852 
being fo perfeét, as to be deftroyed only 
by a “fecond calcination. 
This difcuffion, commenced by your 
intelligent correfpo ndent, T. in your 
Third Number, had for its object, to ex- 
plain to the praética! farmer, the manner 
in which different manures cperate upon 
vegetation, in order that in his applica- 
tion of them, he might be governed by 
clear and decifive principles : the attain- 
ment of this objeét would conftitute a 
brilliant zra in the annals of philofophy 
and agriculture ; and though the con- 
jc Cures of your ingenious correfpondents 
T. and Z. do not, in my opinion, eluci- 
date the mode by which lime, as a ma- 
nure, aéts upon vegetation, yet, agree- 
ably to the maxim of a late refpeétable 
charaéter, no effort can be loft: and the 
numerous Queries on the Nature and 
Principles of Vegetation, pe by 
the Board of Agr: sculture, and addrefied 
to Farmers, Nurferymen, and Gardeners, 
will, I hope, be the’ means of accumu- 
lating fuch a fund of practical informa- 
tion, as fhall enable te philofopher to 
profecute his refearches tae an increafed 
probability of fuccefs. Iam, fir, 
Your obedient ioe ant, 
Nov. 5, 1796- 

Fo ibe Editor of the Monibly Magazzne. 
. SIR, - 
A 
WONG the various end well-chofen 
fubjecis of your Mifcellany, none, 
in my opinion, is fo univ erfally bene- 
ficial, and, ultimately, Oe of more 
real < advanta a fat or agriculture. 
ages, an 
What filudy, what em iploy more pleafing, 
honourable, or ufeful ; and int the fucceis 
of which, a// parties are more interefted ? 
F was, however, forry to fee in your 
Magazine, Number (X, fome reflections, 
‘of rather an illiberal caf! thrown out 
ry 
againft that excellent inftitution, . the 
Board of A griculture, by J. f. 
After enumerating feveral matters 
which the Board ought to’ have done, and 
have not done, he complains of the de- 
ficiency, endexpence of the county reports ; 
and afks, “what benefit has refulted fro om 
them ?” 
In anfwer to that queftion, I do not 
hefitate to affert, that the benefits arifing 
from the philanthrcpic exertions of the 
Board of Agriculture, taken coliectively, 
“are already very great and important ; 
and will, in ail probability , be, ina thort 
time, incalculably beneficial. What ap- 
pears to me che princi ipat fiep towards 
the great poin t nance at, viz. making the 
earth produce as much human food as 
Lime. +. Board of Agriculture. 
of 
ral enquiry and exertion in the country ; 
and the next, a diffemination of agricul- 
tural knowledge. Now I am convinced 
that the firft of thefe objeéts has already 
been effeGted, and that the other is in a 
train of being fo: for having occafion to 
vifit Be every county in the me x 
within the laft twenty months, I paid 
fome attentionsto thefe objeéts, and find 
[Dece 
pofible, is to rouze a fpirit of agricultu- 
ge 
that the eftavlithment of a Board OF : 
Agriculiure, formed of the fir men 
abilities, and the inveftigations made at 
their inflance, through every part of 
the kingdom, have rendered agriculiurea 
fathionable ftudy among moft claffes of 
people, and excited a general emulation 
among the farmers, who are now anxious | 
to be acquainted with the beft modes of — 
management praétifed in other counties. 
The eilGrrate confequence is evident, and 
muft be very pleafing to every philan- 
thropic mind. At a time when millions 
are lavifhed away in promoting the de- 
firuétion of our fellow- ~creatures, it is 
fomewhat futile to mention the trifling 
fums expended in thefe laudable and fuc- 
cefsful endeavours to increafe the means” 
of human fubfiftence and happinefs. 
I admit the county furveys are de- 
eo if, to render them perfedt, it be 
neceflary that they contain partieular ac- 
counts of the agricultural management 
of each farm, village, or even parifh. 
But what would be the expence of col-— 
leGting fuch voluminous reports? Or, 
inideed, what would be their fuperior 
Bogs > A general 
agriculture, foil, _farface, climate, &c, &e. 
of every county, with detailed partiew- 
the nation, in office, eftate, and 
ey 
$ 
¥ 

ae el 
view of the 
lars of the moft ‘approved modes of cul- — 
ture, and hints for farther improvement, 
is, I conceive, ail that could hitherto be 
expe aed d, or even defired as a foundation 
on which to form general fyftems. And, 
I doubt not, when all the reports will 
have been reprinted, 
and additional obfervations, that thefe 
ends will be anfwered, and a great fund 
of agricultural information afforded. Fromr 
thefe materials it will not be difficult to 
extraét a colleGion of the beft rules fer 
improving every {pecies of foil, and turn- 
ing it to the utmoft advantage, either in 
breeding and feeding the moft profitable 
anim als, or the produétion of grain and 
roots. 
It is true, that neither a general bill for 
the inclofure of commons has been pro- 
cured, nor tythes, that great obitacle te 
improvements, aboliihed. I heartily join 
. witht 
with correétions, — 
