78 



Agriculture of Scotland, 



tribute the rapid improvement which, at this time, became so con- 

 spicuous and simuhaneous in so many parts of the country, and for 

 some time subsequently, in the first instance at any rate, to the 

 efforts of this munificent body. It may with more propriety, in 

 reference to this period, be said, that the Highland Society owed 

 its existence to the spirit of agricultural improvement then called 

 into exercise than that it originated this spirit. No doubt, al- 

 though the attention of the Highland Society was, on its first in- 

 stitution, chiefly directed to that quarter of Scotland to which its 

 name peculiarly bears reference, and its first volume of Essays and 

 Transactions was not published until 1799, still the regard of the 

 Society was early attracted to the promotion of agriculture generally 

 throughout Scotland ; and besides that the private influence of its 

 members tended much to promote beneficial views to this end, use- 

 ful hints were circulated by means of its advertisements, and a spirit 

 of praiseworthy emulation was encouraged by its very liberal distri- 

 bution of premiums, which tended to assist in disseminating the 

 knowledge of those improvements which existed in other parts of 

 the country. 



But still the fresh spirit of improvement, induced by the greater 

 prosperity, was, in Scotland at least, comparatively limited in its 

 operation, and conceiving that no extraordinary impulse was given to 

 agricultural exertion there, until the year following the season of 

 1795, we assume the epoch between 1783 and this period as that 

 to which we shall rightly be able to apply a general description ; 

 and stopping at this latter period evidently best marks — as has been 

 required — the first particular point of change which has arisen in 

 the progress of improvement. 



In general we find this era is more distinguished for the ex- 

 tended application of those principles which had already been in 

 operation, than for the introduction of anything new in the art of 

 agriculture. Besides the unprecedented increase of population 

 which took place at this time, and which created a great additional 

 demand for the ordinary descriptions of food, the improved habits 

 of the people at large, and a more full and substantial mode of 

 living, gave rise to a much more extended use of wheaten bread 

 and butchers' meat. The increased luxury of the higher classes, 

 in servants and horses, also operated a further demand ; and new 

 markets so near home being established in the increasing towns 

 and villages throughout the country, imparted a spirit to the ener- 

 gies of the farmer, which were principally applied to the further 

 reclaiming of those lands which had not hitherto been brought 

 under the influence of the plough. It is highly probable more 

 attention was given to these fresh lands, from much of what had 

 been previously applied to the growth of corn- crops having be- 

 come deteriorated, to a great extent, by the practice of over-crop- 



