No. 10. 



Apprentice hy Proxy.— On Breeding in and in. 



305 



descendants ; while, with perhaps a solitary 

 exception, little has heen ollercil to the pub- 

 lic, calculated to furnish practical information 

 in regard to swine. It is true that now and 

 then we find articles discussino; different 

 points connected with these neglected ani- 

 mals, scattered amid the pages of our valu- 

 able agricultural periodicals. It is also true, 

 if enjoying free access to books and sufficient 

 leisure, that we can, as the result of pro- 

 longed investigations, gather at one time 

 much of interest, regarding the origin and 

 habits of swine as the subjects of Natural 

 History ; at another, many facts calculated 

 to aid or govern our estimate of the compar- 

 ative value of improved varieties ; and again, 

 sound practical directions as to the best mode 

 of treatment to secure the utmost limit of 

 perfection. But the attainment of knowledge 

 by a process involving such expenditures of 

 time and research, is impracticable to the 

 many, and sufficiently irksome to the few 

 whose situation authorizes, and whose wishes 

 lead them to attempt it, to excite a deep re- 

 gret, that instead of scattered truths, and 

 disconnected facts, though important in them- 

 selves, no plain, practical, and connected 

 treatise on a subject so important can be 

 found. — Maine Farmer. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Apprentice by Proxy. 



" There is no royal road to Geometry." 



Mr. Editor .• — 



The following authentic anecdote was 

 brought to recollection on reading, in a late 

 number of the Cabinet, " Peter Jones's letter 

 about boys." It shows one among the many 

 ways which are adopted by affectionate but 

 foolish parents, to make boys useless incum- 

 brances, instead of useful members of the 

 community. 



Nearly half a century ago, the late W. S., 

 a tanner and currier of Philadelphia, and an 

 eminent minister of the Society of Friends, 

 was travelling in the southern states, where 

 his piety, intelligence, and benevolence of 

 character, caused him to be received and en- 

 tertained with much hospitality and kindness ; 

 and amongst those who manifested their es- 

 teem and regard for him was a planter, who 

 had a son that he was desirous should learn 

 the art and mystery of tanning and currying. 

 He proposed sending his son to Philadelphia 

 to be put apprentice to his new acquaintance 

 and friend, to acquire a knowledge of his 

 occupation. Some time after W. S.'s return 

 home from his southern visit, there appeared 

 at his house the youth above alluded to, who 

 had been sent on to enter on his apprentice- 

 ship ; and accompanying him was a black 

 man, a slave, who was intended to remain 



with the apprentice boy to do the drudgery 

 and work, while the lad looked on to learii 

 the trade. 



The novelty and incompatibility of the 

 arrangement was such as to prevent the in- 

 tended master from com|)lying with this new 

 mode of teaching a boy a trade, and both he 

 and his labourer were returned from whence 

 they came. 



" He that by the plough would ihrivp. 

 Hiinseir, must either hold or drive."' 



0. 



To the Editor of tlie Farmers' Cabinet. 



On Breeding in and in. 



Sir,— The article at page 267 of the Cabi- 

 net for April, is calculated to do much ser- 

 vice, both to that work, and to the cause of 

 agricultural science generally. In the first 

 place, there are so many men of celebrity — 

 men of observation and reflection — who can 

 speak from experience on the subject; and 

 their numbers are so equally divided on the 

 doctrine of breeding in and in, that I doubt 

 not you will obtain many valuable papers 

 from this source, and by them the readers of 

 the " Cabinet" will derive much useful in- 

 formation, ;5ro anc/ con. After all, however, 

 we must not expect that the question will be 

 quite decided, for from the beginning, you 

 know, doctors have always differed; — this, 

 for myself, I do not deplore, for, as some one 

 says, " truth will bear towzling," and light 

 is elicited from collision. 



It is remarkable, however, that the ques- 

 tion should be left, at this distant day, so 

 remarkahhj undecided ; for if you go over the 

 great names of both parties — men, all of 

 whom profess to have drawn their convic- 

 tions from experience alone — there will ap- 

 pear such a balance in the weight of evidence, 

 as would make a plain man stagger in his 

 faith. Now, there is Sir John Sinclair — a 

 host in himself, is so decidedly opposed to 

 the system of breeding in and in, and has 

 made the analogy between the animal and 

 vegetable kingdoms to appear so striking, 

 and reasons so closely, and draws such de- 

 cisive inferences therefrom, that thousands 

 would as soon think of doubting holy writ, 

 as founder in their faith in Sir John's theo- 

 ries — while Sir Joseph Banks' experience 

 was all the other way. There is, therefore, 

 a clear field, Mr. Editor; the combatants are 

 strong and active, well balanced in point of 

 numbers, and the prize is worth contending 

 for — all that they require at your hands is, 

 no favour. 



I cannot close this, however, without copy- 

 ing from Sir John Sinclair's works a few sen- 

 tences on the subject, which will, I calculate. 



