Two hundred and ninety years ago today, one of the most influential Scots ever was born: a man whose influence on our understanding of the earth was revolutionary at the time and has unlocked vast areas of related knowledge since then.
He successfully challenged the idea that the earth was only 4004 years old. And yet his name is barely known in his homeland, despite his worldwide impact and reputation elsewhere.
Born in Edinburgh in 1726, James Hutton was a geologist, physician, chemical manufacturer, naturalist and experimental agriculturalist. He is internationally regarded as the founder of modern geology and the first scientist to describe the Earth as a machine in which constant erosion is matched by the uplift of ocean floors to form new mountain chains. These ideas paved the way for the concept of “deep time” in geology which in turn informed Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
In the year of the 290th anniversary of James Hutton’s birth, the James Hutton Institute is to publish an edition of his Elements of Agriculture, a summation of this Scottish Enlightment thinker’s ideas on agriculture in terms of climate and vegetation, soil formation and management, farm labour and economy, husbandry and plant breeding. It is hoped that this publication of Hutton’s final manuscript will provide a resource to inspire further research on how to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges.
Professor Colin Campbell, the Institute’s Chief Executive, said: “Few figures of the Scottish Enlightenment have had such a wide-ranging impact as James Hutton. A world-renowned scientist, he was willing to challenge accepted wisdom to create a new vision of how the world was formed and how it is constantly evolving.
“Hutton’s approach epitomises the Institute’s purpose, intent and values. He was willing to stand up to dogma, based on the rigorous pursuit of observation and science. He actively sought out and fostered opportunities to engage and collaborate with others across a wide range of disciplines. He was, by nature, highly creative and driven by curiosity about the world, but he also had a practical mindset and sought uses for his ideas around agriculture .
The compilation of an edition of Hutton’s Elements of Agriculture is being undertaken by Professor Alan Werritty, a member of the James Hutton Institute Board and Emeritus Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Dundee. Professor Werritty commented:
“It has been a privilege and incredibly interesting to read through Hutton’s work on agriculture. His thoughts about soil management and plant breeding are remarkably insightful and closely aligned with present-day thinking. My favourite section so far has been his understanding of the ways in which climate and soil type influence farming practices. Hutton’s ingenuity as an experimentalist is illustrated by his determination of the rate at which air temperature decreases as you climb a mountain. Repeated ascents of Arthur’s Seat measuring the temperature at the base and on the summit and averaging the result, yielded a value very close to the 9.8° C per 1000 meters used today.
James Hutton Institute Honorary Fellow, Professor John Hillman, commented: “Hutton clearly thought deeply about issues such as plant breeding and selection systems and the relationship between rootstock and scion. His interest in the soil and climate predate modern agroecology and genotype-environment interactions.
“Without access to modern experimental techniques, he was only able to comment on ‘degeneration’, a phenomenon reflecting factors such declining resistance to pests and diseases, gene flow, and parental variability. Crucially, he decried the lack of interest and enquiry into crops.
“In all respects, James Hutton was a remarkable polymath, a man of great intellectual originality.”
As its namesake did during the Scottish Enlightment, the James Hutton Institute translates Scottish science to the wider world. Basic concepts, ideas, methods, theories and hypotheses are shared across systems and places and with collaborators internationally.