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a partiality if the sheep hufbandry were introduced, and the fisheries properly managed, there would be employment for many more people than the Highlands now contain. The introduction of sheep would fupply the raw material for the woollen manufactures; and the immenfe quantities of peat, and the powerful waterfals that abound in all quarters, would fupport machinery at little expence. Such a fyftem would alfo be of fervice to the other parts of the empire. At prefent, fome of the finest counties in England are almost entirely in pafture, though no doubt can be entertained that they are well fuited for raifing grain, and that, if thus employed, they would afford fubfiftence to a much greater number of inhabitants than they now do. If, therefore, the Highlands produced that quantity of animal food which thefe counties do at prefent, the latter might, by becoming chiefly arable, increase the population of the country. It is neceffary, no doubt, that there fhould be a certain proportion of every farm devoted to the feeding of cattle, in order that manure may be fupplied for the arable part; but, perhaps, it would be for the advantage of the kingdom, if those diftricts which are fuited to the raifing of grain, fhould have no more than that proportion fet apart for the feeding of cattle and if thofe which, from their foil, fituation, or climate, were unfavourable to grain, fhould be principally fet apart for the purposes of pafture. Another regulation, not unconnected with our prefent fubject, may be fuggefted; that manufactures, in order that they might interfete as little as poffible with agriculture, fhould, in general, be established in grazing districts, where few hands are required by the farmer. We apprehend that none of our readers will confider thefe remarks as foreign to the prefent fubject, whatever opinion they may entertain of their justnefs; as, certainly, in every attempt to improve the Highlands, it ought to be recollected that they form but a part of the empire; and every plan or fuggeftion ought to have reference to them, not as a feparate whole, but as a dependent and connected part.

The third object of the Society-an attention to the prefervation of the language, poetry, and mufic of the Highlands, we confider as in a great degree incompatible with the introduction of improvement. A difference of language not only prefents a formidable barrier to the introduction of ufeful knowledge, but muft alfo tend to perpetuate thofe prejudices which it is abfolutely neceffary to deftroy, before any general or permanent improvement can take place. Every method, on the contrary, ought to be taken to identify the Highlander, in language and manners, with the other inhabitants of the empire; and his VOL. IV. NO. 1. prejudices,

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prejudices, already very strong, ought not by any means to be cherished and continued. As the most effectual plans of improvement muft, in the first inftance at leaft, depend in a great measure upon ftrangers, every obftacle which is prefented by a difference of language and manners, and by the powerful prejudices which the Highlanders entertain, ought to be done away as fpeedily and completely as poffible.

We have been induced to offer thefe preliminary remarks from a firm conviction of the importance of the ultimate object which the Society has in view, and from a wish that they may, in all their proceedings, clearly perceive it, and purfue it by the most direct and effectual means. We fhall now proceed to examine the feveral papers which compofe the fecond volume.

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The first paper is entitled An Effay on Peat, by the [late] Rev. Dr Walker, Profeffor of Natural History in Edinburgh. This effay, confifting of 136 pages, contains much ufeful and curious information, conveyed in a very loofe and defultory manner. That part of it which relates to the chemical analysis of peat, is very inaccurate and incomplete. The reverend author appears to have been well acquainted with chemistry as it existed in the middle of the last century; but either to have entirely neglected, or to have learned very imperfectly, the important discoveries that have been made in that, fcience by the labours of the last twenty years. It is evident, however, that whoever attempts to afcertain the chemical principles of vegetables, ought to have made himself perfectly acquainted with the pneumatic chemistry, and the analysis of volatile products. At the fame time, it must be confeffed, that the following obfervations of Dr Black, contained in a letter to Dr Walker, and given by him in a note to this paper, are perfectly juft and correct.

The process hitherto named the chemical analysis of vegetables, cannot be confidered as an analyfis now, (fince the difcoveries in pneumatic chemistry). It is to be viewed as a diftinétion, by which the natural combination of their principles is undone, and thefe principles enter into new combinations, very different from thofe that took place in the vegetable matter. In the uncorrupted vegetable matter, these principles are united together with an arrangement and commexion, of which we have not the smallest knowledge. We only know, that it is eafily deftroyed by heat and by putrefaction, which produce new arrangements and combinations of thefe principles, and thus form compounds endued with particular qualities, which did not exift in the vegetable matter before. ' P. 29.

Among the inaccuracies into which the learned Doctor is betrayed, by his inattention to thefe particulars, we need only Specify the following. At p. 24. he fays, that calcareous earth

is known to promote the putrefaction of animal and vegetable fubftances; and that the peat of Lifmore is very putrid, in confequence of its mixture with the limeftone of the island. Now if, by calcareous earth, the Doctor means carbonate of lime, he is miftaken in afferting that it promotes the putrefaction of vegetable and animal matter. If he means quicklime, the inftance he adduces is not to the point, as the limestone in the illand of Lifmore is certainly the carbonate of lime. Befides, in p. 55, he afferts, not very confiftently, that no degree of putrefaction in peat earth could be discovered from the mixture of either mild or cauftic lime.

The Doctor afks (p. 31.) why we should omit azote as one of the effential elements of plants, as they all afford volatile alkali on putrefaction. The fact is, that no vegetable substances, except the gramineous and cruciform plants (tetradynamia) afford ammonia on putrefaction.

After having enumerated and explained the properties of peat as a foil, the Doctor proceeds to confider what plants ought to be cultivated in it. We have already given it as our opinion, that the arable husbandry is not fuited to the Highlands; and we think that the peat, there, would be moft advantageously employed as fuel for manufactures or for lime-kilns: the Doctor's obfervations, however, may be useful to thofe Lowland proprietors or tenants who poffefs peat, though even by them, in most cases, peat would be more profitably employed as a manure than as a foil. Where it can be advantageously ufed as a foil, we would recommend the red oat, in preference to the Friefland, or indeed any other kind. The Doctor feems inclined to think, that 'bean crops would anfwer on moffy foils, as the root of this plant goes. deep, and requires a soft foil: but it is well known, that in a soft foil, the bean, though luxuriant in ftraw, is by no means productive in feed, and would be found a very improper crop for moffy foils.

In the fourth divifion of the Doctor's effay, and in the fecond paper in this volume, by Lord Meadowbank, On making compoft dunghills from peat mofs,' very clear and full directions are given for this application of peat; and from the results obtained by Lord Meadowbank, in particular, after repeated and careful experiments with this compoft, we think no farmer will hefitate to employ his peat rather as a manure than as a foil.

The third paper, On burning lime with peat, by Mr Jonathan Radcliff, prefents a very clear detail of a procefs, by which at may be used to fupply the want, or to prevent the confumption of coals in lime-kilns.

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The next effay, On the cattle and corn of the Highlands, by Dr Walker,' is divided into five fections. In the first fection it is admitted, that the crops of oats and bear (big) are often much damaged by bad feafons; and that the mildness of the climate on the coafts of the Highlands in winter, is greatly overbalanced by the want of thofe degrees of heat in fummer, which prevail in the fouth, by a lefs early autumn, and by the frequency and violence of the winds and rain.' (p. 167.) Surely thefe circumftances point out the impropriety of endeavouring to extend the arable husbandry in thefe diftricts, and the neceflity of effecting an entire and radical change in the fyftem of improvement. The Doctor mult certainly be mistaken in affirming, that the bear ufually yields between ten and fifteen fold, notwithstanding the badnefs of the climate and the wretched ftate of hufbandry. Unlefs, however, the quantity of feed be specified, this mode of afcertaining the produce is very vague and uncertain.

We should not wish to offer any ftronger and more decifive facts to prove the neceffity of removing black cattle, and fubftituting fheep, than thofe contained in the fecond section of this effay, On the ftate of the Highland cattle during winter.' Green crops, or graffes proper for hay, can never be raised in fuch certain abundance, as regularly to fupply the cattle from the ift of February to the end of April, if the Highlands, in general, were to be stocked with them. Some spots, no doubt, might be found, in which winter food, and confequently black cattle, might be introduced with advantage; but in hilly countries, and in a climate where the making of hay must be fo very precarious, fheep ought, in general, to be preferred.

The plants recommended by the Doctor in the third fection, are very proper for fuch fpots in the Highlands as ought to be tilled, or kept in hay; and feveral of them might be advantageously cultivated in the Lowlands. Befides thofe enumerated, we would recommend to the attention of all farmers, who are poffeffed of a light fandy foil, the corn fpurrcy (spergula arvenfis.) This plant is much cultivated in Brabant, Holland, and Germany, and is found to be a very nourishing and acceptable food to cattle, both when green and when made into hay.

The ruta baga was introduced into Sweden from Lapland, and not from this country, as the Doctor aflirms; who, moreover, feems to confound the turnip-rooted cabbage with the Swedish turnip. Nothing can prove more clearly, that the Doctor paid but little attention to the foil and climate of the Highlands, than his indifcriminate recommendation of beans and peas, wheat, and the Tartarian oat. By his own account, clay is rarely to be found in these districts; and the most common foil is a hazel mould,

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often participating largely of fand and gravel. Beans, therefore, we should think, are abfolutely inadmitlible. Tartarian oats are more apt to be lodged than any other kind, and are therefore im proper in a climate fo windy and wet. Peas, which anfwer well in England, are, in general, very uncertain and unproductive, even in the fouth of Scotland. Wheat is entirely out of the question. In whatever parts of the Highlands the arable huf bandry can be followed, the following crops and rotation may, from their having fucceeded in fituations and a climate very fimilar, be fafely recommended. 1. Turnips, or potatoes drilled; 2. Bear, or, perhaps, the common Scotifh barley; 3. Grafs feeds, confifting of clover and rye grafs, or any other of the numerous graffes, which might be found to fuit the climate and foil; and, 4. Red oats.

It is abfurd to imagine (p. 202.) that feed corn brought from Norway would ripen in as thort a space of time in the Highlands, as it did in its native country; fince the effential circumftance is wanting in the Highlands, which accelerated its growth, viz. the very great difference between the temperature of the fummer and that of the winter, and the fudden and permanent change.

The two next effays, by Alexander Macnab and Duncan Stewart, containing Obfervations on the economy of black cattle farms under a breeding ftock,' appear to be written by perfons of much practical information, which is conveyed in a plain and perfpicuous manner. The catalogue of difeafes, to which the Highland cattle are liable, prefents another powerful argument, why sheep fhould, in general, be introduced in their place; as we are informed by Mr Macnab, that the diftempers incident to Highland cattle, refult chiefly from fcanty feeding and want of water in winter.' Now, it is well known, that theep will live and fatten, where cattle would ftarve, and that they require very little water.

In the feventh Effay by (the late) Mr Somerville, clear and decifive anfwers, founded on careful obfervations, and direct and repeated experiments, are given to the inquiries- What are the stages of growth and ripenefs, and what are the peculiar ftates of the weather, and other circumstances, in which corns, particularly oats, are rendered unfit for feed, by froft, or confiderable degrees of cold, and by what changes or modifications of these ftages, ftates or circumftances, do the powers of vegetation remain unhurt? Will oats, that are ill-filled, or ill-ripened ferve for feed; and, by what appearances, can the point of diftinction between the good and the bad be readily afcertained?'

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