As Mr. _Tull_’s Essay on _Horse-hoeing Husbandry_ has been published
some Years, it may be presumed that the World hath by this time formed
some Judgment of his Performance; which renders it the less necessary
for the Editors of this Impression to say much concerning it. For every
Man who has attended to the Subject, and duly considered the Principles
upon which our Author’s Method of Culture is founded, is an equal Judge
how far his Theory is agreeable to Nature: Though it is but too true,
that few have made sufficient Experiments to be fully informed of its
Worth.
How it has happened, that a Method of Culture, which proposes such
Advantages to those who shall duly prosecute it, hath been so long
neglected in this Country, may be matter of Surprize to such as are not
acquainted with the Characters of the Men on whom the Practice thereof
depends; but to those who know them thoroughly it can be none. For it
is certain that very few of them can be prevailed on to alter their
usual Methods upon any Consideration; though they are convinced that
their continuing therein disables them from paying their Rents, and
maintaining their Families.
And, what is still more to be lamented, these People are so much
attached to their old Customs, that they are not only averse to alter
them themselves, but are moreover industrious to prevent others from
succeeding, who attempt to introduce any thing new; and indeed have
it too generally in their Power, to defeat any Scheme which is not
agreeable to their own Notions; seeing it must be executed by the same
Sort of Hands.
This naturally accounts for Mr. _Tull_’s Husbandry having been so
little practised. But as the Methods commonly used, together with the
mean Price of Grain for some Years past, have brought the Farmers
every-where so low, that they pay their Rents very ill, and in many
Places have thrown up their Farms; the Cure of these Evils is certainly
an Object worthy of the public Attention: For if the Proprietor must
be reduced to cultivate his own Lands, which cannot be done but by the
Hands of these indocile People, it is easy to guess on which Side his
Balance of Profit and Loss will turn.
This Consideration, together with many others which might be
enumerated, hath induced the Editors to recommend this Treatise once
more to the serious Attention of every one who wishes well to his
Country; in hopes that some may be prevailed upon, by regard either
to the public Good or their own private Interest, to give the Method
here proposed a fair and impartial Trial: For could it be introduced
into several Parts of this Country by Men of generous Principles, their
Example might, in time, establish the Practice thereof, and bring it
into general Use; which is not to be expected by any other means.
It is therefore to such only, as are qualified to judge of a Theory
from the Principles on which it is founded, that the Editors address
themselves, desiring they will give this Essay another Reading with due
Attention: and at the same time they beg leave to remind them how unfit
the common Practisers of Husbandry are to pass Judgment, either on the
Theory or Practice of this Method; for which Reason it is hoped that
none will be influenced by such, but try the Experiment themselves with
proper Care.
As a Motive to this, it is to be observed that, although the Method
of Culture here proposed has made little Progress in _England_, it is
not like to meet with the same Neglect abroad, especially in _France_;
where a Translation of Mr. _Tull_’s Book was undertaken, at one and
the same time, by three different Persons of Consideration, without
the Privity of each other: But afterwards, Two of them put their
Papers into the Hands of the Third, Mr. _Du Hamel du Manceau_, of the
_Royal Academy of Sciences_ at _Paris_, and of the _Royal Society_ at
_London_; who has published a Book, intituled, _A Treatise of Tillage
on the Principles of Mr._ Tull. The ingenious Author has indeed altered
the Method observed by Mr. _Tull_ in his Book; yet has very exactly
given his Principles and Rules: But as he had only seen the First
Edition of the _Horse-hoeing Husbandry_, so he is very defective in
his Descriptions of the Ploughs and Drills, which in that were very
imperfect, and were afterwards amended by Mr. _Tull_ in his Additions
to that Essay.
One of our principal Reasons for taking Notice of this Book is, to shew
the Comparison this Author has made between the Old Method of Husbandry
and the New. By his Calculation the Profits arising from the New, are
considerably more than double those of the Old. For, according to him,
the Profits of Twenty Acres of Land for Ten Years, amount, at 10_d._
¹⁄₂ _per_ Livre,
_l._ _s._ _d._
By the Old Method, to 3000 Livres, or 131 5 0 } _Sterling_.
By the New Method, to 7650 Livres, or 334 13 9 }
which makes a prodigious Difference in favour of the latter. As
this Computation was made by one who cannot be supposed to have any
Prejudice in favour of Mr. _Tull_’s Scheme, it will naturally find more
Credit with the Public than any Comparison made by Mr. _Tull_ himself,
or by such as may have an Attachment to his Principles.
It may probably be expected, that the Editors should take Notice of
such Objections as have been made, either to Mr. _Tull_’s Theory
or Practice; but we do not know any that in the least affect his
Principles: They stand uncontroverted: Nor are there any to the
Practice, which may not be equally urged against every Sort of
Improvement. One of the principal which have come to our Knowlege is,
its being impracticable in common Fields, which make a great Part of
this Country, without the Concurrence of every one who occupies Land in
the same Field. But doth not this equally affect the Old Husbandry? For
every such Person is obliged to keep the Turns of plowing, fallowing,
_&c._ with the other Occupiers; so that if any of them were inclinable
to improve their Lands, by sowing Grass-seeds, or any other Method
of Culture, they are now under the same Difficulties as they would
be, were they to practise Mr. _Tull_’s Method. Therefore this is
rather to be lamented as a public Misfortune, than to be brought as
an Objection to the Practicableness of that Method. Others object,
that the introducing this Sort of Husbandry is unnecessary, seeing
the Improvements which are made by Grass-seeds are so considerable;
besides, that the Returns made by the Fold and the Dairy, being much
quicker than those of Grain, engage the Farmer to mix Plowing and
Grazing together. But when this is duly considered it can have no
sort of Weight: for is it not well known that, in those Farms where
the greatest Improvements have been made by Grass-seeds, the Quantity
of Dressing required for the Arable Land often runs away with most of
the Profit of the whole Farm? especially when the Price of Grain is
low. And if this be the Situation of the most improved Farms, what must
be the Case of those which chiefly consist of Arable Land; where most
of the Dressing must be purchased at a great Price, and often fetched
from a considerable Distance? Add to this the great Expence of Servants
and Horses, unavoidable in Arable Farms; and it will appear how great
the Advantages are which the Grasier hath over the plowing Farmer. So
that it is much to be wished, the Practice of mixing the Two Sorts of
Husbandry were more generally used in every Part of the Kingdom; which
would be far from rendering Mr. _Tull_’s Method of Culture useless;
seeing that, when it is well understood, it will be found the surest
Method to improve both.
For although Mr. _Tull_ chiefly confined the Practice of his Method to
the Production of Grain (which is a great Pity), yet it may be extended
to every Vegetable which is the Object of Culture in the Fields,
Gardens, Woods, _&c._ and perhaps may be applied to many other Crops,
to equal, if not greater Advantage, than to Corn.
In the Vineyard it has been long practised with Success; and may be
used in the Hop-Ground with no less Advantage. For the Culture of
Beans, Peas, Woad, Madder, and other large-growing Vegetables; as
also for Lucern, Saintfoin, and the larger Grasses; we dare venture
to pronounce it the only Method of Culture for Profit to the Farmer;
seeing that, in all these Crops, one Sixth Part of the Seeds now
commonly sown will be sufficient for the same Quantity of Land, and the
Crop in Return will be much greater; which, when the Expence of Seeds
is duly considered, will be found no small Saving to the Farmer.
Nor should this Method of Culture be confined to _Europe_: for it
may be practised to as great Advantage in the _British_ Colonies in
_America_, where, in the Culture of the Sugar-Cane, Indigo, Cotton,
Rice, and almost all the Crops of that Country, it will certainly save
a great Expence of Labour, and improve the Growth of every Plant, more
than can be imagined by such as are ignorant of the Benefit arising
from this Culture. And should the Subjects of _Great Britain_ neglect
to introduce this Method into her Colonies, it may be presumed our
Neighbours will take care not to _be blameable on this Head_; for they
seem to be as intent upon extending every Branch of Trade, and making
the greatest Improvements of their Land, as we are indifferent to both:
So that, unless a contrary Spirit be soon exerted, the Balance of
Trade, Power, and every other Advantage, must be against us.
There have been Objections made by some to Mr. _Tull_’s Method, as
if it were practicable only on such Lands as are soft and light, and
not at all on stiff and stony Ground. That it hath not been practised
on either of these Lands in _England_ we are willing to grant; but
we must not from thence infer that it is impossible to apply it to
them. For the Hoe-Plough has been very long used in the Vineyards in
many Countries, where the Soil is stronger, and abounds with Stones
full as much as any Part of this Country. However, though the Use of
this Plough may be attended with some Difficulties upon such Land,
for Wheat, or Plants of low Growth, whose Roots may be in Danger of
being turned out of the Ground, or their Tops buried by the Clods or
Stones; yet none of the larger-growing Plants are subject to the same
Inconveniencies. Besides, the stronger the Soil is, the more Benefit
will it receive from this Method of Culture, if the Land be thereby
more pulverized; which will certainly be the Consequence, where the
Method laid down by Mr. _Tull_ is duly observed.
But as most Instruments, in their First Use, are attended with
some Difficulty, especially in the Hands of such as are indocile,
the Hoe-plough has been complained of, as cumbersome and unwieldy
to the Horse and Ploughman. But perhaps this arises chiefly from
the Unwillingness of the Workmen to introduce any new Instrument:
Indeed, seeing little is to be expected from those who have been long
attached to different Methods, the surest Way to promote the Use of
it, is to engage young Persons, who may probably be better disposed,
to make the Trial at their first entering into Business; and then a
little Use will make it easy. It is proper to observe here, that the
Swing-plough, which is commonly used in the deep Land about _London_,
will do the Business of the Hoe-plough in all Ground that is not very
strong, or very stony; and that where it is so, the Foot-plough, made
proportionably strong, will completely answer all Purposes. But it must
be remembered, that when these are used to hoe Corn, the Board on the
Left Hand of the Plough, answering the Mould-Board, must be taken off;
otherwise so much Earth will run to the Left Side, as to injure the
Crop when it is low.
The _Drills_ are excellent Instruments; yet we imagine them capable of
some farther Improvement. Parallel Grooves, at about an Inch asunder,
round the Inside of the Hopper, would shew the Man who follows the
Drill, whether or no both Boxes vent the Seed equally. By an Hitch from
the Plank to the Harrow, the latter may be lifted to a proper Height,
so as not to be in the Way when the Ploughman turns at the Headland.
Two light Handles on the Plank, like those of the common Plough, would
enable the Person who follows the Drill to keep it from falling off
the Middle of the Ridge. It may also be useful, in wet Weather, to
double the Drills; by which means Two Ridges may be sown at the same
time, the Horse going between them: For the Planks of Two Drills, each
Plank having one of the Shafts fixed to it, may be joined End for End
by Two flat Bars of Iron, one on each Side, well secured by Iron Pins
and Screws; and, by corresponding Holes in the Planks and Bars, the
Distance between the Drills may be altered, according to the different
Spaces between the Ridges.
The Alterations made by the Editors of this Impression are little more
than omitting the controversial Parts of the Book, which were judged of
no Service to the Reader, as they no-ways affected the Merits of Mr.
_Tull_’s Principles.
But as he endeavoured to recommend his Theory by drawing a Comparison
between the Old Method of Culture and the New, so we beg leave to annex
a Computation of the Expence and Profit of each; for which we are
obliged to a Gentleman, who for some Years practised both in a Country
where the Soil was of the same Nature with that from whence Mr. _Tull_
drew his Observations, _viz._ light and chalky. And we chuse to give
this the rather, as it comes from one who has no Attachment to Mr.
_Tull_’s Method, farther than that he found it answer in his Trials. We
appeal to Experience, whether every Article in this Calculation is not
estimated in favour of the Common Husbandry; whether the Expence be not
rated lower than most Farmers find it, and the Crop such as they would
rejoice to see, but seldom do, in the Country where this Computation
was made.
In the New Husbandry every Article is put at its full Value, and the
Crop of each Year is Four Bushels short of the other; tho’, in several
Years Experience, it has equalled, and generally exceeded, those of the
Neighbourhood in the Old Way.
_An Estimate of the Expence and Profit of Ten Acres of Land in Twenty
Years._