Mackenzie's Hints for HigJiland Te?ianis. 215 



VII. Cattle, Horses, Pigs, &c. Diseases, viii. Gardens, Seeds, 

 Fruits, Vegetables, jx. Education, Morals, &c. 



The following quotation may be read with advantage by all of 

 us : — 



" But, although I have not commenced by the usual formalities of a preface 

 and introduction, it may be well, before stating the different heads under 

 which it is intended to consider the subject of this little work, to remind you 

 that success in any thing depends upon your own exertions, and that were 

 the most perfect rules laid down for your guidance, the benefit to be derived 

 depends wholly upon the mode of application. No proverb is more true than 

 that where one man thrives another will starve ; but you are not to imagine 

 that the success of the one or the misfortune of the other depends upon blind 

 chance. Every tradesman can perform the work in which he has been in- 

 structed, but very different indeed is the quality of work performed by each, 

 for that depends on the ingenuity of the individual. So, in the various walks 

 of life, he will certainly succeed best, not only who is gifted naturally with the 

 most talent, but who calls that talent into action by consideration and per- 

 severance, who not only weighs well the subject before commencing an under- 

 taking, but who determines to spare no pains in putting his matured ideas- 

 into practice. 



" If you closely examine your thriving neighbour, you will uniformly find 

 him not only considerate, but constantly laborious in the attainment of some 

 useful object. Yet it is impossible to conceal the fact, that, with the majority 

 of you, indolence and a negligent waste of time prevail to a degree unknown 

 in those countries where greater comfort and plenty reign ; for, with every 

 allowance for the slaving toil you undergo at seed time, your care and assiduity 

 in harvest, and the anxiety with which you prosecute the fishing when any 

 chance of success presents itself, every unprejudiced person will allow that 

 your destruction of precious time is such as in any other country would prove 

 totally ruinous. 



" Keeping in view, then, that idleness is the root of all evil, be assured that 

 if you take care of the hours the years will not be neglected. Nor is it by 

 violent exertions for a limited period, but by an easy constant occupation of 

 your time that you can expect prosperity. 



" To impress this the more forcibly, for it is a subject of the most vital 

 importance, I may illustrate it by two examples familiar to yourselves. Do 

 you not generally attribute your inferior crops to the want of manure, and 

 would not a larger quantity be of essential service ? You undoubtedly will 

 answer in the affirmative, and I can then prove arithmetically that a full 

 supply is always in your power. For, if but one basket, containing a cubic 

 foot of seaware, be collected each tide, or six baskets each week, and added 

 to an equal quantity of earth, gravel, or clay, according to the nature of your 

 lands, and mixed up with the house sweepings, ashes, and house refuse, which 

 in a well-swept house will not be less than two baskets per week, it will 

 stand thus : — 



313 cubic feet of sea ware. 



313 of clay, moss, gravel, or earth. 



104 of house sweepings and ashes. 



27)730(264 cubic yards. 



Now, allowing this compost to subside one half, it will give you rather more 

 than 13 or 14 solid yards of the best compost manure, sufficient to dung half 

 a Scotch acre of land for potatoes, and the acquirement of which will not 

 occupy two hours of the time now so often wasted. To collect this in a' 

 short time would be a work of great fatigue, though by degrees it maj' be ac- 

 complished without inconvenience ; and yet, though apparently so simple an 



