INTRODUCTION 29 



the correspondence which came to Solon at these times, 

 that he was physically unable to answer more than a 

 minor portion of the letters addressed to him. Invita- 

 tions to visit farmers and planters kept editors busy 

 explaining the impossibility of satisfying all those who 

 wished to see him. Notwithstanding the fact that there 

 were many localities which Robinson did not visit, prob- 

 ably no man of his time, particularly in the period from 

 1840 to 1860, had a wider and more accurate knowledge 

 of the agriculture of the United States. Taken as a 

 whole, his acute observations form a record of great 

 value for the social and economic historian. 



In 1845, while acting as traveling correspondent of the 

 Cultivator, Robinson took subscriptions for that periodi- 

 cal and for current books on farming. 1 Between 1849 

 and 1850, when he was sending reports of his journeys 

 chiefly to the American Agriculturist, he took orders for 

 that magazine and for books on agricultural subjects pub- 

 lished by C. M. Saxton, and also sold seeds, nursery 

 stock, farm implements, and machinery for A. B. Allen 

 & Company. 2 Guano, which was then being imported 

 regularly by this firm, was added to his list in 1851. 3 

 Close association with the Allen brothers in this period 

 resulted in his appointment as assistant editor of the 

 American Agriculturist in 1851, and although traveling 

 much of the time he served in that capacity during the 

 ensuing year. 



Because of the increase of their manufacturing busi- 

 ness, in 1851 A. B. and R. L. Allen concluded to suspend 

 publication of the American Agriculturist after the De- 

 cember number and devote all their time to A. B. Allen & 

 Company. After due consideration, and with the ap- 

 proval and cooperation of the Aliens, Robinson deter- 



a Robinson Account Book, 1840-1853; Cultivator, n.s. 2:92 

 (March, 1845). 



2 American Agriculturist, 8:333 (November, 1849); American 

 Farmer, 3d series, 5:170 (November, 1849) ; Robinson business card 

 of 1851. 



'Southern Cultivator, Augusta, Georgia, 9:70-71 (March, 1851). 



