• Some few fragments of the Greeks are the first rudiments of Hufbandry, upon record; and the elder Cato is the most ancient Latin Author whofe writings upon this interefting subject have reached us. His inftructions are very judicious, but too concife. Varro added elegance of language to an improved treatife of Agriculture; and, foon after him, Virgil published his juttly admired Georgics. Columella afterwards collected, with great judgment, whatever was valuable in the writings of his predeceffors, and enriched them with his own perfect knowlege of the fubject. His work is one of the choicest remains of antiquity, and has fcarcely been equalled by any author fince.

The irruptions of the barbarous nations of the North, unacquainted with the fweets of fociety, and the bleffings of civil liberty, foon abolished improved Agriculture. Arms were their only object. Their meanest flaves were entrusted with their trifling Husbandry; and trifling it must have been during that unfettled ftate of nations. But when governments began to be founded upon more fixed and rational plans, Agriculture, with the other arts, raifed its head, and throve in proportion as property became fecure.

The improvements made in England, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, fhew, that the proteftants who [had been] obliged to take shelter in the then free ftates, and particularly in Swifferland, had, with their love of liberty, learnt an improved Agriculture. In the next age, Hartlib is not lefs famed for his knowlege in farming, than for his friendship with Milton. The return of men of genius, who had fled their country during Cromwell's ufurpation, and the protection granted them after the restoration, added greatly to the progrefs of Agriculture. At this period, writers of great character took in hand the truly patriotic theme. Such were Platt, Worlidge, Evelyn, &c. whofe works did honour to the age, and proved highly beneficial to their country.

In France, two eminent phyficians [Lichant and Deferre] thought this fubject worthy of their pens, and gave their country the Maifons Ruffiques, a work which, afterwards perfected by a third phyfician, [M. Liger,] has undergone twenty-two editions. Nor does that country now by any means lofe fight of this important object. Real philofophers there make it their ftudy, and purfue a series of well-made experiments, with fuch indefatigable care and accuracy, as cannot but be productive of very great advantages. The names of feveral illustrious improvers in France, defervedly diflinguifhed for their patriotic application to this ftudy, will grace the following work.'

After

After mentioning, with due honour, the various focieties established, both at home and abroad, for the advancement of ufeful knowlege; and having particularly obferved, that the general fpirit of improvement in Agriculture, now fo remarkably exerted in the different nations of Europe, calls upon us not to lofe that fuperiority which the happiness of our conftitution and climate have given us; he very juftly adds

That the real ftrength of every country depends upon its population, is a well-known truth; and a little acquaintance with the principles of found policy will fhew, that the only folid bafis of a numerous population, is Agriculture. Without this, the fubfiftance of a nation is precarious. Uncertainty of fubfiftance hinders people from marrying, and [fometimes] even induces them to quit their native foil.'

Towards the conclufion of the Preface, we are told, that-Particular branches of Hufbandry have been treated of by many; but no one in our language, except Mr. Worlidge, has even attempted to comprize the whole of this Art, within the compafs of one work; or to reduce it into a regular fyftem, founded on that beft of guides, experience; which is the defign of this performance.'

The Author's own account of the execution of his plan, is as follows:

To give the Reader the most extenfive view of the subject, I have confulted the writers of greatest character, from the most early times, to this; have traced the various improvements made in different ages, and felected from the ancients, as well as from the moderns, the most improved ftate of Agriculture, in which I make experiments my chief guide. Where authors of reputation relate such, I give them, though fometimes contradictory, in order to excite in farmers a spirit of making and varying experiments; the only true path to a fuccessful practice. I may cenfured [perhaps] for not determining with greater precifion, what is right, and what wrong, in thefe inftances. In anfwer to which I can only fay, that I thought it more adviseable to leave the Reader to judge for himfeift, after quoting my authorities.'

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What will the voluminous writer of the Compleat Body of Husbandry fay to this affertion?-A very ample account of that work (faid to be founded en experience, as well as the prefent) was given in the course of cur Review, beginning at p. 385, of Vol. XVI. and continued in the two fucceeding volumes.

To have done otherwife (though it would certainly have had its ufe) might, probably, have required a greater thare of practical expejence, than can well be fuppofed to fall to the lot of most London writers.

Part I. of this work, treats of the culture of arable lands; the introduction to which is a differtation on the food of plants. And here we are told, that though- philofophical enquiries into the principles of vegetation, and the manner in which it is performed, are an object well worthy the attention of gentlemen whofe fituation allows them to purfue that truly useful and entertaining study; [yet] as the induftrious bufbandman, for whofe benefit this work is chiefly intended, cannot afford time for matters of speculation; it may be fufficient for him to form a general, but just, idea of the means by which plants are nourifhed. A proper notion of this will help to guide him in the management of his lands, and fhew him in what ftate the earth fhould be, to enable the plants which he cultivates most easily and readily to find their neceffary food.'-Without entering into all the various minutia contained in this introduction, it may fuffice to give the refult of the whole, viz. that the food of plants is fupplied by the joint concurrence of earth, water, air, and beat.

Chap. I. treats of SOILS IN GENERAL, and the means of bringing them to a state proper for the production of plants.

$1. Of frong foils, and the means of correcting them. Clay is, of all earths, [naturally] the worst for vegetation; as the clofenefs of it hinders plants from extending their roots in fearch of food, and prevents the entrance of water, which would help to convey it to them. Yet even this, as well as any other untoward foil, may, with industry and proper correctives, be made to produce roots and plants which require the lightest and holloweft mold. Among all the manures for clay, sea-fand claims the preference, as beft fuited to break its too great cohefion. River-fand, drift-fand, fmall gritty gravel, lime, rubbish of old houfes, chalk, marle, coal-afhes, and, in general, all calcarious fubftances, are alfo of excellent fervice, to answer the fame end.'-' Another manure for ftubborn clays, or ftrong foils, is heath-ground, with which the stiffeft foil may be brought into fo good order, that whoever has heath-ground enough, and a fufficient quantity of clay-ground, may have the beft land that can be defired.'-p. 32.

§ 2. Of the improvement of fandy and light foils.—Sandy, gravelly, and other too light foils, eafily admit of heat and moifture, but are not much benefited thereby, becaufe they let them pafs too foon, and fo contract no ligature: [for] the general defect of thefe too light foils is, that they neither afford fufficient ftability to plants, nor retain moisture enough to convey to them their neceflary food.-To bring these too open foils to a due confiftence, fome of the ftiff carths must be used: [for] by

the

the fame rule that fand fertilizes ftrong clayey grounds, clay meliorates light and fandy foils.-But of all manures, none is equal to marle, of which there are many different kinds.

Marle is either grey, blue, brown, yellow, red, or mixed, and is known by its pure and uncompounded nature: besides which, it is diftinguished by feveral other marks, fuch as, its breaking. into little fquare bits; its falling eafily to pieces, by the force of a blow, or upon being exposed to the fun or froft; its feeling fat and unctuous; and its looking, when dry, after having been, exposed to the weather for fome time, as if it was covered with a hoar-froft, or sprinkled with fine falt. Even when mixed with the land intended to be manured by it, the whole furface of the foil will have that whitish appearance. But the most unerring way to judge of marle, and know it from any other fubftance that may refem it, is, to break a piece as big as a large nutmeg, and, when it is quite dry, drop it into a glass of clear water, where, if it be the right fort, it will foon diffolve into a foft and almost impalpable pap, fhooting up many sparkles to the furface of the water. Some marles effervefce but little with acids but they fhould always be put to that trial; because, the more they effervefce with them, the more valuable they are as manures. In hot weather, good marle will flack with the heat of the fun, like lime; especially if any rain follows a hot day.

The farmers in Staffordshire reckon the foft blue marle best for arable land, and the grey fort for pafture. That which is of a brownish colour, with blue veins in it, and little lumps of chalk or lime-ftone, generally lying under ftiff clays, and very hard to dig, is most esteemed in Chefhire. The marle ufually found at the depth of about two feet, or a yard, on the fides of hills, and in wet boggy grounds, which have a light fand in them, is very fat and clofe, and reckoned the strongest of all marles; for which reafon it is particularly good for fandy lands. This is commonly called peat-marle, or delving-marle. The paper-marle, as it is fometimes called, frequently lies near coals, and flakes like leaves or pieces of brown paper, than which it is of a fomewhat lighter colour. That which fome writers call clay-marle, because it looks like clay, is very fat, and fometimes mixed with chalk-ftones. Steel marle breaks of itfelf into fquare cubical bits.'- Stone, flate, or flag-marle, which is a kind of foft ftone, or rather flate, of a blueish colour, is generally allowed to be the beft. It eafily diffolves with froft or rain, is found near rivers and on the fides of hills, and is a very lafting manure.'

In order to fhew how eafily marle may be mistaken for fomething elfe, and fo applied to very improper ufes; Mr. Mills next tells us a ftory of an ingenious gentleman of his acquaint

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ance, who, in paffing lately through Bedfordshire, obferved, that the people employed to amend the highways, were laying upon them a blueish kind of ftone. Struck with the novelty of the appearance, he ftopt, took up a lump, and foon found it to be this blue marle, which the ignorant peafants were using inftead of real stone. The confequence was, that, when he returned the fame way fome time after, a heavy fhower having fallen, the whole road where this fubftance had been fo injudicioufly fpread, was become a perfect quagmire.'

Authors, we are told, differ widely both as to the quantity and the manner of ufing almost all the manures they treat of; points which muft, [after all,] in a great measure, depend on the quality of the foil, and the ftrength of the manure, of whatever kind it be; and in which experience will ever be the fureft guide. In marling, it is particularly necessary to find the true proportion which the land requires, and better to err in laying on too little than too much; [for] by over doing it, the first year's crop often fails, becaufe the body of the marle has not been fufficiently opened; and, in that cafe, it will fometimes be two or three years before the ground comes to a proper temper. The beft directions that can be given to the farmer in the application of this manure to light foils, is, to lay on the quantity which will give the degree of cohesion wanted in thofe foils. A general rule cannot be laid down in this refpect; becaufe, the quantity of marle requifite to effect the defired end, muft be different, in proportion to the degree of lightness of the foil.'

This fection concludes with warning against the ufe of a body very fimilar to marle in appearance, but effentially different in its effects.-Marle takes a imooth polish from the inftrument with which it is wrought. But a piece of this other fubftance differs greatly, [particularly] in tafte, from marle. Instead of the Imooth unctuous tafte of the latter, it is acid, and remarkably aftringent. It agrees with marle, in crumbling in water, but differs remarkably from it in not raifing any effervefcence with acids, nor in the leaft deftroying their acidity. The trying of marle with acids is therefore the more neceffary, to guard against using this pernicious fubftance.

$3. Of the improvement of LOAM.-Under this head, we meet with various direct ons whereby to judge of the different qualities of ground: as from the fpontaneous produce of it; by the quality of the water which runs through it; by the smell; the tafte; the touch, and colour.Here Mr. Mills is very copicus, in his quotations from various authors, upon the subject

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