TO THE READER, 



The Publishers deem it necessary to premise, that this 

 Essay was printed and sent to the Board of Agriculture^ 

 to compete for the Premium of £100, offered by the Board 

 to be adjudged to the Author of the most approved Paper 

 on the following subject, viz. : — " On the best means of em- 

 ploying the industrious and unoccupied poor and the 

 Author was included among the successful candidates on 

 that occasion, whose merits appeared to the Board so 

 equally balanced, that the Premium was ordered to be 

 divided in equal proportions among them ; but an objec-r 

 tion was afterwards started, and proved fatal, that its being 

 already printed, rendered it ineligible to compete for the 

 Prize ; but as its failure was solely to be attributed to this 

 circumstance, the Board to mark their approbation of its 

 merits, unanimously voted Dr. Richardson the Honorary 

 Medal. 



Mr. Curwen, in his recent publication, " On the State 

 of Ireland," thus expresses himself: — " The planting of 

 Fiorin must be a wise measure, as it brings surfaces which 

 before were wholly unproductive, on a par with soils of 

 infinitely superior quality in their neighbourhood; and 

 when the immence number of such boggy acres in Ireland 

 are taken into consideration ; the benefit which may be 

 derived by the cultivation of Fiorin on them, becomes a 

 most important object, and entitles Dr. Richardson to the 

 thanks of his country." Vol. 2, p. 321. 



