22 INTRODUCTORY ESSAYS. 



not indeed admit of the practice of that science necessary to an 

 improved state of cultivation. But it is very obvious that had 

 tliey preserved records of it and assiduously improved them, 

 as they probably did those of many others less interesting, it 

 would have greatly meliorated their condition. 



The knovvledcre of the mechanical arts, and indeed the whole 

 science of civililed man, has been the result of the prog-ressive 

 improvements of individual : the aggregate of their discoveries 

 has contributed to these improvements, and has at last, ana 

 after a long succession of years, resulted in the knowledge of 

 the variouf arts and sciences which have distinguished the 

 civil from the natural state. The mechanical arts depend on 

 certain fixed principles, and are performed by «^"^P ^ ami "m- 

 form operations; whereas the business ^f husbandry i. to be 

 directed according to every change of weather, and the great 

 variety of the properties in different soils; and also many acci- 

 dents which must continually vary its operations, to render 

 them successful. From these and various other considera ions, 

 it is, that a competent knowledge of the science should em. 

 brace the experience and the philosophy of he whole age m 

 which we live. The improvements which have been some- 

 Ws made in our country, and which are -^Wo-d by -^^^^^^^ 

 have resulted from recent discoveries and obser^ ations are 

 ?ound, on examining the history of the science of ^|ncul u e, 

 to have been practised hundreds of years ago ; and the know- 

 edge of them but recently developed to us, by that spirit of 

 enqmry which the combined ctforts of a few individuals 

 has inspired. But the efforts of a few individuals to pro- 

 moter science of agriculture, cannot he exten-^^^^^^ 

 permtnently useful, unless our farmers generally believe in its 

 Fmporiance.^ And there is among our citr.ens, a disposition 



oo prevalent, to treat every P^^PO^^^^^" .^^VT^^^^f.^t 

 chimerical, or a useless innovation. This disposition is not 

 unprecedented. Instances enough might be adduced in v^^^^^^^ 

 error has been venerated for its antiquity, wlnle truth has been 

 discarded for its novelty Ev^n in this enlightened r^^^^^^^^^ 

 this age of reason and philosophy, the first f «f^^ ^^1^^^^^, ^^^^ 

 lition of any popular custom, however absurd, ^^^ ^^en charg 

 ed with the e]>ithet of a visionary project B"\ '^^f^^^.^ 

 would estimate the correctness of their habits ^"^ thej^ P^f J^ ^ 

 dices by the antiquity of their origin, or are ^vdlmg to lim 

 their knowledffc to those improvements which are the result 

 ofXir own personal observations and experience should b^^ 

 reminded that the idea of treating agriculture as a science 

 a^d of improving its condition, by collecting and recording the 



