6nit,Uman larming. 



OR any useful purpose, the old books on farming are 

 rarely resorted to ; new theories, new modes, and new ma- 

 chines, are the order of the day ; and yet, there is an amount 

 of curious information, and facts incidental to all human 

 labor, in some of the older writers, that should not be lost 

 sight of. The very best book on the subject of farming in 

 America, was published in 1825, after the death of the author, 

 Mr. John Lorain, who occupied a farm only a few miles from 

 our own residence. He was an enthusiast, and sufficiently 

 scientific to master all the theories then in vogue, some of 

 which he was instrumental in disproving. His chapters on 

 " Gentleman Farming" are so quaint, apt, and amusing, that 

 we propose to devote a short space to a brief notice of his own experience. 



Poets, with other writers, attribute to rural pursuits all the rational pleasures 

 which constitute the chief happiness of man ; but they appear to have forgotten 

 that these beautiful scenes which they so elegantly describe, are the effect of 

 immense labor and fatigue : — 



" Tlie bard who wrote 

 The silly trash of brushing dew away 

 To see the sun rise, hardly knew, I fancy, 

 What dew was made of, or the vile effect 

 That frequent soaking hath upon shoe leather." 



These city gentlemen forget that agriculture, when properly pursued, under the 

 most favorable circumstances, requires very great attention, both early and late, 

 and that there are very few employments which have more crosses, losses, and 

 disappointments, necessarily attached to them. An epidemic sometimes sweeps off 

 live stock, as with the besom of destruction ; mildew, smut, with numerous blights, 

 excessive rains, storms, a scorching sun, drought, untimely nipping frosts, and 

 insects as destructive as an invading army, destroy the farmers' most flattering 

 expectations. 



The gentleman commences his occupation with the information, perhaps ob- 

 tained from books, that full-bred farmers do not generally manage their agricul- 

 tural concerns anything like so advantageously as might be done ; the farm is 

 bought without duly observing that the different opinions of authors give contra- 

 dictory theories ; he has to learn, from his own practice, which is right, or whether 

 the whole of them may not be essentially wrong. What that experience usually 

 is, Mr. Lorain tells us some of the incidents. 



The fish-pond and the icehouse have been constructed after all the details of 

 the alterations and enlargements of house and barn are complete ; the garden is 

 greatly added to ; exotic trees are introduced ; the gravel is hauled six or eight 

 besides the pleasure of seeing, displaying, and using, the rare products of 



YoL. YI.— June, 1856. 



17 



