THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



215 



one side or the other, something in the same way that 

 " ducks are led into a decoy," and then and there tells 

 us, " Hitherto shalt thou come, hut no farther." It 

 would be superfluous to waste time in exposing the im- 

 propriety of such a fallacious system. 



Having thus taken a general view of the march of 

 improvement, let us now turn back and examine the 

 farmer's foot-prints along the line — the series of dis- 

 coveries that constitute the whole journey, so far as ho 

 has made successful progress of late years. 



In every branch of husbandry, an experiment which 

 does not prove a discovery, with the prospect of more 

 discoveries to be made in the same direction, is an ex- 

 periment out of date, and worthless to the present go- 

 a-head age. An experiment that proves the attainment 

 of an advance, with the certainty of further advances 

 being made in the same direction, is invaluable. But 

 if it only proves that no farther progress can be made 

 in the direction to which it leads, then it practically de- 

 monstrates that the experimentalist is off the main line 

 of progress, and into some of Old Experimentality's 

 grounds ; so that he has to return to the main line from 

 whence he started, before he can pursue his journey in 

 the right direction with credit to himself, and as a safe 

 guide for others who are behind following in his foot- 

 steps. 



The grand practical maxim then is, to note the dis- 

 coveries individually as they are made, and to set them 

 up as milestones along the line, so as definitely to show 

 the actual rate of progression at which we are moving. 

 For a farmer to stand still, is tantamount to a detached 

 carriage left on the line, to be run into by the first ex- 

 press train — a circumstance always attended with a cer- 

 tain amount of smashing, havoc, and loss to both. 



To avoid damage of this kind, the ordinary practice is 

 to " shunt" all useless rolling stock "into sidings" off 

 the line. The traveller as he passes along may see 

 plenty of old-fashioned half-worn out rusty rotting car- 

 riages and trucks of this kind at every shunting. They 

 generally speak for themselves, furnishing the best es- 

 timate of their own value, which is seldom much. It is 

 otherwise with the advancing train, whose engine gains 

 fresh ground every stroke of its piston. 



The rapidity with which discoveries are made, is at 

 times very remarkable. The progress of steam-culture 

 during the last five or six years, or since the Carlisle 

 meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society, is an example 

 of this kind, especially when we compare it with the 

 progress made during the preceding half-century. The 

 reaping-machine furnishes another very interesting ex- 

 ample of progress. During the last few years the 

 whole implement trade has been in a kind of revolution. 

 In the manurine of land and feeding of cattle, improve- 

 ment is equally active and successful. In short, at the 

 present moment there is no department in which rapid 

 progress is not being made. 



If the progress thus being made in any of the above 

 branches, such as steam-culture, is examined in detail, 

 one thing manifests itself in a very conspicuous manner, 

 viz., the tendency which every branch has to split,as it were, 

 into sub-branches of a more simple character. With 



the subdivision of labour, and the economical advantages 

 arising from it, there are few who are not familiar ; and 

 it would appear, from the tendency, that the whole fabric 

 of industry is subject to this common or natural law of 

 subdivision. In other words, discovery has a tendency 

 to subdivide and simplify itself. 



To prosecute this subdivision in agriculture is the 

 professional employment of the farmer, the implement- 

 maker, and others practically engaged in the work ; 

 while the duty devolving on agricultural societies and 

 the agricultural press is to patronize and encourage the 

 great work of progression by every means in their 

 power. 



In the case of steam culture, the first subdivision 

 that demands attention is two motive-powers — steam 

 and horses ; so that there is now a race, or competition, 

 between these two rivals as to how much work each is 

 to do upon the farm in the work of cultivation. *In 

 other words, we have now in the field steam versus 

 horses in the cultivation of land. 



As to the result in this great contest, opinions are 

 now being very freely expressed, although very much 

 divided as to the amount of work which each of the two 

 powers will ultimately perform. But the question can 

 never be decided by opinion, this mode of judgment 

 being irrelevant. It is discovery that will decide the 

 question ; and as no limits can be set to the march of 

 progress, the impropriety of present opinion pronounc- 

 her sentence from the judgment-seat of the future is 

 manifest. Sound experimental philosophy confines the 

 province of judgment to the discoveries already made. 

 And as discoveries are daily being made, it consequently 

 follows that experimental inquiry must daily he made, 

 and the distance made by rivals in the race of progress 

 be measured accordingly. 



So far as the two rival powers are concerned, Judg- 

 ment has not a very diflScult task to perform. The 

 facts of the case are so plain and simple as to leave little 

 for anyone to say in the matter. Steam has so many 

 advantages over horses, when viewed in the abstract, as 

 a motor power in the cultivation of land, especially wet 

 clayey land, which sustains an immense amount of harm 

 from the feet of the horses, as to turn the balance in its 

 favour. 



Farmers, however, cannot always decide questions 

 purely on abstract principle. On the contrary, they 

 are generally obliged to examine them in a pecuniary 

 light at the same time. Indeed, farming in this country 

 may not inaptly be said to be philosophically as much a 

 commercial enterprize as an agricultural. The former 

 element comprises more of the business of the farm 

 than perhaps is generally imagined ; and this is the 

 reason why the prime cost of things, expenses, &c., &c., 

 occupy 80 prominent a place in all public and private 

 communings in connexion with British husbandry. 

 Were the farmer in possession of both steam and horses 

 the question would be easily decided ; but when he has 

 to sell the latter which he himself reared, and buy a 

 steam engine, &c., manufactured by another, commercial 

 questions arise requiring matured consideration before 



