[ 12 ] 



human fpecles, io the treafures of nature 

 are not always obvious, nor her produd:ions 

 fpontaneous. The effed:s of hme, chalk 

 and marie, and the advantage arifing from 

 a proper mixture of different foils, are 

 dlicovered by (Iri^f obiervation and diligent 

 experiment ; nor will the richeft land yield 

 its increai'e in grain, without a painful 

 cultivation. 



To make thefe obfervations applicable to 

 the foil in queftion, I fliall, as accurately 

 and as briefly as I am able, defcribe the 

 foil of the w^oldft, enumerate the natural 

 difficulties attending its improvement, de- 

 fcribe the ufe it is at prefent put to, mention 

 the rent, and the methods of cultivation 

 now In ufe ; and, lallly, I fhall endeavour 

 to point out the eaiieff and moft likely means 

 of improving it to the ucmoft. Nor are my 

 fchemes merely ideal, nor is my plandeftitute 

 of probability. An cxtenfive pratlice of 

 many years, a ferles of experiments con- 

 duced with care, and applied to a great 

 variety of vegetables, corn and pulfe, as well 

 as the artificial grafl'cs, repeated in different 

 foils, feafons, and fituations, enable me to 

 build not on tlicory alone, but on the more 

 folid foundation o{ fdcls : Thefe cannot 

 miflead ; and, amidll the volumes written 

 on the fubjccl; of Agriculture, it ^s to be 

 lamented that we meet with fo few experi- 

 ments. 1 coiifjder ihcfe as the bajis of true. 



liiirbandrv: 



