2 PREFACE. 



farmer, too, had led me for a long time to desire to know more of the 

 prevailing, ordinary, and generally accepted practices of agriculture, 

 than I could learn from Mr. Coleman s book, or from the observations 

 of most of the European correspondents of our agricultural periodicals, 

 the attention of these gentlemen having been usually directed to the ex 

 ceptional improved modes of cultivation which prevail only among the 

 amateur agriculturists and the bolder and more enterprising farmers. 



The tour was made in company with two friends, whose purposes 

 somewhat influence the character of the narrative. One of them, my 

 brother, hoped by a course of invigorating exercise, simple diet, and 

 restraint from books and other in-door and sedentary luxuries, to re 

 establish his weakened health, and especially to strengthen his eyes, 

 frequent failures of which often seriously annoyed and interrupted him 

 in the study of his profession. The other, our intimate friend from 

 boyhood, desired to add somewhat to the qualifications usually inquired 

 after in a professed teacher and adviser of mankind, by such a term and 

 method of study as he could afford to make, of the varying develop 

 ments of human nature under different biases and institutions from 

 those of his own land. 



We all considered, finally, that it should be among those classes which 

 form the majority of the people of a country that the truest exhibition 

 of national character should be looked for, and that in their condition 

 should be found the best evidence of the wisdom of national institutions. 



In forming the details of a plan by which we could, within certain 

 limits of time and money, best accomplish such purposes as I have 

 indicated, we were much indebted to the information and advice given 

 by Bayard Taylor in his &quot; Views a- Foot.&quot; 



The part now published contains the narrative of the earlier, and to 

 us most interesting, though not the most practically valuable, part of 

 our journey. I was in the habit of writing my diary usually in the 

 form of a letter, to be sent as occasion offered to friends at home. It is 

 from this desultory letter-diary, with such revision and extension and 

 rilling up of gaps, as my memory and pocket-book notes afford, that this 

 volume has been formed. I have most desired to bring before my 

 brother farmers and their families such things that I saw in England 

 as have conveyed practical agricultural information or useful sugges 

 tions to myself, and such evidences of simply refined tastes, good feel 

 ings, and enlarged Christian sentiments among our English brethren, 

 as all should enjoy to read of. It was my design to have somewhat ex 

 tended this volume, that it might contain a greater proportion of more 

 distinctly rural matter, but the liberal proposal of Mr. Putnam to in 

 clude it in the excellent popular Series he is now publishing, makes a 

 limit to its length necessary. Should I have reason to believe, however, 

 that I have succeeded in the purposes which led me to write for the 

 public, I shall be most happy at another time to continue my narrative. 



FEED. LAW OLMSTED. 

 Toaomock Farm, ftuthride, Staten blmd. 



