Book V. 



ORDER AND MANAGEMENT. 



493 



3141, In commer- 

 cial dealings the agri- 

 culturist requires to be 

 particularly vigilant, 

 because the nature of 

 his occupation and pur - 

 suits have not that ten- 

 dency to sharpen his 

 bargaining faculties 

 which is given by a 

 life of trade or manu- 

 facture. The purchase 

 of an estate is so 

 weighty a transaction, 

 that few men trust to 

 their own judgment as 

 to value, and legal ad- 

 vice is always taken as 

 to the validity of the 

 title, &c. ; but stewards 

 in dealing with timber 

 merchants, workers of 

 quarries, gravel deal- 

 ers, brick makers, and 

 others, require to be 

 ever on their guard. 

 The farmer and bai- 

 liff require particular 

 caution as to market- 

 ing, which is an im- 

 portant business, and 

 not to be excelled in 

 but after long experi- 

 ence in attending fairs 

 and markets; learning 

 the various devices of 

 sellers, to deceive or 

 enhance the price of 

 their goods; and of 

 buyers to depreciate 

 what is exposed to sale. 

 It would not be too 

 much to say, that no 

 man goes to market, 

 whether to buy or sell, 

 without carrying with 

 him the intention to 

 deceive. To farmers 

 who deal chiefly in 

 live stock, marketing 

 is by far the most dif- 

 ficult and important 

 part of their business. 

 There are salesmen or 

 brokers indeed for 

 transacting business in 

 behalf of farmers, as 

 there are agents for 

 effecting transfers of 

 landed property; but 

 in neither case is it safe 

 totrust entirely to their 

 judgment and probity. 

 Personal experience in 

 this as in every depart- 

 ment of his art, is what 

 ought to be aimed at by 

 every agriculturist. 



