PEEFACE. 



But few words of introduction con be necessary for tliis 

 unpretending book. As regards its plan, it has no claim 

 •whatever to originality. Similar works, on other subjects 

 than agricultm-e, have been published, and have been 

 found useful in theu- respective departments; some, in- 

 deed, very extensively so. This volume is permitted to 

 go forth into the world -^nth tlie hope that it also may 

 estabhsh for itself a character of substantial usefulness; 

 and, should that hope seem to be reahzed, it is in- 

 tended to publish a similar volume every haK year, so 

 as to concentrate in a convenient form for reference, as 

 much as possible of the varied and valuable information 

 dispersed through a six months^ series of our different 

 agricidtural jom-nals. 



A glance at the contents of the several chapters of 

 this volume, will serve to show how important are the 

 subjects contained in it ; and the mere names of many 

 of the talented and experienced authors of the different 

 articles will be a passport to the confidence of the agri- 



