On the Means of Improving a Country. 501 



clous system of cultivation, the following statements were 

 drawn up, by two intelligent farmers, respecting that amount, 

 in their respective occupations, the one possessing land prin- 

 cipally clay, the other a light, friable and loamy soil, favour- 

 able to the growth of turnips. 



Mr Brown of Markle, in East-Lothian, occupies a farm 

 of 670 English acres, on which, in consequence of almost all 

 his servants being married, there is a population of 91 per- 

 sons of all ages. Upon an average of years, the produce of 

 80 English acres is consumed on the farm, or given to the 

 servants as wages, as nearly the whole of them are paid in 

 grain, and have cows kept for their use, both summer and 

 winter. About 90 acres are required for raising corn, clo- 

 ver, tares, and hay, for the working stock, and 45 acres to 

 furnish seed corn. One hundred acres are in an unproduc- 

 tive state, that is, in summer fallow, or grass for young 

 horses not employed in labour, and in fences, roads, stack- 

 yards, or devoted to purposes from which no direct produce 

 is returned. Four acres are given to the servants, for rais- 

 ing flax, as a part of their wages ; in all 319 acres ; so there 

 only remain 351 acres for raising surplus produce. Of 

 these, about 120 acres are in pasture-grass for sheep and 

 cattle, in clover for soiling, or in turnips. This leaves 231 

 acres for raising disposable grain, the produce of which may 

 be stated at nine hundred and fifty quarters, on an average 

 of seasons. On the whole, he calculates, the surplus market- 

 able produce of his farm, on an average, at eleven bushels 

 and a fourth of corn, and twenty four pounds and a half 

 avoirdupois weight of butchers' meat, for every English 

 acre in his possession ( 4 ). 



Mr Walker of Mellendean in Roxburghshire, on the ex- 

 tensive tract of arable land which he cultivates, (2866 English 

 acres), with a population of 250 souls depending on its 

 cultivation for subsistence, sends, of surplus produce, to 

 market, 3551 quarters of grain, and 7000 stones of butchers' 

 meat ; or, ten bushels of grain, and thirty-five pounds 

 avoirdupois weight of butchers' meat, for every acre in his 

 possession ( 5 ). 



To these estimates of surplus produce, there are to be 

 added, the hides, the skins, the wool, the tallow, and a 

 variety of other articles, the basis of many important manu- 

 factures, the value of which, though it is impossible to give 

 its amount correctly, from its great uncertainty, and the 

 fluctuation of prices, must be very considerable. 



If such are the beneficial effects that result from cultivating 



