PREFACE. Vll 



author of this little book feels peculiarly honourable to 

 himself, and a gratifying reward for his pains, as proceed- 

 ing from a man who, through so great a part of his life, 

 has laboured to obtain a right understanding of every thing 

 which appertains to rural affairs, and who has thence actu- 

 ally conferred so many solid benefits on his country. With 

 respect to the injunctions of Sir John Sinclair, I had al- 

 ready anticipated them in part ; but t could find nothing 

 of material interest respecting poultry in the books he 

 quotes, agricultural writers, in general, neglecting that 

 subject, as of inferior concern, unless, indeed, we except 

 one, and him there will be no doubt that, I consulted. I 

 however recollect the description of a most complete 

 poultry-yard, some yeajs since, either in the Annals of 

 Agriculture, or Communications to the Board. As to con- 

 siderable poultry- feeders in and about London, granting 

 there be any such exclusive of the goose-feeders, they must 

 be sought, I apprehend, among the poulterers, 



A critic in one of the Magazines objects to my posi- 

 tion, that " no live stock is less liable to disease than the 

 rabbit, with regular and careful attention." I repeat the 

 assertion, coupled with another, namely, that without 

 regular and careful attention, no live stock is more pre- 

 carious. 



May 27, 1816. 



Letter of the Right Hon. Sir John Sinclair, Bart, to 

 Messrs. Sherwood and Co. 



(COPY.) 



GENTLEMEN, 



I have read over Mr. Moubray's Treatise on Domestic Poultry, 

 which seems to be the best work hitherto printed on that subject ; but it 



