12 A HISTORY OF 



on a political career. He, however, began farming near 

 Wallingford, where he invented and perfected his " drill." 

 For some years Tiill was compelled to travel for his health, 

 and on his return in 1714 he carried out many improve- 

 ments noted while abroad, but his views and experiments met 

 with much opposition. His famous book was an Essay on the 

 Principles of Tillage and Vegetation. In 1733 and 1753, 

 French translations of it appeared, and Voltaire was said to 

 have been a disciple of Tull, practising husbandry at Ferney 

 on the new system. TulPs invention was the contriving 

 of an engine which would plant more surely than could be 

 done by hand, and he is said to have invented the four- 

 wheeled post-chaise. His death took place in 1741. 



A treatise on " A new method of draining marshy 

 and boggy lands " was presented in writing by 

 Mr. Prior, which, on being read, was ordered to be 

 registered, and this treatise is copied in full in the 

 original minute book. A paper on Hampshire Methods 

 in the Culture of Hops , by Captain Cobbe, and a disserta- 

 tion on Dyeing by Dr. William Stephens, were also 

 read, and are to be found in the minute book. 



The meeting of the 28th of October 1731 was held 

 in the Lords' committee room at the Parliament House, 

 where many subsequent ones were conducted. Dr. 

 Stephens brought forward an account of the design 

 and method of proceeding of the Society, of which 

 2000 copies were ordered to be printed, distributed 

 among the members, and also sent into the country. 



As showing the anxious desire of the Society, even 

 in its early infancy, for full enquiry and enlightenment 

 on every point that might tend to improvement, which 

 has been so characteristic of it in its subsequent career, 

 there is a record of Lord Barrymore having been re- 

 quested to direct his agent in Cheshire to send over a 

 bushel of each species of marl found in that county : 

 also of Mr. Prior handing in a set of queries on 



