ing taken on fallows in a fingle day, and in water meadows fometimes in half an hour, when in grounds of a different fort, although exceffively wet and flabby, theep will remain for many weeks together uninjured.

Another opinion, which has many adherents, is, that the rot is owing to the quick growth of grafs or herbs that grow in wet places.

Without premifing, that all bounteous Providence has given to every animal its peculiar tafte, by which it diftinguishes the food proper for its prefervation and fupport (if not vitiated by fortuitous circumftances), it seems very difficult to discover on philofophi cal principles, why the quick growth of grafs fhould render it noxious, or why any herb fhould at one feafon produce fatal effects, by the admiffion of pure water only into its component parts, which at other times is perfectly innocent, although brought to its utmost strength and maturity by the genial influence of the fun. So far from agreeing with thofe who attribute the rot to quickgrowing grafs, which they call flafhy, infipid, and deftitute of falts, to me the quickness of growth is a proof of its being endued with the most active principles of vegetation, and is one of the criterions of its fuperior excellence.-Befides, the conftant practice of most farmers in the kingdom, who with the greatest fecurity, feed their meadows in the fpring, when the grafs fhoots quick, and is full of juices, militates directly against this opi

nion.

Let us now confider whether

another caufe may not be affigned more reconcileable with the various accounts we receive of this diforder. If our arguments, however fpecious, are contradictory to known facts, inftead of conducting us in the plain paths of truth, they leave us in the mazes of error and uncertainty.

Each fpecies of vegetables and animals has its peculiar foil, fituation, and food, affigned to it.Taught by unerring instinct, "the fparrow findeth her a house, the fwallow a neft, and the ftork in the heavens knoweth her appointed time." The whole feathered tribe, indeed, difplay a wonderful fagacity and variety in the choice and ftructure of their habitations. Nor can it be doubted that the minutest reptile has its fixed laws, appointed by him, whofe "tender mercies are over all his works."

The numerous inhabitants of the air, earth, and waters, are ftrongly influenced by the feafons, and by the ftate of the atmosphere; and the fame caufes, perhaps, that rapidly call myriads of one fpecies into being, may frequently prove the deftruction of another. Is it then improbable that fome infect finds its food, and lays its eggs, on the tender fucculent grafs found on particular foils (efpecially wet ones), which it most delights in ?-Or, that this infect fhould, after a redundancy of moifture, by an inftinctive impulfe, quit its dank and dreary habitation, and its fecundity be greatly increafed by fuch feasons, in conjunction with the prolific warmth of the fun?

The flesh-fly lays her eggs upon her food, which alfo ferves to fupport

fupport her future offspring: and the common earth-worm propagates its fpecies above ground, when the weather is mild and moist, or the earth dewy.'

The eggs, depofited on the tender germ, are conveyed with the food into the stomach and inteftines of the animals, whence they are received into the lacteal veffels, carried off in the chyle, and pass into the blood; nor do they meet with any obftruction until they arrive at the capillary veffels of the liver.-Here, as the blood filtrates through the extreme branches, anfwering to thofe of the vena porta in the human body, the fecerning veffels are too minute to admit the impregnated ova, which, adhering to the membrane, produce those animalculæ that feed upon the liver and destroy the fleep. They much resemble the flat fish called plaice, are fometimes as large as a filver two-pence, and are found both in the liver and in the pipe, (answering to that of the vena cava) which conveys the blood from the liver to the heart.

If the form of this animal is unlike any thing we meet with among the infect tribe, we should confider that it may be fo fmall in its natural ftate as to escape our obfervation. Or might not its form have changed with its fituation?" The caterpillar undergoes feveral changes before it produces a butterfly.'

The various accounts which every diligent enquirer must have met with (as well as the indefatigable Mr. Young), feem very confiftent with the theory of this diforder.

If dry, limed land in Derby

hire will rot in common with water-meadows, and ftagnant marfhes; if fome fpringy lands rot when others are perfectly fafe; is it owing to the circumftance of water, or that of producing the proper food or nidus of the infect? Those who find their aftergrafs rot till the autumnal watering, and safe afterwards, might probably be of opinion, that the embryo laid there in the fummer, is then washed away or deftroyed.

With regard to those lands that are accounted never fafe, if there is not fomething peculiar in the foil or fituation, which allures or forces the infect to quit its abode at unufual feafous, it may be well worth enquiring, whether from the coarfeness of their nature, or for want of being fufficiently fed, there is not fome grafs in these lands always left of a fufficient length to fecure the eggs of the infect above the reach of the water.

Such who affert that flowing water alone is the cause of the rot, can have but little acquaintance with the Somersetshire clays, and are diametrically oppofite to thofe who find their worst land for rotting cured by watering. Yet, may not the water which produces this effect, be impregnated withparticles deftructive to the infect, or to the tender germ which ferves for its food or nidus?

For folving another difficulty, that "no ewe ever rots while the has a lamb by her fide," the gentlemen of the faculty can beft inform us, whether it is not probable, that the impregnated ovum paffes into the milk, and never arrives at the liver. The fame H 4 learned

learned gentlemen may think the following queftion alfo not upworthy their confideration :

Why is the rot fatal to fheep, hares, and rabbits (and fometimes to calves), when cattle of greater bulk, which probably take the fame food, efcape uninjured? Is the digeftive matter in the ftomach of these different from that of the others, and fuch as will turn the ova into a state of corruption; or rather, are not the fecretory ducts in the liver large enough to let them pass through, and be carried on in the ufual current of the blood?

It seems to be an acknowledged fact, that salt marshes never rot. Salt is pernicious to most infects. They never infeft gardens where fea-weed is laid. Common falt and water is a powerful expellent of worms bred in the human body. I could with the intelligent farmer would confider these truths with attention, and not neglect a remedy which is cheap, and always at hand.

Lifle, in his book of husbandry, informs us of a farmer who cured his whole flock of the rot, by giving each fheep a handful of Spanish falt, for five or fix mornings fucceffively. The hint was probably taken from the Spaniards, who frequently give their fheep falt to keep them healthy.

On fome farms, perhaps, the utmost caution cannot always prevent the diforder. In wet and warm seasons, the prudent farmer will remove his fheep from the lands liable to rot. Thofe who have it not in their power to do this, I would advise to give each fheep a fpoonful of common falt, with the fame quantity of our,

in a quarter of a pint of water, once or twice a week. When the rot is recently taken, the fame remedy given four or five mornings fucceffively, will in all probability effect a cure. The addition of the flour and water will, in the opinion of the writer of this, not only abate the pungency of the falt, but difpofe it to mix with the chyle in a more friendly and efficacious manner.

Were it in my power to communicate to the fociety the refult of actual experiment, it would doubtless be more fatisfactory. They will, however, I am perfuaded, accept of these hints, at leaft as an earnest of my defire to be ferviceable. Should they only tend to awaken the attention of the industrious husbandman, or to excite the curiofity of fome other enquirer, who has more leisure and greater abilities, I fhall have the fatisfaction of thinking that my fpeculations, however imperfect, are not entirely useless. I am, Sir,

Your very humble fervant,
BENJAMIN PRICE.

hend, are formed on fo fmall a fcale as to preclude the practicability of taking into their hands a few fields (and a few would be fufficient), and of appointing fone perfon or perfons to cultivate them, and inftruct the pupils, either according to the idea of Lord Molefworth, which points to the education of poor men's children; or, according to the ideas of Cowley and Sir William Petty, which refpect the education of gentlemen's fons as well as others. At prefent, however, let us attend to the advantages accruing from each of the above plans; premifing only, that lectures on the theory of husbandry muft, by all means, be accompanied with a clofe attention to the practical part of it, in fuch a manner as may tend to correct the mistakes of fpeculation, to open and enlarge the mind, and to give a clearer infight into the nature of vegetation, and the very fundamental principles of agriculture.

Were schools established in different parts of the kingdom for the education of farmer's fons who might be but in low circumftances, gentlemen would never want fenfible and rational improvers of their eftates, who would likewife be the most proper perfons to inftruct parish apprentices and inferior fervants. This the old experienced Varro reckoned to be of principal importance. "The bailiffs," fays he, "fhould be men of fome erudition and fome degree of refinement." But more efpecially ought a bailiff to be well Skilled in rural economics: he fhould not only give orders, but alfo work himself; that the labourers might imitate him, and be convinced it is with propriety

he prefides over them, because he excels them in the practical part, as well as the fcientific.

Were this the cafe with us, lọcal and eftablished cufioms would be regarded no farther than they are founded in propriety; younger fervants would be accustomed to a variation in their methods of culture as circumftances varied; new modes will not be defpised, because they are new; the effects of experiments would be modeftly expected; the advantages and difadvantages attending them, would be accurately difcerned; and a continual progrefs would be made in the fcience and practice of agriculture. Were fome fmart boys felected by each fociety, and educated on the above plan, they would hereafter convey knowledge wherever they went; and their obfervations would be better at tended to by inferior fervants, than if they came from perfons of high rank. In fhort, they would effect what even the fuperior knowledge of noblemen and gentlemen could not perform, who have more important objects in view than to cultivate the neglected understanding of every ruftic labourer they may have occafion to employ. Like fmaller rivulets, branching from the main ftream, they would water and fertilize those lands where a larger river cannot with propriety expand itfelf.

While under tuition they will learn the expediency of a clean and fpirited fyftem of husbandry; as it is fuppofed that their tutor's fields will be cultivated on these principles. On comparing his crops with those of many others, the truth of Hefiod's maxim would be apparent, that half may be more

than

than the whole. For fhould they think of becoming tenants, they will view an eftate with this ruling principle, that one of an hundred pounds per annum, well cultivated, will produce at the end of the term more clear profit than another of two hundred a year, treated in a negligent and flovenly

manner.

An injudicious courfe of cropping, imperfect tillage, partial and improper manures, are not always to be attributed to ignorance, but fometimes to the eftate's being too large for the farmer's capital; he does not command the eftate, but the estate him, too frequently to the great injury of both; his hands are bound at his firft fetting out; and it is much if they regain their freedom, unlefs eventually, through his land lord's diftraining him for rent and ejecting him from the premifes. But what is the farmer to do, if he cannot find a farm in his own neighbourhood fuitable to his capital? thall he remove into another county, an entire ftranger; or commence day-labourer, or ftarve? The modern practice of throwing feveral finall farms into one, is much to be lamented as a national evil in every view; and calls loudly for the regulation of the legiflature.

But to return to our young farmer, tranfplanted from the nurfey, where his mind received its firft cultivation, unto the fpot where he is fuppofed to fix his refidence.

While under inftruction, he was taught to form a pretty good judg. ment of the qualities, fuch as the tenacity, dryness, or moisture, of different fields, from the herbage

they fpontaneously produce; he will, therefore, immediately perceive which are moft proper to be firft under tillage, in order that the eftate may not be impoverished. The want of attention to this circumftance has kept many a man poor all his days, under a notion that the beft ground will carry one or two good crops of exhausting corn at firft, and fo far prove of immediate great gain; not confidering, that it generally proves a future heavy lofs, from the neceflity he will be under of letting it lie fallow, and of applying much expenfive labour in order to extirpate weeds, and much more expenfive manure in order to recover its loft ftrength. Yet ftill, there is a certain vigour in those fields, which have been under a judicious courfe of meliorating crops, though but moderately manured, which even a fallow and a complete ftercoration cannot beftow on any foil which hath been once impoverished; as may be more eafily perceived by a difcerning eye, than defcribed.

Our farmer hath been taught, that the good ground (on which his chief dependence is for paying his rent), if preserved in good heart, will often mend the bad; but the impoverishingof one or two of the best fields will frequently affect the whole eftate in the decrease of its pafture, in leffening the quantity of manure, and increating the expence of tillage.

It hath frequently been inculcated on him-that his future fuccefs depends much on his first courfe of crops, that at first, efpecially, meliorating crops are to be preferred, as far as circumftances will admit, to exhausting

ones;