The Gentleman Farmer
Being an Attempt to Improve Agriculture by Subjecting it to the Test of Rational Principles

This thoroughly practical second edition of 1779, by a notable judge and author, advocates the best farming practices for Scotland.

Henry Home, Lord Kames (Author)

9781108074377, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 18 December 2014

478 pages, 3 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 2.7 cm, 0.6 kg

Henry Home, Lord Kames (1696–1782) gained recognition as an advocate at the Scottish bar, and subsequently as a judge whose writings on the philosophy, theory and practice of the law were hugely influential. However, he also took great interest in agriculture, and his wife's inheritance of a large estate in 1766 particularly focused his energies. The first edition of this work, published in 1776, rapidly became popular: reissued here is the enlarged second edition of 1779. Kames makes it clear that 'there never was in Scotland a period more favourable to agriculture than the present'. He begins with necessary equipment and moves on to describe the preparation of the ground, and the appropriate crops to grow for feeding to humans or cattle. This thoroughly practical work ends with an appendix in which the 'imperfection of Scotch husbandry' and a proposal for 'a board for improving agriculture' are discussed.

Epistle
Preface
Part I. Practice of Agriculture: 1. Instruments of husbandry
2. Farm cattle and carriages
3. Farm-offices
4. Preparing land for cropping
5. Culture of plants for food
6. Culture of grass
7. Rotation of crops
8. Reaping and storing corn and hay crops
9. Feeding farm-cattle
10. Culture of other plants proper for a farm
11. Manures
12. Fences
13. The proper size of a farm
14. What a corn-farm ought to yield in rent
Part II. Theory of Agriculture: 1. Preliminary observations
2. Food of plants, and fertility of soil
3. Means of fertilizing soils
Appendices.

Subject Areas: Environmental management [RNF]