-axe, or the hoe 

 with two branches. 



In the two lail years, the notice of the cultivators 

 was UWutdtoXhtwatering and draining of lands ; two 

 branches, in which the canton of Berne v.'as far more 

 advanced than that of Zurich. The abflrad of what 

 was written on tliis iubje<Sl is to be fdsn in the paper of 

 in[lru6iions drawn up by jMr. Brunner^ fecretary tot;».- 

 commifFion. 



Thefe inflrudlions ^xcYcfe?if at the expence oftheSoci" 

 civ to all the pari/kes in the canton; and the clerpj were 

 tiefired to promote attention to them ; and in particular, 

 to get them placed in every jchool-room^ that young 

 perfons might acquire right ideas as early as pojjible. — 

 Every day plcafing proofs offered of the falutary fpirit 

 which was excited by this means among cultivators. 



Rut the lecond plan for drawing the attention of th:^ 

 cultivators to what concerned them, was ftill purliied \ 

 namely, that of the folen^n conferences which have 

 been above defcribed. Care however was taken to 

 make the fubjed: of them diifer from that of the annual 

 prize quedions.- If the conference in this cale had pre- 

 leded the prize queflion, the peafant would have been 

 anticipated in his own inquiries, and the obje*^ of ex- 

 citing his own meditations miglit have been frufliated ; 

 nnd if it \\zA jolloroedx\\t difcnliion of the prize queflion, 

 mortification and other incorvmlrnccs v^ciild have oc- 

 cnrred to manv of them. 

 ^ ■ ' It 



