rbO AfiRiCULtURAL E5^AY4. 



naen, too many mechanics, too many commercial men, and too 

 many soldiers ; as well as too many who, by the policy of our 

 government, 6r the indulgence of their fathers or guardians, 

 "ure permitted to waste the vigor of their youth, without any 

 ostensible object of pursuit, which may prepare them for use- 

 fulness. 



In this state of things our larger farms are not cultivated as 

 'they ought to be, and our small ones, though well cultivated 

 'when in the" occupancy of wise and industrious husbandmen,yet 

 "ure frequently almost entirely neglected,' because they are not 

 supposed to be large enough to make their cultivation a suf- 

 ficient object. It has been remarked that farmers are often 

 ruined because they have too great plenty of land in their 

 possession. This may be true, but there is no reason why it 

 'should continue to be so any more than that being rich should 

 necessarily make a man poor. The man ^ who possesses 

 timch land, should clear and improve no more than he can cul- 

 tivate to advantage. 



The author of these essays does not pretend that new theo- 

 ries will give to agricultural operations any sudden and extra- 

 ordinary impulse, in the developement of national or mdividu- 

 al resources. Nature has given nothing to man without labor. 

 The truth of this has been attested by the efforts which were 

 necessary in cbmpihng this small volume; in which, however 

 judiciously the information it contains, may appear to 

 have been selected, it presents only an introductory view 

 to a science, in the pursuit of which, we may expect to make, 

 indefinite progression. Notwithstanding how much may be at- 

 tributed to the expediency of studying agriculture as a science, 

 it is believed that it is not so much for the want of knowledge 

 " or of theories, as of attention, of proper emulation, of industry, 

 and economy, that it is not yet in a condition as much improved 

 and prosperous as it probably would be, and as it should be, 

 if we would act with a wise reference to the interests of our 

 posterity, and ©f our country. 



