66 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
disposal, as President of the Board, he set about accompiishing the great objects
he had in view. Among his first proposals was a statistical account of England
similar to the one then in progress for Scotland ; but this he was compelled to
abandon, from a fear on the part of the Church, that such an exposure of the
tithe system as it would necessarily involve, might prove injurious to her
interests. All remonstrance was vain-the heads of the Establishment were
inexorable, Thus discouraged, he had recourse to county reports-and in this
way accomplished partially the object in view.
Shortly after the institution of the Board, the following lines-too curious
to be omitted-went the round of the newspapers :-
“THE FARMER’S CREED.
BY SIRJ OHNS INCLAIRB,A RT.,
President of the Board of Ap‘dture.
Let this be held the farmer’s creed :
For stock seek out the choicest breed ;
In peace and plenty let them feed ;
Your land sow with the best of seed ;
Let it not dung nor dressing need ;
Enclose and drain it with all speed,
And you will soon be rich indeed.”
Sir John continued President of the Board for a period in all of thirteen
years, during which the most active and useful measures were pursued, and
much benefit conferred on the country. On the earnest recommendation of the
Board, Sir Humphrey Davy was induced to undertake his well-known lectures
on Agriculture, in relation to chemistry, by which the light of science was for
the first time thrown upon the art of cultivating the soil, Among the numerous
individuals patronised and brought forward by the president, were the
celebrated road improver, Macadam-and Meikle, the inventor of threshingmachines.’
Deprived of Sir John’s superintendence, the Board gradually declined,
and was finally abolished.
Although he had not entirely coincided with the foreign policy of the Administration,
the call to arms in 1794 was responded to with alacrity by the
patriotic Baronet. In an incredibly short space of time he appeared in the
field at the head of the “ Rothesay and Caithness Fencibles,” so called in compliment
to the Scottish title of the Prince of Wales. The uniform of this
body consisted of bonnet, plaid, and trews, from a belief that the latter was
The threshing-machine was considerably improved by the late Mr. John Paton, an unassuming
but ingenious millwright at Stewarton, in the county of Ayr; and we believe it is to him the
country owes the invention of sheet-iron sieves for sifting meal in corn-mills, in place of the handsieve,
whereby 80 much manual labour is saved. These, after three years’ experiment, he brought
to great perfection, and they are now in general use. Mr. Paton was cut off suddenly in the prime
of life, in January 1829, much regretted in the district where his abilities and private worth were
well known. His character a8 a pious, exemplary member of society was fully and feelingly
adverted to in a sermon preached on the occasion, from these words-“For me to live is Christ, but
to die is great gain,” by the clergyman of the parish, the Rev. Charles B, Steven, A.N.