UTILITY OF AGRICULTURAL .SOCIETIES. 267 



new discoveries. A combination of these has led to the 

 high state of cultivation which now exists in England ; a 

 country which, generally speaking, i^ less favoured by 

 nature, as to its soil than our own. If in those nations 

 where they have so long had the benefit of experi- 

 ence in i'arming, their importance is acknowledged, and 

 by the information which they have spread, the value of 

 land has increased, and its products been greatly aug- 

 mented, can we hesitate to believe, that similar effects 

 will be produced here, if our societies are surticiently en- 

 ^oiiraged, and enabfed to excite an honourable compe- 

 tition among practical farmers ? By means of honorary 

 rewards, in those countries, a laudable compeliiion has 

 been excited ; experiments have been made on extv'^n- 

 sive as well as more limited scales ; new modes of culti- 

 vation have been successfully attempied ; the various 

 grains suited to the climate have been tried, and tiie re- 

 sults on different soils taithfuily staled ; those species 

 of cattle most proper for labour, for the dairy, or for 

 food, have been selected or introduced ; that noble ani- 

 mal, the horse, has deservedly claimed the greatest at- 

 tention, and t'uily repays the care wldch has been be- 

 stowed in proc'iring different breeds for the various 

 purposes to wjiich they are best adapted by their strength 

 crfleetness; the kinds of sheep remarkable for the 

 quantity or quality of their fleece, or best s^iited for hu- 

 man sustenance, have by unremitted care and juriicious 

 selections been correctly ascertained, and their numbers 

 greatly increased ; the most profitable swine have been 

 sought for, and the means pointed out of faUing them 

 to tbe best advantage ; implements of husbandry have 

 been invented, and such as stood the test of repealed 

 experiments have be. Ml brought into use ; and a system 

 of farming has been e na!i!ished, which, by a rotation of 

 crops for different soils, >^nd ihe judicious use of manures, 

 preserves the land iii a s^ Ue most likely to ensure an am- 

 ple return for the labour and '*^pense bestowed on it. — 

 Notwithstanding all that has ..oen done, they think it 

 proper to coniinue their exertions, and to endeavour to 

 attain a still greater degree of perfection. 



But independent of the light of experience, the ques- 

 tion admits of the most full and satisfactory deterniina- 



