156 Eulogium on William West. 
farming they pursue, admits of no alteration for the bet- 
ter, will of course despise all information derived from 
agricultural publications; and those who deem ita mis- 
application of time, or who are afraid. that it will be 
deemed an acknowledgment of their own inferiority to 
go expressly to view the farms of others, will of course 
long continue in the practices of their forefathers, how- 
ever erroneous, and adopt all sapsreted improvements 
with caution and reluctance. ‘ 
It was indicative of Mr. West’s disposition to im- 
prove, and an evidence of his freedom from prejudice, 
that he ata very early period adopted the use of gyp- 
sum as a manure ; conscious that he had much to learn, 
he was always on the search for information, and he no 
sooner heard of the beneficial effects, which had been 
experienced from that singular substance on some of 
the city lots, then he made further inquiry respecting it, 
and saw and heard enough to satisfy him as to its uti- 
lity. Without therefore hesitating as many did, because 
he could not account for the theory of its operation, he 
resolved upon its use. The first season convinced him 
that it was a most important acquisition to the farmer 
and the experience of every subsequent year confirmed 
him in the opinion he at first had adopted. He defended 
it against the futile and weak objection which he fre- 
quently heard urged against it, that it acted upon vege- 
tables like ardent spirits upon the human body, and like 
them must finally exhaust the powers of the land: he 
would remind its opponents of the means which it fur- 
nished of adding to the vigour of the soil by means of 
the great quantities of manure afforded by the addi- 
tional number of cattle, which could be maintained from 
