RUR 



R U R 



and advancement of the art of farming greatly depends 

 upon it. 



The writer of the Agricultural Report of the County of 

 Middlefex has remarked, that not only the common wheel- 

 wrights and fmiths of that diftnft have no ideas of ma- 

 chinery, or the capacity of executing any thing from draw- 

 ings or fpecifications ; but that the generality of the far- 

 mer's labourers are equally ftupid, and unwilling to execute 

 their work in any way to which they are not accuftomed. 

 Hence, it is contended, the difficulty of introducing any 

 thing new in the implements or practice of hufbandry is al- 

 moft insurmountable. Even the molt trifling alteration, or 

 deviation from the old fyftem or plan, is refilled, it is faid, 

 both by the artificers and labourers ; and every poffible ob- 

 ftruction thrown in the way of the farmers, to prevent what 

 they deem an innovation on the eftablifhed cuftom of the 

 place, or part of the county where it may take place. The 

 fame is the cafe in regard to all the more complex kinds of 

 machinery, as it is ailertcd that it is abfolutely irnpollible to 

 get a plough, a threfhing-mill or machine, a winnowing 

 machine, or indeed any other timilar fort of implement of 

 hufbandry, conltrudted on a t;ood principle by the artificers 

 of this county ; and that it is not much lefs difficult to in- 

 duce the labourers to make life of them, when they aie 

 brought from any other place at a diftance. Thus the 

 farmer is reduced to the necefiity of treading in the fteps of 

 his forefathers, though the practice may be at war with his 

 own better judgment and inclination ; and many ufeful al- 

 terations and improvements in the art of cultivation re- 

 tarded and kept back. 



But though there mav be fome expert, ingenious, and 

 fenfible mechanics in a diftric\, who are capable, and fully 

 competent to execute orders for all kinds of implements and 

 machinery, which may be ufeful or neceflary to the different 

 purpofes of agriculture and hufbandry, their exertions and 

 labours are often more confiderably leffened in utility and 

 value than might be fuppofed, on account of the unavoid- 

 able wear and tear which they undergo, neceffarily fub- 

 jecring them to frequent repairs, which are utterly impof- 

 fible to be got done in any fkilful manner by the common 

 country artificers ; and the great inconvenience, expence, 

 and lofs of time, which mult be lulkiined by fending them 

 for fuch purpofes to the original con.truclors of them, who 

 are not unfrequently at a great diftance. This is another 

 great drawback on improvements in the praclice of farm- 

 ing- 

 Mere theoretical cultivators, who have not experienced 

 thefe difficulties and ineonveniencies, and are fo frequently 

 condemning the whole body of farmers as obflinately refitt- 

 ing every attempt at improvement in the art, often difplay 

 their own want oi knowledge and fuperficialncfs on the (ab- 

 ject, by bellowing that degree ot reprobation and cenfure 

 on the farmer, which ought to have been applied to his la- 

 bourers and rural artificers. 



The proper encouragement of good and expert rural ar- 

 tificers is confequently a matter which tends greatly towards 

 promoting and bettering the ftate and condition of agri- 

 culture, in various effential points, as well as to augment 

 and render its conveniencies much more numerous and 

 beneficial. 



Rural Buildings and Seals, in Gardening. See Re- 

 treat and Seat. 



Rural Gates, in Ornamental Gardening, are fuch as are 

 employed for . ornamenting the entrances to country reli- 

 dences, or other fimilar purpofes. They fhould have a 

 form and conflruftion, fo as in fome meafure to harmonize 

 and accord with the nature and ftyle of the refidence to 



which they are to belong ; the fame general principles 

 being, in fome degree, applicable here as in the cafe of 

 rural lodges. It is indeed luggefted, that they both pre- 

 fent ample fcope for invention, winch has been productive 

 of two great evils : the firfl of which is, that too many de- 

 (igns of this nature have been giver, to the public ; and 

 the latter, that the proprietors and other pertons have 

 adopted, copied, and executed them, without any regard 

 to the nature of the fituation, or the character of the man- 

 fion or refidence to which they are to be affixed. It is be- 

 lieved that no perfon will require proofs of this, who has 

 feen any thing of the country. In regard to what relates 

 to economy and utility in gates for common purpofes, it 

 may be feen under the head Gate. 



Rural Lodges, are fuch adorned fmall build.ngs as are 

 neceflary for the entrances, or other parts of the ap- 

 proaches or drives of country refidences. Thofe for the 

 former, according to the opinion of Mr. Loudon, fhould be 

 defigned and conltrudted in a character and on principles 

 fomewhat analogous to that of the refidence to which thev 

 belong ; while thofe of the latter, or for the drives, fhould 

 feldom be more than improved rural cottages, unlef. he na- 

 ture of the fituation fhould fuggeft fome peculiarity ot form, 

 or defcription of them. It is fuppofed, that the notion of 

 appropriating a country, by ttamping all fuch buildin^ , a 

 well as fome others, with femething which may denote the 

 continuation of the proprietor's eitate, is only calculated to 

 gratify the vanity and olteiitation of fuch perfons. The 

 truly great, it is conceived, need nothing to make them ap- 

 pear fo ; and in the country, they will ever be more affi- 

 duous to render themfelves agreeable to their neighbours, 

 than to fhew the unfociable difpofition of monopolizing 

 territory. In regard to their grounds, it is fuggefted that 

 they will be ready with Marlborough, Argyle, Howard, 

 and other noble proprietors of grand refidences, to fay with 

 the marquis of Ermeonville, " This, the farm, only is fhut 

 up ; the three others, the wood, the forelt, and the meadow, 

 are open to every body ; and I only wifh that they fhould 

 think themfelves as much at home as if they belonged to 

 them." On the whole, thofe forts of buildings fhould al- 

 ways partake fomewhat of the nature of the fituations, and 

 the ftyles of building in the refidences to which they are to 

 be attached. See Country Residence. 



RUREMONDE, or Roermond, in Geography, a town 

 of France, and principal place of a diltrict,, in the depart- 

 ment of the Lower Meufe, late of Upper Guelderland, in 

 the Auitrian Netherlands, lituated at the conflux of the 

 Roer and Meufe. It derives its name from that of the 

 former river and the term Mondt, fignifying mouth, both 

 expreffing its fituatioivat the Mouth of the Roer. It was 

 encompailed with walls and lix gates by Otho, furnamed 

 the Cripple, 14th count of Guelderland. In 1290 it ob- 

 tained from Rodolphus the privilege uf coming money ; and 

 in 1562 it was created into a bifhopric by pope Paul IV., 

 under the archbifhopric of Malines. The cathedral is the 

 only parifh church. Its magiltracy is compofed of nine 

 echevins and two fecretaries. In 1665 an accidental tire 

 deftroyed almoft all the houfes, convents, and the biihop's 

 palaces. It has been often taken and retaken by the Dutch 

 and Spaniards, in their civil wars ; 30 miles N. of Aix-la- 

 Chapelle. The town contains 3788, and the canton 14,621 

 inhabitant?, on a territory of 222A kiliometres, in 20 com- 

 munes. N. lat. 51 12'. E. long. 5- 50'. 



RUREY, a town of France, in the department of the 

 Doubs : 4 miles E. of Quingey. 



RUR HOW, a town of Hindooftan, in Dooab ; 30 miles 

 E. of Etaya. 



RUS, 



