first place the use of the plough, which ought 

 to be viewed as the basis of all agrarian im- 

 provement, is not enough attended to, and 

 where it is applied, it is done in a manner so 

 inadequate to the purpose, that the good in- 

 tended to be derived from it is powerfully coun- 

 teracted ; generally speaking, this operation is 

 performed so lightl}^ that scarcely more than 

 the surface of the ground is broken by it ; the 

 weeds that ought to be extirpated are only cut 

 off, they consequently shoot out again and ab- 

 sorb much of the vigour of the soil that other- 

 wise would nourish the seed and plants com- 

 mitted to it. If the Canadian husbandman 

 could witness the difference between the style 

 of ploughing in England and his own, I am cer- 

 tain that he would readily be convinced of its 

 utility, and willing to adopt a method so much 

 in favour of his autumnal expectations. An- 

 other main object in farming improvements 

 is the judicious application of the various ma- 

 nures to different soils, in which essential par- 

 ticular it must be admitted the Canadian 

 practice is much in arrear, as it is only within 

 a few years, and in the neighbourhood of the 

 large towns, that it has been in some degree 

 attended to by a few farmers more intelligent 

 than their brethren ; this neglect, added to the 

 pernicious practice of sowing the same sort of 



