1799-] 
to raife any fuperfluous quantity of pro- 
vifions, beyond what would fuffice the 
demand of a rather fcanty population, Of 
the multiplication of animals, merely with 
a view to the benefit of their manure, few 
feem to have entertained any idea. They, 
whofe farms were chiefly appropriated to 
tillage, (and the predilection for the 
plough was general) feemed to entertain 
the inyariable maxim, that live ttock 
was at beft, buta neceffary evil, and there- 
fore troubled themfelves with as few cattle 
as poflible; rather chufing, when an in- 
creafed quantity of manure appeared ab- 
folutely neceffary, to purchale, provided 
it could be obtained without too great 
inconvenience, or rather, without de- 
viating too far from the accultomed tract. 
When the requifite quantity of manure 
was not to be obtained by purchafe, in- 
ftead of adopting the natural and obvious 
method of its production at home, the 
farmer, rendered defperate by dilappoint- 
ment, would either continue driving ‘the 
plough, until both his land and himfelt 
were beggared beyond redemption; or, 
which was only the belt of two evils, 
would lay his exhauited foil up to fallow 
in a negligent and flovenly manner ; in 
other words, to produce a plentiful and 
deteriorating crop of weeds and rubbith. 
For a fyltem like this, there certainly 
was fome apology in the former cheap- 
nefs and plenty of flefh provifion, but 
fuch has long fince ceafed to have any 
force, although the common and {mall 
farmers, even thofe who poffeis ample 
capitals, in the prefent times of increafed 
opulation and exorbitant price, are 
generally addiéted to the ancient preju- 
diced averfion of being what they term 
overftocked with cattle. It is a well 
known faé&, that there are very few farms 
upon the ifland, excepting thofe which 
are cultivated by that clafs, {tiled gen- 
tlemen-farmers, adequately ftocked with 
cattle of any defcription, but the ufelefs 
and devouring fpecies of heavy horfes ; 
and here we undoubtedly have the real 
eaule of the exorbitant and artificial price 
of both bread and fiefh. 
The importance to a community of the 
multiplication of animals, every part of 
which is of fuch ineftimable and indif- 
pen(able ufe, and whofe very excrement 
may be well ftiled the ftaf¥ of human life, 
fince, to its fructifying virtnes we owe 
the increafe of corn, and the renovation 
ot the exhaufted foil, will not be difputed 
even by thofe humanifts*who debar them- 
felves the ufe of animah food, Their 
£ 
; 
On the modern Improvements in Live Stock. 
207 
very fhoes area ftanding argument againft 
the validity of their pretenfions. Some 
threefcore or feventy years ago, agri- 
culture became the rage amongit the 
enlightened claffes both in England and 
France ; the fubje&t was in confequence 
philofophically inveftigated, and the 
_ great improvement adopted, of dedicat- 
ing fo confiderable a portion of the farm 
to the purpofe of raifing winter food for 
cattle, as to enable the farmer to enter- 
tain a ftock fufficiently large to preferve 
his land in conftant good heart and ful} 
cropping ; and if he were induftrious 
enough to make a point of it, ina ftyle 
of garden culture, Rich and plentiful 
crops took place of barren and unprofit- 
able fallows, and both the cultivator and 
the country at large, were moft amply 
and permanently rewarded. From this 
fortunate turn in the minds of philofo- 
phers, to the holy and primitive occu- 
pation of tilling the teeming foil, has 
this country been enabled to fuftain arn 
immenfely increafed population, which 
her old agricultural regime would have 
ftarved. Here the example of old France 
enables us to pay a well-merited com- 
pliment to our own government. Under 
the thrice and ever to be accurfed def- 
potifm, which formerly devoured that 
fine country, the activity of the moft en- 
thufiaftic cultivators upon earth, was 
ftided in every attempt at improvement 
with ‘*the wet blanket”? of fifcal ex- 
tortion and feudal monopoly. Were 
particular providences the order of the 
day in my mental jovrnal, I fhould en- 
deavour to appal the fouls of exifting ty= 
rants and public robbers, with a new 
and tremendous inftance of divine juf- 
tice — Famine was a material infiru- 
ment ia the overthrow of the French mo- 
narchy, Since the final and permanent 
fettlement of the republic in that country, 
the agricultural enthufiafm feems to have 
fprung up with ten-fold vigour. Accord- 
ing to unvarying accounts for a feafon or 
two palt, the greedy plough avill fearcely 
leave room for toot-paths and hedge-rows, 
in many parts of France. ‘There is no 
doubt but France wil!, at no very diftant 
period, notwithftanding its vaft popu- 
lation, become a large exporter of corn. 
Stock-breeding, according to report, 
keeps anearly even pace with tillage ; 
and the French fairs laft year, particue 
larly in Normandy, were overdcne with 
young cattle, and the price confequently 
unfavourable tothe breeder. ‘Things be- 
ing notorigufly in this ftate, and both 
bread 
