4 Introduction. | Jan. 
but who, when he sees the crowd of curious upturned faces, concealing 
tongues ready to applaud, but equally prompt to hiss, finds that his 
labelled sentences are gone, and with them his courage to seek fresh 
ones. 
Let us, then, be brief. 
We have been told by men in every walk of life, that the time is 
come when Science may claim for herself a special organ; that not 
alone scientific readers, but those of every class, desire to approach the 
source from whence this species of knowledge is derived,—to learn in 
which direction the current flows, and how it is likely to affect their 
material interests or questions bearing upon their eternal happiness. 
To supply such a want is a truly ambitious aim, and one which, 
we do not hesitate to confess, we should never have proposed to our- 
selves had we not been first assured of the co-operation of those whose 
powers alone are equal to its accomplishment. 
With men illustrious in Science, ready to avail themselves of these 
pages as a medium of communication with the public, and to many of 
whom we acknowledge ourselves already indebted, both for friendly 
counsel and for active co-operation, we now set out, full cf hope and 
confidence; and before giving place to those whose words will have 
much weight, and whose teachings cannot fail to exercise a beneficial 
influence, we invite our readers to advance a few paces with us, to an 
eminence from which we may be enabled to point out to them some of 
the more prominent farmsteads on the surrounding fields of Science, 
where the labourers are to-day busy sowing or reaping, enriching old, 
or winning new pastures. 
This figurative remark naturally leads us to the consideration of 
one or two of the more prominent features in connection with the 
Science and practice of Agriculture as they are to-day presented to 
our notice; and, perhaps, no subject is more deserving of attention 
at our hands than the Drainage and Cultivation of land. 
It is, probably, unknown to the large majority of our readers, that 
a legislative enactment was passed, a few years since, called the 
“Tand Drainage Act,” the object of which was to enable proprietors 
of arable and pasture land situated in valleys or level districts more 
effectually to drain such land by the acquisition of a convenient access 
to what are termed the arterial drains (the smaller streams and rivers); 
in fact, to give them what, in the railway world, would be called 
“running powers” for a drain through a neighbour's estate. 
When they are informed that by improved drainage the rental of 
some kinds of land may be raised from 5s. or 6s. to 40s., or even 50s. 
an acre, whilst the poorer soils are capable of being enhanced four- 
