AGEICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 133 



portions of the eighteenth century with a religious 

 fanaticism, which liindered progress, and bordered on 

 criminality in its interference with the development 

 of the country .^2 With the revolution of 1688, a 

 new era commeuced in the legislation on corn, and 

 soon after in the practice of the cultivator in Brit- 

 ain ; ^^ and the greater attention paid to improve- 

 ment, as following the tendency of the times, was 

 not without its effect in Scotland. In 1723 a society 

 was formed for the Improvement of Agriculture, of 

 which the Earl of Stair was a most active member ; 

 but there is reason to believe that the influence of 

 tlie example of its numerous members did not extend 

 to the common tenantrj'.^* It is worthy of remark 

 that farmers are at all times tardy and reluctant in 

 following the example of those possessing wealth ; 

 Avhereas, when a person who depends upon tlie suc- 

 cess of his industry for his subsistence, prospers in 

 his pursuits, his example is quickly followed by 

 others in his neighborhood. 



The County of Ayrshire contained within itself, 

 however, the elements of reform ; and Alexander, 

 Earl of Eglintou, commenced the improvement of his 

 large estate about 1730. He spurred the industry of 

 his tenants by personal appeals, opened quarries, laid 

 off roads, plantations, and ditches, and introduced an 

 eminent farmer from another district. John, Earl of 

 Loudon, also began extensive improvements about 

 this time, and raised field turnips, cabbages, and car- 



-- See Buckle's Hist, of Civilization in Eng., vol. 2, chap. 5. 

 23 Enc. Brit, ii, 264. ^' Enc. Brit, ii, 262. 



