Agriculture in England. 



21 



at last he may be able to arrange these endless vicissitudes under 

 some regular system^ and thereby know of a certainty the signs 

 of the sky — we, the owners and occupiers of the land, on a matter 

 wherein we have a strong interest, in which the whole nation, as 

 consumers, and many millions as labourers, have an interest also, 

 on a matter too in which so much improvement has been long 

 ago made, so much is still making, and so much is in prospect, 

 should alone be so faint-hearted, or so short-sighted, as to doubt 

 that, by our combined exertions, the bounds of our own science 

 may be enlarged ; and that, besides this hope, which is sufficient 

 for the followers of other sciences, we may at the same time 

 advance our own interests, give more bread — not to our loss, but 

 with our own gain — to our dependent workmen^ and strengthen 

 at the same time the country's resources ? 



But such arguments are not needed. On the contrary, there 

 are proofs on all sides, whether in the weekly increase of this 

 Society's numbers, in the local societies which are springing up 

 in every county, in the farmers' clubs which are being formed, 

 the new machines which are invented, new manures, and new 

 varieties of seed which are announced — above all, and practically, 

 in the improving face of the country; which show that the British 

 farmer is not liable to the charge of being blindly attached to 

 ancient practice, but is ready, with the caution however which 

 befits a man whose livelihood is in agriculture, as well as his plea- 

 sure, to adopt improvements in his art, and even to seek for 

 them — that the spirit of inquiry is afloat — that this Society is 

 formed therefore in an auspicious time, and does but represent 

 the wishes of those whom it seeks to unite in the road of know- 

 ledge, which they are already disposed to pursue, and that its 

 exertions will be engaged, not so much in stimulating as in metho- 

 dizing the general desire for improvement. How we may best 

 combine and order the separate efforts of our individual mem- 

 bers, on the details of vvhose exertions, duly combined, in the 

 various paths of our diversified art, to a common end — and care- 

 fully and honestly made knoAvn to our body, our slow but steady 

 progress will mainly depend — must form the future subject of 

 our common consideration. 



Jam lu ygii Qdi Bnt 



