Husbandry anatomized, or, An enquiry into the present manner of teiling and manuring the ground in Scotland for most part and several rules and measures laid down for the better improvement thereof, in so much that one third part more increase may be had, and yet more than a third part of the expence of the present way of labouring thereof saved / by Ja. Donaldson.

To the Right Honourable, PATRICK Earl of MARCHMONT, Viscount of BLASONBERIE Lord POLW ARTH, Lord High Chancellour of SCOTLAND And the whole Remnant Lords of His Majesties Most Honourable Priy COUNCIL.

Right HONOURABLE,

IT may be looked upon as a Peice of heightened Arrogance, for such a Person as I am, to Presume to Endit any thing that may deserve your Lordships Cognizance; And

truly on any other Subject, but this most Plain, and Genuine Art of Husbandrie: I had scarce adventured to publish my Sentiments, and much less presumed to offer the same, to such August, Venerable, and Judi∣cious Criticks, Who are acquainted with Learned and Eloquent Treatises on all Subjects: But where there is greatest Judgement, there useth to be most Discretion; Which gives me Confidence and Ground to hope, that what I here offer with Respect and Good Will, allanarly with an Eye to the publick Good, shall find Acceptance: Thô from the Stile of Writing or Congruity of Language, no such thing can be pleaded for;

Rhetorick being that which neither the Subject doth require, nor my simple Genius can Aspire to.

Perhaps two Questions may be asked, Concerning my Experience in Husbandry, and Motives in pub∣lishing thereof. To give a positive and distinct Answer to both, will require an abridged History of my own Life, which I shall with all Bre∣vity repeat, because it will be a kind Kye to the following Sheets.

I was bred in the Country, Till I was upwards of twenty years of Age: And my Father keeping Ser∣vants and Cattle for labouring a part

of these Lands, which heritably be∣longed to him: I had occasion to acquire as much Knowledge in Husband Affairs, as was practised in that place of the Country. Some few years before the Revolution, I applyed my self to the study of Traf∣fick and Merchandizing: But as soon as it pleased GOD to call his Ma∣jestie (then Prince of Orange) to relieve these Kingdoms from the Im∣minent Danger They then stood in; I judged it my Honour and Duty to concur with such a Laudible and Glorious Undertaking: And accord∣ing to my Ability, testified my Af∣fection to the Cause, several wayes needless here to repeat; And especial∣ly

in Leavying a Company of Men for his Majesties Service, and served in the Earl of Angus his Regiment, till the second day of February, 1690. When that Regiment was reduced from twenty to thirteen Companies.

I was disbanded, But through the scarcity of Money in the Exchequer, and great need of keeping an Army on foot; Hitherto I have received no Reimbursement of Money I Depursed on that Occasion, nor what I can claim of Arriers: But the chief Cause of my being reduced to the present hard Condition I am in, was, The leaving my Business in Confusion, when I engadged in His Majesties

Service, not getting Goods in my Custodie disposed off to Advantage, nor Debts due to me sought in; And on the other hand, my Creditors sued for what was owing them, I was obliged to satisfie, and pay several o∣ther Summs I was Caution for, to my great loss: By all which, and several other misfortunat Accidents, my Credit was much broken, and Estate near exhausted. Notwithstanding of all which, I wrasled under all these Disadvantages, still thinking to have recovered, till within this two or three years. At length I was obliged to succumb, my Creditors attacking all my Ef∣fects; I was necessitat to leave the

Kingdom for a time, and now return∣ing empty handed, I began to Rea∣son thus with my self: What? Have I learned nothing from all that I have seen or heard, whereby I can be Useful to my self or the Common-Wealth? And at length came to this Resolve, I have had some Experience of the Way and Manner of Labuoring the Ground in this Countrey; And I have seen their Way of mannaging thereof in some other Places, which is generally done to greater Advan∣tage: And when I began to try what might be the Causes, why there is such difference of Increase in one place, more than another, I found it is not altogether from the difference of

the Climate, nor Primitive Constitu∣tion of the Earth.

And as soon as I thought of pub∣lishing this, I thought it my Duty, (with all Humility) to present it to your Lordships▪ in respect you are not only Proprietors of a great part of Lands in this Kingdom, but also in Authority and Dignity, to recom∣mend this Project, both by Example and Precept; And if it may seem practicable in your Lordships Eyes, and any Benefit to the Publick come thereby, I shall reckon it a special Mercy of GOD (who by his Overrul∣ing Providence oft times worketh

by contrary like Means) that I am re∣duced to this penurious Condition; For if it had pleased GOD to continue me in prosperity, I beleive this Pro∣ject had never entred my thoughts. I am not so self conceited, as to ap∣prehend there is any great Mistery in what I have here published, for it is a thing many have not only known, but practised; But never any that I yet saw, hath published it in thir Terms, for (as I noted in page 125) the grand mistake lyeth in Mis∣calculation; And I foresaw, if I had used the common Method of writing on this Subject, it had been objected, the Profit would not overballance the Expence; For which Cause, I have

chused to go thorow every Parti∣cular, and shew how and from whence the profit doth arise.

I know Epistols Dedicatory, are usually stuffed with the Praises of those to whom they are directed; But the like Practise were here supper∣fluous (tho I were capable of such a Task) as the Poet who was desired to write in praise of Alexander, answer∣ed; Who hath dispraised Alexander? So I think my dull Pen attempt∣ing to applaud Unquestioned Vertue, were not only Vain, but Injurious. Wherefore, I judge it my best Elo∣quence, to be altogether silent, and let your Enemies judge whither Real Vertue doth not dwell in the Breasts

of these whom Divine Providence hath exalted to such Dignity; And the most Serene, August, and Judici∣ous Monarch this Day in the World, maketh choise of for His Counsel∣lours. But to avoid Prolixity, and encroaching upon your Lordship's Patience, I shall conclude. Now that all Honour, Prosperity, and Endless Felicity, may alwayes attend You, is the Earnest Wish, and Unfeigned Prayer, of

Your LORDSHIPS most Humble and Obedient Servant, Ja: Donaldson.