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In the county of East Lothian, sown grass constitutes, almostinvariably, one crop in the rotation. In such an extensive arabledistrict, it is sown, therefore, to a much greater breadth thanwhat satisfies the whole demand for hay. A few farms in thevicinity of the towns supply their demand for hay ; and, in thegreater part of the farms, no more is made into hay, than whatis necessary for the work horses : the rest is pastured, and prettygenerally, by sheep. One single dealer, who has obtained theconfidence of the farmers, as to skill, capital, and probity, hastransacted, for a number of years, a considerable part of thebusiness of that county, in furnishing the farmers with sheep forconsuming the sown grass and turnip crops, and again disposingof them when fattened ; and such are the liberal principles ofthese dealers, that the lean stock are generally sent without theprice being fixed, and retransmitted upon the same terms of mu-tual confidence. *
* This, among numberless other instances, shows the unnecessary nature of*11 legislative regulations, that proceed upon the curious assumption, that theemployer is uniformly a changeling, unfit to be entrusted with the managementof his own interests ; and that the employed is necessarily a rogue, whose ho-nesty must be watched by the legal appointment of an inspector or spy. Self-interest is the best of all securities for integrity in dealing. He that would deallong, must deal fair , says the proverb. But the regulations of trade proceedupon supposition of the reverse.
The linen trade among the Scots (as the woollen trade among the English )seems to have been the favourite trade, to which the greatest portion of this le-gislative tuition has been extended. As, for instance, no flax seed can be sold,till it is subjected to the examination of an inspector, upon whose judgment itdepends whether it is allowed to be sold for seed, or whether it must be sent t»the oil-mill; yet it does not appear very obvious, why the judgment of it mightnot safely be left to the purchaser, as welt as that of the seed of any other planthe cultivates. Nor does it appear, but that one in the habit of cultivating flax,would consider himself as equally safe in relying on his own judgment; for inwhat way can any appointed inspector have acquired a habit of judging, butwhat is equally open to the cultivator ? Besides, if the approbatur of the in-spector is given, it must preclude action of damage against the seller. Legis-lative care has also been adhibited, to insure a certain construction of the fabric,as if there was any standard of excellence, in regard to the fashion of apparel,any more than in the cookery of victuals, other than the taste of the consumer;or, as if it might not as safely be left to the manufacturer of linen, as to themanufacturer of cotton, to stimulate the cupidity of customers, by the provoca-tion of fabrics constructed in every sort of fanciful variety. The most minutesuperintendence is exercised also over weavers and bleachers, to prevent then*from palming damaged or heterodoxly wrought cloth upqn the public; an in-spector must examiue if it is of uniform goodness throughout; and (in the wayof giving to linen webs the currency almost of coinage) liis stamp must ascer-tain, both this uniform goodness, and the length of the measure, before the webcan be exposed to sale, without incurring a penalty.
The wafteful expenditure of the time of the induftrious, occafioned by the in-terruptions of fuch minute fuperintendence, would be fhikingiy confpicuous,were we to fuppoic the regulations of the linen trade extended to any buiincfiofgreat moment or magnitude.
Suppole it, for inftance, extended to agriculture; no feed corn mull be ex*pofed to sale, or bought, under penalty, till an infpedtor appointed, (and, f
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