Climate. 15 



of the low-lying districts of the latter, the cultivation of that 

 important plant has never been attempted ( 3 ). In several 

 of the northern counties of North Britain, it has been found 

 necessary to sow, instead of the two-rowed barley, the in- 

 ferior sort called bear, or big ; and oats, from the hardy quality 

 of the grain, are found to be a more certain and more pro- 

 fitable species of corn than any other ( 3l ), while in humid 

 districts, pease or beans cannot be safely cultivated, from the 

 periodical wetness of autumn. On the whole, without great 

 attention to the nature of the climate, no profitable system can 

 be laid down by any occupier of land ( 3z ). Indeed, as plants 

 are fixed to one spot, are constantly exposed to the open air, 

 derive a portion of nourishment from the atmosphere, and 

 can neither move nor defend themselves from its influence, 

 they are more affected by climate than even the human race. 



10. Effects of Climate on the Expense of Cultivation. An 

 inferior climate, is highly prejudicial to the farmer in another 

 respect : it materially augments the expenses of cultivation, 

 because a greater number of horses are required for labour, 

 during the short period of the year when the weather will 

 admit of it, while, at other seasons, they are a useless burden 

 upon the farm. When to this are joined, an uneven surface, 

 and an inferior quality of soil, arable land is of little value, 

 and yields but a trifling rent ( 33 ). 



11. Introduction of Exotic Plants and Animals. It has be en 

 remarked, that many circumstances frequently occur, which 

 render a greater knowledge of climate necessary, than usual- 

 ly falls to the share of the generality of husbandmen, even of 

 the higher order ; and this observation is peculiarly applicable, 

 when plants, not indigenous in a country, or new breeds of 

 animals, are introduced into it ( 34 ). Daily experience proves, 

 that many of the vegetable and animal productions of one coun- 

 try, may be naturalized in another ; but that this can only be 

 done successfully, by paying attention to the climate whence 

 they were brought, and by endeavouring, either to render that 

 to which they are introduced, as similar to it as circumstances 

 will admit of, or to counteract, by judicious management, the 

 deficiencies of the new one. 



12. On the Means of ascertaining the Nature of a Climate. 

 In this respect the farmer, in modern times, has many advan- 

 tages which his predecessors wished for in vain. The pro- 

 gress of science has given rise to the invention of many new 

 instruments, by which the real state of natural phenomena is 

 ascertained, with a considerable degree of accuracy, instead 

 of conjectures or systems being founded on loose or general 



