60 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Catherine, when she wanted a sallad, was obliged to despatch o 
messenger thither on purpose.’ Still later, we learn from an en¬ 
try, dated in 1595, in thu huu-ehold book of the Cliffords, kept at 
Skipton Castle, in Yorkshire, that eleven shillings (a large sum in 
those days) were paid ‘ for vi cuMshes and some cw el-roots, Loi'glit 
at Hull.’ —a seaport at the distance of full eighty miles: fn.ni 
which we may presume that they were imported, and purchased 
for some very particular occasion. In the commencement of the 
seventeenth century, one of the commonest of our present escu¬ 
lents, the potato, was regarded as so great a rarity, that it was 
only served m srna 1 quantities, and at the price of two shillings the 
pound, at the Queen’s table: it was for a long time treated as a fruit, 
baked in pies with spices and wine, or eaten with sugar: and nearly 
two hundred years elapsed, from its first introduction into this 
country, before it was cuhivated as a field crop. 
Sincu that time, through the progress of botanical science, and 
the efforts made for the improvement of horticulture, many pro¬ 
ductions of the south have been naturalized in this country, and 
the introduction of the hot-house has made us familiar with the 
rarest exotics. Still, various foreign vegetables remain strangers 
to our culture, though adapted to our climate, and even some, 
which are indigenous to our soil, have not yet been brought in'o 
use, or are only slowly obtaining attention. It is not, indeed, to 
foreign nations alone that we are to look for new species of plants. 
Those which we air. any p ssess becomes so improved by cultivation, 
that new varieties of the same race are constantly produced, until, 
at length, by continued melioration, the parent stock is either lost, 
or neglected, and a new generation is created. Thus it has been 
supposed that not one of the numerous kinds and varieties of fruit, 
now found in our gardens and orchards, are what they were in 
their aboriginal state, and several appear to be absolutely new for¬ 
ma ions, the offspring of accident, or skill, rather than the spon¬ 
taneous productions of nature. We are even ignoiant of the na¬ 
tive country, and existence in a wild state, of some of the mo t 
important of our plants; but we know that improved flowers and 
fruits are the necessary production of improved culture, and that 
the offspring, in a greater or less degree, inherits the character of 
its parent; the austere crab of our woods has been converted into the 
golden pippin, and the numerous varieties of the plumb can boast 
no other parent than our native sloe. Thus also, notwithstanding 
the attention bestowed by the anc erhs on the products of their 
gardens, and the probability that they were acquainted with a great 
proportion of the vegetables still in use, yet botanists rind it diffi 
cult to reconcile the generic qualities of many plants, as they are 
described by the Greek and Roman authors, with the properties of 
those of the same species with which we are acquainted; «e may. 
therefore, confidently infer, that an ample and unexplored field fm 
future discovery lies before it-, in which nature does not seem to have 
placed any limits to the success of our labors, if properly applied. 
If the faculty of increasing the stores which nature has already 
provided for his support, raises man above the brute, that of adding 
new productions to those in existence raises him above his fellow, 
and few sit jects of contemplation can be more gratifying, or more 
elevating, to a reflect vc mind, than this power, as it were, of 
creation, granted to his intelligence and industry. Nor is it ne 
ce-sarv to its enjoyment that we should be ei’her botanists or na¬ 
tural philosophers; or that we should devote more than occasions 
lei tire to the pursuit. So boundless, i-deed, is the scope whir l 
it affords for experiment, that it is in the power of any one, pos 
so.-sed of the smallest garden, and the least acquaintance with 
horticulture, so to improve the qualities of its products, as to add 
something to the common stock of botanical riches, while enjoy¬ 
ing a very delightful recreation. While the farmer, who will lake 
the pains to mark the progress <f his crops, a. d to select fron 
them the most productive ears of corn, and the finest roots and 
grasses, for seed, m-y, hyperseverance in such n plan, not only 
acquire wealth for himself, but confer an inestimable benefit on his 
country. 
But it is not to the patriotism of the farmer that we appeal. Thai 
is a motive called into operation only on great occasions ; it goverm- 
nnne of the common actions of life, and has no influ nee over or 
dinarv minds: neither is it necessary to our purpose. Self ioteres’ 
alone is a sufficient inducement to most men to exert themselves 
in their peculiar walk, and, if properly directed, it accomplishes 
the object of society as well as if they were swayed by higher prin¬ 
ciples of conduct. We, therefore, only mean to call attention to 
the fact, that, when pursued with ski 1 and assiduity, husbandry 
offers one of the surest sources, not merely of independence, but 
of fortune: in proof of which assertion, numberless instances could 
be adduced of men now living in affluence, acquired solely by fann¬ 
ing, as well as of others who have left large property to their heirs. 
Among the latter, Bakewell stands foremost—not so much fi r 
the fortune which he realized, as for the important results of his 
experiments, as a breeder, both to the public, and to his numer¬ 
ous followers; inasmuch as the improvements which heeffccied in 
live-stock, or to which his example has led the way, have contri¬ 
buted largely to the increa-e of animal food, and opened a branch 
of farming as novel as it has proved lucrative. Efforts had, indeed, 
been made before his time, to improve the different breeds; but 
ihey were comparatively feeble and ill-judged, un'il his penetration 
discovered the defects of the former system. He observed, that 
ihe moderate-sized, compact, small-bnned animals were generally 
n the best condition: he, therefore, endeavored to improve these 
desirable points, and to remove what he deemed blemishes; until, 
by slow degrees, but with great judgment and perseverance, he 
produced those varieties, of both cattle and sheep, which have 
sii.ee been distinctively termed, from his place of residence, the 
‘ Dhhley breeds' Such was his success, that, in one season, lie 
received twe've hundred guineas for the hire of three rams, and 
two thousand for the use of seven; and, dining several successive 
years, he never obtained less than three thousand for his emire 
letting. The spirit of emulation thus excited, and since so wide¬ 
ly spread, gave rise to a singular division of abor among tlie 
shepp-breeders, who, until then, ha ! usually been contented with 
ihe rams bied in their own flocks; but. from that period, it became 
a speculation to breed rams for the purpose of hiiing them out. 
Some of these have been let so high as five hundred pound for the 
season: one, the property of Mr.Buckley, was hired, in 1811, at 
a thousand: and, as the system h»s been extended from the Lei¬ 
cester to all the other favorite slocks, many of the 1 Tup-masters' 
as they are called, have profiled largely by the innovation. Equally 
extraordinary prices have been given for cattle of superior quali¬ 
ty ; audit will be remembered, that a Durham bull— Comet —be¬ 
longing to Mr. Criar.es Colling, of Ketlon, was actually sold, by 
pubi c auction, for a thousand guineas. 
OfBakewi li’s immediate disciples, the Messrs. Culley, of North- 
umbeilanri,were the most distinguished. They were among the fore¬ 
most promoters of all agricultural experiments: and their superior 
intelligence, unremitting industry, and judicious application of the 
capital they gradually acquired, enabled them—from small original 
means—to leave their jespective families each in the enjoyment of 
landed property to the amount of nearly four thousand-pounds per 
annum, besides having largely contributed to the welfare of the 
surrounding country. 
To these examples must be add* d, that of one, less known per- 
lians, but not le-s worthy of imitation. The late Mr. Dawson, of 
Frogden, in Roxlmrgshire, was the son of a farmer in moderate 
circumstances. He was bom in 17: 4; and afer having assisted 
his father during some years, and having also obtained an insight 
into tire English mode of (aiming, in Yorkshire and Essex, betook 
the lands of Frogden, and there commenced the plan of growing 
alternate cr-.ps of grain and gra-ses, nr roots, and particularly of 
turnips, which he cultivated according to Tull’s method. He was 
ilso the first to intr (luce the Norfolk tnorte of ploughing, with 
two horses abreast, into that pait of the country; and, by perse¬ 
verance in the prosecution of these improvements, lie lived, not 
only materially to advance the husbandly of the neighboring dis¬ 
trict, but also to purchase a considerable estate, and to leave a 
Humorous family in very great affluence. He is described by his 
biographer, as having been “exceedingly regular i Ins habits, and 
most correct and s> sternatic in all his agricultural operations. His 
.Ians were the result of an enlightened and sober calculation, and 
were persi-ted in, spite of every difficulty ir d discouragement, 
'ill they were reduced to practice. Every one who knows the ob¬ 
stacle-that are thrown in the way of all innovations, in agricnl- 
"re, by the sneers and prejudice of obstinacy and ig no a nee, and 
not unfrequently ny the ev 1 offices of jealousy and malevolence, 
must be aware, that none but men of very strong minds, and of 
