90 



Agriculture of Scotland. 



intelligence and inquiry wMch is so favourable to the development 

 of improvement through the application of known principles. They 

 were not contented with following old-established rules without 

 being satisfied that they were formed upon rational data, and many 

 practices in the detail of agriculture maintained by prejudice came 

 to yield to the application of correct reasoning. The Highland 

 Society's exertions, therefore, came now to bear with increased 

 force ; and as they were met by a more eager desire, both to com- 

 municate and receive information on the part of agriculturists, the 

 sphere of the Society's operations were, about the middle of this 

 epoch, very considerably extended. Its transactions, Vv^hich had 

 been published at long intervals, and which had reached only to 

 six volumes of rather an inaccessible form, previous to 1828, 

 were now given to the public quarterly through the medium, 

 and as an appendage, of that excellent work ^' The Quarterly 

 Journal of Agriculture," which at this time took the place of the old 

 Farmer's Magazine," a short time before discontinued. This 

 proceeding has proved of inestimable advantage to agriculture, in 

 disseminating more widely and expeditiously the many excellent 

 and highly useful communications, on every branch of agriculture, 

 which the liberal and increasing premiums of the Society have 

 called forth. The aid of science has thus been more extensively 

 called in, to assist in culture^ — new manures have been encouraged 

 and extended — encouragement has been given to the application 

 of more correct mechanical principles to the construction of imple- 

 ments — diseases of live-stock have been investigated, and thus 

 mitigated or removed — experiments have been instituted which 

 have given rise to greater economy in feeding — draining has been 

 encouraged and extended — and there is no branch of rural eco- 

 nomy which has not partaken of the benefits of the patronage and 

 encouragement of this munificent Society. More especially, also, 

 its care and interest came now to be given to the introduction and 

 extension of improved descriptions of live-stock ; and, in addition 

 to the district shows, which were ahuost specially devoted to the 

 improvement of the native breeds, the establishment of the 

 grand shows held annually in the chief towns has tended to ex- 

 cite an interest which has, besides other considerations, been emi- 

 nently conspicuous in spreading the taste for a finer and improved 

 stock. In short, the attention and influence of this patriotic body 

 being now extended principally to agriculture, it well merited the 

 additional title which it has assumed, of " The Agricultural So- 

 ciety of Scotland." The Prize-Essays and Transactions of this 

 Society, being now so easily accessible and quickly disseminated, 

 as might be supposed, could not fail to create a great interest in so 

 intelligent and well-educated a class as farmers had now become ; 

 and the effects were soon discernible in the perfection and scien- 



