90^ " Jgriculturc\ [Chap, Yllh 



CHAPTER \m. 



AGRICUJ,TU.RE. .. 



IS O art is^ ofmore ancient ddXe than this, it em- 

 ployed our first parents in I'eradise ; and has been 

 niorc or less an object of pursuit in all ages. Like 

 almost every other object of human attention, how- 

 ever, it has undergone numberless revolutions of 

 decline -'id revival, in diiTerent periods, and among 

 different nations. In Egypt, in Palesline, in Greece, 

 in Persia, and in the Roman empire, this art suc^ 

 cessively rose into importance,, flourished under 

 various wise encouragements, and gradually de- 

 clined with the learning, taste, and indu^itry of 

 the respective countries. From the time of Con- 

 stantine tiie Great, to the beginning of the seven- 

 teenth century, the annals of agriculture furnish 

 little worthy of attention. About the latter period, 

 in consequence of many laudable efforts made by 

 men of influence, and the publication of several 

 valuable works on the subject, this art began to 

 revive in France, and in Flanders. The inhabit- 

 ants of lliose countries endeavoured for a consi- 

 derable time to conceal the means which they 

 used for improving and increasing the productive- 

 ness of their lands. Whoever, therefore, became 

 desirous of receiving instruction in their method of 

 hushandry, was under the necessity of visiting their 

 country, and observing for himself. We are told 



