8 9 IO II 12 5662 1076 240 208 350 66 -potatoes, -turnips, 100 86 66 27 7696 The proprietors of the three last eftates refide upon them. Acres. Crop. Soo Hay, 750 Pafture, at 40 s. per acre, Carry forward 2099. Acres, Sown with oats about -barley, 1000 Brought forward 120 clover and rye grass, 300 -flax, 140 -rye, 30 Lea*, 13s. 14 s. 16 s. 7 s. 66 18 8 2 In the parish of Kiltearn, the following is the mode in which the arable land is occupied, and proportional extent of land under each crop, Average produce Price. Total price per acre. 160 ftones + 6d. £ 4 610 21 s. 90 Waste lands, Straw fold in Edinburgh and elsewhere, 616 6 IO 10 Total, Total rent of land in the parish, 27 12 10 20 Total, But still more particular is the following account of the extent of land-crops, and value in the parish of Cramond,which is here inferted as an article of curious information, chiefly to readers that do not belong to this country. 66 18 8 3 £3461 £3420 Total produce. 128,000 ft. 4,550 b. 3,000 b. 2,800 b. 1,800 b. 4,5 co b. * By lea is meant arable land left to bear grass without being fown. +Aftone of hay here is equal to 21 pounds Averdupois. A boll of wheat, of peafe, beans, or of rye, is equal to 4 Winchester nearly. bufhels § A boll of oats, or of barley, is equal to 6 Winchester bushels nearly. A boll of potatoes here weighs about 400 weight Averdupois. Total Rent. Many interesting obfervations occur in this volume respecting rent, which cannot here be specified, but which will ferve to fuggeft many ideas to the the attentive reader. This column is much better filled up than could have been expected; and it is poffible many of the blanks may Hill be supplied, fo as that in a fupplement, the total land rents of this country, at the prefent day, may be pretty distinctly afcertained. Perhaps no country in Europe has advanced more rapidly in thofe improvements to which the baneful influence of revenue laws do not extend, than Scotland has done for thirty or forty years paft. Of this, feveral very ftriking proofs occur in the prefent volume respecting agriculture, among which are the following: Edrom parish, in 1733, the rent was 2000 1. Sterling; it now is 6943 1. Sterling per annum. Troquire-parish in 1752 was rented at 950 1. Its present rent is 4750 1. Thefe are folid proofs of capital improvements having taken place. Many interefling remarks will occur to a fenfible obferver, on comparing the last column in this table with the fecond; that is, the amount of the rent yielded to the proprietor, compared with the numbers of the people. Thus it appears, that in the parish of Hownam, 365 perfons yield a rent of 2720 1.; whereas, in the parish of Delting in Shetland, 1504 perfons only afford a rent of 233 1.-In Hownam, the live stock is chiefly fheep, which amount to about 12000.-In Delting, the fheep are not fewer than 8000.The milk cows amount to 700, befides oxen and young cattle, and horfes a great many; and all this is ftated to be but a very incomplete stocking.-Is it poffible to bring a stronger proof of the impolicy of mifmanagement?-Were the people in this neglected country properly encouraged, the rent to the proprietors might in time rife, not to ten, but to a hundred times its present amount *.-Confidered as an article in the great history of civil fociety, the account of the parish of Delting is an object of much curiofity. When will the proprietors learn this important and fundamental maxim in political economy, that before their vaffals can afford an adequate value for the property they occupy, they must first be put in eafy circumftances The very interefting matter contained in this publication has drawn this article to a much greater length than was intended; but this, it is hoped, our readers will readily excufe. themselves? As, in morals, to do to others as we would wish that they fhould do unto us, is the golden rule, fo the above may be called the golden rule in political economy. Were the proprietors, inftead of killing the goofe in order to get at once the golden egg, to feed and cherish it till it acquired health and vigour, it would then produce eggs in abundance. It muft, however, be owned, that it requires no little skill and attention to overcome established prejudices, and to introduce a proper fyftem of economy, where it has not yet been established; fo that men are less to blame who go with the ftream, than most perfons will be difpofed to admit. For want of a proper knowledge of the fubject, many attempts that have been made to better the condition of the people, have produced a contrary effect.-To allow individuals to act without reftraint, is, in general, the fafeft courfe, as is proved by experiment.-Shew me the place where a fyftem of restraint prevails, and I will fhew you people who are poor, and proprietors who derive little advantage from their property. · refpectable correfpondent, whofe name, honour to his mifcellany; ftating, that zed, had seriously objected to the making inclair, from an apprehenfion that fome tion of the information thus conveyed to thing however can be worse grounded hto fear, but on the contrary much to ve fully known. The fact is, that all rew rigour in Scotland, than in England, winiftration, and the body of the legislator, Asry, and the circumftances of the people. theotland is greatly under-taxed, and that noy lenity, which is directly the reverfe; revake upon them to do what is done by the weich innumerable inftances might be given, mafore by giving full and authentic inforreche, that these errors can be properly corwhepunity in this country as well as others, prefwn, becaufe, in confequence of mifre but y different from what they really are-fion, e therefore who on the present occaunpld communicate to the public, act a very It does inferne reporters, as of those who shall draw Scotc difference that is well known to every and orogrefs that has been made in agriculture 'terfe nterfere, and thofe in which it does inwhich the ftarch and the foap manufactures, does aions respecting revenue, which, if the law afhamn England. Scotland has no need to be the beceal herfelf; the more fhe is feen, and tions. e admired and refpected among the nait is trm public view? She has been oppreffed, opprefl ignorance alone. Let us inftruct our hand without any effort! |
