SOLON ROBINSON, 1846 31 



with pleasure, whenever the author sends me a copy.^ 

 [You shall have one gratis, if we have to send it our- 

 selves.] 



Practical Facts about Pork and Bacon.^ — This is from 

 a prolific pen, from whence flow a great many practical 

 facts upon a great many interesting subjects, and upon 

 this one he writes exactly as though "he was brought up 

 among the hogs." That this article is an interesting one, 

 is proved by the fact that it is "taking the round of the 

 papers." 



How to Destroy the Canada Thistle. — This is all very 

 good doctrine; but how are you to induce "every man to 

 weed on his own side of the fence ?" Weeds in fence cor- 

 ners, is another of the evils of our wretched system of 

 fencing, which has not been sufficiently adverted to by 

 the advocates of cultivating land without fence. And 

 until that day of wisdom arrives, I, for one, despair of 

 ridding the land of this troublesome weed, as well as 

 many other of the evils of the system of compelling one 

 man to fence against everybody else's cattle. Be assured, 

 "old farmer," that although you may "chisel" out the 

 thistle, a thousand others will not; and "faith without 

 works" will never rid the country of the Canada thistle, 

 any more than in the negro's sermon it could make "de 

 hog a gemman in de parler." 



Imported Cattle. — I have said my say in remarks upon 

 Mr. Bement's communication. Mr. Vail is a very enter- 

 prising friend of improvement, and has a beautiful herd 

 of cattle;^ but suppose you admit similar articles from 



'Daniel Jay Browne, The Trees of America; Native and Foreign 

 . . . (New York, 1846). Author and compiler of numerous agri- 

 cultural and scientific works. Employed in the agricultural ware- 

 house of A. B. Allen & Co., New York, and also as assistant editor 

 of the American Agriculturist, 1845-1851. Connected with the cen- 

 sus and patent offices at a later period. See sketch in Dictionary of 

 AvveHcan Biography, 3:164-65; also post, 37. 



' See ante, 17-20. Robinson was apparently trying to prevent his 

 recognition as "Reviewer." 



' George Vail, of Oak Grove near Troy, New York. President of 

 Merchants and Mechanics Bank of Troy. Director of a railroad 

 from Troy to Ballstown Spa, 1832. Wholesale dry-goods merchant, 



