The want of due estimation of the oc cupation of husbandry, is in many coun tries a grand impediment to its progress. Where the cultivation of the soil is re garded with contempt, or as beneath the attention of men of rank and education, it will be entrusted to the management of persons of narrow capitals, and still nar rower minds. Such prejudices operate in various places. They till lately exist ed to a great extent in France, and are yet deplorably prevalent in Spain. In England, fortunately, they are every day rapidly dissipating. Agriculture is ascer tained to be the road to wealth and re spectability; and men of high connections and distinguished fortunes think !hem selves honoured, instead of being degra ded, by a regular and assiduous applica tion to it, and by establishing then- sons in situations, in which they may look to it as the means of maintaining families, ac cumulating property, and doing service and honour to their country.
Agriculture is very injuriously checked by the occupier of land not possesing in it a requisite interest. Even in this coun try, large portions of land are held by communities of persons, the individuals of which have no right to any particular spot of it, and are not only thus precluded from personal and active cultivation, but, by the scanty right and profit which they possess in the general property, possess no sufficient motive to enforce correct management and improving cultivation on those persons by whom it is actually oc cupied. Family entails and short leases are likewise eminently hostile to full cul tivation, upon the obvious principle, that men will ever apply their capital and ex ertions only in proportion to their expecta tion ofadvantage. Even when leases are granted of a reasonable number of years, restrictive clauses are too frequently in troduced, by which theprogress of im provement is arrested, and a mode of cul tivation insisted upon contrary to the views and the interest of the occupier, and not by any means more beneficial to the own er, than what was designed to be adopt ed, often inexpressibly less so. Preju dice and caprice in the proprietorare often substituted for the judgment of experi ence ; and a routine of practice compelled upon the cultivator, in consequence of which, curious research and attentive ex. periment are rendered nearly superfluous. Superior knowledge, which would in these circumstances be almost useless, ceases to be sought for, and stupid ac quiescence is substituted for lively obser vation. It is however of importance, that. towards the close of a term, the series of cropping should be regulated by covenant, as the inducementto exhaust land, to the extreme injury ofthe owner and the pub lic, would otherwise be seldom resisted Beyond this object, it is unwise to enforce restriction or to yield to it, and whatever discoveries arc made by the personal ex perience of thc farmer himself, or are de rived from the experience and practice of others, it is desirable that he should ever be free to avail himself of them.
The liberal idea.s on this subject, which have been sug-gested by the best writers, and adopted by enlightened landlords, will unquestionably, in time, audit is hop ed rapidly, prevail, to the almost total ex clusion of those narrow and pernicious notiots which have hitherto existed.
It is desirable that the farmer should occupy st sufficient tract of land to en gage :kis time, not irregularly and occa sionally, but fully and completely, by which means his attention is not distract ed frim this important employment to others which would interfere with it, and necessarily prevent its correct and profit able management ; and those idle habits, connected with public injury and individ ual ruin, are effectually precluded. A large farm. therefore, generally speaking-, is far preferable to a small one, in this as in eve ry other point of view. Some persons, not having ernploymentfor themselves in the superintendance of the different depart ments of husbandry on their land, have recourse to personal exertion, and sub stitute themselves for labourers, a plan which is extremely unwise. The true art of farming- consists, not in driving the plough, or engaging in other menial of. flees, 13ut in allotting and superintend ing latour, in recording its results, and contri•ing how ancl where to dispose of it to the most perfect advantage. To read, Ind think, and attend the public markets, and regulate accounts, and ob serve .vhat others in the same occupation in the neighbourhood, or even at some distance, are eng-aged in, is of far more importance to the advance of agriculture, and the profit of the individual cultivator, than for him to engage in those manual operations, which,in consequence of more practice, are generally pmformed with more rapidity.and success by common labourers. On urgency of business, or as an example to his men, and to give their employment that estimation and dignity, the idea of which will ever render them at once more happy and more dexterous in it, it will be extremely proper for him to engage occasionally- even in these, and his education ought ;dm ays to have been such, as to enable him to practise them with some degree of skill and neatness, by which he will of course be better ena bled to judge when they are well perform ed by others. lint let him consider him self as the manager of a grand manufac turing establishment, requiring peculiav and incessant vig-ilance ; of a concern, in which occurring contingencies, often re quire a change of plan, in which the ex ercise ofjudgment is perpetually demand ed ; and tlirough the want of a sagacious and presiding, mind, the manual labour of many, convertible to extreme advantage, may easily become productive only of mischief, or may have substituted for it negligence, indolence and dishonesty. This situation of continued superinten dance is the proper situation of the far mer ; and in proportion as he does not occupy land sufficient to require it, he engages in the profession with incorrect views, and misemploys his time.