PREFACE. 



steel engravings 1 These alone are worth the cost of the whole 

 volume. 



Farmers! you are earnestly invited to read, if nothing more, the 

 titles and contents of chapters, and their subdivisions of sections. 

 If you do that, and find nothing that jjromises instruction, lay tlic 

 volume aside. If so far it is promising, turn over its pages, glanc- 

 ing at the black-letter titles of paragraphs. Of one thing be as- 

 sured ; lengthy as the volume appears, it is not made so by extreme 

 ■dilution ; the last chapter is better than any that precedes it. 

 Throughout, no subject is lengthily treated ; no subject is treated 

 that does not contain something useful to some one ; something that 

 you can not always remember, but which you should always have 

 at hand, convenient for frequent consultation. 



To those who know the name of the author — and the number is 

 large — I hope this book will be a welcome bequest. I hope it 

 will be the means through which that name may live in love and 

 lionor with your children and children's children around many an 

 American hearthstone. 



Of the author's poi'trait, a word. It is the publisher, and not the 

 author, who inserts it. It represents him correctly, as lie is at the 

 age of neai'ly sixty. 



In conclusion, I earnestly hope these Facts will be an acceptable 

 oQcring to a very large number of those whose prosperity I would 

 promote, for I am one of the BROTnERHOOD of American Farmers. 

 To them it is commended, with the love and respect of their old 

 friend, 



SOLON ROBINSON. 



