a2. 
the number for November laf, it is truly 
obferved, that it owes not its rife to the 
revolutionary government or that country. 
But I think it a fact not generally known, 
that, though the plan has been perfected 
by the French in the prefent day, the no-~ 
ble idea of introducing the ftandard they 
have adopted, eriginated with an Englifh- 
man near two centuries ago. I mean Mr. 
Wright, who, in a publication in 1610, 
entitled, ** Correction of certain Errors 
in Navigation,”’ fuggefted the puinciple 
which France has now reduced to practice. 
Portfea, W.H.N. 
Dec. 11th, 1799+ 
——EE Se 
Io the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
ee il eff quelgue. moyen legitince et fir de fubpfier : 
fens affair ey fans dépendance 3 cet, feu con- 
wiens, de vivre du travail de fes meains en culti- 
vant fa propre terre.” Emile, tom. iv. p. 161. 
S your mifcellany poffeffes the ad- 
vantage of an extenfive circulation, 
and you yourfelf appear folicitcus for the 
diffufion and advancement of knowledge, 
I beg leave to lay before the readers of the 
Menthly Magazine a plan immediately 
connected with the beft and dearett intereits 
of the nation. 
The diftreffes rote from a feanty 
ie on the prefent, as'we!l as on many 
former occafions, have induced every con- 
fiderate man in the kingdom to look for- 
ward to aremeay ; and it is obvious, that 
nothing promifés fairer than the encourage- 
ment cf our agriculture. Itis with this view 
that Sir Jobn Sinclair, although no longer 
at the head of a Board particularly dedt- 
cated to the confideration of this important 
object, has lately circulated ‘* Prepotals 
for eftablifhing, by Subfcription, a Joint 
Stock Tontine- ‘Company, for afcertaining 
the Principles of Agricultural Improve- 
ment.’” It is the opinion of this gentle- 
man, that to complete the fyitem of meli- 
oratgcn, fo happily commenced, ‘¢ Experi- 
mental Farms ought to extend from one 
corner of theifland to another ; if pofible, 
ought to be eftablithed in every county of it, 
and, at any rate, oucht to include the lead- 
10g diltinctions of {ci} and climate.” But, 
asa very large fum of money is in ae enfa- 
bly requifite for an undertaking of this 
hind the idea is here flugselted of unitine 
private benefit with ae advantage. Sir 
ace in accordingly propofes, that a number 
of public-fpirited individuals fhall form 
themtelves into a fociety, with a-capital of 
70;0001. and as fuch a bank would farnith 
E «perimental FQY HS. 
4- To a mountain-fheep fa 
x 
[ Feb. 1, 
the means of proceeding on a grand feale, 
he thinks, that their immediate attention 
eught to be turned towards experimental 
farms and plantations. 
I. OF EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 
Mr. Arthur Young, Dr. Francis Home, 
and a great many others, have pointed out 
the advantages likely io refalt from thefe ; 
and an eftal blifiment, indeed, of this kind 
has been already a ttempted, ‘although not 
eficGted, in the e County of Northumberland, 
for the purpo ‘e of afcertaining 
1. What ts the beft mode Ge cultivating 
arable land? 
a. What is the beft fyftem ‘or the ma- 
nagement of grafs-land : > 
3. What are the moft uleful implements 
ee 
. What are the moft profitable breeds 
of ee And, 
5. What is the beft plan for rendering, 
watte or barren land produtive ? . 
The worthy Baronet thinks, that expe= 
rimental farms ought to be eftablifhed both 
in the lower and upper parts of a country, 
and flates the capital neceflary for one of 
them, as follows : 
£: 
1. Implements - - ~ 420 
2. Live-fock - - - 96a 
3. Firft year’s rent and expence = 1,336 
4. Draining, inclefing, building, and 
other extra expences - - 790 
5. Incidental expences - - 500 
Total. ) a= - £45000 
It is. propofed, that there fhall be ten 
experimental farms in all, viz. eight arable 
and two mountain ones, and the followin 
eftimate is accordingly fuggefted for that 
purpofe: 
rt. To the expence of eftablifhing an 
experimental farm in the neigh- 
£ 
bourhood of London - - 4,000 
2. To ditto, in one of the weftern 
counties of England ~ ~ 4,;00@ 
3. To‘ditto, in Norfclk or Suffolk 4,060 
4. To ditto, in one of the midland 
; counties - = = 4,0Ce 
g. To ditto, in one of. the northern , 
counties . ~ - - 4,000 
6. To ditto, in Lancafhire, Cumber- 
land, o¥ Weftmorland - 45000 
7. Lo ditto, in the Lothians - 4,200 
8. To ditto, in the North of Scotland 4,000 
rin Wales 1,500 
o. ‘To ditto, in the neighbourhood of 

the Cheviet Hills - - 1,500 
Total - £35,000 
Thusy ‘experimental farms,’ fays Sir 
Jean, “© mvalling each: ether for attention 
and 
