[From T.Quayle Agriculture of IoM, 1812]

PREFACE.

THE following Report was prepared from notes collected during a residence in the Isle of Man, from the beginnings of June to the end of September, 1811. When presenting it to the Board, the Reporter would hold himself guilty of ingratitude, were he not to express his obligation to every class of his countrymen for their ready assistance on every occasion where he thought it necessary to seek information. In particular, he considers himself indebted to J. F. Crellin, Esq. one of the Deemsters, or common-law judges; to T. Stowell, Esq. the Clerk of the Rolls; to the Rev. J. Bridson, Rector of Kirk-Bride; to Major Taubman; P. Moore, R. Farrant, T. Gawne, Edward Gawne, and J. Wade, Esqrs.; to Lieut. Wynne, R. M. to Mr. Hughes, Mr. B. Quayle, the former reporter to the Board; to Messrs. W. Kelly, Sinclair, A. Minto, and Cannel: but most of all, be has to express his gratitude to Col. Taubman and A. Dunlop, Esq. without whose valuable aid, on many occasions, the imperfections with which this work may be chargeable, would have been still more numerous.

The Custom-house returns, previous to the year 1791, are extracted from materials collected by Commissioners sent to the Island by Lord Melville (then Mr. Douglas), as Secretary of State. On an application to W. Scott, Esq. the Receiver-general of the insular Customs, for the more recent information, he obligingly furnished the greater portion of the subsequent returns from which the Appendix is compiled.

As it fortunately happened that the visit which the much respected President of the insular Agricultural Society, J. C. Curwen,Esq. annually pays them, took place during the Reporter's residence, and gave occasion to a very numerous meeting of its members, an opportunity offered of collecting information, in particular as to the live stock, which much facilitated all subsequent enquiries. On many heads, the Reporter had also the advantage of Mr. Curwen's directions and advice.

In the Mineralogical and Botanical departments, the Reporter sought elsewhere the assistance, which the island itself did not afford, of a well informed companion in his researches; but was unfortunately and repeatedly disappointed in receiving that assistance which he so much wished and needed. On the former head, he has in some respects benefited by the recent publication of his tour by Mr. Woods, the best as well as the latest traveller who has laid before the public any account of this Island. As a survey of it within these few months has been made by Dr. Berger, under the auspices of the Geological Society, and the specimens collected have already been received, the defects of the present Report, regarding that particular, are the less to be regretted.