In the third place, the general diffusion of wealth in Great Britain is of vast importance to the art of hus bandry. It is an old saying, though not the less true on that account, that the pour farmer is always a had (Inc. Though wealth does not necessarily cause the firmer to excel in professional practice, )et without it, the most scientific knowledge may he useless and unavailing. The British finrmer being the reMre in general ( ases bet ter supplied with capital stork than farmers on the con tinent, he is enabled to exceed their exertions both in the execution of old practices, and in sc at ching after new ones.
In the j'ourth place, the partial use of machinery, and the general attention paid to the construction of im plements for executing agricultural work, are circum stances of infinite advantage to British farming. lNla chines for thrashing grain from the straw, whereby the separation is more completely performed than by hand labour, or any other method, are now become very com mon ; whilst fanners, for dressing- the grain, arc in the possession of almost every farmer. Machinery for I-cal: Mg or grinding grain for horse food is likewise erec ted on the majority of great farms. But the general at tention shown to the construction of the other imple ments used in carrying on the operations of husbandry, such as ploughs, harrows, rollers, drills, carts, wagons, and the like, is of incalculable benefit to British farming ; and enables those who carry it on to execute every branch of work in the most perfect and profitable man ner. With respect to these necessary implements, per haps no country in the world furnishes tradesmen, or artificers capable of constructing them, with greater dexterity, and at so small an expense as those of Britain. With respect to thrashing machines, the remark is par ticularly appropriate ; those erected on the continent being in every respect defective in strength, and Wu of executing, at the same expense, and with the same effect, the important work of separating corn from the straw ; a work which husbandmen in all ages have considered as the most arduous connected with their pro fession.
Even the general conycniency of farm-buildings, and the comfortable accommodation provided almost in eye ry situation, not only for the la•bandman, hut also for his servants and live-stock, furnish great encouragement to British farming. When we sec a country naked and bare, from a want of enclosures ; when we notice thee farm-houses arc small, badly constructed, and imp•r fectly finished ; when we c.,hsc rye that arc mean, irregular, and unlit for the reception of live stock ; very little consideration is recplired to the existing state of husbandry in a clistri,t or coon:ry to which such a description is applicable. G nerallv
speaking, under such circumstances agriculture w ill al ways be found defective, while the condition of the bandman, and those dependent on hint, will likewise be found poor and uncomfortable. The British farmer, how ever, is rarely unprovided with suitable accommoda tion for himself, his servants, and his live-stock, and thus enjoying sufficient encouragement to exec ate ti,e- dutie; of his profession. Exceptions there arc to this rule, and these exceptions will, in the nature of things, remain in some degree ; butt they do not invalidate the truth of what we are inculcating, namely, that British farming is greatly supported by the comfortable and substantial buildings generally erected for the accommodation of those engaged in that profession.
In the fifth place, the great beds of cultivators in Great Britain, whose farms are of any considerable ex tent, have generally received a suitable education. by which their minds are enlarged ; animated with a de sire to improve their condition in the and ren dered eqmilly quick to perceive, and ready to adopt, such improvements as may occasionally he proposed. In former times it was objected, that farmers were an ob stinate and bigoted class of men, averse to every kind ol innovation upon established practice, and persisting in ancient systems, even after their dunciency and in utility had been ascertained in the most decisive man ner. Whatever truth there uti ht ten nierly be in die objection, its force is now completely remmed ; there being no set of 1111:11 whale Vl'I' more open to conviction, or more willing to adopt new practices, than British far mers of the present day. This change of disposition has been accomplished by a general circula,ion ot agri cultural knowl«Ige, since tile national Board of Agri cuhure was established ; by numerous periodical pub lications upon rural economy ; and by that increase of wealth which flowed from the exertions ol the farmer, and which naturally stimulated a search alter new im provements. According to the measure of attention bestowed upon the coucat.on of farmers, it may be ex pected that improvement will hereafter advance, A man of uncultivated mind may hold a plough, or drive a harrow, in a sufficient manner; but he will seldom in troduce an improvement, or be the means of effecting any change in the established system of rural economy.